ATW Daily News

New Olympic Air takes off

Monday October 12, 2009

Olympic Air, the re-launch of Olympic Airlines that started operations at the end of September, already is transporting 10,000 passengers daily and trying to "just do basic things, fly on time and smile to people," CEO Antonis Simigdalas told ATWOnline.

The new company, created when the Greek government agreed to sell Olympic Airlines' flight, maintenance and ground handling divisions to Marfin Investment Group (ATWOnline, March 25), employs 5,500 workers and has "created a new culture in all aspects," Simigdalas said. It operates a fleet of 12 A319s/A320s, eight Q400s, two ATR 42s and five Dash 8-100s. It plans to add several more A320s and two more Q400s in 2010.

The network is focused on domestic operations and select European destinations. It "is 35% [smaller] compared to the old OA," he said. It does serve major hubs such as Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam to enable passengers to make long-haul connections on other airlines. It has signed cooperation agreements with Delta Air Lines and Etihad and plans to launch its own long-haul flying. "Within a time window of 12 months we could implement a long-haul operation," Simigdalas said. "But so far, there is no plan to do so in the near future."

He is realistic regarding profitability. "If the current [economic] condition continues, in 2012 maybe we will make our first profit," he said. He pointed out that the ground handling unit is already profitable. OA also plans to offer MRO services to other carriers.

The airline's main agenda for the time being, he said, is working to change the image many still hold of OA as an unfriendly, delay-plagued, loss-making carrier. "That's why OA has started an international [marketing] campaign emphasizing our new image," he commented.

by Kurt Hofmann

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