Tender’s airline looking for partners

Last year, business amounted to €16 million, just half of the initial €35 million estimate for turnover. “We registered a 30 percent drop in traffic in winter. Airlines have fewer sales during the colder months,” Tender explained.

In the past 12 months, many operators have revised turnover, due to high costs. Furthermore, they had fewer passengers and have tried to attract clients with very low prices.

Meanwhile, Tender is negotiating with several airlines, based in Italy, Turkey and Iran, for partnership contracts. “We want to give them the airplane, its airline and maintenance crews, and the insurance. We will practically fly it for them,” Tender said. He declined to provide details regarding the value of such a one or two-year contract. However, he said that beneficiaries usually pay some €2,000 per flight hour. “We have seven planes, of which four will be used for these companies, two for charter flights, and one will be kept as a reserve,” Tender added.

The local airline market is still attractive for investors, even amid the international crisis. Last year, the sales of low-cost airlines amounted to €170 million, some 25 percent higher year-on-year.