Charter specialist in discussions with two unnamed North American airlines ahead of Lufthansa launch this month
Swiss charter operator PrivatAir aims to finalise a deal this month with Airbus or Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) for up to 10 Airbus Corporate Jetliners (ACJ) or BBJs to cater for growing airline interest in scheduled business-class shuttles.
PrivatAir will launch its first airline shuttle on 17 June with a six-times-weekly all-business class BBJ scheduled service between Düsseldorf and New York Newark for German flag carrier Lufthansa. The company is in advanced discussions with two North American carriers about wet-leasing aircraft for similar operations, says PrivatAir chief operating officer Greg Thomas. Industry sources suggest one of the North American operators is Lufthansa's Star Alliance partner Air Canada.
PrivatAir is talking to Airbus and Boeing-General Electric joint venture BBJ about meeting its 10-aircraft requirement over the next five years. A deal will be finalised this month, says PrivatAir vice-president, marketing and business development, Dave Kinson.
PrivatAir operates a fleet of three BBJs, one VIP Boeing 737-500 and a corporate Boeing 757. The operator had been expected to sign a deal for additional Boeing aircraft, but Kinson says that various airlines have requested the ACJ for fleet commonality reasons. Kinson says that the final choice "could depend on what [BBJ president Lee] Monson comes up with". Monson says: "Either aircraft could complete the mission, but if you've got a requirement for longer legs, then the BBJ looks better."
In response, Thomas says that the ACJ's lower operating costs compensate for its shorter range. "Airbus has also solved the availability issues," he adds.
Kinson says that although Lufthansa has ruled out using the BBJ on other routes, its flexible deal allows for expansion in other directions, such as a frequency increase. Lufthansa is using a dedicated gate at Düsseldorf Airport for the service, close to the airline's frequent fliers' Senator lounge. These are the kind of logistics that other airlines are evaluating, Kinson says.
PrivatAir says that the aircraft could also be used by carriers in 48-seat all-business configuration on scheduled services to destinations in the Middle East. "A once-daily service from Geneva to Jeddah would sell out," says Thomas.
Source: Flight International
