newstodate.aero
AUG 15, 2003 (newstodate): Finnish airline Air Botnia has signed a long term lease contract with BAE Systems for two Avro RJ85 and two Avro RJ100 jetliners to be delivered by November this year.
The airline already operates a fleet of five Avro RJ85 aircraft, which are used on routes between Finland and Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Oslo, Brussels and Dusseldorf.
Air Botnia has also agreed to further extend its lease commitments on the existing Avro fleet.
-The added capacity will first of all be used to optimise the timetable which currently reflects a certain lack of capacity, says Tom Christides, Air Botnia CEO.
Air Botnia will now also be able to take back operations on the route Copenhagen-Turku, currently operated by Cimber Air on a wet-lease contract.
As to further expansions of Air Botnia's network, Mr Christides says the new timetable will disclose some news, but in the longer perspective Air Botnia may also consider new destinations within the homemarket being expanded next year by the admission of new member states into the EU.
Also on Air Botnia's wishing list is a route from Helsinki to Moscow, which is however currently not viable due to the bi-lateral air agreements between Finland and Russia, he says
The airline already operates a fleet of five Avro RJ85 aircraft, which are used on routes between Finland and Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Oslo, Brussels and Dusseldorf.
Air Botnia has also agreed to further extend its lease commitments on the existing Avro fleet.
-The added capacity will first of all be used to optimise the timetable which currently reflects a certain lack of capacity, says Tom Christides, Air Botnia CEO.
Air Botnia will now also be able to take back operations on the route Copenhagen-Turku, currently operated by Cimber Air on a wet-lease contract.
As to further expansions of Air Botnia's network, Mr Christides says the new timetable will disclose some news, but in the longer perspective Air Botnia may also consider new destinations within the homemarket being expanded next year by the admission of new member states into the EU.
Also on Air Botnia's wishing list is a route from Helsinki to Moscow, which is however currently not viable due to the bi-lateral air agreements between Finland and Russia, he says