Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON
Air UK expects to finalise its fleet-expansion strategy in the coming months in a move which could see the airline selecting a new 60- to 80-seat aircraft to slot in between its 50-seat Fokker 50s and 99-seat Fokker 100s.
Philip Chapman, Air UK's director of planning, says that the airline is in the process of integrating six Fokker 100s which are being transferred from the airline's new 100% owner, KLM, enabling some Fokker 50 services to be upgraded, and frequencies increased. "We are studying our needs for a new aircraft allied to, and beyond, the Fokker 50. We are looking at the 66-seat turboprops, which at the moment is only really the [Aero International (Regional)] ATR 72, as well as a Fokker 70-type jet alternative," says Chapman.
"We also have to consider what to do with our six Fokker F27s, which will be due for major overhaul within the next 18 months. We could make a decision in the next couple of months," he says.
While the ATR 72 appears as the front runner if the airline decides on a larger turboprop, Chapman says that the carrier has yet to decide what the 70-seat market requires. "We could acquire used Fokker 70s, but we may be better off to take more 100-seaters [Fokker 100s], as the difference in the operational costs is marginal."
Chapman says that no recent dialogue has been held with Bombardier about its Canadair Regional Jet 700 and de Havilland Dash 8-400, although he concedes that the two models were looked at around "18 months ago".
The largest aircraft in Air UK's fleet is the 108-seat BAe 146-300, and Chapman expects the pressure of increasing load factors will see a requirement in the longer term for a 130-seater. "Obviously the KLM connection makes the Boeing 737 the front runner, but we will examine all the alternatives," he says.
Source: Flight International
