Penga Air Charter is established at Lusaka in February 1990 to offer all cargo services to and from Europe. The carrier is the first private air transport company granted authority by the government to operate international services. Of the three directors, one is Panji T. Kaunda, brother of the nation’s chief executive.
The company name is changed to LAT in early 1991 and a Boeing 707F is leased from Switzerland’s Momac Aviation. Revenue flights commence in July linking Lusaka with Amsterdam, with stops at Nairobi northbound and Lagos southbound. Flights cease in 1993.
LUXAIR (SOCIETE LUXEMBOURGEOISE DE NAVIGATION AERIENNE, S. A.): Aeroport de Luxembourg, L-2987, Luxembourg; Phone 352 (4) 798-2311; Fax 352 (4) 443-2482; Http://www. luxair. lu; Code LG; Year Founded 1961. SLNA is reformed as the national airline in 1961, complete with the marketing title Luxembourg Airlines, S. A. On April 1, 1962 , the operation is renamed Luxair. Shareholders include the government (25.87%), Luxembourg Steel Industries (14.83%), the International (14.83%), General Banks (14.83%), State Savings Bank (14.83%), Radio Luxembourg (14.83%), and private citizens (.28%). Douglas DC-3 scheduled flights to Paris commence on April 2.
Services from Luxembourg Airport are gradually expanded to other European destinations, including Amsterdam, Athens, Frankfurt, London, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Zurich, and Rome. Charter flights are also undertaken to vacation stops in the Mediterranean. Enplanements in this year total 12,000.
These operations continue apace during the remainder of the decade as the fleet is upgraded from piston-engine equipment to Vickers Viscounts, Fokker F.27s, and a Sud-Est SE-210 Caravelle VIR. In April 1964, a cooperative agreement is entered into with the South African independent Trek Airways (Pty.), Ltd. Trek flies its Lockheed L-1049A Starliners from Johannesburg to Luxembourg and Luxair takes them over to provide a connecting flight onto London.
A Bristol Britannia is leased in June 1968 for the joint Luxembourg-South Africa service, although the last Starliner is not withdrawn from the London connection until September 30. Given the popularity of its Mediterranean tour services, the company now establishes its own tour-operator department, Luxairtours.
The first Boeing 707-320 is received in 1970, the same year a 25% interest is taken in the new all-freight carrier Cargolux Airlines International, S. A.
The air taxi subsidiary Luxavia, S. A. is formed in 1971 to provide unscheduled regional services to smaller destinations. Enplanements for the year total 216,000.
The tenth anniversary is celebrated in 1972 as major expansion begins to unfold. The workforce now totals 450 as another B-707, a Dash-320C, and another SE-210 join the fleet. New services are inaugurated to Monastir and Ibiza and frequencies are increased on routes to Malaga, Paris, and Athens.
Passenger boardings jump 10% to 240,000.
When Trek Airways (Pty.), Ltd. closes down in 1976, many of its personnel and several of its aircraft are taken over by Luxair. In 1978, President Gust Graas and Managing Director Roger Sietzen oversee a workforce of 637 and a fleet comprising 1 Boeing 707-320, 1 B-707-320C, 2 B-737-2C9As, and 3 Fokker F.27s.
During 1979, flights begin to such new vacation stops as Las Palmas, Tenerife, Agadir, Rhodes, Salzburg, Malaga, Rimini, Ibiza, Catania, Bastia, and Alicante.
In October 1980, the Boeing 747SP-44 Soutpansberg is leased from South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. to operate flights to Johannesburg.
Passenger enplanements this year reach 295,488.
The employee population in 1981 stands at 693 and the fleet includes 6 aircraft. The arrangement to charter the Soutpansberg falls through in January and the Jumbojet is not delivered.
Passenger boardings fall 2.6% to 288,140 as freight traffic declines 4.5% to 25.01 million FTKs.
The number of workers is increased by 8.2% in 1982 to 750. Customer bookings jump 11.1% to 320,137 while freight advances a more modest 1.9% to 25.5 million FTKs.
Still, the employee population is cut 2.7% in 1983 to 730. Passenger boardings jump 9.5% to 350,604 while cargo rises 12.7% to 28.72 million FTKs.
The payroll is reduced in 1984 to 700 as an Airbus Industrie A300B4 is acquired, which will prove too large to meet requirements. Customer bookings swell 4.8% to 367,419 as freight jumps 3.5% to 30 million FTKs.
The fleet of the 750-employee carrier in 1985 includes 2 B-737-2C9As and 5 Fokker F.27-100s. Enplanements rise a slight 0.4% to 368,900. Cargo accelerates a better 3.3% to 30.43 million FTKs. A net profit equivalent to $1.3 million is generated.
In 1986, the subsidiary Luxair Commuter, S. A. is formed to offer scheduled regional services. It is equipped with 3 of the F.27-100s, 2 Metroliners, and 1 Cessna 421. Enplanements for both airlines advance to 387,500.
The twenty-fifth anniversary is celebrated by the 850-employee carrier in 1987. General Manager Rodger Sietzen’s fleet now includes 2 B-737-2C9As, and 2 F.27-100s.
Planning once more to start long-haul service, Luxavia, S. A. leases the B-747SP-44 Outeniqua on November 1. The remainder of the year will be spent painting the giant aircraft in the operator’s white and soft blue colors. It is christened Luxavia Star.
Passenger boardings for the 12 months jump 10.1% to 426,644.
In 1988, the air taxi subsidiary Luxavia, S. A. is renamed Luxair Executive, S. A. A B-737-239 is leased from Sabena Belgian World Airlines, S. A. during the spring.
The reliveried South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. Outeniqua, now the Luxavia Star, is employed in February to inaugurate weekly roundtrip flights from Luxembourg to Johannesburg.
Plans are made in 1989 to revitalize the Luxair Executive, S. A. fleet. The South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. B-747SP-44 Soutpansberg is chartered on August 1, but is subcontracted on the same day to UTA French Airlines, S. A. The French line returns the Jumbojet to Luxair on November 1 and it is simultaneously returned to SAA.
Enplanements total 495,956.
In 1990, the 1,050-employee carrier’s fleets include 3 B-737-339s, 1 of which is leased from Sabena Belgian World Airlines, S. A., the SAA Luxavia Star, 1 Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia leased from Air Exel, Ltd., 2 Fokker F.27-100s, and 3 Fokker 50s.
The Brasilia and two Fokker 50s are dedicated to Luxair Commuter. In the fall, a $37- million order is placed for two owned EMB-120s. Orders are outstanding for two B-737-4C9s. The carrier now joins with Flugfelag Islands, H. F. (2)/Icelandair, H. F. in acquiring shareholding in the tour operator Easy Travel.
Passenger boardings increase 8.9% to 544,408, but freight falls 15.1% to 461,000 FTKs.
Airline employment is increased a slight 0.7% in 1991 to 1,102. The leased Brasilia is returned and replaced, in August and December, by two owned units and another Fokker 50; orders are let for two B-737-5C9s. New flights are initiated to Vienna and London (STN) and service is inaugurated or enhanced to Berlin, Geneva, Hamburg, Munich, Nice, Saarbrucken, Strasbourg, and Vienna. Safair Lines, Ltd. is established at Johannesburg in October to compete with South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. (SAA) now that the nation’s air transport industry has been deregulated. Soon renamed Flitestar Airlines, Ltd., it is owned and managed by Luxembourg investors, many of whom are the same personnel once associated with the noted South African international charter carrier Trek Airways, Ltd. Indeed, Flitestar is often seen as a continuation of that carrier, even as its organization provides for a holding company under the Trek name.
Luxair customer bookings decline 7.7% to 503,387, but cargo ascends 0.8% to 464,000 FTKs.
The fleet in 1992 includes 2 leased B-737-2C9As, 1 owned and 1 chartered B-737-4C9s, the SAA B-747SP-44, 3 Brasilias, and 4 Fokker 50s.
Destinations visited include Athens, Berlin (Tempelhof), Copenhagen, Geneva, Faro, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Johannesburg, London (LHR and STN), Malaga, Metz, Nancy, Lorraine, Milan (Bergamo), Munich, Nairobi, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Rome, Saarbrucken, Strasbourg, Vienna, and recently added Budapest.
The 1,000-employee Flitestar Airlines, Ltd. acquires the smaller airlines Air Cape (Pty.), Ltd. and Luxair Executive, S. A. (now renamed Luxair Express, S. A.) and they continue the operations of all three as subsidiaries of the holding company Trek Airways. Flightestar and Air Cape concentrate on South African domestic routes while Luxair continues to undertake flights between Luxembourg and Johannesburg employing the B-747SP-44 Luxavia Star.
Deutsche Lufthansa, A. G. acquires 13% shareholding in December and is also given an option to purchase an additional 10% stake over the next three years. At the same time, an agreement is signed with the German major covering code-sharing, through ticketing, and joint frequent flyer programs, as well as code-sharing on flights between Luxembourg and Germany.
In South Africa, Flitestar Airlines, Ltd. suffers heavy financial reversals during the remainder of the recession year as SAA pours additional capacity onto its domestic routes to overwhelm the independent. Additionally, pressure on yields and the devaluation of the rand against the U. S. dollar, in which most of Flitestar’s leasing and other costs are paid, ends the hope for profits.
Luxair enplanements for the year total 460,115.
In 1993, Managing Director Sietzen oversees a 1,050-employee workforce. The two chartered B-737-2C9As and one leased B-737-4C9 are withdrawn. These are replaced by another owned B-737-4C9 and two B-737-5C9s.
In January, Prime Minister De Klerk’s regulators require SAA to cut back capacity on domestic trunk routes by 30% in an effort to save Flitestar Airlines, Ltd. Unhappily, these measures come too late and the airline is forced to suspend operations in mid-April.
Trek Holdings is also forced to suspend Luxair Express, S. A. European services and the chartered South African Jumbojet Luxavia Star is returned.
Sufficient funding is found and Flitestar Airlines, Ltd. is able to resume limited domestic operations on September 1. Luxair Express, S. A. is able to reacquire the Outeniqua on September 3. Once again known as the Luxavia Star, its all-white fuselage is split by a black cheatline. Titles are worn over the forward fuselage and the tail is black-white-black, with the single word “Trek” written in tall block letters on the white.
Passenger boardings move ahead by 2.2% to 470,469 and a $5-million net profit is reported.
Fifty workers are laid off in 1994 and one of the B-737-4C9s is leased to Carnival Air Lines in the U. S.
On April 11, Flitestar Airlines, Ltd., which was able to resume limited services the previous fall, is in desperate need of support and signs a commercial agreement with SAA. The same day the B-747SP-44 Luxavia Star, otherwise known as the Outeniqua, is returned.
The arrangement with SAA puts an end to Flitestar’s attempts to compete head on with SAA on domestic trunk routes. The holding company Trek Airways withdraws from the market after the flag carrier provides a multimillion rand payment.
Shareholders shut down Flitestar and Luxair Express, S. A. on April 20, thereby bringing South Africa’s experiment with deregulation perilously close to failure.
Customer bookings jump 13.2% to 532,500 and revenues swell 12.8% to $246 million. With expenses of only $235 million, there is an operating surplus of $11 million. An identical profit figure is also cheered as the net gain.
An even 1,000 workers are employed by the Luxembourg-based carrier in 1995. In October, the carrier begins code-sharing with CSA Czech Airlines on services between Luxembourg and Prague.
The company suffers a bad passenger traffic year as enplanements drop 19.1% to 569,700. Cargo is up, however, climbing 12.8% to 530,000 FTKs.
The fleet in 1996 includes 2 B-757-5C9s, the newest of which is named Chateau de Bourglinster and 4 Fokker 50s. In addition, 2 each B-737-4C9s and B-737-528s are flown under contract.
Company ownership is now divided between the government of Luxembourg (23.1%), Banque et Caisse d’Epargne de l’Etat (13.4%), Luxair employees and others (13.2%), Banque International Luxembourg (13.1%), Deutsche Lufthansa, A. G. (13%), Banque Generale du Luxembourg (12.1%), and CLT-UFA (12.1%).
Many long-haul routes are suspended or consolidated, while, at Aero-port de Luxembourg, the carrier’s new $100-million air-cargo facility is opened.
Passenger bookings ascend during the 12 months to 794,356.
Markets visited in 1997 include Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, London, Malaga, Manchester, Munich, Nice, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Rome, and Saarbrucken.
In September, $80 million worth of orders are placed with Embraer for a pair of ERJ-145 Amazons, with options taken on two more. The jetliners, which will replace Fokker 50s, are scheduled for delivery during the third quarter of 1998. When the winter schedule begins in October, the Tyrolean resorts of Seefeld and Soumlden are new destinations to be visited under the sponsorship of Luxair Tours.
Enplanements move upward by 6.3% to 844,039.
In May 1998, Jean-Donat Calmes is named president/CEO. He separates the airline’s passenger and cargo services into individual profit divisions.
The first ERJ-145 Amazon is delivered on August 1. During the year, six regional destinations are added: Bologna, Dublin, Florence, London (CTY), Stockholm, and Stuttgart.
Flights continue during the remainder of the year and airline employment is increased by 2.9% to 1,457. Passenger bookings ascend a further 5.2% to 866,870.
EMB-145 service is inaugurated to Helsinki via Stockholm on March 29, 1999. Simultaneously, thrice-daily Fokker 50 roundtrips are started from Luxembourg to Munich via Saarbrucken. A second daily roundtrip is started to Vienna the same day, employing a new EMB-145.
A B-767-339ER is wet-leased from City Bird, S. A. on March 30; with two City Bird pilots, six City Bird flight attendants and two Luxair flight attendants, the aircraft inaugurates roundtrip service from Luxembourg to Newark, four times a week. The new service replaces one that Flugfelag Islands (2) H. F./Icelandair abandoned on January 9.
Under a new dual-designator pact with Finnair O/Y, Luxair inaugurates code-sharing on May 17 over a route from Luxembourg to Helsinki via Stockholm. Also during the month, Luxair begins to code-share on United Airlines services to Chicago (ORD), Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D. C. (lAD).
Despite heavy traffic, the company board votes, on July 9, to ends its nonstop service between Luxembourg and Newark (EWK).
Passenger boardings leap ahead by 20.6% to 1,045,000 while 6.22 million FTKs are also operated. Revenues of $220 million are generated.
Airline employment at the beginning of 2000 stands at 866, a huge 40.6% decrease over the previous 12 months.
On March 26, an early morning B-737-5C9 return service is inaugurated from Luxembourg to Copenhagen. Weekly charters begin on April 1 to Myconos (B-737-528), Malta (ERJ-145), and Jerez (ERJ-145).
Begun on May 1, a new route between Luxembourg and Newark International Airport is closed on November 1; despite heavy passenger demand, the route is unprofitable.
The Internet news service of Air Transport World magazine reports on December 5 that Christian Heinzmann will become Luxair’s next presi-dent/CEO on January 1.
LUXAIR COMMUTER, S. A. See LUXAIR, S. A.
LUXAIR EXECUTIVE, S. A. See LUXAIR, S. A.
LUXAIR EXPRESS, S. A. See FLITESTAR AIRLINES, LTD; LUX-AIR, S. A.
LUXEMBOURG AIRLINES (SOCIETE LUXEMBOURGEOISE DE NAVIGATION AERIENNE, S. A.): Luxembourg (1947-1950).
Luxembourg government and private interests join Scottish Airlines, Ltd., the air transport division of Scottish Aviation, in forming this independent late in 1947 to provide scheduled services from the Duchy.
Scottish agrees to provide aircraft under lease, technical, and managerial support, including its own Capt. M. R. Lacy as managing director. The Luxembourg government grants the carrier a 20-year license for routes to Zurich, Paris, and Frankfurt.
With a leased Scottish DC-3, the thrice-weekly Zurich frequency is launched on February 3, 1948. Thrice-weekly scheduled service to Paris begins on February 10 and thrice-weekly Paris-Frankfurt flights, the only air link between the two cities, commence on February 13. In March, August, and October, two DC-3s and a de Havilland DH 89A Dragon Rapide are purchased from Scottish Airlines.
With Scottish assistance, Luxembourg Airlines begins new routes in 1949; destinations flown include Nice, London, Athens, Brussels, Rome, and Tel Aviv. The operator is forced to cease trading in 1950 when Scottish Airlines, Ltd. withdraws its support and assistance.
LUXOR AIR, S. A.E.: 43 Masr El-Tamir Building, Sheraton Helipo-lis Hotel, First Area, Helipolis, Egypt; Year Founded 1999. Luxor is established in the summer of 1999 to offer both passenger and cargo charters to destinations throughout the Middle East, Africa, and southern Europe. Revenue operations commence with an owned Boeing 707-323C, previously operated by Middle East Airlines, S. A.L. (2).
A B-737-4448 is leased from GATX Capital in early 2000.
LVOV AIRLINES: Lvov-3 Airport, Lvov, 290003, Ukraine; Phone 380 (0322) 622 112; Fax 380 (0322) 692 215; Http://www. avia. lviv. ua; Code L7; Year Founded 1995. Lvov is established at its namesake city in 1995 as a subsidiary of Air Ukraine. Leonti Zagreva is CEO and has the mission of operating trunk and regional replacement services on behalf of the parent concern. Revenue flights begin with 6 Antonov An-24s and 4 Yakovlev Yak-42Ds leased from Air Ukraine.
Service is maintained in 1996-1997, during which time the fleet is increased by the addition of two Ilyushin Il-76Ms and two An-12Bs. As is common with other airlines, the company occasionally leases its flight equipment to other companies. At the end of the latter year, this policy will land Lvov in deep trouble.
Due to engine problems, Flight 241, an Aerosweet Airlines Boeing 737-200A with 8 crew and 62 passengers en route from Kiev to Thessaloniki, stops at Odessa on December 17 to change planes. When all are aboard, the chartered Lvov Airlines Yak-42 departs south and because of heavy traffic, is put into a holding pattern near Salonica. At this point, the aircraft disappears. A massive search is undertaken, during which a Greek Air Force C-130 Hercules with five crew crashes, killing all aboard. Wreckage of the Russian aircraft is found on December 20 near Mount Olympus and there are no survivors.
The airline is sued in Greek courts by relatives of two crash victims and the case drags on in 1998-1999. During the latter year, the airline flies a total of 31,000 passengers and operates 1.57 million FTKs.
On August 8, 2000, a Greek court orders Lvov to pay 613 million drachmas ($1.635 million) to the parents of Panagiotis Kois and Pashalis Karathanasis, killed in the 1997 crash. In reporting the judgment three days later, The Moscow Times suggests that the decision could pave the way for similar damages in lawsuits filed by relatives of others killed in the disaster. On August 11, Lvov Airline appeals the Greek ruling.
LWA (GIBRALTAR), LTD.: Ostend Airport, Hangar 5, P. O. Box 24 H5, Ostend, 8400, Belgium; Phone 32 (59) 80 2623; Fax 2 (59) 80 7842; Code LE; Year Founded 1987. LWA (Liberia World Airlines, Inc.) is reformed at the end of 1987; registered as LWA (Gibraltar), Ltd. it is based at Ostend Airport in Belgium. Duane Egli is CEO and offices are opened at Monrovia and in the U. S.
To take advantage of the Valentine’s Day market, the company’s Amsterdam-based Douglas DC-4 Julliet Papa undertakes two flower-laden roundtrips from Amsterdam to Southend Airport in the U. K. on February 7, 1988. In 1989, the jet cargo fleet, which continues to offer worldwide charters, includes 1 each B-707-330B, Douglas DC-8-54F, and DC-8-55F, which is leased to Kabo Air.
In 1990, the fleet is altered again as the Boeing 707-330B is replaced with a B-707-123B. ADC-8-53 is also purchased. The two are employed to undertake passenger services. In 1991, as recession deepens, the passenger flights are abandoned and the Boeing and DC-8-53 are sold, being replaced with a DC-8-55F and a DC-8-54.
In 1992, Managing Director Ela Devos’ firm employs 27 workers. The company’s DC-8-54F is briefly chartered to ARCA (Aerovias Colombianas, S. A.).
Operations continue apace in 1993-2000. During these years, Duane Egli becomes CEO and the workforce is increased to 42.
The two DC-8s, later joined by another Dash-55F, continue to provide international freight charters into the new millennium.
World History
