Fast-growing tour operator Schauinsland-Reisen is investing in a start-up German charter airline to secure additional capacity in a bold move, fvw reports.
The Duisburg-based company is taking a stake believed to be of 50% in Sundair under a strategic “partnership of equals”. The two companies referred to a “partnership of equals” and stressed that their overall aim is “to create a flight schedule that does not create over-capacity but fills niches or gaps”.
Schauinsland-Reisen (SLR) will contract sizeable contingents on the airline’s planned flights with three A319s from Germany to diverse Mediterranean destinations, including Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey and Egypt, from April 2017 onwards. The two companies have already created a joint flights schedule.
However, a large part of Sundair’s capacity will be taken up by other tour operators, according to the two companies. SLR will be responsible for commercial sales of other services, such as seat reservations, by making them bookable by travel agents through the major reservation systems.
Schauinsland chief Gerald Kassner said: “Schauinsland-Reisen sees this investment as an additional business to complement its existing close flight partnerships. Entering the flights business gives us more flexibility in our daily business and is not a change of direction. We want to continue growing with this opportunity and with our existing partners.”
Addressing flight partners such as Air Berlin as well as broker Involatus and Small Planet, the start-up carrier that launched last year, he assured them: “Our long-standing airline partners will still represent the largest basis for our capacity procurement. Sundair wants to build up a fair partnership with all tour operators and airports, just like people know this from us.”
Sundair chief Marcos Rossello said the airline has applied for an operating licence from the German civil aviation authority and is confident of having this ready for the operational start. The airline, based in Stralsund, in the coastal region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, plans to lease planes and crews for its operations.
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