Jackson Flores / Rio de Janeiro
Two Brazilian airlines have emerged as potential customers for up to half of TAM's fleet of unwanted Fokker 100s, with one of the operators planning to use the aircraft in the cargo role.
TAM has so far parked 10 of the 21 Fokker 100s it is retiring in the fleet restructuring announced in September, and the remaining 11 are due to be withdrawn by December (Flight International, 24-30 September). TAM is assisting lessors debis AirFinance and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) find new operators for the aircraft, and two local airlines, OceanAir and Promodal, are possible takers for six to 10 of them.
Promodal, a division of the Brazilian air freight and cargo handling GPT Group, confirms it is studying the lease of up to six Fokker F100s from GECAS. It is planning to use the aircraft as freighters, and would carry mail and electronic components in cargo containers loaded through the passenger doors on services between the Brazilian cities of Manaus and Sïo Paulo.
Negotiations are on-going with the aim of transferring TAM's leasing contracts to Promodal before the end of November. Deliveries would follow at one a month.
Meanwhile, start-up carrier OceanAir is eyeing the 100-seaters for expansion. The Rio de Janeiro-based airline flies five Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops and is due to receive two Fokker 50s. It has signed a deal with Continental Airlines to provide feeder services to Macaé, Brazil's oil industry hub, and is bidding for destinations that have been removed from Rio Sul's and TAM's route network.
Source: Flight International
