Charter fleets throughout Europe will expand in 2008 as aircraft ordered this year arrive to service established demand. Geneva's Sonnig expects to increase its fleet to nine by March with the delivery of a G550 to be managed for a client.

The owner already has a Challenger 604 under management with Sonnig. The fleet, which includes a Citation II under management, expanded to eight in 2007 with the addition of a second Hawker. "All the aircraft are for charter with our fleet flying about 6,000 charter hours per year," says Sonnig's Gabriel Mortara. The company launched in 1997 with a Citation II(SP), added a Sabreliner in 1998 and a Citation V in 2001 when the granting of an AOC enabled the launch of Sonnig's charter operations.

Spain's Gestair plans to have two more Hawker 900XPs operating in 2008, the second not later than March 2008 and the first earlier in the new year. Gestair says: "The standard configuration holds eight passengers and their luggage, distributed into five individual seats and three on a sofa, as well as two seats for the crew, though an additional one can be arranged.

The model has additional seat configurations that can seat up to 12 passengers." Juergen Boeck, ceo of Germany's Euro Flight Service, which provides charter, aircraft management and consulting, including acquisitions and sales, expects that fleets in Europe will continue to expand in 2008. Capt. Davide Golnelli, gm Italy, Euro Flight Service Italia confirms that charter demand for midsize cabin jets such as the Citation VII is increasing.

The company currently operates a fleet of seven Citations in Italy. "One of our clients in Italy is operating the second of four Citation VIIs to be delivered this year. This aircraft is the first Citation VII to be registered in the Republic of San Marino." EFS in Italy has also added a Citation SII to its fleet. The SII will be used on routes to the Middle East and eastern Europe. A Citation II will operate from the EFS hub in Rimini. "Another aircraft of this class will be introduced in the first quarter 2008 based in another city in the north of Italy," Golnelli adds.