NEW business-class low-cost airline Silverjet plans to buy two Thomsonfly aircraft and has reached advanced negotiations to secure three more from another unnamed company.
Silverjet, which still aims to launch in December, has also appointed a new head of UK sales. Tim Buckman, former Cathay Pacific leisure sales manager for the UK and Ireland, will be tasked with driving sales through the trade.
Silverjet hopes to secure two Boeing 767-200 aircraft from Thomsonfly by no later than October 31 2007. The first of the other three aircraft will arrive by November 1 this year.
If negotiations take longer, the company’s launch could be delayed until April 2007.
Various operating lease, finance lease and debt finance options are being considered. Silverjet chief executive Lawrence Hunt said: “We could buy the aircraft and finance the debt, or sell them to a leasing company and lease them back.
“We have got a number of interested parties who have proposals to lease these aircraft to us.”
The flight reservation system Videcom will go live three months prior to launch, the same time as its call centre.
Meanwhile, the airline has struck a deal with Sicma Aero Seat for its 75-inch flatbeds, to be installed in each aircraft.