Belgian operator VLM Airlines will launch scheduled air services between its Antwerp base and the Swiss city of Geneva. The return to its scheduled roots follows a management buyout of the former CityJet business from its German owners, Intro Aviation.

The carrier has been presently focussing on charter and ACMI work but will begin to dip its toes back into the scheduled market in 2015 using a mixed fleet of Fokker 50 turboprops and two Sukhoi SuperJets, after signing a deal in October to be the European launch customer for the long-range SSJ100LR.

“We are pleased that VLM as an independent airline will offer again scheduled flights to its clients. We are also proud that our first destination is Geneva. Antwerp and Geneva are both major business enters with a solid international reputation.”

Arthur White
Chief Executive Officer, VLM Airlines

VLM will initially launch an up to twice daily link between Antwerp and Geneva from January 26, 2015, using a Fokker 50, and is looking to expand its network further to support its planned fleet of four Fokker 50s and two Sukhoi Superjets (due for delivery in April 2015). The carrier will offer two flights every weekday on its 'launch' route with an early morning and early evening flight, particularly ideal for business travellers.

“We are pleased that VLM as an independent airline will offer again scheduled flights to its clients. We are also proud that our first destination is Geneva. Antwerp and Geneva are both major business enters with a solid international reputation,” said Arthur White, chief executive officer, VLM Airlines.

Antwerp is the diamond capital of the world, one of the largest ports, the main chemical cluster in Europe, the beating heart of fashion and the city of P.P. Rubens, Sir Anthony van Dyck and many other great artists. Geneva is one of the most important financial and economic centers around the world and home to European and global headquarters of many leading companies.

In an interview with Routesonline, White outlined VLM Airlines’ proposed return to the scheduled market. “We plan to offer a true two-class service to our customers and the product we will offer onboard our aircraft, particularly the Superjets, will provide comfort and efficiency and reliability to travellers,” he said.

“We don’t plan to compete with LCCs and high-speed rail but provide important point-to-point regional operations into airports close to city centres that are performance and noise restricted and cannot be served by larger airliners such as the A320 and 737,” he added.

According to the former DHL executive, VLM will offer a “modest” scheduled operation that will complement its ACMI activities and will serve a network “measured to support the size and capability of the business”. By the end of 2015, White expects up to seven city pairs could be served, four using three or four Fokker 50s transferred from its charter fleet and three others dedicated to the Superjets.

Air services from Antwerp, the second most populous city of Belgium, are currently limited by its location just 50 minutes drive away from the capital city, Brussels and the short runway length at Antwerp International Airport which limits flight operations to regional jet and turboprop types.

Alongside a CityJet flight to London City, inherited from VLM Airlines and currently flown by the Belgian carrier under an ACMI contract, Stobart Air currently offers the only other scheduled flight with a route to London Southend which was introduced in July this year under its new Flybe franchise operation.

From April 2015 local Belgian leisure carrier jetairfly will introduce a network of 15 weekly flights from Antwerp to popular city break and holiday destinations including Alicante (2x weekly), Barcelona (3x weekly), Berlin (3x weekly), Malaga (2x weekly), Milan (3x weekly) and Palma (2x weekly) in a major boost for the facility.