Starbow Adds More BAe 146s for Network Growth

Ghanaian regional carrier, Aero Surveys Limited, which operates under the brand Starbow Airlines, has acquired two additional BAe 146 regional jetliners for use on regional and domestic routes. The aircraft, one BAe 146-300 and one smaller BAe 146-200 will double its fleet size to four aircraft and will add additional capacity to satisfy increasing demand.

Starbow launched domestic operations in Ghana on September 26, 2011 initially on the route between Accra and Kumasi. The airline says passenger demand has grown significantly since its arrival in the market and it now serves the domestic centres of Kumasi with 16 flights a week, Tamale with 7 flights a week and Takoradi with 5 flights a week.

The airline now plans to expand its network into international markets and the arrival of the two additional BAe 146s will help facilitate this growth. Starbow has highlighted the capital cities of neighbouring countries as its target markets, namely Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, Monrovia in Liberia and Cotonou in Benin and it hopes to inaugurate scheduled links during the second quarter of this year.

The two aircraft are being acquired on lease from British Virgin Islands-based lessor Riva Investments Limited which has recently purchased the two jets from Falko Regional Aircraft Limited. They are expected to be delivered to Africa in May 2012 after pre-delivery work. Starbow believes the classic airliner is well suited for the regional routes it plans to serve due to the jet’s “rugged construction, ease of maintenance and unique operational performance” which will allow the aircraft to serve airfields previously only accessible by turboprop airliners.