Air Gulf Falcon is to launch charter operations with nine Boeing 747s next month and is evaluating narrowbody types for expansion next year. The company is to be launched by the Sharjah, United Arab Emirates-based Falcon Air group, which includes Falcon Air Leasing and Falcon Aircraft Maintenance Centre.
Air Gulf Falcon will operate on an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) basis with the nine 747s - three -200s, four -100s and initially two 747SPs - sourced from the operator's sister company, Falcon Air Leasing, says Hamad Ali Jabor Al Thani, chairman of the group, and who founded Qatar Airways. The aircraft will start to arrive at the end of this month.
Air Gulf Falcon will cater for religious charters, including Haj flights, and all-year charters between the Middle East and Africa, Asia and Europe. "We have a very busy schedule until the end of April," he says. The operator is in talks about long-term contracts.
The company is also looking at narrowbodies, including Boeing 737 and 727s, and an Airbus A300B4-200 freighter to add to the fleet next year, he says.
Source: Flight International
