French charter firm Chalair has acquired a Beechcraft 1900 C and plans to obtain a King Air C90. It chose the BE1900 because of its 'diversity' and ability to carry up to 30 passengers.

Said Alain Battisti, ceo and owner of Chalair: "Our speciality is charter flights for industrial groups. Because of the close relationship we have with these companies, we have been developing a 'corporate shuttle' throughout Europe." The aim is to provide the lowest price for trips with only two to four passengers.

Owned entirely by a sister company, Chalair's fleet consists of four King Air 200s and another BE1900 C, which it acquired in June 2004. The C90 has been purchased from a private user.

The company has further plans for expansion too. "Since the beginning of November, we have been entering into the regional airline market by opening the airline from Rennes to Basle-Mulhouse. We operate two rotations a day from Monday to Friday, in prime time. We have some other projects for the next year, and are seeking two Beech 1900 D aircraft," Battisti commented.