Australian start-up Strategic Airlines has signed a lease with AerCap for two Airbus A320s and signed a lease with Swiss International Air Lines for an Airbus A330-200.
The Brisbane-based start-up is applying for an Australian air operator's certificate (AOC) so it can operate the A330 which will be on lease from Swiss, Strategic says in a statement.
"We expect to take delivery of the A330-200 in late June and will commence" A330 commercial operations from October, it says.
The aircraft will replace the A330-300 it currently has on wet-lease and will also be used for additional charter and wet-lease operations in the region, it adds.
Strategic currently charters an A330, from Portuguese carrier Hi Fly, and uses it for charter services transporting Australian troops to the Middle East on behalf of the Australian Defence Force.
In a separate statement Strategic says it has signed a lease with AerCap for two A320s and the first will come in time for Strategic to offer A320 charter services from 1 June.
The second aircraft will be delivered in early July, it says.
Strategic plans to have the first A320 stationed in Europe where it is establishing a charter airline and wet-lease provider, it says, adding that it is applying for a French AOC.
The second A320 will be based in its Australian headquarters, it says, adding that it plans to get more A320s and have these based in Europe or other parts of the world.
A Strategic spokeswoman in Australia says the company's European office is in Paris and in three months time it will be establishing a UK office.
The Australian founders and equity partners in the business include executive directors Michael James and Shaun Aisen.
But the Australian and European companies also have undisclosed European equity holders, which is why the venture can set up in Europe, explains the spokeswoman.
James formerly worked in operations at Ansett Australia and Aisen used to be an Australian representative for overseas freight operators.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
