Air Hamburg has welcomed the arrival of its eighth Embraer Legacy aircraft in the form of an L650. VP Algernon Trotter says that the decision was an easy one: “It presents the best value proposition for a heavy jet in the charter market,” he says. “Cost per seat, cabin size and unrivalled baggage capacity plus excellent dispatch reliability made this a no brainer.”

He says that the aircraft has been performing very well so far on AOC charter missions, despite some teething issues with the fuelling system, which can be an issue with this type. “The Legacy has been on the market for more than 15 years, and aside from providing numerous improved features it is the proven reliability, quality and popularity of this aircraft that appeals to us,” continues Trotter.

“We have been operating the Legacy since 2013. In that time Air Hamburg has become an expert in Russian and Middle Eastern operations, where the aircraft holds its greatest appeal. As we celebrate the arrival of this jet, our employee count has now hit more than 220 full-time staff. We have moved to a larger office in Hamburg and celebrated the 10th anniversary of the company earlier this year.”

The decline of the Russian market over the last two years had impacted on the operator, but it has since moved into more stable markets such as the Middle East, while the effect of Brexit is yet to be seen. “We don't believe that it will be beneficial to the charter market at large,” Trotter states.

Air Hamburg intends to add two further L650s to its fleet by the second quarter of 2017, and is currently responsible for 21 aircraft. Its subsidiaries include Air Hamburg Executive Handling, flight school Flugschule Hamburg and airport cafe Café Himmeschreiber.