LEITHEN FRANCIS / SINGAPORE
Long-haul start-up Air Bourbon, based on the French island territory of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, plans to launch services to France later this year with an Airbus A340.
Operating from the capital, Saint Denis, Air Bourbon is due to make its inaugural flight on 29 May from Reunion to Paris Orly. The airline will also serve Lyons. The carrier, which won regulatory approval from the French civil aviation authority on 18 December, is negotiating to lease an A340-200. It has had talks with Airbus Asset Management about taking the ex-Air Tahiti Nui -200 which is being returned to Airbus after delivery of new -300s.
It has capital of c4.5 million ($4.9 million) according to the carrier's president and owner, local businessman Eric Lazarus. Flight crew will be sourced from France.
Air Bourbon aims to gain an 11% market share on the Reunion-Paris route and will compete against Air Austral and Air Reunion, both part owned by Air France.
Source: Flight International
