Wirraway

Sat "Weekend Australian"

Ozjet fails to secure take-off clearance
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
March 20, 2004

PLANS by motor racing identity Paul Stoddart to start an Australian airline have been put on hold again as the Ozjet start-up grapples with difficulties getting access to secondary airports.

Ozjet chief executive Peter Schott said yesterday the project had been put back about 18 months because of problems with "due process".

But he said the plans had been slowed down rather than shelved. "Later down the track, we will bring things together again."

Ozjet wanted to serve a niche market using BAe 146 aircraft flying to secondary airports such as Sydney's Bankstown and Melbourne's Moorabbin. Mr Stoddart said earlier this month that the airline would be flying by the fourth quarter.

But it was facing an uphill battle winning acceptance for its secondary airport concept, with opposition from residents as well as the NSW and federal governments.

The Australian announcement also comes as a European air charter company started by Mr Stoddart announced it would axe 560 of 600 staff in a drastic restructuring designed to placate creditors. Mr Schott said the Australian decision was not related to the European problems. "It essentially won't affect our business and it doesn't involve me personally," he said.

European Aviation Air Charters specialises in executive charter flights and was reportedly started by Mr Stoddart using aircraft and spares bought from the RAAF. The former Melbourne car dealer told Air Transport Intelligence he intended to retake control of the company and to relaunch a reduced flying program on May 1.

He was thought to have sold the company to the Bath Travel tour company in 2002, keeping control of a spare parts division not affected by layoffs.

But he said the November 2002 agreement with Bath Travel was never completed and he was now moving to take up the reins again.

It is understood a final payment was not made.

He blamed the problems on a consultancy which had been running the operation for the past 18 months.

"Unfortunately, after the proposed sale of EAAC was agreed in November 2002 the company embarked on a program of ambitious, but ultimately unsustainable growth overseen by a management consultant company," he told ATI.

"When the proposed purchase recently collapsed, I felt I had a moral duty to step back in and try to ensure the continued survival of EAAC."

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Wizofoz

No, it's a holiday charter company, and since when did the RAAF have 737-200s???

Meeb

Wiz, Stoddard started EAAC with a batch of ex RAAF BAC1-11's, which he broke up to start his parts trading company, he then went on to take most of the ex BCal and BA 1-11's and ended up operating them, not just braking them. After that he aquired the 737-200's, then 747-200's.

Its a shame Australia cant catch up with the rest of the world and utilise secondary airports. Aeroplanes using airports... it's an alien concept to some Aussies it would seem...

Wizofoz

Thanks Meeb, I knew he started in the parts business, but didn't realise the source.

Typical that an Aussie journalist hears "Charter Jet" and assumes it's a Learjet. There must be 300 737s and heavier operating closed charter ops in Europe, but it's a whole sector that has passed Australia by.

ftrplt

I guess the lack of population and lack of multiple varied and exotic locations within close proximity of Aus would having nothing to do with it 'passing us by'

exeng

Sadly the company seems to have gone belly up with just a skeleton two aircraft 737-200 operation remaining.

See here in pprune rumours & news


Regards
Exeng

Grivation

Is that the same Peter Schott that used to be an FO on the CRJ with Kendell?

Boss

Affirmative.

One in the same mate.

LetsGoRated

And ex RAAF. Great guy, good luck to them.