newstodate.aero
Nov 26, 2013 (newstodate): The Latvian carrier Alpha Express Airlines has turned around its original business plan.
The carrier was registered in 2012 and took delivery of its first aircraft earlier this year - an ex-Georgian Star International Airbus A300F4-200 freighter that was stationed in Sharjah.
-After a comprehensive study of the market, we however realized that the air cargo industry is highly risky, and we saw no potential in continuing in the freighter business, says Rolands Ramins, Alpha Express Airlines Managing Director.
-Having handed back to freighter to its owner, we are therefore now entering instead the passenger air transport business, expecting to take delivery of our first Airbus A320 aircraft in December 2013 after completion of its ongoing pre-delivery maintenance check.
-The aircraft is delivered on a leasing contract with BBAM Aircraft Leasing, and we are actually already in negotiations with another leasing company over addition of a second aircraft to follow by February or March 2014
-After this, all options are open. We will continue to monitor the market to identify business cases, and we would not preclude the acquisition of smaller aircraft as well, such as an ATR-72 aircraft aiming at the regional AMCI market.
-Our first aircraft will fly for Baltic tour operators, but we will be active also in the ACMI market as opportunities arise, says Mr Ramins.
The carrier was registered in 2012 and took delivery of its first aircraft earlier this year - an ex-Georgian Star International Airbus A300F4-200 freighter that was stationed in Sharjah.
-After a comprehensive study of the market, we however realized that the air cargo industry is highly risky, and we saw no potential in continuing in the freighter business, says Rolands Ramins, Alpha Express Airlines Managing Director.
-Having handed back to freighter to its owner, we are therefore now entering instead the passenger air transport business, expecting to take delivery of our first Airbus A320 aircraft in December 2013 after completion of its ongoing pre-delivery maintenance check.
-The aircraft is delivered on a leasing contract with BBAM Aircraft Leasing, and we are actually already in negotiations with another leasing company over addition of a second aircraft to follow by February or March 2014
-After this, all options are open. We will continue to monitor the market to identify business cases, and we would not preclude the acquisition of smaller aircraft as well, such as an ATR-72 aircraft aiming at the regional AMCI market.
-Our first aircraft will fly for Baltic tour operators, but we will be active also in the ACMI market as opportunities arise, says Mr Ramins.