Luxair Executive has taken delivery

of a Learjet 60. The company acquired the aircraft in February and it has

been performing charter flights

since March.

Luxair, which is managing the aeroplane on behalf of a company in Luxembourg, chose the aircraft over an Excel as it had previously managed two LR35s as air ambulances. According to Luxair’s customer relations manager Louis Wright, the Learjet 60 was selected because it is fast and has a good range.

The customer response so far has been positive, said Wright; so much so, that the company has had to turn some quotes away. If demand remains steady, the company might consider expanding its fleet. “Business is up on expectations already. If it continues, we will contemplate getting other aircraft, but it depends on the summer season,” he said.

Luxair trained its pilots in the US, but it also employs freelance pilots with over 12,000 hours’ experience at other companies.

The aircraft will be based in Luxembourg but there is also a great demand for flights out of Le Bourget in Paris, so it will spend a large percentage of its time in France. Luxair is predicting that the LR60 will fly between 50 to 60 hours per month. As Luxembourg is centrally located within Europe, Wright said it will fly all over central Europe and to Russia. He notes that there has also been a substantial increase in demand for flights to Dubai.

The aircraft usually seats up to seven people at a time, but for this particular aeroplane the number of passengers per flight has averaged only four people.

The aircraft has a short galley, an in-flight entertainment system including a DVD player, two satellite ‘phones, and a leather and burwood finish interior.

Unlike many other charter

fleets, Luxair Executive has not customised the LR60, as it splits its business between Luxembourg-based companies and brokers and, according to Wright, it wishes to remain ‘discreet’.

As Luxair has enjoyed good business so far this year, Wright stated that he anticipates a busy summer. “It’s been a positive year for the aviation industry, especially for business jets,” he said.

“As we’re one of the main operators in Luxembourg, we have a very strong position.”