New airline to launch from Stansted and Manchester
A group of businessmen have unveiled plans to launch a new airline – Air Sylhet – flying to Vienna and then on to Dubai from Stansted and Manchester.
The entrepreneurs admit next month’s launch comes at a tough time for the airline industry, but claim their start-up will “buck the troubled aviation industry trend”.
The private investors behind Air Sylhet believe they can exploit a gap in the market by targeting destinations currently poorly served by other airlines.
The airline will fly twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays) from Stansted to Vienna/Dubai, and once a week on Fridays from Manchester to the same destinations.
Flights will stop at Vienna for one hour, where passengers flying on to Dubai can stay on the aircraft.
The inaugural flight is on November 9 and will be operated by a leased Airbus A320-200, capable of carrying 180 passengers.
The first few flights will be for shareholders only, so that the first commercial flight won’t depart until December 4.
As well as Vienna and Dubai, Air Sylhet aims to provide a service to Bangladesh, starting up next year.
The carrier’s chairman Kabir Khan said: “We recognise that we are bucking the trend by launching a new airline at a time when others have struggled, but the difference between our offering compared to others is that we provide a complete service to high and exacting standards, but we offer it at a rate which is value for money.
“We are not looking to compete with ‘low frills’ airlines. We are concentrating on a more distinct approach of safe, value-driven, point-to-point services which provide consistent, reliable products and fares appealing to both leisure travellers and the business community.
“We offer services which have almost disappeared in the cost-driven low frills end of the market.”
Air Sylhet offers reserved seats, a generous 35 b baggage allowance, complimentary in-flight food and drinks, and no hidden extra charges, he added.
Air Sylhet was formed by ex-patriot British-Bangladeshi businessmen from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh.
Khan said: “We have chosen to fly initially to Vienna and then to Dubai, though, given Vienna’s location, it makes it an ideal base to expand our services to include long haul flights to Bangladesh a little further down the line.â€
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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