Air taxi start-up Jetbird has put about 40 staff on protective notice as it battles to secure funding for the commercial launch of its low-cost, pan-European, no-frills operation.
The cash-strapped company, owned by Irish investment group Claret Capital and a number of private investors, has delayed service launch three times this year - April, June and September - blaming delays to Embraer's Phenom 100 certification and delivery schedule for the setback.
"The original delays were Embraer-driven but the current delay is funding-driven," says JetBird.
The Dublin, Ireland-based company has firmed up 59 of its 100-strong Phenom 100 very light jet orders and options, but has yet to take delivery of a single aircraft. The company, launched in 2006, hopes to raise about €10 million to fund the first aircraft and other start-up costs.
JetBird plans to focus its operations initially on Germany's Rhine-Ruhr region, one of Europe's largest metropolitan areas.
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Source: Flight International
