The Belgian airline Air Charters Europe (ACE) – a subsidiary of ASL Group – introduced its second charter aircraft at Antwerp Airport on 1 August.
In May last year, ACE already presented its Embraer ERJ 135, an aircraft that makes it possible for groups of 20 to 30 people to charter to the destination of their choice. ACE said this charter rental business turned out to be a great success and the demand for private charters continues to rise.
However, it said the capacity of the aircraft is not large enough for all groups. That is why ACE today introduced the new ERJ 145 which can accommodate up to 42 people in an exclusive Corporate Class configuration.
“Our Embraer ERJ 135 has already crossed the whole of Europe in a year for different clients both at home and abroad,” says Philippe Bodson, CEO of ASL Group and ACE.
“Nevertheless, we notice that there is a need for more and larger charter aircraft. Football teams playing at European level and first-class clubs in France and Germany in particular require a capacity of at least 40 seats on charter flights. With the new ERJ 145 we want to offer an answer to this request. The expectation is that the ERJ 145 will fly even more charter hours than the ERJ 135.”
With its updated offering, ACE said it remains the only player in the Benelux to respond to this niche market. In Europe, too, the supply of charter aircraft for 20 to 50 passengers is still very limited. ACE therefore hopes to be able to grow its business and to add a new aircraft to its fleet every year.