Belgian fleet operator launches legal action against Euralair Airport Services
Belgium’s Flying Group insists its recent failure to acquire Le Bourget’s Euralair Airport Services (EAS) will not deter it from establishing a new fixed-base operation (FBO) at the Paris airport.
Fast-expanding Flying Group, which already operates a 13-aircraft fleet from an FBO in Antwerp, Belgium and a new facility at Cannes-Mandelieu airport in France, says it is taking legal action against EAS founder Alexandre Couvelaire for allegedly refusing to sign the company over.
Flying Group says that it entered into negotiations with Couvelaire in June 2004, which led to the Belgian business signing an agreement with airport authority Aeroports de Paris (ADP) last year allowing it to develop business aviation activities including fractional ownership, aircraft management, freight and ground handling activities using EAS’s Le Bourget base under the terms of a 25-year lease.
Flying Group still plans to demolish the Euralair infrastructure and build a new terminal, hangar and offices ready for operational launch in spring 2007.
Until then Flying Group will operate from ADP’s new 3,200m2 (34,500ft2) business aviation terminal on the site of a disused building at the entrance to a complex of over 100 hangars that is due to open this April.
Flying Group, however, says that despite its president Bernard Van Milders and Couvelaire signing a protocol agreeing to the acquisition of EAS the following March, Couvelaire subsequently refused to fulfil the terms of the agreement.
“Despite the legal proceedings against Euralair regarding the acquisition of EAS, Flying Group will launch its business aviation services and ground handling activities in May 2006,” says Flying Group.
“Everything was going well. We paid for the infrastructure and wished to acquire the EAS’s business of 40 people. We want to make clear that we did everything to take over the company but, for one reason or another, Couvelaire refused to sign,” says Flying Group.
“We want to put out a positive message that we have every intention of establishing ourselves at Le Bourget. It is just a pity we were not able to take over EAS although we will be operating from their old premises. As far as creating a handling business – we already employ five people at Le Bourget – we will be seeking to employ new people,” says Flying Group.
EAS in December renewed a five-year agreement to remain in the Exxon Mobil Avitat fuel network until 2010 and said it was preparing to move into new unspecified premises at Le Bourget as part of the Flying Group deal. EAS was unavailable for comment.
AIMEE TURNER / LONDON
Source: Flight International
