Irish carrier EUjet launched scheduled operations from Kent international airport in the UK on 1 September, a move that will see the company phase out its former wet-lease activity. Shannon-based EUjet, headed by former Ryanair chief executive Peter McGoldrick, is a Fokker 100 operator, offering wet-lease and charter services as part of a marketing agreement with Amsterdam-based lessor Debis AirFinance, but has repositioned itself as a low-fares carrier. The airline launched with scheduled flights to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Girona and Nice and will later serve Barcelona, Edinburgh, Faro, Glasgow, Jersey, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Milan, Murcia, Palma, Prague and Shannon from Kent. It will add the winter ski destinations of Geneva, Salzburg, Toulouse, Turin and Zurich from December. A Shannon operation will be launched on 15 September, serving Dublin, Faro, Geneva, Kent, Malaga and Murcia. EUjet hopes to carry at least 500,000 passengers in its first year of operation. Kent airport owner and operator PlaneStation has a 30% stake in EUjet, while Kent County Council holds a £100,000 ($180,000) investment.
VICTORIA MOORES / LONDON
Source: Flight International
