Swedish charter airline Novair is phasing out its fleet of Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 500s, as it prepares to update its long haul fleet with Boeing 767 twinjets.
The wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo, Scandinavia's third largest tour operator, has appointed UK remarketing agent Cabot Aviation to find buyers for two of its three TriStar 500s. The tri-jets operate long haul charters to Asia and the Caribbean, for Apollo and third party tour operators like Airtours' Scandinavian Leisure division.
"We have to respond to the market situation in Scandinavia. Our competitors are putting in newer aircraft, so we have to do the same," says Novair managing director Thomas Rosenqvist. Two of the TriStars are available immediately, and Rosenqvist says that, although a final decision on its new long haul aircraft has not yet been made, they will "most likely" be second-hand 767-300ERs on operating lease.
The airline hopes to begin replacing the TriStars this year, but, ultimately, the timing will be dictated by the sale of the first two aircraft. Rosenqvist envisages that the airline will initially operate a long haul fleet of 767s and the third TriStar, before moving to an all-767 fleet of three aircraft.
Stockholm-based Novair has recently standardised on the Boeing 737-800 for its short-haul operations with the delivery of three aircraft leased from GATX.
Source: Flight International
