Turkish start-up Park Express has been forced to delay its launch by up to a year as a result of the changing political and financial situation in the country.
The airline, being set up by the major Turkish conglomerate Park Holdings, had planned to start operations last December, serving points in Turkey and international destinations. Orders were placed with British Aerospace last March for up to five new Avro RJ100s.
Jeff Marsh, BAe Regional Aircraft's senior vice president, says Park ran into trouble when Turkey's interim administration, which took control following the fall of government in November, suspended state lending. "Park had some financing arranged through the Turkish banks which has been affected," says Marsh, "so delivery of the first two aircraft slipped but we were able to place them quickly with Agean Aviation."
Marsh says that Park's situation will not become clear until April at the earliest, when an election is due, but it is unlikely that RJ deliveries will take place before 2000. "We are working to place the remaining three aircraft, and hope to secure new business with them," says Marsh. Other than the Park aircraft, the next available delivery slot for the RJ is August 2000, says Marsh.
The Canary Islands regional carrier Canarias Regional Air is winding up its scheduled operations and returning its three leased BAe ATP turboprops to BAe Asset Management. The airline was formed in 1997 as a division of Air Europa's Express feeder operation. Last year it split from its sister airline, Balearic Islands-based Air Europa Express, which is expanding operations and about to add its 12th ATP.
Following last year's split, Canarias, which is funded by local Canary Islands business interests, added two Boeing 737-300s on wet-lease, and it is continuing to operate on charter services to Europe. The airline's founder and boss, Juan Socastro, says that the ATPs proved too costly to operate on the regional network in the Canaries.
Source: Flight International
