Hellenic Imperial Airways Athens

[PIA747]

Air Universal a jordanian charter outfit, which is banned in the EU and only recently failed to acquire a Cyprus AOC has now managed to get a Greek AOC under the name Hellenic Imperial Airways. There is more info on a greek forum, can somebody please translate?

http://www.airliners.gr/community/viewtopic.php?t=3663

SX-DIE ex 5T-AUE
ferried on 30th Oct ' 06 AQJ-LCA-ATH

http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=551674

[international hog driver]

I’d say that the rego is prophetic of things to come.

Just more flagging out and lowering the bar for everyone.

Liberian registered Ships
Greek registered Planes

No real difference in some operations unfortunately, but guaranteed someone somewhere in power is making money out of it!

[411A]

Well, I dunno, intnl hog driver, if you should paint all these companies with the same broad brush.
If Air Universal now has a Greek AOC, they had to comply with JAR ops specs, which aren't exactly third world, last time I looked.

And even before, AU seemed to me to do OK.
Last year I did a longish contract with 'em on the L10, and the dispatch rate was....nearly 100%.
Darn good maintenance/plenty of spares, experienced FD crew, superb cabin staff...and the pay was excellent.
All in all, quite a pleasant experience.

[punkalouver]

I would have thought that if you were banned in the EU, you wouldn't be able to get a Greek AOC. Seems odd.

[PIA747]

I would have thought that if you were banned in the EU, you wouldn't be able to get a Greek AOC. Seems odd.

Odd How? Its a new company registered in Greece. The aircraft is just leased from Air Universal.

[Eff Oh]

Having worked for a Greek "airline" I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. I know first hand of many goings on with the company I worked for and the Greek CAA. :yuk: :yuk: :yuk: :yuk: :mad:

[411A]

Nothing much in the links, just appears to be Greek chit-chat.
No AOC as yet.

[PIA747]

The greek forums say they have an AOC now, and are set to fly the Hajj.

[dimitrispa31]

Mr eff oh,i dont know for which airline you worked in greece but i have to tell you that i work for a really stable and dynamic airline,aegean airlines which was airline of the year 2004/5.You cant say bad things about greek airlines.Please tell us for which airline you worked in greece so that we see you are not lying.I am really proud of the company that i work for and i feel offended by your post about greek caa,airlines and so on.

[Suppers Ready]

Methinks Mr Eff Oh was with Greece Airways / Air Scotland, whatever their name was/is.

[Hawk]

It is really not a good idea to try and "out" ppruners. This is an anonymous web site.

[dimitrispa31]

Greece airways was operated by a scotish and an iraq person as far as i am concerned,its base was scotland,so dont say bad things about greece caa and airlines mr eff oh who comes from scotland!!!!

[Suppers Ready]

Hawk
Please accept my apologies.

Dimitrispa - Surely Greece Airways held an AOC issued by Greek CAA. Who were the owners is inconsequential.

[411A]

Air Universal's new Greek AOC has been approved, under a new airline name, Hellenic Imperial Airways.
Same senior management in place, as before.

[OXOGEKAS340]

As far as I know, AU, is operated from ex-Olympic Airways pilots, very experienced with the B747.
Aircraft is still in LGAV. Don't know, what they are planning to do....
Rumors say that they are going to operate soon, within Asia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

Dimitrios, concerning "your" airline. Can you explain , the logo on your aircraft, indicating "Airline of the year 2004-2005-2006"? (every year they change the date!). Among which airliners is this award? Is it true, that your CEO (or owner), is the president of this awarding "organisation"?
:E

[Eff Oh]

Greece Airways was "regulated" by the Greek CAA. Owners are of no consequence, and by the way the owners were not Scottish! Agean does appear to be a good company, and I am basing my opinions on my dealings with the Greek CAA. To say I was unimpressed and even disgusted on occations would be an understatement!
Dimitrispa31
I take it it was you who sent me the PM in Greek??

[WANDERLUST]

AU has not yet received a Greek AOC. JAA regulations do not mean too much in Greece where everything is still done under the table. A careful scrutiny of their start-up operation by the JAA would ensure they never receive an AOC. Their crews (Greek, ex Olympic) have not flown a 747 for many years, check when OA last operated a 747. A look into training records will show that no proper training has been given. This company has not changed in character - only name. Europe does not need this type of operation.
Wake-up JAA.

[PIA747]

My experience with AU has been good. Aircraft are well maintained and professional pilots are engaged with attractive salaries. Several PIA pilots, with flying experience in excess of 20,000 hours have been flying with AU during previous contracts. I see no reason why, a good business should be stopped.

[WANDERLUST]

I did not try to imply that all the piloits with AU are of a poor standard. The AU aircraft that were on a lease for the Hadjj to Pakistan and flown by non Greek crews were operated by PIA under their AOC. The crews were all experienced.The intended operation in Greece is way below standard with very many irregularities in the operation. I repeat that it would be in the interest of all if the JAA would investigate this company directly and not via the Greek CAA. It requires an independant body. The Greek CAA itself seems very reluctant to grant AU an AOC.

[dimitrispa31]

Mr oxogekas as far as the awards are concerned they come from era.If you dont know what era is,i am really sorry.The airline that i work for is a profitable airline with highly professional flight crews. I am writing in a friendly manner,if you want to,you can pm me,i am glad to see other greeks here.Take care.

Mr eff oh i never sent you a pm,i dont know if somebody else sent you,i replied at the forum

[WANDERLUST]

I just wish to make the comeent that the crews of Aegean are well trained and operate as well as any other airline in Europe. The same can not be said for Olympic or Universal.
Air Universal did in fact now receive their AOC and are waiting for their commercial certificate before being able to operate.
An outside audit needs to be made of this company.

[hangininon747]

A lot of negativity re Hellenic. The Greek CAA may not be ideal, but Air Universal in this latest venture have spent 18 months getting a JAA AOC, they have had to comply with all requirements - it was not bought - and they have carried out training on sim, and groundschool for pilots and cabin crew to full JAA requirements. Maintenenance is by KLM, so it is not being done on the cheap. The delay in the commercial licence is a result of petty local politics and has meant missing the Hajj, the licence is a peculiar local restriction.

[Yorky Towers]

Anyone with any info on this Airline with regard to routes, conditions etc would be much appreciated.

Regards

Yorky

[Wiggly Bob]

International Hog - I used to be a Junior Officer on a Liberian Flagged Chemical Tanker ten years ago! It's now registered in the Caymans as it's cheaper with less legislation.

Your right though, flagging out has damaged the reputation of many a respectable shipping line / owner. The same will happen for the airline industry if it's allowed to continue. :ugh: Plane crashes make bigger global headlines than maritime incidents (unless of course it's in your own backyard -MSC Napoli)

Regards

Wiggly

[europeflyer]

ERA (Europian Regions Assosiation) is just an organization for small regional companies like Aegean:ugh:, Aer Arann, Binter Airlines.....etc and they give awards to each other. Mr oxogekas340 don t forget the aegeans realy like to work under pressure, low salary, no seniority and every 6 months they have to face sim:{:sad: to feel like real professionals...:yuk:

[AVIATION REFUGEE]

I don't know if u "escape", and still work with them. Your "ex" ceo mr antonis, was te era president...is it so? And i don't think that your company is profitable anymore....or is it?

[hangininon747]

Thanks for query on Hellenic, looking at my last post I was wildly optimistic. I have worked for much worse airlines, but as this was a JAA airline, like my licence, I was not prepared to accept third world standards. Route expectations failed - we ended up based in Tripoli, Libya, and tech requirements and flight time limitations were totally ignored. I told them that unless they could guarantee that I would not be required to operate illegally I would not be continuing, they failed to provide answer satisfactorily, and I left. Their AOC was subsequently suspended for the irregularities of which I had complained. It could - should - have been a lovely little operation, but spoiled by poor standards.

[hangininon747]

Sorry, which thread was that ?

[airliner747]

Hello airliner's

What's the latest word about Hellenic Imperial Airways ?

:cool:

// B747 Driver

[airliner747]

Please provide facts and keep everything else to yourself please.

[Cyrano]

Airliner747, I am sorry if my response offended you. Let me try to offer some more thoughts, and let me say that I am not based in Greece and have never flown with Hellenic Imperial, so perhaps I am not the best-qualified to answer your question (hopefully other people here will be able to do so). My view of the airline is based on its "public face", for example its website, and on its history of network development.

Here are just a couple of examples of why I don't get a very good impression of the seriousness of the carrier when I look at their website. The last press release on the site is from July 2011 announcing the suspension of flights to Gatwick. Elsewhere on the site I read "the official inaugural flight for our scheduled route between Athens and New York will be on the 24th of June 2011." I find a destination page about Kuwait with a picture of Cape Town (http://www.hellenicairways.com/kuwait-kuwait-), and a broken booking engine. All in all, it looks as though the website has been abandoned - it certainly isn't being kept up to date. Even if a company is no longer selling directly to the public (e.g. if it's an ACMI carrier), surely it shouldn't leave such an unflattering image of itself on show?

In the past, Hellenic Imperial has announced (and IIRC briefly operated) scheduled routes to Birmingham, London, Johannesburg, Jeddah, Casablanca and New York. In terms of scheduled service, it appears to have had huge ambitions but to have been consistently unable to deliver on them. Perhaps it does better with charters, but as I mentioned above, its website gives a completely unprofessional impression.

I hope that explains why I don't have a high opinion of the company. However, as I say, my opinion is based on a view "from the outside", and I hope that someone who has more expertise on the subject can tell you more.

[airliner747]

Better :ok:

Agree on their website .

Too bad that they dont fix it, doesn't take so much effort but give them à lot of badwill.

[aeroalexGR]

Quite sad really, I managed to catch a captain in August and talk to him... he said the future wasn't clear...

Last time I was in the ATC Tower of LGAV they were departing to HLLB...

Here is a video of the abandoned B742. What a shame


Hellenic Imperial Airways Boeing 747-200 - walkaround - YouTube

[ChiefT]

I think all B747 are stored; I've tried to contact them for a charter, but got a fault message: Timeout connecting to mail.hellenicairways.com

What a pity.