Premium Class Airlines News

British Airways details plans for flights from London City airport to the Big Apple

2008-08-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

When British Airways' planned flights to New York from London City airport stop in Ireland to refuel, passengers will be allowed to go through US immigration checks in advance, the company said yesterday.

The carrier first mooted the scheme for a business class-only service from central London to the Big Apple earlier this year. But it is impossible to fly the route non-stop from City airport because the runways are not long enough for take-off with enough fuel to complete the transatlantic journey. Following an agreement with the US immigration authorities, the 40-minute stop in Shannon will be used not only to refuel, but also to put passengers through immigration and customs checks.

The immigration scheme is central to BA's plans to cut travelling time, alongside allowing fliers to arrive at the airport just 15 minutes before departure.

Robert Boyle, the commercial director at British Airways, said: "Our planned business-class only service will be the most convenient way to travel between London and New York for those people based in or travelling to the heart of London. Many city workers will be able to get from desk to aircraft in as little as 30 minutes. This, combined with Shannon airport's ability to complete USA arrival checks during the planned refuelling stop, will ensure customers can make the most of their time and travel desk to desk in the quickest time possible."

If all goes according to plan, the new service will be up and running next autumn, with a twice-daily service using Airbus 318 aircraft with 32 seats, which are the largest planes that can take off and land at London City airport. BA will make no statement as to fares for the flights.

Only the westbound flights will need the Shannon stop. Eastbound services will be non-stop because they will not have the same runway constraints on the way back into Britain.

When BA's plan was first publicised it met with some scepticism, not least because the service would be competing with similar business-only offerings from Silverjet and Eos Airlines. Both carriers have since gone bankrupt.

Source: independent.co.uk

BA subsidiary OpenSkies to go all-business

2008-07-31T02:41:00.000-07:00

British Airways' subsidiary OpenSkies has announced the removal of all economy seats on its aircraft.

The changes will come into effect on October 1 on the airline’s Paris to New York (JFK) route.

OpenSkies currently features 28 seats in premium economy, 24 in business class and five rows of seats in economy class. The economy class section will now make way for 12 additional seats in premium economy (PREM+).

"Since our launch, we have had a tremendously positive reception to our PREM+ service," said Dale Moss, Managing Director of OpenSkies.

This seating configuration will also be used on the carrier's second service, between Amsterdam and New York, which launches on October 15.

The decision follows BA's announcement earlier this year that it plans to launch a business class-only service between London City Airport and New York.

The service will offer 32 fully-reclining seats, although a re-fuelling stop will be necessary in Shannon, due to restrictions on the size of the planes able to use the runway at London City.

BA is confident of the viability of its business-class only service, despite the failure of previous premium carriers such as Silverjet, Maxjet and Eos.

"Previous business-class airlines were stand-alone companies. BA has an existing infrastructure that offers solidity," said Michael Johnson, a spokesman for the carrier.

BA is expected to announce the full details of its London City - New York service in the next week.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

British Airways buying French airline L'Avion

2008-07-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

British Airways said Wednesday it will purchase French airline L'Avion, which flies between Paris and New York City's Newark airport, in a 54 million pound (US$108 million) deal.

L'Avion, which is privately owned, operates two Boeing 757 aircraft.

British Airways said L'Avion would become part of its OpenSkies subsidiary, which began flying from the European continent to the U.S. in June.

"L'Avion is a successful airline that has built up a premium business between Orly and New York in a relatively short period of time," said Willie Walsh, British Airways' chief executive.

"It has many synergies with OpenSkies and buying it provides OpenSkies with a larger schedule and an established customer base in the Paris-New York market."

iht.com

Silverjet will not fly again, says chief executive

2008-06-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

Failed all-business carrier Silverjet will not fly again, its chief executive Lawrence Hunt has told The Daily Telegraph.

Hopes were revived that the airline would take to the skies again after rumours surfaced that Middle East proposed carrier Arabjet had made a bid for the beleagured business-class carrier.

But Hunt has rubbished plans publicised by Arabjet to revive the London-Luton based airline.

"They are just a bunch of timewasters," he alleges. "We’ve been talking to them since February, providing business plans, but it never moved forward. They can't even raise the £125,000 needed to secure negotiations with the administrators. They just do not have the funding."

Arabjet's website says it plans to launch its own services next year to high-end passengers looking for premium travel within the Middle East.

Mr Hunt added: "There is nothing to buy any more because the CAA has now revoked all the licences."

Hopes that Silverjet, which operated to Newark airport and to Dubai until it was grounded on May 30, will fly again have been reignited a few times as various undisclosed bids have been put forward. Irish registered company Kingplace, which is managed by a Swiss trust, made a significant play for the carrier last week but failed when it failed to guarantee future aviation licences and the planes' leases.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

ArabJet may buy troubled airline Silverjet: source

2008-06-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

LONDON (Reuters) - ArabJet, a planned premium class airline based in Dubai, is talking to the administrators of SilverJet, the failed British business class carrier, about a possible sale, a source familiar with the talks said on Monday.

Luton-based SilverJet, which operated three planes between London, Dubai and New York, collapsed into administration last month due to weak demand and record fuel prices.

ArabJet officials in Dubai were not immediately available for comment.

The company aims to have a market base of about 500,000 customers, mostly in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, according to its Web site. ArabJet Holidays and ArabJet Limousine services will be added afterwards, the Web site says.

Talks to buy SilverJet by Kingplace, an Irish-registered company managed by Swiss trust and management company Heritage, collapsed on Friday, when the company made its 420 employees redundant.

Silverjet buyout collapses, workers laid off

2008-06-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

LONDON, England (AP) - The proposed buyout of collapsed business-class airline Silverjet fell apart on Friday and its 420 employees were formally fired, the administrator said.

Irish based Kingplace Ltd. announced earlier this week that it had provisionally agreed to take over Silverjet, which suspended operations two weeks ago after running out of money.

But Nigel Atkinson and Mark Fry of Begbies Traynor, joint administrators for Silverjet, said Friday that Kingplace was no longer in a position to proceed with a deal.

"We now understand that, as a result of the unusually complex negotiations with third parties, Kingplace is no longer in a position to acquire Silverjet as a going concern," the administrators said. Kingplace is managed by Geneva-based management company Heritage Cie SA.

"As a consequence, we have today had to make the entire work force formally redundant, in line with our legal obligations as administrator."

Silverjet employed 370 pilots and cabin crew and 50 administrative staff.

"We are extremely disappointed to have had to make these redundancies, which we had been working hard to prevent," the administrators said.

"We continue to negotiate the sale of Silverjet's assets for the benefit of the company's creditors and will provide an update as soon as we are able."

Silverjet suspended its service from its base at Luton Airport north of London to Newark airport in New Jersey in the United States and to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on May 30.

The company reached a crisis when it failed to receive funding agreed under a deal with Viceroy Holdings LLC, an international luxury development fund based in the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Silverjet, which had never turned a profit since it began operating in 2006, was the last business-class only airline flying between London and New York after the collapse of U.S. peers MAXjet Airways Inc. and EOS.

Source: edition.cnn.com

Silverjet Bought by Kingplace, Plans to Resume Flying

2008-06-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

Silverjet Plc, the all business- class carrier that ceased operations 13 days ago, said it plans to resume flying after agreeing to be bought by Kingplace Ltd.

Silverjet, which flew to New York and Dubai from London Luton airport, was purchased for an undisclosed sum in a deal due to be completed by June 13, administrator Begbies Traynor Group Plc said in a statement today. Kingplace is registered in Ireland and managed by Geneva-based investment trust Heritage Cie.

Grounded on May 30 after its funds ran out as fuel costs spiraled, Silverjet never made a profit and was the last business-only operator between London and the U.S. after Eos Airlines and MAXjet Airways Inc. went bankrupt. About 24 carriers have failed in six months after oil jumped 47 percent, according to the International Air Transport Association.

"If it's to be a successful resurrection then they will have to raise fares fairly substantially and hope the increase sticks," said Douglas McNeill, an aviation analyst at Blue Oar Securities in London. "The oil-price rise was the thing that they really hadn't foreseen in their business plan." The airline should consider adding more flights to Dubai, he said.

Silverjet shares were suspended a week ago after an investment from United Arab Emirates-based Viceroy Holdings LLC didn't materialize. The stock was 88 percent lower than when first sold to the public in May 2006, giving a market value of 8.38 million pounds ($16.5 million).

Long-Term Investor

"We now have the necessary backing from a long-term investor to relaunch Silverjet," Chief Executive Officer Lawrence Hunt said in today's statement. "We will be working around the clock to launch our New York and Dubai services as quickly as possible."

Silverjet may be flying again "in a matter of weeks" after terms with Begbies Traynor are finalized, said Ian Ilsley, the chairman of Heritage and a Kingplace director. All of the airline's employees are likely to be retained and existing tickets will be honored, he said.

Almost 10,000 passengers were affected when Silverjet stopped flying, according to the U.K.'s Civil Aviation Authority. The deal announced today is subject to regulatory approval, Begbies Traynor said. The offer from Kingplace is being made on behalf of private clients, it said.

"We are pleased to have agreed principal terms with Kingplace to relaunch the airline," Mark Fry, senior partner at Begbies and joint administrator of Silverjet, said in the statement. "This agreement is excellent news for the company's suppliers, staff and loyal customers."

Cash Needed

Silverjet may need to raise double the $100 million Viceroy had pledged to invest if it's to survive over the next year, said Howard Wheeldon, an analyst at BGC Partners in London. A fare increase of 50 percent might be needed to show a profit, Wheeldon added, even assuming the carrier can fill 85 percent of seats. The company's U.K. hub in Luton may also be unattractive to business flyers and its 767 are less fuel-efficient than more modern designs, he said.

Oil is trading near $136 a barrel, compared with about $55 when Silverjet began flying on Jan. 25, 2007. MAXjet and Eos blamed their failure on higher fuel costs, competition from network carriers and an inability to raise more capital because of the global tightening of credit.

Before the Viceroy pledge Silverjet had garnered about 72 million pounds from an initial share sale, additional stock offerings and loans. The carrier cited the oil price when missing its target of a first profitable month in March.

Network airlines get most of their profit from first- and business-class seats, prompting the idea for premium-only carriers. Congestion at U.K. airports and delays from tighter security also created demand for a hassle-free, luxury service.

Lower Prices

Silverjet aimed to sell premium tickets for about 1,000 pounds, often one-third the price charged by competitors such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. Flights were operated using three Boeing Co. 767 planes with 100 flatbed seats, or less than half the usual capacity. Service included private terminals, onboard women-only toilets and gourmet menus from London restaurant Le Caprice.

Analysts including Mike Stoddart of Daniel Stewart in London had predicted Silverjet would go bankrupt this year as it failed to sell sufficient seats at high-enough prices to cover costs. Stoddart initiated coverage in January with a "sell" recommendation and a price target of zero pence.

CEO Hunt has blamed negative analyst notes for passengers being reluctant to book with the airline.

Route Expansion

Blue Oar's McNeill said Silverjet now needs to expand its route network as quickly as possible to generate cash. The airline had originally planned to add more planes in the second half of this year and any new capacity should be used to increase frequencies, particularly to Dubai, he said.

"The history of Silverjet to date, and indeed Eos, shows that the business-only model has considerable merit," he said. "It has attracted passengers and the service created has been widely acclaimed and copied by some of the larger carriers. All of this suggests is that the concept had merit; all that remains is to make money out of it."

With Silverjet grounded, closely held L'Avion, which flies between Paris and New York, is the last remaining independent airline providing premium-only services across the Atlantic.

Source: bloomberg.com

Swiss investment firm bids for Silverjet

2008-06-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

LONDON (AP) — The administrator of collapsed business-class airline Silverjet PLC, confirmed on Monday that it has received a formal offer from a Swiss investment firm to buy and relaunch the airline.

Administrator Begbies Traynor added that two other parties have expressed an interest in the carrier, which suspended operations late last month after a key funding deal fell through, but did not comment on any financial details.

Irish-based Kingplace, which is managed by Geneva-based management company Heritage Cie SA, said Sunday it wants to resume Silverjet's operations as soon as possible and had made an offer to the administrator and Silverjet chief executive Lawrence Hunt.

Silverjet had operated services to Newark airport in New Jersey and to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from its base at London's Luton Airport.

The carrier ran into trouble after it failed to receive funding agreed under a deal recently signed with Viceroy Holdings LLC, an international luxury development fund based in the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

The funding shortfall came at a difficult time with Silverjet, like other airlines, already under pressure from soaring fuel costs and a slowing global economy.

Its decision to stop flying followed the collapse of U.S. peers MAXjet Airways Inc. and EOS, which also started business-only services from London to New York in 2006.

Source: news.google.com

Suitors hope to see Silverjet fly again

2008-06-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

Silverjet, the business-class only airline that collapsed into administration last week, has received two tentative bid approaches from suitors interested in relaunching the carrier.

Kingplace, a shelf-company registered in Ireland and managed by Heritage Cie SA, a Geneva trust and management company, has made an indicative offer to administrator Begbies Traynor.

The company, which has expressed an interest in working with Silverjet chief executive Lawrence Hunt, faces competition from an airline.

Mark Fry, joint administrator, said: "They are up against a very serious bidder," but declined to name it. He said: "We are in talks with a couple of bidders and terms are being discussed."

Silverjet, which operated three aircraft flying from London Luton to New York and Dubai, grounded its fleet a week ago.

It collapsed owing creditors £40m, £17m of which is secured against the three aircraft. Of the remaining £23m, £10m is owed to property entrepreneurs Simon and David Reuben. The rest is due to trade creditors. Shareholders have lost everything.

The debt secured against the aircraft could transfer with any new owner, but Mr Fry is seeking some return for the holders of the remaining £23m debt.

"We are looking for a certain amount that will go to the old company's creditors," he said, intimating that the bidders were offering less than £5m.

He believed any non-airline bidder would also need to sink "at least £10m" into Silverjet to get it airborne again.

Ian Ilsley, Heritage chairman, said: "Kingplace can confirm it has made an offer to Begbies Traynor and Lawrence Hunt, with a view to purchasing Silverjet. " How many of Silverjet's 300 staff could be retained is unclear.

Mr Hunt said: "My aim is to see Silverjet up and flying as quickly as possible."

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Head of France's L'Avion, the last of the high-end carriers, remains open for business

2008-06-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

In recent months, three all-business class trans-Atlantic carriers have quit flying, leaving just one in the air.

But the head of L'Avion, the last of the high-end airlines still operating, said he doesn't believe his small company is likely to go the way of similarly ambitious startups MAXjet Airways Inc. and Eos Airlines Inc. and Silverjet PLC.

"At the end of the day, we are in a much better position," President and Chief Executive Marc Rochet said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday.

There is reason to be skeptical.

Silverjet, which stopped flying Friday, was touting expansion plans as recently as last month. And soaring fuel prices, credit troubles and a slumping U.S. economy are forcing carriers of all sizes to rethink their business models. Continental Airlines Inc. was the latest to announce sweeping cutbacks Thursday.

But Rochet is quick to point out that Paris-based L'Avion is different from the airlines against which it is often compared.

The company is vigilant about keeping costs and spending in check, Rochet said, forgoing perks like private terminals and operating with a back-office staff of just 20 employees. It also is backed by plenty of private-equity cash, so is not subject to the anxieties of skittish public shareholders. "It makes my life a little easier," Rochet said.

And perhaps most important, L'Avion is growing its business more slowly than other carriers. Rochet said the airline is not planning to launch any additional flights this year, opting instead to partner in a code-sharing agreement with OpenSkies, a new carrier being launched by British Airways later this month.

"We have been very, very cautious, and we will continue to be very cautious" in terms of growth, Rochet said.

L'Avion operates two daily round-trip flights most days between Paris' Orly Airport and Newark Liberty International, outside New York.

The deal with Open Skies, which will launch once-daily flights to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport June 19, will effectively provide L'Avion added frequency without the additional costs of operating the routes itself. For OpenSkies, the agreement provides access to the relatively central Orly, OpenSkies spokesman John Hartz said.

Air France, American Airlines, Continental and Delta Air Lines all offer multiple daily nonstop flights between New York and Paris.

Since L'Avion began flying early last year, jet fuel prices on the New York spot market have jumped 123 percent, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Still, L'Avion has been able to pass along much of its increased costs to passengers, and has managed to fill 70 to 80 percent of its seats, Rochet said. It also has benefited from a strong euro, which has taken some of the sting out of dollar-denominated fuel and made it easier to hedge some energy costs.

"Assuming fuel at (oil prices of) $120 to $150 a barrel ... we think we have a successful model," he said.

Source: iht.com

Silverjet suspends operations

2008-05-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

From the Silverjet website:

To our dear customers,

When our inaugural flight took off in January 2007, we pledged to change the face of air travel. Your appreciation of our unique values and your belief in our product has allowed us to achieve this.

Your belief in us was shared by our investors - but regrettably, due to unforeseen circumstances, they were unable to unlock the finance that we needed. As a result, we are very sad to announce that from 30 May 2008, we will cease operations and we are no longer able to honour flight reservations.

We extend our sincerest apologies to those of you who have travel plans with Silverjet in the future and at present. You are advised to seek alternative travel arrangements with other carriers, and contact your credit card company or travel agent directly for information on obtaining refunds.

We are working actively with new investors who are prepared to inject new funds so we can recommence operations. If we are able to achieve this, we will make an announcement as soon as possible and we hope to be able to bring you our very 'sivilised' flying experience again.

Thank you for your support - it has meant everything.

Yours sincerely,

Lawrence Hunt, CEO

OpenSkies gets OK to launch from Paris Orly-New York JFK

2008-05-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

BA subsidiary gets the nod from UK and US authorities to launch flights and will codeshare with premium French airline L'Avion.

OpenSkies, the new BA subsidiary which plans to operate flights from Europe direct to the US, has received clearance from Britain's Civil Aviation Authority and the US Department of Transportation to take to the skies.

At the same time, the airline has announced that its first route will be from Orly airport in Paris to New York JFK and will be a codeshare with all business carrier L'Avion. The filghts will also carry British Airways' BA airline code as well as its own EC code.

In February, the airline originally said it would start its first flights from the French capital's Charles de Gaulle airport. Dale Moss, OpenSkies' managing director, said on the airline's blog today: "If you remember, we announced on February 21 that we planned to be flying from John F. Kennedy (JFK) to Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Even after that announcement we were working hard to obtain slots at our preferred airport, Orly. Just this week we got them through a codeshare agreement with L'Avion and made the switch."

A BA spokeswoman said that OpenSkies would seek deeper cooperation with L'Avion in the future.

Moss continued: 'We chose Orly because it is more conveniently located to the centre of Paris and offers faster access to and from the city than CDG. The distance from Orly to central Paris is roughly 19km or 12 miles, whereas the distance from CDG to central Paris is roughly 28km or 17 miles. Five miles can make all the difference—especially in rush hour."

The airline's planes will be refurbished 757s fitted with 82 seats in three classes: 24 flat bed seats in business class, 28 premium economy seats with a 52" seat pitch (larger than the existing World Traveller Plus) and 30 economy seats.

Source: travel.timesonline.co.uk

Lufthansa launches year-round Munich flights from Logan

2008-05-17T21:21:00.000-07:00

German airline Lufthansa will expand its schedule between Boston's Logan International Airport and Munich from summer-only service to year-round flights.

Flights during the winter will operate beginning Oct. 26 by Lufthansa's Swiss partner, Privatair, on long-range A319 aircraft with 48 business-class seats. They'll run Wednesday through Monday. Lufthansa's daily summer service is on larger Airbus A340s.

"Securing year-round service to Munich has been one of our top route-development goals, and Massport worked closely with Lufthansa and Privatair to convince them of the strong corporate demand that exists in Boston for (it)," Massport Chief Executive Thomas Kinton Jr. said.

The total Boston-Munich air travel market is about 79,000 passengers a year, 13,000 of which are premium passengers.

Source: bostonherald.com

Eos Airlines files motion to sell company

2008-05-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

Eos Airlines said on Friday it has asked a U.S. bankruptcy court to approve a schedule for the auction and sale of the company and its assets.

Eos, a business class New York-to-London carrier, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 26, the latest airline to fail amid record fuel prices and a weakening U.S. economy. Six airlines have filed for bankruptcy in the past five months.

Eos said it hopes to sell its business to a party interested in restarting Eos as a going concern, or to sell all of Eos' most valuable assets to one or more purchasers.

Source: uk.reuters.com

Silverjet Summer Sale Fares

2008-05-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

Silverjet Summer Sale fares. From now until 31 May 2008, return fares to New York and Dubai start at just £999 including taxes for travel between 14 May and 6 September 2008.

The sale ends on 31 May 2008. Terms and conditions apply.

Silverjet Summer Sale

Silverjet plans new hub in UAE

2008-05-10T16:43:00.000-07:00

Silverjet said it is considering setting up a new hub in either Dubai or Abu Dhabi after receiving a $100 million cash injection from a UAE-based investor.

gulfnews.com

Silverjet Launches Seat Offer to EOS Passengers

2008-04-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

Silverjet announced today a special rate offer to EOS customers following news that EOS has filed for bankruptcy.

The offer allows EOS passengers booking with Silverjet access to a limited number of seats on the airline's New York to London route for the same price as their EOS ticket, subject to terms and conditions.

Eos Airlines Bankruptcy Announcement

2008-04-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

April 26, 2008

To Our Valued Guests,

The relationship we have is very special. You have shown a true appreciation for the commitment and service that defines Eos Class and it has always been our pleasure to deliver Eos Class service to you. The sense of camaraderie and level of engagement we've developed together transcends the traditional airline space.

Our unique relationship makes it all the more difficult to share with you the news that Eos has filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York. On April 26, 2008, we plan to operate Flight 6 (8:30pm) from JFK to STN. On April 27, 2008, we plan to operate Flights 3 (1:00pm) and 7 (6:30pm) from STN to JFK. Flight 5 from STN to JFK and all flights from JFK to STN on April 27, 2008 are canceled. We will cease operations entirely after April 27, 2008.

This announcement is particularly regrettable since we have achieved so much, including having a term sheet in hand for additional financing. Clearly, even in today's challenging economic and credit environment, investors believe in Eos. Unfortunately, some issues arose that prevented the parties from moving forward.

We sincerely apologize to those of you who have travel planned in the days ahead. Eos Guests should seek alternative arrangements for travel and should contact their credit card companies or travel agents directly for information about how to obtain a refund for unused tickets.

For our Club 48 members, unfortunately, in the face of this bankruptcy filing, you will no longer be able to redeem your points for rewards. Any value related to your membership will be determined by the court as part of the bankruptcy process.

Again, we apologize and thank you for everything, especially for being our Guests.

Sincerely,

Jack Williams, President & Chief Executive Officer
Dave Spurlock, Founder and Chief Commercial Officer
Tom Martin, Chief Financial Officer
Gil Morgan, Chief Operations Officer
Adam Komack, Chief Lifestyle Officer
John Turnipseed, Chief People Officer
Jim Prebil, Chief Information Officer
John Morgan, SVP, EMEA
Andy Menkes, SVP, Sales - Americas

Lufthansa plans all-business Indian route with PrivatAir A319

2008-04-23T16:37:00.000-07:00

German flag-carrier Lufthansa is to open a new all-business service to India, operating between Frankfurt and the city of Pune.

The route will be flown by Swiss premium-class charter specialist PrivatAir which will use Airbus A319 aircraft configured with 48 seats.

flightglobal.com

Launch of Silverjet Mobile

2008-04-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

Silverjet Press Release

Award winning airline Silverjet launches Silverjet Mobile

- New mobile website provides travellers with flight information and bookings on the go -

Discerning travellers can from today book flights, find flight status and schedules, select seats, and choose meals all from their mobile phone, thanks to the launch of Silverjet Mobile, the UK's first full-service mobile airline website from Silverjet. Customers can access the site by entering the usual Silverjet web site address, www.flysilverjet.com, into their mobile browser. In the UK they can also text 'Silverjet' to 60767 to receive a link via SMS.

Silverjet Mobile uses the very latest in mobile internet technology to offer travellers all the functionality and services of the airline's award winning website, but from the convenience of a mobile phone or PDA.

Developed in close partnership with leading mobile solutions provider Mobile Travel Technologies (MTT), the solution is designed specifically to meet the needs of Silverjet's travellers who have come to enjoy innovation and stress-free experience from the award winning airline. Sophisticated technology will recognise the wide range of mobile devices currently in use and optimise the display and adapt functionality accordingly.

The latest in a number of customer-focused innovations from Silverjet, the new service has been launched to meet a growing demand by travellers for mobile internet services. Recent research has revealed that over a third (36%)[i] of business travellers now regularly use mobile internet services for work, with nearly half (47%)[ii] requesting the benefits mobile technology can now offer airline passengers.

George Henderson, IT Director, Silverjet, comments: 'The Silverjet experience was conceived to deliver convenience at all points of the journey and the launch of Silverjet Mobile is a response to a clear demand for mobile travel services. This innovative service will help our customers make and manage their bookings at times to suit their increasingly hectic schedules, and enjoy the relaxed, stress-free experience of Silverjet from the minute they log-on, wherever they are. How very sivilised!'

Gerry Samuels, Executive Director, MTT, comments: 'Travellers are increasingly demanding access to airline services such as manage my booking and flight status when they are on-the-go, away from their PCs. There are already nearly 5003 million mobile internet users worldwide. MTT is delighted to provide the technology to power Silverjet Mobile, bringing a range of customer services to this increasingly important channel.'

With private terminals, fares to Dubai and New York starting at just £1,099 return, and a flight experience which includes a 30 minute check in, a flat bed, dedicated security, and meals by Le Caprice, Silverjet is proving increasingly popular with leisure and business travellers alike.

MTT (www.mttnow.com) provides the technology which powers leading worldwide mobile travel services. MTT enables airlines, hotel chains, car rental companies and travel intermediaries to launch their mobile services. MTT is headquartered in The Digital Hub, Dublin .

[i] Research taken from Forrester Research ‘Travel eBusiness Execs: Focus On Mobile Data Now’ Mobile Data Creates A New Way To Distribute Travel And Engage Travellers, May 2007

[ii] Research taken from Forrester Research ‘Travel eBusiness Execs: Focus On Mobile Data Now’ Mobile Data Creates A New Way To Distribute Travel And Engage Travellers, May 2007

3 eMarketer, July 2007

Silverjet bookings soar with American Express win

2008-04-02T23:12:00.000-07:00

Silverjet has revealed that a recent contract win with American Express, one the world's largest corporate travel agencies, helped lift its passenger numbers by 23pc during February.

telegraph.co.uk

L'Avion Continues Expansion of Flight Frequency

2008-03-31T16:27:00.001-07:00

L'Avion announces today that they will further increase flight frequency on their second aircraft (a Boeing 757-200). Already offering flights seven days a week, and following the addition this winter of a second flight on Friday and Sunday, L'Avion will offer an additional flight on Monday and Thursday beginning April 3rd, and also on Wednesday beginning May 18th.

prnewswire.com

Eos to fly from Newark Liberty

2008-03-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

Eos announced today that it will begin flying between Newark Liberty International Airport and London's Stansted Airport in May.

nj.com

Singapore offers all-business class flights

2008-03-04T16:32:00.000-08:00

Singapore Airlines (SIA) will offer an all-business class seating on its non-stop flights to Los Angeles and New York starting in mid-May, the carrier said Tuesday.

theage.com.au

All-biz Silverjet flying high

2008-02-21T19:23:00.000-08:00

Silverjet celebrated its one year anniversary last month by reporting 30% repeat business and plans for new routes (to be announced).

nydailynews.com