CityJet grounded

The Dublin-based wet-lease airline CityJet has entered the Irish equivalent of Chapter 11 or what is known in the UK as a voluntary arrangement.

The airline and its subsidiaries, which fly routes on behalf of other airlines including SAS and Aer Lingus, employs 1,175 people and operates 33 aircraft.  CityJet from Dublin was one of the first airlines into London City Airport and flew that route for Aer Lingus until last month when the airport closed.  It was also an early operator of the Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional airliner.

CityJet had been working on a planned merger with Spanish regional carrier Air Nostrum.

First announced in the summer 2018, the carriers received EU approval for the tie-up last summer. Chief executive, the intrepid Pat Byrne, told the Irish Independent in March that the deal had been close to completion prior to the coronavirus outbreak.

Following the appointment by the Court of an “examiner”, or independent insolvency expert, the Irish Independent quotes Byrne as saying it was “prudent and responsible” for the board to have applied for examinership given the shutdown of airline operations due to the coronavirus.

”We firmly believe that the airline can sustain itself through this standstill period and will emerge as a stronger company at the end of this process and importantly will be well-positioned to grow its operations and sustain our capacity to continue to employ significant numbers of people,” Byrne said.

www.cityjet.com

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