Timor Air

Timor Air
IATA ICAO Call sign
BF ETA โ€”
Founded2008
Commenced operations2011
Ceased operations2012
HubsPresidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport
Secondary hubsDarwin International Airport
Destinations4
HeadquartersDili, East Timor
Key peopleJeremias Desousa (founder), James Stewart Kim (CEO)
Websiteflytimorair.com

Timor Air was an airline launched in partnership with Vincent Aviation in July 2011. It was the proposed flag carrier airline of East Timor (Timor-Leste).

History

An agreement was signed with Brisbane, Australia-based airline SkyAirWorld on 27 November 2008 to establish the airline using an Embraer ERJ-190 belonging to SkyAirWorld, and taking advantage of SkyAirWorld's management expertise.[1] However, SkyAirWorld ceased operations in March 2009.[2] Timor Air's founder Jeremias Desousa gave the government of Timor-Leste a 10% share in the new airline.[3]

In April 2012, the airline signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AvCon Worldwide Limited, a London, UK based aviation consulting firm, and appointed managing director of AvCon Worldwide Limited, James Stewart Kim as its new CEO.

In May 2012, the airline ceased Saab 340 operations on the Dili-Darwin route due to low patronage.[4][5] The same month, the airline signed an MoU with an undisclosed operator to serve the Dili-Darwin route with jet equipment, and to commence services on other routes under its plan.[6][7]

Destinations

Plans were to initially fly daily services from Dili's Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport to the island of Bali, Indonesia; and to Darwin, Australia; with services to commence on 2 February 2009.[1][3] Additional routes were expected to be added during 2009, but none came about.

However a daily service from Dili to Darwin International Airport finally commenced 26 July 2011.[8]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
Australia Darwin Darwin Airport โ€”
East Timor Dili Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport Hub
Indonesia Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport โ€”

Fleet

At March 2012 Timor Air had one SAAB 340B, operated by Vincent Aviation [9]

Demise

In May 2012, Timor Air stopped flights, saying it did not have enough passengers.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Timor Air to fly internationally", ABC News online. Retrieved 28 November 2008
  2. ^ O'Sullivan, Matt (15 March 2009). "Regional turmoil as Queensland carrier collapses". WA Today. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  3. ^ a b Murdoch, Lindsay. "Timor Air set to take to the skies", The Age online, 27 November 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
  4. ^ Bolton, Katrina (10 May 2012). "Fledgling Timor Air stops Darwin to Dili flights". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Fledgling Timor Air shuts Darwin links". Northern Territory News. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Timor Air inks partnership with jet carrier, CEO says" Air Transport World online Retrieved 17 May 2012
  7. ^ "Timor Air back in the NT skies" Northern Territory News Retrieved 17 May 2012
  8. ^ "New Timor airline ready for boarding". NT News. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  9. ^ Timor Air fleet
  10. ^ Fledgling Timor Air stops Darwin to Dili flights, ABC News, 10 May 2012