September 6 - Passenger charter airline AirX has taken its first foray in to the air cargo market having acquired a stake in Via Airlines - a Part 121 operator.
Six former staff from the UK headquartered charter broker Chapman Freeborn also joined AirX - David Livingstone, Jack Burt, Peter Obre, Simon Edwards, Roberto Berrios and Jose Torres. Former Chapman Freeborn owners, Chris Chapman and Carol Norman, have been named AirX brand ambassadors.
Air X also purchased Elite Air - a Part 135 operator for standard VIP charter flights - which will be rebranded as AirX America. Over the next 15 months, the AirX America fleet will grow to around 10 aircraft - including a Boeing 737 freighter. A spokesperson from AirX said that heavy lift and project cargo carriers will be available in the near future, but no specific details are available at this time.
John Mathews, chairman of AirX, said: "The process of completing this agreement has been ongoing for many months with regards to negotiations and the setup of such entities. Joining myself in the shareholding group of Via are three other parties, one of whom is in the top 20 aircraft leasing companies in the world. With the combined expertise of the shareholders, we will produce a company that will set a new standard of aircraft operation in America."
The AirX America team.
