ViaAir (Orlando International), which had blamed numerous route closures and frequency cuts this year on a shortage of pilots, has been acquired by Ashley Air, an Atlanta-based business charter broker, which will infuse "a significant amount capital into the airline to stabilise the operation", a joint statement by the two parties outlined on July 11.
Ashley Air’s chief executive officer, Johns Ashley Jr., will also take on the position of CEO at ViaAir, and eventually the two companies will merge, the statement said. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
A virtual carrier with all flights operated by its technical subsidiary and AOC holder Via Airlines (Orlando International), ViaAir operates three E120s and five E145s on scheduled and charter flights, none of which are currently active, the ch-aviation fleets module shows.
“Our first order of business is to expound on Via Airlines' operational capabilities with a significant capital infusion to maximise its potential, satisfy the market and eventually expand to the hundreds of communities that desperately need direct air service,” Ashley said.
ViaAir had been the only carrier based in central Florida with scheduled passenger operations, but financial turbulence this year steadily eroded its ability to maintain a schedule of flights to smaller cities in the southeastern United States and also north to West Virginia and as far west as Arizona, the Orlando Sentinel newspaper reported.
“I trust that new Via Airlines CEO Johnny Ashley will continue to take the company to new heights with the endless opportunities that are ahead," outgoing chief executive Irit Vizer said. The takeover is effective immediately, with a plan to relaunch scheduled services from Orlando Sanford this autumn and to provide charter flights in the meantime.
