Q&A with Melanie Daglish - Director of Aviation

As ITIC’s leading aviation specialist, Melanie manages the development of ITIC’s aviation portfolio. Melanie has featured as a speaker at a number of conferences including the Malta Aviation Conference and Expo (MACE), the Isle of Man Aviation Conference, Clyde & Co’s Business Jets Seminar and CJI Asia. She also authors the column ‘ITIC Insights’ featured quarterly on the BBGA website. Beyond this, her career highlights include being named the North West and East Pennine Region Young Broker of the Year in 2010.

Learn more about Melanie in the following interview where she explores common misconceptions about PI insurance in the aviation sector, her perspective on emerging technologies such as AI, and the surprising superpower she would love to have.

 

If you could be any aircraft, what would it be and why?

Pilatus PC-24; light, nimble and the epitome of Swiss quality!!!

What’s the most unusual or unexpected claim you’ve ever come across in aviation?

We once had a claim where the charter went wrong and the charter clients had to take a scheduled flight, last minute, with the most budget of budget air carriers. The reasons why it went wrong weren’t that unusual; very much the sorts of things that can go wrong for a charter broker! What did surprise me was that the charter clients were actually prepared to get on the scheduled flight in the first place. Every time I get visions of a multi-millionaire sandwiched between the average flyer in the middle seat, with his designer cases thrown unceremoniously into the hold by the ground crew, it makes me smile. However, that’s the thing with business aviation, people often use it because they absolutely have to be somewhere and it’s not always about exclusivity.

What’s the most surprising thing about working with the aviation industry?

When I began working with aviation clients, I was struck by the intricate regulatory framework and system of approvals that governs the sector. I hadn’t appreciated the extent to which these regulations contribute to the industry's safety, professionalism, and integrity. The layers of approvals required for aerospace design, engineering, and aircraft operations create a formidable barrier to entry; something that doesn’t really exist in the shipping world. That contrast was eye-opening.

What continues to surprise me, however, is the absence of statutory regulation for air charter brokers. It feels inconsistent with an industry that otherwise places such a strong emphasis on standards and oversight.

What are your hobbies?

Before my daughter came along, definitely travel. Now she’s here I’m generally happier at home at weekends and enjoy gardening and cooking/baking, often with her, although she’s more interested in sampling the results of the process than the actual process of getting there.

I also like genealogy and will happily bore anyone to tears with tales of my ancestor’s trials and tribulations. It’s really fascinating to consider where you come from and how you got to where you are today; it tells you a lot about yourself.    

How do you anticipate emerging technologies will reshape aviation in the next 5–10 years?

I can see it making processes more efficient, and I do believe that when used effectively, it will allow us to focus more on the things that need attention and less on the routine stuff that seems to take up more and more of everyone’s time. However, I don’t personally believe that the flying public will ever accept getting on aircraft with no actual pilot on board – nor do I believe that a machine can replace an expert charter broker who knows the market, their clients and the challenges of flying certain routes.  

What is a common misconception that people have about professional indemnity insurance in the aviation space?

We often find that people think that the liabilities that a professional indemnity insurance policy would cover are picked up elsewhere, and/or that they are protected under the aircraft’s hull and liability insurance, and therefore that they don’t need it. The liabilities that a professional indemnity policy can insure means that instead of replacing these insurances, it wraps around them to plug gaps in cover.  It’s narrow in its focus, but broad in terms of how it can apply, and surprisingly adaptable.

If you could take a flight to any destination in the world, where would you go?

Impossible to choose just one, however … Australia (NSW and QLD) to see family, New York to go shopping (amazing!), and Canada for the scenery. My only requirement is that when I get on the plane I “turn left” to access an upper deck.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

You would think that as the Director of Aviation, I would say to be able to fly. However, no.  Definitely an invisibility cloak. I’m inherently nosy and I’d love to see what goes on behind closed doors.

What’s your go-to in-flight snack?

Roasted corn kernels. Crunch, crunch, crunch …