Dutch charter operator Solid Air is set to add a wide-bodied long haul Aircraft to its growing fleet. It has just taken delivery of its third Cessna Citation VI.

Sales and marketing manager Jerome van der Schaar says: "We are receiving requests from the U.S., South Africa and mid-Asia that we cannot service at present without fuel stops. We are in negotiations and these have to be completed in time to enable our new wide-bodied long-range jet to be in operation before the end of the year."

The delivery of a third Citation VII takes the Solid Air fleet to eight aircraft - one Citation CJ1, two Bravos, one Ultra, three Citation VI and a Dornier 328 VIP that can take up to 19 passengers.

Solid Air is expanding rapidly. It has recently opened a third home base in Amsterdam to complement facilities in Eindhoven and Niederrhein Weeze. In the summer months Solid Air operates a base at Palma de Mallorca and its strategy here is to cultivate demand for one-ways. There are also a growing number of flights to and from Farnborough, Luton and Heathrow.

Van der Schaar says: "We do have our own hangaring and vip handling facilities at all three of our

year-round bases. We are expanding to meet a rapidly-increasing number of flights in the UK, South of Europe and mid and South Africa."

Solid Air is enjoying rising demand for flights into Europe's smaller and more special airports such as St Tropez, London City, Le Mans, Samedan and Sion. It is certified for all these airports.

There is rising demand from business travellers in Russia and Solid Air has received requests to base aircraft in the country.

"This is a demand that we would like to meet in the medium to longer term but, for now, we are concentrating on servicing demand in the European Union and northern African region," van der Schaar adds.