BREAKING NEWS is that the new Barcelona-based Iberia low fare offspring
is to be called Clickair and could be flying as soon as October.
More details are likely to be made public this week but ABTN has
learnt that the investors are Iberia; Nefinsa ” Spanish company that
owns Air Nostrum the regional feeder to Iberia based in Valencia;
Iberostar ” the Palma-based tour operator; ACS ” a very large Spanish
construction company; and the Carulla family of Barcelona, through its
investment fund Quercus Equity. Each with 20%. The Airbus A320 has
been chosen as the mainstay aircraft, three ex-Iberia are being readied
for delivery at this time kitted out with 180 of the latest Recaro
seats, in leather. Two more aircraft will come in December and one a
month from March. In three years time the fleet size is expected to
be around 30 aircraft. Clickair will be a stand alone airline with its
own AoC and no Iberia input, although it will codeshare and take over
some IB marginal leisure routes. As things stand the carrier will
initially fly to Spanish destinations (but not Madrid), Lisbon, Paris
and Switzerland, London not being a priority. Senior management
positions are currently being negotiated. The website is not up and
running today but is expected to be launched later this week.
http://www.clickair.com