Tag Archives: Swift Air

Swift Air (USA) becomes iAero Airways

Swift Air (Phoenix and Greensboro) this month transitioned to a new identity and name.

The name change reflects the ownership change.

In December 2018, Swift Air was acquired by iAero Group as a key component of their new integrated aviation services platform. This acquisition created a number of unique opportunities with safety, quality and cost advantages throughout the platform. A year later, Swift Air began its transition to rebrand as iAero Airways.

All images by the airline.

Swift Air is acquired by the iAero Group

Swift Air (2nd) (USA) Boeing 737-4B7 N458UW (msn 25022) MIA (Jay Selman). Image: 403679.

iAero Group has released this statement:

iAero Group, a leading integrated aviation platform business headquartered at Miami International Airport, completed the acquisition of Swift Air, the leading independent airline charter business in the United States. Swift Air now joins engine MRO AeroThrust and airframe MRO AeroTech under the iAero Group integrated aviation platform family.

Swift Air will now have access to iAero Group’s MRO capabilities to build and maintain the highest quality and most flexible fleet of aircraft in the market to deliver even higher levels of customer satisfaction. In addition, Swift Air will be able to reduce cost, increase in-service rates, and extend the life of their fleet.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Swift Air to our family of businesses,” said iAero Group Chief Executive Officer, Robert Caputo. “Swift Air will immediately benefit from our MRO and aircraft refurbishment capabilities and can further expand its capacity with our owned Boeing 737 aircraft.”

Jeff Conry, Swift Air’s Chief Executive Officer said, “we have been looking forward to joining iAero Group to leverage their capabilities to provide industry leading aircraft and service levels and have access to new capital to refresh and expand our fleet.”

Top Copyright Photo: Swift Air (2nd) (USA) Boeing 737-4B7 N458UW (msn 25022) MIA (Jay Selman). Image: 403679.

Swift Air aircraft slide show:

iAero Group to acquire Swift Air (USA)

Swift Air (2nd) (USA) Boeing 737-401 N420US (msn 23988) BWI (Tony Storck). Image: 939056.

iAero Group (Miami), a leading integrated aviation business, has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Swift Air (USA), the leading independent US airline charter business.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q1, 2019.  With the pending acquisition of Swift Air, iAero Group will add to its portfolio of aviation businesses acquired since its inception earlier this year including the leading engine MRO and leasing company, AeroThrust and airframe MRO AeroTech.  iAero Group is headquartered in Miami along with its MRO service businesses on a campus with more than 350,000 square feet of office and MRO space at Miami International Airport.

“Bringing Swift Air into the iAero Group creates an integrated aviation services platform and will enable the airline to leverage our capabilities to further their already exemplary customer service and impeccable safety record through access to our high quality, efficient, stateside maintenance services,” says iAero Group Chief Executive Officer, Robert Caputo.  “In addition, with our aircraft acquisition capabilities in our engine and airframe leasing division we have developed a pipeline of assets that will allow Swift Air to meet its customers growth needs in a manner that is unmatched in the industry.”

Jeff Conry will remain as the leader of Swift Air as its CEO.  Jeff brings over thirty years of airline management experience and will be a welcomed addition to the iAero Group management team.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Swift Air): Swift Air (2nd) (USA) Boeing 737-401 N420US (msn 23988) BWI (Tony Storck). Image: 939056.

Swift Air aircraft slide show:

x

Choice Aire to launch flights between Atlantic City, Nashville and Miami

Choice Aire (Miami) will debut its scheduled public charter service operated by Swift Air (2nd) (Phoenix) on May 21, 2015 serving new nonstop destinations Atlantic City International Airport (ACY), Nashville International Airport (BNA) and Miami International Airport (MIA).

According to the company, “Choice Aire will offer affordable, convenient, full-service first and economy class flights, with convenient connections from Miami to Cuba, Aruba and Curacao.”

Choice Aire logo

The five-times-weekly service will be operated by Swift Air, and will use Boeing 737-300 and 737-400 aircraft with 126 and 150 seats, including first class and economy service.

Swift Air (2nd)(USA) logo

Schedule:

Choice Aire 3.2015 Schedule

Choice Aire Charters, LLC dba Choice Aire offers Scheduled Public Charter Flights operated by Swift Air, LLC filed under DOT PC-15-043″ “FLA.

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Former US Airways Boeing 737-4B7 N447US (msn 24874), now with Swift Air (2nd) as N802TJ (msn 24874), taxies at Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto without airline titles.

Swift Air (2nd) aircraft slide show: AG Airline Slide Show

AG Aviation friend

 

Vision Airlines to operate Cuban charters for ViajeHoy under the “Havana Air” name

ViajeHoy Charters logo

ViajeHoy Charters dba Havana Air (Miami) starting today (December 11) will start using the aircraft of Vision Airlines (Las Vegas). The aircraft will carry Havana Air titles. The tour operator has been using Swift Air’s (2nd) (Phoenix) Boeing 737-400s. The company operates charters from Miami to Havana (HAV) and Santa Clara (SNU) in Cuba.

Havana Air-Vision 737 (14)(Grd)(Havana Air)(LR)

Havana Air Company describes itself:

Havana Air logo

Havana Air staff has over 25 years experience in corporate travel and leisure travel planning. Our senior officers fully understand the needs and requirements of this sector of travel and have served some of the nation’s largest companies. With this expertise, we can assist those companies now seeking to participate in travel to Cuba under new OFAC General License guidelines. We have a great deal of experience in serving both the pharmaceutical and telecommunications industries and would be pleased to assist your company with facilitating travel to Cuba under the appropriate OFAC guidelines. We also encourage those in the field of journalism or government organizations to allow us to assist them as well, as our organization has over a dozen years of experience in serving the U.S. Government travel.

All images by Havana Air.

Video:

Global Air Jets starts weekly charter flights from West Palm Beach to Montego Bay, Jamaica

Global Air Jets (West Palm Beach) started weekly charter flights on Sundays from West Palm Beach to Montego Bay, Jamaica on April 20 using the AOC of Swift Air (2nd) (Phoenix). The public charter company is also planning charter flights to Kingston, Jamaica starting in June on Tuesdays.

Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-4B7 N802TJ (msn 24874) of Swift Air is pictured on the ramp at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Swift Air: AG Slide Show

 

Global Air Jets logo

 

Florida Express Jet’s plans are grounded

Florida Express Jet Fly Florida logo

Florida Express Jet (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) will remain a dream. The proposed “paper” airline’s website and Facebook account was turned off yesterday. The would-be airline was proposing to operate scheduled charter flights between Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood and Orlando and Tallahassee starting on March 20 with a Boeing 737-400 wet leased from Swift Air (Phoenix).

Please see our previous report with the full plan: CLICK HERE

According to WTXL the paper airline informed Tallahassee Airport officials it would not start operations as planned. The company was reportedly short of capital and had not secured a gate at Fort lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Florida Express Jet wants to start operations on March 20

Florida Express Jet 737-400

Florida Express Jet (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) is a new charter airline that wants to start scheduled intra-state passenger operations in Florida on March 20 between Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood and Orlando and between Orlando and Tallahassee and return with Boeing 737-400s wet leased from Swift Air (Phoenix).

Florida Express Jet logo

The company previously issued this statement:

Florida Express Jet Travel, Inc. d/b/a Florida Express Jet announced that it will inaugurate a low-cost pattern of air service throughout the State of Florida. Initial service will be between Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando and Tallahassee for as low as $69.00 and even includes free Wi-Fi.

Starting March 20, 2014, Florida Express Jet will inaugurate air service and provide vacation packages with Boeing 737-400 jets between Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando and Tallahassee. The prices on the Florida Express Jet flights will be low and without any advance purchase or minimum-stay requirements. “All” coach seats on “all” nonstop flights will be priced at $69.00. This includes all 8 daily flights in the Ft. Lauderdale-Orlando and Orlando-Tallahassee markets. One-stop service between Ft. Lauderdale and Tallahassee will be a flat $99.00. A Better Business Class service with (2-2) first class like seating, extra legroom and free drinks will be a $30.00 add-on. There will be a $25.00 per bag fee to offset ground handling and airport costs but no extra fees for ticket changes, preferred seating, carry-on bags or for snacks or soft drinks.

Flights will depart Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood at 7 am nonstop to Orlando arriving at 7:50 am and continue on to Tallahassee arriving at 9:20 am. The morning return flight will depart Tallahassee at 10 am nonstop to Orlando arriving at 10:50 am and continuing on to Ft. Lauderdale. This pattern will be repeated in the afternoon with a Ft. Lauderdale-Orlando departure at 2 pm that will arrive in Orlando at 2:50 pm and depart at 3:30 pm to Tallahassee. The late afternoon return will leave Tallahassee at 5:10 pm nonstop to Orlando and continuing on to Ft. Lauderdale. The last flight will depart Orlando at 6:35 pm and arrive in Ft. Lauderdale at 7:25 pm.

This pattern of service, which focuses exclusively on flights within Florida, is designed to give travelers in both South Florida and Orlando the opportunity to arrive in Tallahassee by 9:20 am each morning and return at 5:10 pm–a full day in the State Capitol. Residents of Northern Florida will also now have nonstop jet service to Orlando twice daily and 1 stop service to Ft. Lauderdale and South Florida. This service should prove extremely attractive to business and vacation travellers as well as to the many state students and alumni at FSU, the University of Florida; UCF and many other state educational institutions that have had to drive between these cities in the past.

The Florida Express Jet service will be provided with Boeing 737-400 jets that are operated by Swift Air. Swift Air is an FAA-certified large jet operator that currently provides charter flights for major collegiate athletic teams and for the NBA Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks and NHL Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues. The Florida Express Jet aircraft will be equipped with 12 Business Class and 138 Coach seats. Free Wi-Fi will be available on all flights. The aircraft will be painted in true Florida colors featuring the Florida sun, water and beaches, palm trees and the state Everglades. All seats on the aircraft are soft blue leather.

Thompson further added, “This new service and low prices are designed to stimulate new travelers to see the great State of Florida and to offer flying that `costs less than driving.'” He further states that “our low cost, unrestricted fares will remind Floridians of the early days of Air Florida, Southwest Airlines and PSA Airlines as they established their foothold with low fares and great service in their respective states of Florida, Texas and California. We will continue to add service as demand warrants to all of the major cities throughout the State of Florida. Like many of the travel companies in Florida that offer regularly-scheduled charter flights and vacation packages to Cuba on a daily basis, Florida Express Jet will focus its attention and service exclusively on markets within this great state.” 

The company describes itself in the following words:

Florida Express Jet Travel is a registered entity with the Florida Division of Corporations and is incorporated in Florida as Florida Express Jet Travel, Inc. The flights and vacation packages offered by Florida Express Jet are intra-state charter flights operated by FAA certified airlines and available to residents of the State of Florida. All services are operated solely within the State of Florida. Florida Express Jet Travel, Inc. is registered with the State of Florida as a Seller of Travel Registration No. ST39101.

The company continues:

Our Heart Belongs to Florida

The magical splendor of Florida is an allure that sticks to you longer than beach sand.

So the saying “home is where the heart is” could not be truer than in Florida. Most native Floridians wouldn’t trade their right flip flop for a homestead in a different state. And for hundreds of years, a similar scene has been playing out among visitors: Folks visit Florida on what starts as a short business trip or vacation, only to discover that their heart turns hostage in this stunning and vivacious state. If those affected don’t move to the Sunshine State permanently, they often buy winter homes or visit regularly.

At Florida Express Jet, we’ve got sand in our shoes too.

Founding Florida Express Jet was a labor of love. And while providing excellence in the Florida travel industry is something that we’re committed to, at its heart, Florida Express Jet is about bringing the remarkably distinct and extraordinary parts of Florida closer together. It’s about making Florida more accessible to all of us.

That’s why our symbol expresses our two most important passions: The fascination of air flight, combined with the beauty and wonder of Florida. Fixed in the shape of a “butterfly heart,” each color symbolizes an important feature of Florida that keeps people love-struck year in and year out.

Florida Sun Florida Sun – The bright yellow sun confers energy and the hope of a new dawn, representing opportunity, transparency and success.
Florida Water and Beach Florida Water and Beaches – A symbol of life, the blue water represents the fun, vibrancy and richness of Florida
Florida Palms and our Everglades Florida Nature and Everglades – Florida’s greenery helps keep the state fertile and healthy, signifying purity, youth and innocence.
We LOVE Florida Florida’s Heart – We’ve reserved the color of passion to symbolize why Florida Express Jet exists. Quite simply, we LOVE Florida!

Let Florida Express Jet put its passion to work for you. With better fares, every flight, every day, we’re on a mission to celebrate Florida and change the way Floridians travel.

It continues again:

The Best Way to Travel the Sunshine State

Breathtaking rosy sunrises… alluring midday azure clouds… magnificent golden sunsets… Every day, the sunny skies over Florida display a magical collection of colors that celebrate the diverse and bustling activities taking place below in the Sunshine State. And now, those inviting skies are also the best pathway to experience any part of Florida you wish.

Welcome to Florida Express Jet, a happy new concept in Florida travel.

Like a sip of fresh-squeezed Florida orange juice, Florida Express Jet is an exciting new flavor of air travel in the Sunshine State. We’re fast, fun and uniquely Florida and we’re able to offer amazing fares on every flight, every day because we specialize only in Florida destinations.

Florida Express Jet was conceived as way to help Florida travelers reach their destinations faster and without the headache of having to drive. While it’s true that no place in Florida is more than 60 miles from the coast, the long, lanky shape of the Sunshine State — which stretches 361 miles wide across the north part of the state and more than 445 north to south — makes it a challenge to drive. And yet, major air carriers have not stepped in with flights to provide real travel choices throughout the entire state.

With no traffic, no tolls and no speed limit, Florida Express Jet is on a mission to change the way Floridians travel. Currently, we offer flights to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Pensacola, and Tallahassee, establishing the first layer in a network that will eventually connect every region in state. Coming in 2014, we plan to open flights to Jacksonville, Tampa, Key West and Daytona. Ultimately, Florida Express Jet will be the most economical, fastest and most enjoyable way to travel Florida.

Why Fly Florida Express Jet?

Smart Fares, Smarter Schedules – Florida Express Jet is the Sunshine State’s only point-to-point jet service featuring smart schedules, transparent pricing and world-famous Florida fun. By focusing resources and expertise within Florida, Florida Express Jet creates efficiencies that translate into a faster and more affordable air travel experience than a typical large airline. Well-planned schedules get you where you need to be, when you need to be there. And at $69, you could hardly drive to your destination for less.

Sky’s the Limit on World-Class Amenities

Don’t let the $69 rate fool you. Our fleet of Boeing 737s is loaded with all the “essentials” a Florida traveler could want. Sink into cozy leather seats, stay connected with free in-flight Wi-Fi and stretch out with ample legroom. When you Fly Florida!, it will be easy to finish that business presentation or keep the kids entertained until you land.

The Ultimate in Travel Convenience

The happiest flying experience means no hassles and no surprises, so every Florida Express Jet passenger receives one carry-on or checked bag for free. In addition, we’ve streamlined the boarding process to make it quicker and easier to fly anywhere in Florida. Our so-simple-it’s-ingenious boarding process will make your Florida Express Jet trip so enjoyable, you’ll never want to drive again.

Let Florida Express Jet Help you Celebrate Florida

When you fly Florida Express Jet, be prepared for an entertaining travel experience you won’t soon forget. You’ll encounter the perfect blend of Florida hospitality that combines southern charm and casual tropical comfort, with the enchantment of a theme park and a dash of South Beach chic. We promise to exceed your expectations.

It’s time to stop arguing with the GPS, kick back and relax … and Fly Florida.

All images by Florida Express Jet.

Florida Express Jet Fly Florida logo

Route Map:

Florida Express Jet 2.2014 Route Map

Swift Air to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid October

Swift Air (USA) (Phoenix) now plans to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in mid October following the approval of the bankruptcy court. The Part 121 supplemental airline filed for bankruptcy reorganization in June 2012. The airline issued this statement:

On October 2, 2013 the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Arizona granted final approval to Swift Air’s proposed plan of reorganization, thus paving the way for the company’s emergence from bankruptcy protection by mid-October. The company’s reorganization plan was overwhelmingly supported by the company’s creditor constituencies.

Swift’s CEO Jeff Conry said that “this is an important milestone in the company’s continuing steps to complete its financial restructuring and emerge from chapter 11 in the very near future. We are gratified to have the support of our plan sponsor, Nimbos Holdings, as well as the Official Creditors’ Committee.”

Ken Woolley, the principal behind Nimbos Holdings and the plan’s financial backer, said, “We are very excited about the company’s upcoming emergence from chapter 11, and look forward to a very successful future with the company.”

Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. The former US Airways Boeing 737-4B7 N802TJ (msn 24874) is pictured parked at San Francisco International Airport in the current livery, available for charter work. The aircraft was formerly painted and operated for the John McCain presidential campaign.

Swift Air: AG Slide Show

Swift Air prepares to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization

Swift Air LLC (USA) (Phoenix) has signed a definitive Plan Funding Term Sheet with NIMBOS LLC that provides for a substantial capital infusion and paves the way for the company to emerge from Chapter 11 by late September concluding its thirteen month reorganization.  The company has filed a motion with the bankruptcy court for approval of $1.4 million in additional funding by NIMBOS as part of the steps to emerge from Chapter 11.

Swift Air LLC, has been best known for its 14 years of incident free operations, transporting presidential candidates like Senator John McCain, professional sports teams, and the world’s biggest music acts.  Dealt a significant blow from the NBA lockout in the 2011-12 season, followed shortly thereafter by the NHL lockout in the 2012-13 season, Swift Air filed for bankruptcy in June of 2012 and has explored multiple exit strategies, before entering into this new arrangement with NIMBOS. The company has renewed its commitment to its sports charter line of business and is looking forward to the start of the NHL and NBA seasons, which will be the first uninterrupted seasons for these leagues in the past 2 years.

Swift Air is a certificated FAR 121 Air Carrier and operates a fleet comprised of Boeing 737 and Boeing 767 passenger aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. The former US Airways Boeing 737-4B7 N802TJ (msn 24874) is pictured parked at San Francisco International Airport in the current livery, available for charter work. The aircraft was formerly painted and operated for the John McCain presidential campaign.