Stobart Air to operate KLM Cityhopper flights to Amsterdam

Ireland-based capacity provider Stobart Air—the airline involved in an attempted Virgin Atlantic-led takeover of UK regional operator Flybe—has won a contract to operate flights to Amsterdam Schiphol on behalf of KLM Cityhopper. The move is interesting because Air France-KLM has agreed to acquire a 31% stake in Virgin Atlantic, which is seeking to boost feeder traffic to its long-haul network through its proposed acquisition of Flybe. Stobart Air is owned by Stobart Group, one of the members of the Connect Airways consortium vying for control of Flybe, and the intention is for Stobart Air’s operations to eventually be folded into the Connect Airways group. In a Feb. 4 statement, Stobart Air said it had agreed to provide an Embraer E195 jet on an aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance basis to operate up to eight flights a day for KLM Cityhopper from Amsterdam. <br/>