Tag Archives: Fokker

InselAir arrives again in Port of Spain, Trinidad

InselAir (Curacao) yesterday (December 15) relaunched service to Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago. The inaugural flight was operated with the pictured Fokker F.28 Mk. 0070 P4-FKC.

The company issued this statement:

On Monday December 15, InselAir relaunched it’s 20th destination Trinidad and Tobago with an festive early breakfast at Curacao International Airport followed by the inaugural flight to Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain. The flight was operated with a Fokker 70, with 80 seats, which was acquired by InselAir earlier this year. InselAir will operate flights from Curacao to Port of Spain three times per week; on Mondays and Thursdays departing Curacao at 10:30 AM and arriving in Trinidad at 12 PM. On Tuesdays the flight leaves at 4:15 PM and arrives in Trinidad at 5:45 PM which provides business travels a perfect schedule for a two-day business trip.

Copyright Photo: Nigel Steele. Fokker F.28 Mk. 0070 P4-FKC (msn 11583) is the third Fokker 70 acquired by the airline. It is pictured landing at POS on the inaugural flight.

InselAir aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Caribbean/Airlines-Caribbean-AZ/Insel-Air-International

InselAir route map:

Seven local airlines in Sweden to be united under a single brand in 2015

Sverigeflyg (Stockholm-Bromma) is the primary umbrella brand for seven local airlines (some virtual) which includes Blekingeflyg, Flysmaland, Golden Air, Gotlandsflyg, Kalmarflyg, Kullaflyg, and Sundsvallsflyg.

Braathens Regional (formerly Golden Air) holds the actual AOC and operates ATR 72-500s and SAAB 2000s under the Sverigeflyg brand. The group flies to Sundsvall in the north and Ängelholm/Helsingborg in the south of Sweden (see below).

Sverigeflyg Route Map:

Some of these marketing names do not operate any aircraft.

Braathens Regional, Malmö Aviation and Sverigeflyg are all part of the Braathens Aviation group of companies.

This group of airlines will unite in 2015 under a single new brand which has not yet been determined or announced.

The company issued this statement (translated from Swedish):

Now it’s time to take the next step, and together with its sister company, Malmö Aviation, we will challenge throughout Sweden as a domestic airline with a Bromma Airport hub.

Malmö Aviation (below) provides scheduled passenger services between Malmö, Gothenburg and Umeå to Bromma, the Stockholm City Airport.

Braathens Aviation is a corporate group owned by Braganza AS. Braganza is a privately held investment company based in Oslo and is owned by Per G. Braathen and his immediate family.

The group consists of Malmö Aviation, Sverigeflyg, Braathens Technical, Braathens IT Solutions, Braathens Training, Braathens Leasing and Braathens Regional.

Top Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com (all others images by the group). Operated in the past, Fokker F.27 Mk. 050 (Fokker 50) SE-LEC (msn 20112) of Skyways Express arrives in Stockholm (Arlanda) in Sverigeflyg colors.

Malmo Aviation aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-2/Airlines-Europe-2/Malmö-Aviation

Bottom Copyright Photo: Robbie Shaw/AirlinersGallery.com. Malmo Aviation’s BAe RJ100 SE-DST (msn E3247) taxies at Glasgow.

VLM Airlines’ management team buys the company, will become a a scheduled carrier again and is considering new aircraft types

VLM Airlines (Antwerp) is getting a new chance to thrive. The company has announced its management team is acquiring the airline from Romscope and Intro Aviation. The following announcement was issued:

Today (October 28) Intro Aviation, majority shareholder of Romscope, has announced together with VLM Airlines that Romscope has sold VLM Airlines to the management of VLM Airlines with formalities of the transaction to be completed by the first week in November. As a truly independent airline, VLM Airlines will continue to offer ACMI and Charter services, but will also be offering scheduled services again in the near future.

VLM Airlines – which started in 1993 with its inaugural Antwerp-London City Airport route – over the years has become one of the most successful airlines in the charter business based at Antwerp International Airport. With its Fokker 50 fleet VLM Airlines focuses on meeting the needs of the European charter market including ACMI/Wet Lease contracts and charter operations for tour operators, travel agents, music & film, special events, incentives, sports teams, government & military, NGO’s and emergency support.

“We received an offer from the management of VLM Airlines that we felt we could not refuse.” said Peter Oncken, Managing Director at Intro Aviation. “We are happy to see VLM now to develop as a wholly independent airline in the ownership of a management which is dedicated to VLM”.

“We strongly believe in VLM Airlines as a truly independent airline,” commented Arthur White, CEO and majority shareholder of VLM Airlines. “As an independent airline we will keep offering ACMI & Charter services, but we will also start offering scheduled services in the near future. We are already studying a number of possible new routes from Antwerp International Airport. We will communicate this as soon as the deals have been concluded.”

VLM Airlines is also seeking to add a new aircraft type to its fleet, for the moment VLM Airlines is evaluating a number of possibilities.

The history of VLM Airlines:

From a low key beginning in 1993 with its inaugural Antwerp – London City Airport route, to the time of its sale in 2008 to Air France – KLM, VLM Airlines had become Belgium’s most commercially succesful airline. With ten years of consecutive profit, a record never beaten in Belgian aviation history, and a route network that stretched from Amsterdam, Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Luxembourg to London, Manchester, and Jersey, the airline at its peak was operating over 500 flights a week from London City Airport making it the No.1 airline operating from the airport.

During this period VLM also won many awards, among them the highly prestigious Regional Airline of the Year.

In 2008 the airline was acquired by Air France-KLM via Cityjet and VLM’s fleet was re-liveried in Cityjet colors. By 2010 the combined airline was carrying over 1 million passengers a year.

VLM reborn

In 2014, VLM Airlines became part of the Intro Group. Intro Aviation GmbH is a family-owned company and part of the Intro Group, which has over 40 years of aviation experience.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. With the new ownership group, VLM is likely to come up with another new color scheme or revert back to this colorful 2004 livery seen on Fokker F.27 Mk. 050 (Fokker 50) OO-VLX (msn 20177) at Rotterdam.

VLM Airlines Aircraft Slide Show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-3/Airlines-Europe3-QZ/VLM-Airlines

CityJet to drop Cambridge flights on October 26

CityJet (Dublin) on October 26 will drop all service to Cambridge where it operates Fokker 50 scheduled flights to Amsterdam and Dublin according to Airline Route.

In April 2014 CityJet announced it was adding two routes from Cambridge International Airport to both Dublin and Amsterdam starting on May 12.

In other news, the Ospreys Rugby team and the airline have announced details of a new agreement that sees CityJet confirmed as official airline partner of the team in the region.

The new partnership will see the Ospreys travelling from Cardiff Airport on scheduled CityJet flights to Scotland and Paris this season, as well as taking advantage of charter flights to selected non-scheduled destinations throughout the year.

As part of the deal, CityJet’s logo will be featured on the right leg of the Ospreys shorts this season, making its first appearance when the region hosts Edinburgh at the Liberty Stadium.

Pictured above are Ospreys players Morgan Allen and Joe Bearman at the launch of the new partnership at Cardiff Airport with CityJet flight crew and Paula Morris, Head of Marketing and Communications at Cardiff Airport (Right).

CityJet started operating at Cardiff Airport in January 2014 and marked the occasion with a match day sponsorship of the PRO12 Welsh derby between the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues at the Liberty Stadium earlier this year.

CityJet-VLM:

Greenland Express suspends operations, hopes to reorganize with new investors

Greenland Express (Keflavik and Aalborg) has suspended operations according to this report by check-in.dk. The flights were being operated with a Fokker 100 operated by Denim Air (above) twice-weekly. The flights from Denmark were making a technical stop in Keflavik, Iceland which was adding to the costs incurred by the company. According to the report, the company intends to restart operations with new investors and will look at possibly using an Airbus A320 for nonstop flights to Greenland. Greenland Express will lease the aircraft directly from the leasing company.

Read the full report (inn Danish): CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Denim Air’s Fokker F.28 Mk. 0100 (Fokker 100) PH-MJP (msn 11505) prepares to taxi to the runway at Amsterdam.

Greenland Express may need a new investor

Greenland Express has had to deal with two cancelled flights and other operational issues recently with operator Denim Air (Amsterdam) according to Nordjyske.dk. According to the report, the airline has issued refunds for the cancelled flights.

Greenland Express CEO Gert Brask also stated to the Danish website that a new investor will have to be found in the future. He will determine the time when new capital is needed.

Greenland Express Air is a Greenlandic/Danish virtual airline, established in the beginning of 2013.

Greenland Express Air chose Dutch flight operator Denim Air to operate the flights. Greenland Express Air uses a Denim Air 100-seat Fokker 100 aircraft (above) on flights between Denmark and Greenland.

Read the full article (in Danish): CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Greenland Express. Denim Air’s Fokker 100 (F.28 Mk. 0100) PH-MJP (msn 11505) has been operated for Greenland Express in their colors since the start of services on June 17, 2014.

Adriatic Skyways commences charter operations

Adriatic Skyways (Dubrovnik) has started charter operations from Basle/Mulhouse/Freiburg (EuroAirport) to Pristina using a wet leased Denim Air Fokker F.28 Mk. 0100 (Fokker 100) PH-LND according to ch-aviation.

The company describes itself:

Adriatic Skyways has joined forces with the Dutch AOC Holder Denim Air ACMI B. V. The flights will be operated by Denim on behalf of Adriatic Skyways, all other commercial operations are run by Adriatic Skyways.

Denim was carefully selected by Adriatic Skyways to become its single and exclusive airline partner. Denim has established an impressive track record as a regional aircraft operator. They have operated on behalf of airlines, companies, tour operators and other groups since 1996. Denim focuses on operational excellence, rather than ticket sales. The optimization of the flight operation in terms of reliability, punctuality, and passenger satisfaction has the highest priority.

Denim operates Embraer E190, Fokker 50 and Fokker 100, and confirms that they have these aircraft available.

Adriatic Skyways is established to promote and develop airline traffic from the Balkan region. Its expertise lies in the commercial operation of an airline, rather than the operational. Adriatic Skyways focuses on the contacts with tour operators, local tourism agencies, hotels, governments, etc, in order to increase traffic and tickets sales from the region. The business model excludes starting its own AOC to stay lean and low cost, and therefore Adriatic Skyways has selected Denim Air ACMI as its operator. The aircraft are in Adriatic Skyways livery and the flight program is managed by Adriatic Skyways. The entire flight experience for the passanges is an Adriatic Skyways product.

Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth. Denim Air’s Fokker F.28 Mk. 0100 (Fokker 100) PH-LND (msn 11320) carries joint titles for this new operation. Oddly the titles on the aircraft “Adriatic Sky”.

Greenland Express to now start operations on June 17

Greenland Express has now set the date of June 17 as its launch date, delayed from June 2. Denim Air will wet lease and operate its Fokker F.28 Mk. 0100 (Fokker 100) PH-MJP (msn 11505) for the new airline in its colors. The company issued this statement:

Due to events beyond our control, Greenland Express Air is forced to postpone the start up of our new routes between Greenland, Denmark and Iceland for 15 days. Thus, the initial flight is now moved from June 2, 2014 to June 17, 2014.

Greenland Express Air uses the Dutch aircraft supplier Denim Air ACMI as operator of the Fokker 100 aircraft which is being used for the routes, and Denim Air ACMI is still awaiting the Dutch aviation authorities’ approval of the aircraft register on the company’s AOC (Airline Operators Certificate). Denim Air ACMI has informed Greenland Express Air that this approval is expected within the next few days. Hereafter, registering of the aircraft on the AOC is subject to approval from the Danish aviation authorities.

The Fokker 100 aircraft arrived as scheduled to its new base in Aalborg Airport on June 2, in Greenland Express Air livery. The aircraft has been declared ready for operations.

Greenland Express Air also has a spare aircraft available under our agreement with Denim Air ACMI. The spare aircraft is being painted into its new livery during this week. The spare aircraft is already registered on Denim Air ACMI’s AOC, and it is expected ready for flight operations no later than the new date for initial flight operations. The spare aircraft will be based in Holland and can enter into service with a few hours’ notice, should it become necessary.

Passengers who are already booked on Greenland Express Air flights affected by the above stated cancellations have been contacted directly and have been either re-booked with other carriers, re-booked at later departure dates or have received a refund of their ticket, depending on the wishes of each passenger.

Greenland Express plans to operate on the following routes:

Aalborg – Kangerlussuaq
Aalborg – Keflavik
Aalborg – Narsarsuaq
Aalborg – Copenhagen
Keflavik – Narsarsuaq
Keflavik – Aalborg
Keflavik – Kangerlussuaq
Copenhagen – Narsarsuaq
Copenhagen – Kangerlussuaq
Copenhagen – Aalborg
Keflavik – Copenhagen
Copenhagen – Keflavik
Narsarssuaq – Aalborg*
Narsarssuaq – Keflavik*
Narsarssuaq – Copenhagen*

*Routing from fra Narsarssuaq is via Kangerlussuaq.

No labor peace at Austrian Airlines-Tyrolean Airways and also no contract and no merger due to tense labor negotiations

Austrian Airlines (Vienna) and Tyrolean Airways (Innsbruck and Vienna) have met with stiff resistance and a possible strike from its unions on its recent proposals for a new contract and hopefully some labor peace. As a result, Tyrolean Airways has now withdrawn its offer for a new contract as previously reported. In addition, Tyrolean Airways will not be merged into Austrian Airlines. Lower cost Tyrolean Airways currently operates all aircraft (except one Boeing 777-200) for Austrian Airlines under the Austrian brand. The company has also decided not to pursue a replacement program for the Fokker jet aircraft due to this uncertain labor environment. The group issued this statement:

• Threat of industrial action or even a strike met with incomprehension
• Works Council considers the old collective wage agreement to be the basis for negotiations
• “Old collective wage agreement would lead into an economic dead end”

After ten months of negotiations the management of Tyrolean Airways has withdrawn its offer for a new Group collective wage agreement. Last Monday the Works Council responded to the presented offer by holding a general staff meeting and threatening industrial actions or even a strike – a total of 34 flights had to be cancelled, and almost 3,000 passengers were affected by the disruption of normal flight operations.

Moreover, at the first round of negotiations following the announcement of the offer, Karl Minhard, Chairman of the Works Council for the flight and cabin crew, declared that from his point of view the basis for negotiations is still the original collective wage agreement applying to the former flight staff of Austrian Airlines. In January, both parties had still defined the goal of reaching an agreement by May 31, 2014.

“We would not manage to achieve this under the prevailing circumstances, neither with respect to the timing or the contents”, says Klaus Froese, Managing Director of Tyrolean Airways. “The past cannot be the answer to an economically challenging future. The old collective wage agreement would lead us straight into an economic dead end”, he adds. As a reminder: for six consecutive years Austrian Airlines operated in the red. As of 2013 the company was again in the black, as a result of strict cost management and after the termination of the old collective wage agreement.

After consulting with the Executive Board of Austrian Airlines, the management of Tyrolean Airways decided to take the proposed solution off the agenda. “We have to remain punctual and reliable, especially when people are planning their summer vacations. Flight disruptions and cancellations are not acceptable for our customers”, Froese adds.

Thereby, for the time being, also the offer of merging Tyrolean Airways and Austrian Airlines is no longer under discussion. The management of Austrian Airlines does not believe it is an opportune time to make the potential investments of up to EUR 1 billion to replace the Fokker aircraft and expand long haul routes. This is because the former collective wage agreement does not provide a sound basis for such investments.

“We will now deliberate which options we have. Naturally my door remains open for serious negotiations about an economically viable Austrian Airlines”, Froese emphasizes.

The management remains confident with respect to the lawsuits filed by the trade union and the Works Council. The transfer of flight operations to Tyrolean was economically essential and also legally permissible.

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. The Fokker 70s and 100s operated by Tyrolean Airways are not likely to replaced any time soon with this uncertainty. Fokker F.28 Mk. 0100 (Fokker 100) OE-LVC (msn 11446) arrives in Amsterdam.

Austrian Airlines:

CityJet to launch new routes from Cambridge to Amsterdam and Dublin

CityJet (Dublin) has announced it will be adding two more routes to its network this year, with flights launching from Cambridge International Airport to Dublin and Amsterdam.

Operated with 50-seat Fokker 50 aircraft, flights will start on May 12. The route to Dublin will operate twice-daily during the week, and daily at weekends. The Amsterdam route will also operate twice-daily, during the week, and daily at weekends,

CityJet already launched four new routes out of Cardiff Airport this year, with routes to Paris-Orly and Glasgow starting in January, followed by the Edinburgh route which launched on March 30 and Jersey on April 17.

In other news, Intro Aviation completed its acquisition of CityJet and VLM Airlines on April 30, 2014. One change being dictated by the new owner is VLM will operate charter flights under its own name.

Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. The VLM Airlines Fokker 50s are currently operated under the CityJet brand but this may change under the new owners. Fokker F.27 Mk. 050 OO-VLZ (msn 20264) taxies at Nantes.

CityJet (Ireland):