Eirjet

Infobox Airline
airline=Eirjet
logo=Eirjet.jpg
logo_size=200px
fleet_size=4
IATA=Unknown
ICAO=EIR
destinations=Chartered
callsign=EIRJET
parent=Eirjet Ltd
founded=2004
key_people=Bernard Healy (Founder)
headquarters=Shannon, Ireland
hubs=Shannon Airport, Dublin Airport and Cork Airport

Eirjet was a charter airline based at Shannon International Airport in Ireland. They operated charter services to the Mediterranean. Its main bases were Dublin International Airport, Shannon International Airport and Cork Airport.

The airline ceased operations on 17 October 2006 after notifying Irish aviation regulators that it was unable to meet its obligations to its tour operator clients. Efforts to find new financial backing have so far been unsuccessfulFlight International 3 April 2007] .

History

The airline was established in 2004 and started operations on 23 December 2004 with an inaugural flight to Agadir with an Airbus A320. Another two aircraft were added in summer 2005 to add flights from Cork and Shannon. One of them painted in Air Jamaica colours, its former operator. The company founders include former Skynet Airlines personnel and Bernard Healy, who owns Idray, a Dublin company controlling the operations of Omni Tours, Omni Travel, Malaga Express and Faro Express [Airways magazine, March 2005] .

Eirjet made [http://dmses.dot.gov/docimages/pdf94/372694_web.pdf an application] to the United States Department of Transportation to permit the airline to perform ad hoc charters between Ireland and the USA, within the US and from the US to third countries.Fact|date=April 2007

The airline had an unusual philosophy of leasing aircraft. For example, on February 18, 2006, the airline wet leased all three Airbus aircraft to Ryanair and hired in three aircraft from airlines including Transavia, Flyjet, and Eagle Aviation to cover their own charter program. Indeed overselling its actual capacity and wet leasing in additional aircraft can be attributed to Eirjet's cashflow difficulties, with most subchartered activity costing the company far in excess of the revenue generated from operating the flights.Fact|date=April 2007

On October 18, 2006 the airline announced that due to financial diffuculties they would cease operations. All aircraft have now left the fleet. EI-DIJ and EI-DOZ have gone to Mandala Airlines while EI-DKG & DKF returned to their former operator, Air Jamaica. As of the end of October, the airline had ceased trading. Fact|date=February 2007

Incidents and accidents

*On March 29, 2006 an Eirjet aircraft wet leased to Ryanair accidentally landed at British military airstrip at Ballykelly instead of City of Derry Airport which is 8km away. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4857962.stm BBC News Northern Ireland] ] .

Fleet

The Eirjet fleet consisted of the following aircraft:
* 4 Airbus A320-200 [http://www.airliners.net/open.file/906139/M/ EI-DIJ] (ex-Monarch Airlines) and [http://www.airliners.net/open.file/931762/M/ EI-DKF] (ex-Air Jamaica)

In March 2006, Eirjet fleet average age was 9.6 years old [ [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/?file=calcop&opp=eirjet Eirjet Fleet Age] ] .

The airline acquired another Airbus A320 for summer 2006. EI-DOZ was delivered to the company on July 21 2006.Fact|date=April 2007

External links

* [http://www.jethros.i12.com/FLEETS/Listings/eirjet.htm Eirjet Fleet]
* [http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Eirjet?show=all Eirjet Fleet Detail]
* [http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?airlinesearch=Eirjet&distinct_entry=true Photos of Eirjet aircraft]

References