Switzerland's Chair Airlines to standardise fleet with A320s

Estonia's Marabu resorts to ACMI due to delays, maintenance

Aegean, Lufthansa, Wizz Air bid for N. Macedonia subsidies

North Macedonia’s Ministry of Transport and Communications has said it received bids from three carriers - Aegean Airlines, Lufthansa, and Wizz Air - for subsidies designed to encourage the launch of new routes to its two airports: Skopje and Ohrid.

During the public call for bids, which lasted from December 20 last year to January 26, the three airlines “submitted documentation” and “a commission composed of members from several state institutions will evaluate the submitted offers in the coming period,” the ministry said in a statement posted on its website on January 27.

The subsidies, which are “in accordance with the policies of fair and competitive conditions according to the regulations of the European Union,” are “aimed at encouraging and developing air traffic” in the country, as well as “the quality development of civil aviation, establishing more competitive and affordable ticket prices,” and opening new destinations for local residents.

Transport minister Blagoj Bochvarski announced the call on December 20, saying at the time that funds would be allocated to attract new airlines...

Enter Air shelves buying majority stake in Chair Airlines

Switzerland's Chair Airlines adds first A320

Chair Airlines (GM, Zurich) took delivery of its first A320-200, its largest type yet, on December 12, 2021, after HB-JOK (msn 3923) was ferried from Ostrava to Zurich in the Swiss carrier's livery. It has yet to be deployed into revenue service. The 12.6-year-old jet was previously operated by Aeroflot (SU, Moscow Sheremetyevo) and is owned by Merx Aviation Finance, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows.

The delivery was deferred in relation to the original schedule, which foresaw the induction of the type in November 2021. The A320 will join the airline's current fleet of two A319-100s, replacing a third A319-100, which was damaged beyond repair during maintenance at Naples Capodichino airport in mid-2020.

During the recent peak summer season, Chair Airlines supplemented its in-house fleet with a B737-800 wet-leased from 49%-shareholder Enter Air (E4, Warsaw Chopin). The addition of the third aircraft will therefore allow it to avoid wet-leasing in capacity going forward.