Hugo Lucke

Current

Director, Customer Services & Ground Operations (Jar-Ops1 NPH) at VLM Airlines

Past

Consultant & CPO Chief Product Officer at SkyEurope Airlines
Vice President Ground Operations (DOS) (Jar-Ops1 NPH) at Aeris
Senior Operations Consultant (Free-Lance) at Legend Car

Chief Operating Officer COO (Jar-Ops1 NPH) at City Bird
Director, Customer Services (Jar-Ops1 NPH) at Virgin Express
Consultant - Change Management at EPI European Productivity Institute
Station Management - Operations Management - Flight Operations Coordinator at Various

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4 more...

Education

FUBL Berlin
DB - Zwijnaarde

Recommended

7 people have recommended Hugo

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Airlines/Aviation

Websites

Hugo Lucke’s Summary

Hugo is an experienced and versatile international airline manager with a strong record of achievement in airline/airport operations (strategic and tactical), ground handling, flight operations, airline IT-technology, and personnel management. A good communicator and organiser, who has demonstrated a high degree of initiative and self-motivation, and enjoys the challenge of a busy, demanding work environment. Conscientious, result-oriented, with the ability to maintain a consistently high standard of work under pressure. Quick to adapt to whichever situation may arise and an accurate decision-maker. An outspoken good team member and leader who also proved adept at coaching and consulting international, multi-cultural, teams. Also an enthusiastic supporter of professional customer services and support.

I will gladly connect with fellow airline/airport directors/managers. Mail me at hugo.lucke (@) yahoo.com.au

Hugo Lucke’s Specialties:

(Re)-Structuring, Interim & Turnround Management

Hugo Lucke’s Experience

Director, Customer Services & Ground Operations (Jar-Ops1 NPH)

VLM Airlines

(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Airlines/Aviation industry)

August 2004 — Present (5 years)

Headquartered in Antwerp/Belgium VLM Airlines operates 18 Fokker F50 aircraft which perform +80 scheduled flights/day to/from 12 destinations in Europe. On-Time performance is a major USP and stands regularly at an average of 90%. VLM Airlines won the "Regional Airline of the Year 2006" award from the leading Airline Business magazine - ATW "Air Transport World", the 2008 "Best Cabin Staff-Western Europe" and "Best Regional Airline-Europe" awards from Skytrax.

I conceived and restructured the entire ground operations and customer services departments where I currently direct following departments: Ground Operations, Cabin Crew, In-Flight Services, Catering, and Customer Relations, which comprise some 170 employees based in 5 European countries. Responsible for product definition, service delivery, aircraft interiors and customer service standards. Managed an operations cost-reduction programme, resulting in proven net savings.

Member of the airline’s emergency Crisis-Team.
Consultant & CPO Chief Product Officer

SkyEurope Airlines

(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; SKY; Airlines/Aviation industry)

January 2003 — June 2004 (1 year 6 months)

For a few periods in this time frame acted as a free-lance consultant and for a short while as CPO (Chief Product Officer reporting to the CEO & Chairman), based in Bratislava/Slovakia, working mainly on Ground Operations, Cabin Crew Management, In-Flight Services Product & Catering and Ancillary Revenue issues.
Vice President Ground Operations (DOS) (Jar-Ops1 NPH)

Aeris

(Privately Held; 501-1000 employees; Airlines/Aviation industry)

October 2001 — October 2003 (2 years 1 month)

Co-responsible for the operational introduction of long-haul aircraft into Aeris’ fleet which operated flights in Europe, North-Africa, Asia and the Caribbean with 2 Boeing 763ER and 5 Boeing 733. Directed all station staff worldwide from my offices in Toulouse and Paris. Responsible for operations IT policy and strategy.

Directed the Ground Operations Division consisting of 8 departments (Flight Operations Dispatch Centre/Quart-Opérations, Flight Operations Support, Ground Operations, Handling Contracts, Security, Cargo, and In-Flight Services including Catering & Duty-Free Sales) which employed some 70 employees. Managed the branding efforts of the airline in cooperation with the Marketing Department in respect to our In-Flight product, service delivery and Duty-Free sales.
Senior Operations Consultant (Free-Lance)

Legend Car

(Automotive industry)

November 2001 — November 2002 (1 year 1 month)

Consulted Legend Car on operational, planning and marketing issues.

Legend Car owned a fleet of exotic sport cars (Lamborghini, Maserati, Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, etc...) which were used for corporate events, for driving experiences on European racetracks (Mortefontaine, Nürburgring, Le Castellet, Spa-Francorchamps, etc..) and for special cross country rally's in Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Switzerland, The Alps, etc...
Chief Operating Officer COO (Jar-Ops1 NPH)

City Bird

(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; CBIR; Airlines/Aviation industry)

June 1997 — October 2001 (4 years 5 months)

Managed and started within 5 months City Bird’s low cost scheduled and charter passenger flights with, 3 MD11, 2 B763ER, 2 A36F Freighter, 5 B734 & 4 B738 operating to a total of 75 stations in Europe, Middle-East, Africa, Asia, and North & South America. Directed all staff from my office in Brussels/Belgium, supervised an operations office in Bethesda/Maryland tasked to supervise our Caribbean and North & South American operations. Instrumental in aircraft configuration definition (cabin interior, IFE, galleys, catering equipment, GSE, CLS, and ULD). Directed all GSC training efforts in liaison with US FAA & DOT as Principal Security Officer.

Directed the Customer Services Division with 9 departments (Cabin Crew, In-Flight Services, Catering, Ground Operations, Security, Customer Relations, Reservations, Cargo, and Standards & Procedures) which employed 450 employees. Co-responsible for the setting up of City Bird France, a 100% owned affiliate operating Boeing 734 aircraft.
Director, Customer Services (Jar-Ops1 NPH)

Virgin Express

(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; VIRE; Airlines/Aviation industry)

January 2000 — July 2000 (7 months)

Formed part of a new management team tasked to solve urgent management, operations, labour union and organisational problems. The position held responsibility on two separate AOC’s (Belgium & Ireland).

Composed and directed the Customer Services Division consisting of 8 departments (Ground Operations, Handling&Fuel Contracts, Security, Customer Care, Cargo, Cabin Crew and In-Flight Services including Catering & Duty-Free Sales) which employed some 450 employees.
Consultant - Change Management

EPI European Productivity Institute

(Management Consulting industry)

January 1996 — May 1997 (1 year 5 months)

Member of a consultant team dedicated to Akzo Nobel (Chemicals) which helped 5 Viskose manufacturing units in Germany to transform administration & purchasing procedures and conducted a productivity improvement programme. The team generated multi million DEM savings on energy and raw materials purchasing, while at the same time restructuring the entire purchasing procedures and department(s).
Station Management - Operations Management - Flight Operations Coordinator

Various

(Privately Held; 1001-5000 employees; Airlines/Aviation industry)

June 1987 — August 1995 (8 years 3 months)

Held various positions abroad: 1 year in Belgium as Loadmaster in Brussels/Belgium, 3 Years in Hamburg/Germany as Operations Manager with a local ground handling agency, 1 year in Jeddah/Saudi Arabia as Flight Crew/Flying Loadmaster on DC8F cargo aircraft, 3 years in Berlin/Germany as Station Manager for a growing local ground handling agency with some 50 staff, 6 months in Frankfurt/Germany coordinating the creation of Flight Operations Manuals (JAR-OPS1 OM).

Hugo Lucke’s Education

FUBL Berlin

None , Germanistik , 1983 — 1987

Attended some of the most interesting classes.
DB - Zwijnaarde

A2 , 1977 — 1983

Additional Information

Hugo Lucke’s Websites:

Hugo Lucke’s Interests:

Languages: Dutch, French, German, English. Reading, Mountain Hiking, Travelling, Jetskiing, Photography. I admire Ayn Rand, Henry Mintzberg, Tamara de Lempicka, Tom Wolfe, John Fowles, Jack Learoy, Tony Buzan. Airline History, Mindmapping, Customer Services, Quality Assurance, Organisation (Re)Structuring, People Management, Alternate History, Crew Resource Management. Favorite Quotes: "The only constant is change", "Not to decide is to decide", "Lead by example".