rotornut
6th Feb 2004, 03:31
Jetsgo doubles fleet
ROMA LUCIW
Jetsgo Corp. announced Thursday it is expanding its presence in the sky, more than doubling its fleet of planes and work force.
The Montreal-based discount carrier is buying 18 Fokker plans from American Airlines, bringing the total fleet to 32 planes. It already operates 14 160-seat MD-83s.
The move is the latest sign of increased competition between Jetsgo, WestJet Airlines Ltd. and Air Canada. On Wednesday WestJet unveiled plans to add additional flights within Canada and stretch its wings into the U.S. for the first time while Air Canada said it would grow the size of its Zip fleet from 12 to 20 by the end of this year.
The Fokker 100s have a capacity of 105 seats and provide us with tremendous additional flexibility in meeting the discount travel needs of Canadians, said Jetsgo president Michel Leblanc.
The new planes will be staffed with a five-person crew. Jetsgo's employee count will rise from 650 jobs to 1,300.
The first seven Fokkers will start flying by June 24 and the rest will be introduced gradually into Jetsgo's schedule.
"The purchase of these first seven planes is being paid from Jetsgo cash reserves, Mr. Leblanc said. He did not say how much Jetsgo was paying for the planes.
Michel Leblanc, former head of failed Royal Aviation Inc., launched Jetsgo in June, 2002.
Jetsgo said new routes and destinations will be announced closer to the Fokkers' first anticipated flights in June. The carrier currently flies to 11 Canadian cities as well as some U.S. ones.
© The Globe and Mail
ROMA LUCIW
Jetsgo Corp. announced Thursday it is expanding its presence in the sky, more than doubling its fleet of planes and work force.
The Montreal-based discount carrier is buying 18 Fokker plans from American Airlines, bringing the total fleet to 32 planes. It already operates 14 160-seat MD-83s.
The move is the latest sign of increased competition between Jetsgo, WestJet Airlines Ltd. and Air Canada. On Wednesday WestJet unveiled plans to add additional flights within Canada and stretch its wings into the U.S. for the first time while Air Canada said it would grow the size of its Zip fleet from 12 to 20 by the end of this year.
The Fokker 100s have a capacity of 105 seats and provide us with tremendous additional flexibility in meeting the discount travel needs of Canadians, said Jetsgo president Michel Leblanc.
The new planes will be staffed with a five-person crew. Jetsgo's employee count will rise from 650 jobs to 1,300.
The first seven Fokkers will start flying by June 24 and the rest will be introduced gradually into Jetsgo's schedule.
"The purchase of these first seven planes is being paid from Jetsgo cash reserves, Mr. Leblanc said. He did not say how much Jetsgo was paying for the planes.
Michel Leblanc, former head of failed Royal Aviation Inc., launched Jetsgo in June, 2002.
Jetsgo said new routes and destinations will be announced closer to the Fokkers' first anticipated flights in June. The carrier currently flies to 11 Canadian cities as well as some U.S. ones.
© The Globe and Mail