Viking Airlines : 4P : VIK

Viking Hellas Airlines ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] the Greek airline associated with Viking Airlines AB of
Sweden, is pleased to announce the launch of a new three-times weekly scheduled service from Manchester to Athens, Greece, with effect from 1st February 2010, with convenient onward connections to three Iraqi cities.

Holiday carrier Viking Airlines is to cut back its fleet after one of its tour operator customers, UK-based Flight Options, ceased trading.

The carrier was established in Sweden in 2003 but has branched into operating out of several UK airports including London Gatwick and Manchester.

It uses a fleet of several Boeing 737 aircraft, including -800s, from various lessors.

But the carrier states that, as a consequence of Flight Options' going into administration, it is to cut three aircraft "immediately" from its fleet.

"Regrettably this will result in some job losses, mainly in the UK," says the airline. Flight Options was linked to the Kiss Flights brand.

Viking insists, however that it is "financially healthy", posting a full-year net profit of €3.8 million ($4.9 million) for 2009, and will continue operating from the UK.

The carrier's destinations include cities in Scandinavia, the eastern and western Mediterranean, and parts of Africa.

It is owned by Black Pearl Investments and European Aviation & Technical Services.

Viking Airlines AB has suspended operations but vowed to return to the UK market next summer.

The Swedish airline said tonight it had “temporarily ceased operations” and job losses were “inevitable” but it was planning to “reorganise and restructure” over the next three months.

The aircraft in its fleet, three leased Boeing 737-800s and a single Boeing 737-300, have been returned to their owners.

The airline, which provided airlift for many independent UK tour operators, said no customers had been or would be left stranded. It added that all contracted flying programmes for the remaining season would be covered by its Greek associate Viking Hellas Airlines.

The statement from Viking came after days of speculation about the future of the airline, which TTG revealed last week has approached several agencies and tour operators about making investments.

It said: “As part of a plan to downsize the Swedish airline Viking AB for the winter season, three leased Boeing 737-800s and a single Boeing 737-300 have been returned to their respective lessors.

“As a result, this week, the airline has temporarily ceased operations, but all contracted flying is covered for the remaining season. Importantly, no-one has been or will be stranded.

“While job losses are, unfortunately, inevitable in the UK, the intention is to take the next three months to reorganise and restructure Viking AB so as to be in a position to add new aircraft for the summer 2011 season."

Many of Viking’s customers were provided by Kiss Flights, which went into administration this summer, and speculation about its future has continued since then.

In August Viking said it was cutting the size of its fleet by three aircraft and making job losses, but insisted it was financially healthy and that UK operations would continue as normal.

It stressed then that most of its operations were in central and eastern Europe and the Middle East.

The Greek arm of the company, Viking Hellas Aviation, which operates two leased Airbus A320s and a single owned McDonnell Douglas MD-83, is believed to be continuing to operate as normal.

One of Viking’s backers was Black Pearl Investments, the investment vehicle linked to former XL Leisure Group chief executive Phil Wyatt.