| |
Today's CityJet was formed from the merger of CityJet and VLM Airlines
Both airlines were formed in the early 1990s, with a focus on providing high-quality, high-frequency services to business travellers flying between London and key points in the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe.
Established from a Dublin base in 1993, CityJet commenced services in January 1994, with it first scheduled flights on the Dublin to London City route. In the same year, VLM Airlines began its first scheduled service from Antwerp to London City.
CityJet commenced its alliance with Air France in 1996, operating the Paris Charles de Gaulle to London City route under contract.
In early 2000, Air France-KLM assumed sole ownership of CityJet, marked with the airline operating routes linking Europe to its parent company's Charles de Gaulle hub. 2007 saw CityJet announce a major expansion of it's London City network, with the opening of eight new routes, in addition to the existing Dublin and Paris operations.
| VLM Airlines was established in 1992, and commenced operations in 1993, with services between London City Airport and Antwerp. By 2007, it was operating a fleet of 21 Fokker 50s, carrying around 750,000 passengers.
In December 2007, VLM Airlines was acquired by the Air-France KLM Group and 12 months later, began to combine operations with CityJet. In early 2009, the carriers unveiled their new combined commercial organisation, with the CityJet brand being adopted across both carriers from May 2009.
CityJet's senior management team is led by CEO Christine Ourmières.
Today, the carrier employs over 1000 people. In addition to it's commercial offices at its London City hub, it maintains bases and facilities in Antwerp and Dublin.
Find out more about CityJet's history by clicking on the Timeline link below.
|
Fuelled By Belief - The CityJet Story
Fuelled By Belief 2
"It was about building a business proposition that was absolutely wrapped around serving our passengers' needs. It was about committing to that proposition and letting it dictate how and why we did everything from that point on."
"Fuelled by Belief : The CityJet Story."
By Pat Byrne, founder of CityJet.
The story of CityJet, 'Fuelled by Belief' is a compelling account by CityJet's founder and first CEO, Pat Byrne.
It tells the story of how a fledgling airline, against all odds, literally stayed in the air.
Set up in 1993 to fly business travellers to London City Airport and back from Dublin, CityJet developed a loyal passenger base, and the CityJet name became synonymous with a high quality, high frequency service.
However, the Airline struggled to compete in a very difficult market and seven years after it was founded, CityJet became a wholly owned subsidiary of Air France and Pat Byrne's dream of running his own airline was over.
Pat Byrne looks back with pride as he tells a tale of striving to beat the odds in an extremely competitive and volatile business.
"Air France by CityJet"
Chapter 2 of the CityJet story began when CityJet commenced its alliance with Air France in 1996, operating the Paris Charles de Gaulle to London City Airport route under contract.
In early 2000, Air France assumed sole ownership of CityJet which led to a developing relationship that today sees CityJet operating 8 franchise routes linking Europe to the Charles de Gaulle hub, alongside it's London City route network.
Pat Byrne's dream of creating an airline that combined the convenience and comfort of London City Airport with an honest committment to putting the Passenger first, has been embedded into the DNA of the airline and it's staff.
As our founder famously said:
"We're in the business of flying people, not airplanes."
www.theliffeypress.com
|
