Air 2000 is aiming to integrate its recent acquisition, Leisure International Airways (LIA), by the beginning of its summer 1999 flying programme. It will then look at long-term fleet plans.
The merger of the two UK charter airlines under the Air 2000 identity follows the recent purchase by Air 2000's parent, First Choice, of rival tour operator Unijet (LIA's parent) from a consortium of shareholders, including Dutch flag carrier KLM, for £110 million ($180 million).
LIA will retain its identity for the rest of the 1998 summer season, but is expected to be operating under the Air 2000 identity and air operator's certificate before the end of the year. The Unijet take-over makes First Choice the UK's leading long-haul tour operator.
Air 2000 operates a mixed fleet of four Airbus A320s and 13 Boeing 757-200s. It will add two Boeing 767-300ERs, leased from GE Capital Aviation Services, for long-haul services in 1999 and 2000.
LIA, begun in 1988 as Air UK Leisure, flies two A320s, three A321-200s and two 767-300ERs leased from International Lease Finance, operating them on long-haul charters.
Two more A321s will be added in 1999 to replace the A320s. The 767s will be returned to ILFC in 2000 and substituted by two recently ordered A330-200s.
Air 2000 director of engineering, Gareth Cunningham, says the first priority is to integrate the two fleets and operations so that the combined airline is running smoothly by the 1999 summer season. Once the integration is complete, longer-term fleet planning will be looked at.
"There are no plans to change the fleet commitments already in place," says Cunningham. "The existing Air 2000 fleet has lease break-points, and we have looked at the various replacement options," he adds. These include extending the existing leases, rolling over the aircraft for newer examples, or moving to new larger types.
Types under evaluation include the A321, 737-800 and Boeing's stretched 757, the -300.
Source: Flight International
