New Irish(Russian) Airline
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New Irish(Russian) Airline
A previous post asked about the a new Shannon based airline. Here's more!! Fron todsy's Irish Times 09-Nov-2001.
A new passenger airline, SkyNet, to be established at Shannon Airport, will fly to European destinations in close co-operation with the Russian state airline, Aeroflot.
Mr Dick Healy, a former aviation consultant for Aer Rianta who is chief executive of SkyNet, said the flights from Shannon and Dublin would be on new routes.
They will also be able to avail of Aer Rianta's marketing support for new route start-ups.
Mr Healy added the airline would not be a low-cost carrier. "It will be a full-service carrier offering business and economic class," he said.
He declined to name the routes the airline would operate, but current European destinations for Aeroflot include Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Milan and Amsterdam, making these some of the likely options for SkyNet.
The airline has recruitment advertisements in the current edition of Flight International magazine. It has financial backing from American and Irish business-people, and has secured loans to lease two Boeing 737s by April.
"We are starting with two and adding two the following year. By 2005, we expect to have a fleet of 20 737s," Mr Healy said.
He added that the company had been set up prior to the events of September 11th but the decline in the aviation industry since then had made aircraft cheaper. "Crew are more available than they were six months ago."
Aeroflot would have no material interest in the company, which expects to have an Irish operating licence, but there would be "a close commercial relationship".
"We can write our tickets on their routes and we can both put our flight numbers on a particular route."
The other directors of SkyNet are Mr Carl Phorfziemer, a US citizen, and Mr Paul Williamson, a US-based Irish businessman.
Mr Healy has a strong association with the Shannon area and has worked for Aer Lingus and Shannon Development. He has also been employed by TWA and Northwest airlines as a manager at Dublin and Shannon airports.
He said up to 100 people, including crews and administrative staff, would be employed by the new airline in the Shannon industrial park next year.
Among the staff already employed are a number who worked for Virgin Express Ireland, a Shannon-based low-cost carrier which ceased operating last February.
A previous Shannon-based start-up - Mr PJ McGoldrick's charter airline, Translift, which changed its name to Transaer - went into liquidation last year.
Aeroflot, which expressed an interest in buying Virgin Express Ireland - in which entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson had a majority stake - has been seeking a relationship with an EU carrier to give it access to new routes under the European Union "Open Skies" agreement.
The airline recently hired consultants to improve its image. Its fleet of 140 planes include 14 Boeings and 11 Airbuses, and it currently flies from Moscow via Shannon to Cuba.
A new passenger airline, SkyNet, to be established at Shannon Airport, will fly to European destinations in close co-operation with the Russian state airline, Aeroflot.
Mr Dick Healy, a former aviation consultant for Aer Rianta who is chief executive of SkyNet, said the flights from Shannon and Dublin would be on new routes.
They will also be able to avail of Aer Rianta's marketing support for new route start-ups.
Mr Healy added the airline would not be a low-cost carrier. "It will be a full-service carrier offering business and economic class," he said.
He declined to name the routes the airline would operate, but current European destinations for Aeroflot include Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Milan and Amsterdam, making these some of the likely options for SkyNet.
The airline has recruitment advertisements in the current edition of Flight International magazine. It has financial backing from American and Irish business-people, and has secured loans to lease two Boeing 737s by April.
"We are starting with two and adding two the following year. By 2005, we expect to have a fleet of 20 737s," Mr Healy said.
He added that the company had been set up prior to the events of September 11th but the decline in the aviation industry since then had made aircraft cheaper. "Crew are more available than they were six months ago."
Aeroflot would have no material interest in the company, which expects to have an Irish operating licence, but there would be "a close commercial relationship".
"We can write our tickets on their routes and we can both put our flight numbers on a particular route."
The other directors of SkyNet are Mr Carl Phorfziemer, a US citizen, and Mr Paul Williamson, a US-based Irish businessman.
Mr Healy has a strong association with the Shannon area and has worked for Aer Lingus and Shannon Development. He has also been employed by TWA and Northwest airlines as a manager at Dublin and Shannon airports.
He said up to 100 people, including crews and administrative staff, would be employed by the new airline in the Shannon industrial park next year.
Among the staff already employed are a number who worked for Virgin Express Ireland, a Shannon-based low-cost carrier which ceased operating last February.
A previous Shannon-based start-up - Mr PJ McGoldrick's charter airline, Translift, which changed its name to Transaer - went into liquidation last year.
Aeroflot, which expressed an interest in buying Virgin Express Ireland - in which entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson had a majority stake - has been seeking a relationship with an EU carrier to give it access to new routes under the European Union "Open Skies" agreement.
The airline recently hired consultants to improve its image. Its fleet of 140 planes include 14 Boeings and 11 Airbuses, and it currently flies from Moscow via Shannon to Cuba.
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'tis good news indeed. You may like to checkout their website at
www.skynetair.net
[ 09 November 2001: Message edited by: Wing Commander Fowler ]
www.skynetair.net
[ 09 November 2001: Message edited by: Wing Commander Fowler ]
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Hi BTK..
The subject of the AOC will be an interesting one. It would appear that all the major investors in this company are non-EU citizens holding more than 65% (or there abouts) of the company. I am sure that in order to comply with EU law on holding an EU AOC the majority shareholder(s) must be nationals of the country in which the AOC is issued. I wonder how many Russian applicants for an Irish passport may result because of this quirky little law!!? Watch this space! (Crappy website BTW!)
The subject of the AOC will be an interesting one. It would appear that all the major investors in this company are non-EU citizens holding more than 65% (or there abouts) of the company. I am sure that in order to comply with EU law on holding an EU AOC the majority shareholder(s) must be nationals of the country in which the AOC is issued. I wonder how many Russian applicants for an Irish passport may result because of this quirky little law!!? Watch this space! (Crappy website BTW!)
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Is the same outfit that advertized for Do328 jet crews in Flight International 6-7 months ago?
I heard a certain Captain damine Mc Glone has been hired to write the training manuals, anyone know more?
I heard a certain Captain damine Mc Glone has been hired to write the training manuals, anyone know more?
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Dobin25
The gentleman you refered to is a superbly gifted pilot. He has a reputation for being totally professional and was very well liked by all who knew him in Gulf Air. He was also a personal friend of mine.
If he is involved then it will be a professional outfit.
If you are nurturing a grievance from the now defunct VEI just ask yourself if you would have been able to do any better.
The gentleman you refered to is a superbly gifted pilot. He has a reputation for being totally professional and was very well liked by all who knew him in Gulf Air. He was also a personal friend of mine.
If he is involved then it will be a professional outfit.
If you are nurturing a grievance from the now defunct VEI just ask yourself if you would have been able to do any better.
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WEll said Sirwa and Hogg. Sadly VEI was rife with "Dobbins", all smiles to DC's face and then sniping as soon as his back was turned. It's amazing how much "courage" (sic) anonymity provides some people with..... Wonder how many of their cv's have slithered into the SkyNet office so far?
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Obi
No it's a different set up.The one you're thinking of does'nt have a name yet, as far as I know, but I understand that they have, or are ordering up to 10 328 jets.
Things are looking up at SNN.
No it's a different set up.The one you're thinking of does'nt have a name yet, as far as I know, but I understand that they have, or are ordering up to 10 328 jets.
Things are looking up at SNN.
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The new start up operating 30-40 passenger regional jets will,rumour has it, be called "Shannon Atlantic" .
Was D.McC with Euroceltic at the start ?
[ 12 November 2001: Message edited by: Topcover ]
Was D.McC with Euroceltic at the start ?
[ 12 November 2001: Message edited by: Topcover ]
