Found this on a website run by Emirates pilot Dave Boston,
PCC AVNEWS CLIP: 4/14/2004
New Airline Smart Jet about to take off from Dubai - GN
Smart Jet Airways, the UAE's first privately-owned airline, is expected to take off in June, according to a senior official.
Owned by City Link General Trading, part of Dubai-based Bin Beleila Group, it is being positioned as a low-cost airline and expected to fly initially to Beirut, Damascus, Alexandria, Istanbul, Madrid, Barcelona, Warsaw, Bangkok and Cameroon.
Hassan Al Jayouchi, general manager of City Link General Trading and Smart Jet Airways, said it has recently acquired a trade licence for Smart Jet from the Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority (Dafza), where the carrier's corporate headquarters will be located.
This is the fourth airline launched in the UAE in less than a year after Royal Jet, Air Arabia and Etihad Airways in the second half of last year. This is the second airline after Emirates to use Dubai as a hub.
Smart Jet will also be the second budget airline in the Middle East and North Africa after Air Arabia made its entry last October.
A third, MenaJet, is expected to take off from Lebanon later this year.
Al Jayouchi said the initial investment for the airline's set-up will be around Dh25 million.
However, the total investment for the first two years has been estimated as Dh65 million. Part of this will be financed by banks. The company has begun initial talks with a local bank on aircraft finance.
"With Smart Jet, the cost of travel will fall by 35 to 50 per cent depending on the routes," said Al Jayouchi.
"Though the airline will be positioned as a low-cost carrier, we shall not compromise on quality. For each flight, we will have a minimum of six cabin crews on board to look after the passengers."
He said the airline will not compete with existing carriers. "There is a strong growth in the Gulf's aviation sector. We have carefully chosen the routes to bring in more passengers to the region. This has been done to complement the growth of travel, not compete with the existing carriers.
"We will fly, among other destinations, to places like Cameroon, Warsaw, Barcelona and Madrid, which will open up new communication channels for travellers. In this way, we will help the local business and travel community by giving them convenient and cost-effective means of communication."
Smart Jet is currently finalising negotiations with Boeing Co. "We are acquiring fairly new aircraft, which Boeing has refurbished completely and handing over to us by June.
"Then the aircraft will undergo the certification process by the civil aviation authorities and we expect to launch flights thereafter. We will operate a dedicated Boeing fleet which will be maintained and technically supported by the manufacturer."
He said the company has a strong growth plan in place.
"During the first phase of our operation, we plan to acquire between 12 and 15 aircraft and increase the number of destinations, mostly to South Asia and the Far East. "Destinations in India, Pakistan and China will be included in the second phase of our network expansion.
"We are currently recruiting professionals to prepare the airline for launch. The size of the administration will be 150 qualified professionals, including crew members.
"We will also shortly launch a dedicated call centre. We will use both the Internet and travel agents for bookings."
Al Jayouchi said his company, which has interests ranging from event management, hospitality and catering to properties, undertook a feasibility study last year on the prospects for the low-cost carrier.
"We saw a strong growth in the region's budget aviation market, which could trigger a strong growth in the Gulf's aviation and tourism sector. Smart Jet is a result of that study."
Factfile
Company has strong growth plan in place
* Smart Jet is the first privately-owned carrier of the UAE, the second budget airline in the Middle East and North Africa, the second Dubai-based airline, after Emirates, and the fourth airline to have been launched in the UAE in less than a year
* Owner: City Link General Trading (Bin Bleilah Group)
* Investment: Dh25 million (up to Dh65 million in two years time)
* Fleet: Dedicated Boeing fleet
* Nunber of aircraft: Two. The fleet will have up to 15 aircraft in three year's time
* Corporate headquarters: Dubai Airport Free Zone (Dafz)
* Routes: Beirut, Damascus, Alexandria, Istanbul, Madrid, Barcelona, Warsaw, Bangkok and Cameroon.
* Ticket pricing: 35 to 50 per cent less than the conventional airlines, depending on the routes
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Wow from 2 to 15 aircraft's in three years. It does however serve some interesting routes, Barcelond and Warsaw. Any opinions on this one?