BAE Systems last week announced that two more Avro Business Jets (ABJ) had recently entered service with operators in Europe and Latin America. This brings the total of ABJs in service or under conversion worldwide to 24 aircraft.
Vigilance learnt that in Europe, Casino Rodos has placed its ABJ into service, carrying clients from mainland Europe to and from the casino that is based on the Greek island of Rhodes.
Casino Rodos is part of Queenco Leisure International Ltd which develops and operates casinos primarily in Greece and Romania. In addition, it has various complimentary businesses at its casino locations, such as hotels and restaurants.
The aircraft, which is a BAe 146-200, was converted from an airliner layout into its new corporate aircraft configuration by Inflite Engineering Services at London-Stansted Airport in the UK.
The new interior seats up to 34 passengers in a full length undivided cabin with two Club-2 seats at the front, two divans and four Club-4 seats in the centre and two rows of four-abreast first-class seating at the rear. The aircraft is equipped with a state-of-the-art inflight entertainment and communication system.
Vigilance can authoritatively confirm that when not used on Casino Rodos business, the aircraft will be offered for executive charter and company shuttle operations for third parties. The aircraft is operated on behalf of Casino Rodos by Alfa Air of Bucharest, Romania.
In Bolivia, Minera San Cristobal SA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Japanese Sumitomo Corporation, has acquired a BAe 146-200 which it intends to use to support its huge mining operations in the department of Potosi, some 500 kilometres south of the capital La Paz.
San Cristóbal ranks as one of the largest deposits of zinc, lead and silver in the world. The operation produces zinc-silver and lead concentrates with subsequent shipment to international markets.
With some 1000 permanent workers at the mine, the aircraft will be used in an airline configuration on corporate shuttle operations to fly personnel to and from the mine.
