As TAP's new owners announce the airline is to take on the mass market specialists easyJet and Ryanair competing on price and frequency, a new challenger wants a slice of the lucrative Lisbon and Oporto routes to and from Madeira.
Everjets has started regular flights from the mainland to Funchal and, at current advertised rates, make TAP look expensive and time consuming with many Lisbon return flights inconveniently routed via Oporto.
The private Portuguese airline, which started in 2011, has developed a specialist executive helicopter and jet business as well as some fire fighting operations when called on, and aims to undercut TAP on the Madeira route with a new commercial business.
José Pereira, executive director of Everjets, presented the company's new plan and stressed to the media that this is "an ambitious project, a huge challenge, and once again we will face it with the professionalism that characterises the company with the support of the Madeira Regional Government."
Everjets are offering flights at between €30 and €280 with meal included and no extra charge for hold baggage. Pereira expects 50,000 passengers a month when the service has bedded in.
The current Everjets fleet consists of 25 Airbus AS350 helicopters, five Kamov KA32 helicopters operating for the Portuguese Government, an Airbus AS365 Executive helicopter and a Phenom300 Embraer business jet.
In February, Everjets will add another Airbus A320 and aims to support the Madeira route and to take on the challenge of providing a service to and from the Açores, for so long the preserve of the loss-making and largely incompetent SATA whose elevated pricing has stifled the islands’ tourist economy for decades.
SATA International changed its name to ‘Azores Airlines’ with an expensive new paint job on two leased A-330 aircraft displaying a curious new logo, a blue sperm whale.
Once the main transport provider between the Açores and mainland Portugal, the newly rebranded Azores Airlines now faces competition from Ryanair and easyJet but remains the only commercial airline with direct flights from the United States and Canada to and from the Açores.
From May 2016 easyJet will be running a route between Funchal from Oporto.
The TAP order for new aircraft is significant with news today on breakingtravelnews.com that:
"TAP Portugal has signed a firm order with Airbus for 53 Widebody and single aisle aircraft including 14 A330-900neo, and 39 A320neo Family aircraft (15 A320neos and 24 A321neos).
The aircraft will join TAP Portugal’s fleet as part of its fleet renewal announced by the airline’s new majority owner Atlantic Gateway.
As part of the agreement, TAP Portugal is replacing its previous order of 12 A350-900s with the A330-900neo.
“Our latest order for 14 Airbus A330-900neo aircraft and 39 A320neo Family aircraft reflects our ongoing commitment to provide our customers with the next generation of fuel efficient aircraft,” said Fernando Pinto, TAP Portugal chief executive.
“The A330neo, like the A320neo Family, will give us the flexibility to enter new markets and improve the frequency of existing ones due to its combination of high reliability, low operating costs and exceptional comfort,” he added.
TAP Portugal is an all Airbus customer, currently operating 43 A320 Family aircraft and 18 Widebody Family aircraft.
“With this order for 53 brand new aircraft TAP is reborn.
“This order today shows Airbus’ confidence in TAP’s future and TAP’s commitment to having the best products for its customers.
“These aircraft are the right aircraft for TAP’s current missions and growth markets.
“Furthermore, Airbus is proud of the strength and depth of its relationship with TAP and TAP’s new shareholders.
“The A330neo Family is the world’s most cost-efficient, medium-range Widebody and the A320neo Family is simply the single aisle aircraft of choice,” said John Leahy, Airbus chief operating officer - customers.
“The combination of the A330neo and A320neo Families in TAP Portugal’s fleet will allow the airline to reap the benefits of Airbus’ unique aircraft commonality, offering unrivalled efficiencies, with the most modern, fuel efficient and streamlined fleet.”
The A330-800neo and the A330-900neo are two new members of the Airbus Widebody Family launched in July 2014 with first deliveries scheduled to start in quarter four of 2017.
The A330neo incorporates latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, aerodynamic enhancements and new cabin features.
Benefitting from the unbeatable economics, versatility and high reliability of the A330, the A330neo reduces fuel consumption by 14 per cent per seat, making it the most cost efficient, medium range Widebody aircraft on the market.
In addition to greater fuel savings, A330neo operators will also benefit from a range increase of around 400 nautical miles and of course all the operational commonality advantages of the Airbus Family.
