With fellow business class rival Maxjet today introducing a twice weekly service from Stansted to Las Vegas, Eos Airlines has announced the raising of a further $75m of capital for expansion from both current and new institutional investors. Eos would not of course admit Maxjet as a rival, although both carriers offer flights to JFK New York.
Maxjet operates six days per week (that is except Saturdays) with a 102-seat 2+2+2 Boeing 767 in what can best be described as a fine example of traditional business class layout. Eos, who has a twice daily service with a single aisle 48-seat Boeing 757, is more akin to first class, although falls short of the BA product. Both carriers undercut their Heathrow rivals substantially.
Eos says that the new funding will help underwrite the acquisition of additional aircraft, as well as continued product and service innovations. In September the airline announced the start of a second daily flight between New York and London. Even with increased seat capacity, the airline has continued to maintain load factors in excess of 65%.
Now, hard on the heels of its first anniversary, Eos has embarked on expansion plans set to roll out in 2007. It has identified and prepared initial applications for a range of possible new routes from New York, including growth markets of Paris and Zurich, as well as potential new US city pairs for flights to and from London.
”We are pleased that investors continue to support our business model,” said Eos chairman and CEO Dave Spurlock. ”We are equally gratified,” he continued,
”that our guests value the dedication to personal service that is central to everything we do at Eos. We will continue to innovate and to listen to the needs of our guests as we pursue new routes in 2007”.