Financial turmoil in Greece continues to provide challenges for business aircraft operators in the country. Local charter broker Air Business International (ABI) has responded by stepping up its efforts to establish a Greek air taxi network.

Air charter manager Marianna Margeti says: "The crisis has one good thing about it; it makes us think creatively and try very hard to offer financially sensible solutions. Since we cannot reduce the operating costs we position aeroplanes and helicopters all over Greece to minimise empty legs.

"At this stage we can offer an AS350, AS355 and shortly a King Air C90B from Thessaloniki, an AS350 from Crete, a Chieftain and Seneca from Rhodes, Iraklion and Kos, and a pressurised Navajo will be based in Santorini for sightseeing and short flights."

Future additions will include an A109 fresh out of maintenance and expected to be on the AOC of the operator I-Fly shortly. "Last year it was operated under Superior's Air AOC and will be positioned in Mykonos during June. Another A109 Elite is operated on the same AOC and a Caravan 208," adds Margeti.

A second Bell 407, currently under German registration, arrived at the end of May and will join the first on Superior Air's fleet.

ABI says this will be available for charter by the end of June and will operate mainly out of Mykonos and Santorini. ABI, through the Greek air taxi network, aims to standardise services, coordinate empty leg utilisation, audit the participating operators and promote sales.