Interjet, the Greek jet and helicopter charter company, has announced the firm order of a Falcon 2000 from Dassault, scheduled for delivery in March 2001. The news follows the delivery of a brand new Citation Excel on millennium eve, adding to Interjet's existing Citation V Ultra. \rThe company is also expanding its helicopter fleet with the acquisition of three Eurocopter models: Two Ecureuil AS-355N (delivery date June 2000) and one Dauphin AS-365N3 (delivery date November 2000). \rInterjet started out as the flight department for the Interamerican Group, the largest insurance company in Greece. Flying two BO-105 CBS air ambulance helicopters, the department was responsible for rescuing beleaguered policy holders. In 1992, with the deregulation of air transport in Greece, the company says it was the first national operator to introduce executive jet charter services, using a Falcon 20. \r"The fact that we operate both jets and helicopters gives us the flexibility to meet almost every vip charter requirement, but our aim was also to offer long-range non-stop service," said Miltos Mouzakis, Interjet's sales manager. "The growing demand from our clients to upgrade to larger cabin business aircraft along with the need for longer range corporate trips were the main reasons to proceed with the order of the Falcon 2000. \r"Interjet sees the Olympic Games that will be held in Athens in 2004 as a major business opportunity and envisages becoming the largest business jet and helicopter operator in southeastern Europe," Mouzakis stated. "We experienced 50 per cent growth in the hours flown from 1997 to 1999, and hope to achieve similar results in the next two years." According to Interjet, ground facilities at Athens Airport could not support service to vip standard, leading the company to emphasise the creation of its own self-staffed ground handling unit. With its own AOC and JAR-145 certified maintenance facilities, Interjet says that it aims, above all else, to focus on safety.\rAhead of the Olympics, the Greek government and the European Union are spending around 40 billion Euros to improve the infrastructure of Athens. As well as rebuilding the Olympic village, projects include a 72km ring road, new metro rail links, telecommunications improvements, and a new international airport at Sparta. In order to support planned growth, Interjet is planning to relocate at the new airport, where it will establish its own hangar and heliport.