South Korean start-up Kostar Airlines, which was originally planning to launch operations in August, has delayed its launch to October because it is still arranging the ferry flight of its first aircraft.
In April a Kostar Airlines official in flight operations told Flight premium affiliate ATI the carrier planned to receive its first aircraft in July and start operating in August but today Kostar director of transportation division Kyu Byung Kim says the aim now is to launch operations in early October.
The launch has been delayed because it has taken longer than anticipated for the delivery ferry flight to get approval to fly over Russian airspace, he says.
Kostar's first aircraft, a Fokker 100, is leased from Panta Holdings.
The aircraft has completed a heavy maintenance 'C-check' and is now parked in France, says Kim, adding the aircraft is now "supposed to arrive in two weeks".
Kostar needs to have its aircraft in South Korea so the authorities there can inspect it and grant an air operator's certificate (AOC).
Kim says the AOC "is being processed at the moment and we are supposed to get the AOC at the end of September".
Kostar plans to add at least another two Fokker 100s on lease.
Kim says: "We are talking to Panta about a second aircraft."
"It is being negotiated but there is no final decision," adds Kim, who says there is strong demand at the moment for Fokker 100s.
Other carriers currently seeking leases on Fokker 100s include South Korean start-up Yeongnam Air and Papua New Guinea's national carrier Air Niugini.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
