Club328 is reducing its regular business flights for Club Airways, Switzerland’s members-only airline, in the face of increasing demand for its Dornier 328 and Hawker 125 jets.

The Southampton-based comp-any had been operating weekday flights between Paris Le Bourget and Geneva for Club Airways but has decided to focus on its core business.

“We have noticed extraordinary demand, which is a result of the amount of marketing we have been doing over the last few months,” said newly appointed chief executive Mike Farge. “The core business is very much marketed towards the high profile, high net worth individuals, and we did not have enough aircraft to be all things for all men.”

Despite the uncertain future of the Dornier 328 programme following the recent insolvency of manufacturer AvCraft Aerospace, the company is hopeful that it will acquire additional aircraft.

“Our long-term aim is get the bigger 19-seat aircraft. Our Dornier doesn’t stop working; it’s constantly out on business and it has not

missed a beat since we’ve had it. We are really hoping to get the Envoy,

as it has huge appeal. It’s an even higher specification aircraft than

the one we have.

“The business plan was always based on the Dornier jet, and we should have had those jets well in advance of this time period. We held on with the programme, even though the deliveries were delayed.

“Once Dornier had entered interim administration, we realised that we were strapped because

of the amount of other business that we had. At the moment we are talking to the administrator (Dr Martin Prager) about deliveries of some

new aircraft.

“We’ve got a really good team of people here who are determined to take us forward,” he added. “We’ve got the customers but we want more aircraft at the moment.”

Farge believes that the support activities for the Dornier will get picked up as a separate business and is in no doubt that there will be sufficient support for the aircraft, possibly through third party providers.

In his new position as chief executive of Club 328, Farge has assumed responsibility for the company’s corporate jet services,

as well as continuing his role as md

of Jet Engineering Technical

Support (JETS).

Farge, who takes over the role from Warren Seymour, joined the company in July 2004. He has had over 40 years experience in the aviation business, starting his career with Westland Group at the age of 16. Most recently, he held the position of ceo for Commercial Aerospace Services Company.

“I’ve worked through the component side of the business and I worked in the airframe side when I was working for British Aerospace, looking after the world wide customer support of all its aircraft. I’ve also been in the maintenance side of the business and this was

the one side I have not physically run,” he said. “I like the idea of

the executive jet business; I think it is a growing business and I think it’s got a big future.”