Air Transport Service (ATS) has started private charter operations in Budapest, targeting its launch fleet of a Hawker 800 and a Beechjet 400 configured for seven at demand in central Europe. "We do not have any plans to expand our fleet with new aircraft as we believe our current aircraft will be sufficient to meet existing demand in the marketplace," says Aniko Serfozo, ATS office manager. "However, as we develop our reputation and operations as a professional and reliable operator, we will then look at adding more aircraft."

Serfozo says the Hawker 800, configured for eight passengers with an additional jump seat, is the only aircraft of its type operating in the business aviation sector in the ATS home market. "Therefore we can guarantee more comfort and exclusiveness than any other operator in Hungary."

ATS, founded in 2008, will serve both business and leisure clients. "We identified the demand for real luxury flights and this made it an easy decision to start up the private charter business," says Serfozo. "With our Hawker we can guarantee more comfort and exclusivity than rival companies operating only smaller aircraft. Hungarian businessmen will be able to reach out-of-the way destinations, fly whenever they need to, and respond to unexpected changes in their daily programme."

ATS, whose core permanent staff includes operating manager Renata Laczkovich, four captains, two first officers and two flight attendants, has fulfilled wide-ranging commissions including one to Cuneo in Italy. "However our most interesting route was a leisure flight to Zanzibar," Serfozo adds. "We have already had a flight to Moscow and it is important for us to be a reliable operator for Russia. We are even ready to base our aircraft there, or at other key destinations abroad, if that proves convenient for our client base."