Aegean Airlines

Infobox_Airline
airline = Aegean Airlines

logo_size = 250
fleet_size = 25 (18 orders)
destinations = 29
IATA = A3
ICAO = AEE
callsign = AEGEAN
parent =
founded = 1987
headquarters = Athens, Greece
key_people = Theodore Vasilakis (Chairman, CEO)
hubs = Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, Thessaloniki International Airport
frequent_flyer = Miles & Bonus, Miles & More
lounge = Aegean Club Lounge, Makedonia, Demokritos
alliance =
website = http://www.aegeanair.com

Aegean Airlines S.A. is the second largest Greek airline based in Athens. It operates scheduled services from Athens and Thessaloniki to other major Greek destinations as well as to a number of European destinations. Its main base is Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, Athens, with a hub at Thessaloniki International Airport, "Macedonia".

History

Aegean Airlines was founded as Aegean Aviation in 1987.cite web |url=http://www.aegeanair.com/aegeanen/company/milestones.asp |title=Milestones |accessdate=2007-08-04 |work=Aegean Airlines |publisher=www.aegeanair.com] It was originally a VIP/business air operation specializing in executive and air ambulance services. On 17 February 1992, it became the first airline to be issued with a Greek independent air operator's licence. After it was bought by Vasilakis Group in 1994, Aegean Aviation commenced VIP flights from Athens all over the world with wholly owned Learjet aircraft. The Aegean Airlines title was adopted with the start of scheduled passenger services at the end of May 1999.

Its first commercial flights were from Athens to Heraklion, Crete and Thessaloniki, Macedonia, with 2 brand new wholly owned BAe 146/RJ100. Also in 1999 Aegean bought Air Greece. After an agreement in March 2001 to merge Aegean and Cronus Airlines, it operated for a while as Aegean Cronus Airlines until full integration.cite news |title= Directory: World Airlines |work= Flight International |page= 45 |date= 2007-03-27] Since 2005, the airline has been in partnership with Lufthansa, offering participation to the Miles & More program, and its flights, except from its A3 code, also have the Lufthansa LH code. In March of 2006, Aegean Airlines also agreed with TAP Portugal in a co-operation agreement.

The airline is owned by Laskaridis Group (25.3%), Vassilakis Group (45.2%), B Konstantakopoulos (8.3%), D Ioannou (8.1%), G David (6.3%) and Piraeus Bank (5.9%) and has 1,609 employees (at March 2007)

Destinations

Aegean Airlines flies to 13 international and 17 Greek destinations and as a partner of International airline Lufthansa, Aegean has access to Lufthansa's global network.

Fleet

The Aegean Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of 18 June 2008):

As of 18 June 2008, the average age of the Aegean Airlines fleet is 8.8 years ( [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/Aegean%20Airlines.htm] ).

Aircraft orders

In 2007, the airline ordered a combined total of 25 Airbus A320 and Airbus A321 aircraft to replace the older Boeing 737-300 and Boeing 737-400 aircraft in the fleet. After all deliveries in 2009, Aegean Airlines will have the youngest fleet of aircraft flying within Greece, and one of the youngest airline fleets in Europe.

Awards

*"Bronze Award: Airline of the Year" - 2000/2001cite web |url=http://www.aegeanair.com/aegeanen/news/era.asp |title=AEGEAN AIRLINES AWARDED BY ERA WITH THE «GOLD AWARD AIRLINE OF THE YEAR 2004/5» |accessdate=2007-08-04 |work=Aegean Airlines |publisher=www.aegeanair.com]
*"Gold Award: Airline of the Year" - 2004/2005
*"Silver Award: Airline of the Year" - 2006/2007

References

External links

* [http://www.aegeanair.com Aegean Airlines]