Basel/Switzerland, October 2, 2008 – Jet Aviation Basel recently signed two Letters of Intent (LOI’s) with customers from Asia for the first two Airbus A350-900 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) Prestiges delivered worldwide for VIP configuration. The LOI’s also include the aircraft interior design to be done by Jet Aviation. Scheduled to arrive in Basel in 2014 and 2015, execution time for each aircraft interior is estimated at 18 months. Both aircraft will be managed and operated by Hong Kong-based BAA Jet Management Ltd.
The two A350-900 XWBs from Airbus’ airline production line will be configured for VIP use to become the first aircraft of this type available to the business aviation market. After an extensive test program followed by a reconfiguration phase at the manufacturer’s site, the aircraft will be flown directly from Airbus’ assembly line in Toulouse, France to Jet Aviation Basel where the two A350-900 XWBs will receive their VIP interior.
“We are extremely proud that Jet Aviation Basel is the first completions center to be entrusted with the VIP outfitting of two A350-900 XWB aircraft,” says André Wall, Jet Aviation’s COO for the EMEA & Asia regions. In addition to the outfitting of the aircraft, Jet Aviation Basel’s design department will also develop the interior for both aircraft. “With this long term commitment to slots in 2014 and 2015, we can provide our clients a planning schedule with a convenient time horizon and to gain a technical familiarization with the aircraft,“ adds André Wall.
“Jet Aviation Basel impressed us not only with its experience, in-house design capabilities and new state-of-the-art facilities but also with its responsiveness and flexibility to accommodate the two new generation A350-900 XWB Prestiges,” says Ricky Leung, BAA Jet Management’s Managing Director. “The two aircraft will be delivered only months apart and we look forward to working with the Jet Aviation team.”
Managed and operated by BAA Jet Management Ltd. in Hong Kong, one of the A350-900 XWB Prestige is owned by C Jet Ltd. based in Hong Kong while the other aircraft belongs to an undisclosed customer from Asia. BAA Jet Management Ltd. with offices in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Beijing, China is one of the leading aviation companies in Asia, specializing in aircraft charter and management, flight support services, aircraft sales and acquisition.
Jet Aviation Basel is a world-renowned completions center and will employ close to 1,800 professionals by year end. The company opened a new wide body completions hangar, large enough to accommodate an A380 and a Boeing 747-8 at the south zone of the airport which will bring Jet Aviation Basel’s total space to 78’000 sq m (839’573 sq ft). The facility has in-house design and engineering departments, along with onsite cabinetry, upholstery, fiberglass and paint shops and is capable of outfitting jets as large as an Airbus A380 or the Boeing 747-400 series and has already completed several Airbus 319ACJ, A320 and Boeing B737, B757, B767 and B747-400 aircraft. Jet Aviation Basel also provides aircraft maintenance and repair services to a wide variety of business jets. It is a factory approved service center by Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Dassault, and Gulfstream. The location also holds a jet aircraft repair station rating by the FAA #QV1Y440K, and the EASA #CH.145.0232 in addition to approval certificates of 21 other national aviation authorities.
Jet Aviation was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. Close to 5,600 employees cater to client needs from over 25 airport facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America. The company provides maintenance, completions and refurbishment, engineering, fixed base operations, along with aircraft management, charter services, aircraft sales and personnel services. Jet Aviation's European and U.S. aircraft management and charter divisions jointly operate a fleet of more than 200 aircraft and provided over 65,000 hours in global flight operations in 2007. For more information, please visit www.jetaviation.com.
