A new regional airline operating with a fleet of small aeroplanes out of Antwerp International Airport will aim to sweep “niche markets” up in the air towards as-of-yet unknown destinations.
Representatives of the future regional carrier unveiled its future strategy on Monday, which will consist of tapping into a selective market of air-travel by offering flights in small aeroplanes carrying between 50 and 80 passengers.
Among the new airline’s stakeholders are national carriers KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Irish CityJet, which will be able to access a smaller travel market currently unavailable to their large-aircraft fleet.
The new airline, currently in the process of obtaining a flying licence from federal transport authorities, appears poised to fill in the spot left by VLM Airlines (bankrupted in 2016 with €6 million in debt), which offered CityJet a London to Antwerp fly route.
While Air Antwerp’s list of destinations was not made available during Monday’s presentation, representatives said the company would operate its first flights with a Fokker 50 craft, which can carry up to 50 passengers.
The new airline will be headed by VLM’s former CEO Johan Maertens, and several of the airline’s former employees are reportedly involved in the launch of the new air cruiser.
