Maltese charter operator AirX has taken delivery of a 2010-manufactured Embraer Lineage 1000, the second transcontinental aircraft in its fleet after a VIP Airbus A340. The Lineage has 19 seats and can fly for up to nine hours.

Group CEO Houssam Hazzoury comments: “We took delivery of the aircraft just before Christmas. As of 3 January it went straight out on a two-month contract in Asia, and we expect to have an additional two-month contract coming soon. We couldn’t have asked for a better start with it, and we are receiving great feedback from the client.

“He is really enjoying the aircraft. He and his team had the option to charter an A318 or a BBJ, but elected for the Lineage. He preferred the flexibility of the bedroom options, with some single and some double beds, as well as the baggage space. Iit can take up to 30 large suitcases while some of the ACJs and BBJs will struggle to do that, especially if they are fitted with six or eight auxiliary tanks.”

The Lineage has five cabin zones for dining, entertainment, work or rest, plus a private bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and walk-in shower. It is capable of connecting London and Cape Town or Paris and New York non-stop.

“We did study the market before we took this aircraft on,” continues Hazzoury. “Provided it is priced properly, with the right service, we believe that we can do a lot with it. In the charter business, a potential four-month contract is a quite long term. To guarantee block charter right from the start has been amazing, and proves the model.

“The quality of the Lineage product is very good. It is based on the Embraer E190, a commercial aircraft from the E170 family. Thousands upon thousands of hours have been flown on this airframe around the globe. The only difference with the Lineage is that instead of the 100 or so seats in the commercial aircraft, we have only 19."

AirX is already considering acquiring a second Lineage.