Scottish budget carrier Flyglobespan is looking to acquire additional Boeing 757s, 767s and 787s as part of a plan to further expand its new transatlantic operation.
Flyglobespan last year launched transatlantic services with 767-300ERs and agreed to lease two 787s for delivery in 2010. It now operates a mix of 767-300ERs, 757-200s and 737-700s across the Atlantic with services to six North American destinations.
Chief executive Tom Dalrymple says the carrier is committed to expanding over the next few months its transatlantic-capable fleet to 10 aircraft, consisting of five 767-300ERs, three 757s-200s and two 737-700s.
But besides the two 787s, which are being sourced from International Lease Finance, Flyglobespan is not yet committed to acquiring any more aircraft beyond 2007.
“Do we intend to get more? Yes,” Dalrymple says in an interview with Airline Business. “Do we have fixed positions? No. Do we want fixed positions? Absolutely. If you have fixed positions please bang on my door.”
Dalrymple is interested in securing more early delivery slots for the 787 but acknowledges 2015 is now “the best case scenario” unless some earlier slots are returned to the pool, in which case he is ready to pounce.
“The 787 is an animal with enormous capability,” he says, adding Flyglobespan was one of the first carriers to commit to the 787 because its range, low operating cost and dedicated crew rest area makes it the perfect aircraft for 10h flights.
In addition to more 787s, Dalrymple is interested in acquiring more 757s and 767s as an interim solution to open new long-haul routes until 787s are obtained. He acknowledges both aircraft types are difficult to find these days but is confident he can find a “sufficient number” before the 2008 summer season.
“Nothing is easy in the acquisition game but we’ve been successful in single acquisitions of aircraft,” he says. “We look at a lot all the time. We’ll expand with 737s, 757s, 767s as opportunities occur.”
Flyglobespan currently has only six transatlantic-capable aircraft - two 767-300ERs, two 757-200s and two 737-700s. But a third and fourth 767 will be placed into service later this month and fifth in August. Flyglobespan will also place into service a third 757-200 later this month.That will give the carrier 10 transatlantic-capable aircraft by September, but two will be used for other missions this summer.
Source: Airline Business
