Air Charter International

Air Charter International was a French charter airline that operated from 1966 to 1998.

Air Charter International
IATA ICAO Callsign
SF ACF AIR CHARTER
Founded7 February 1966
Ceased operations24 October 1998
HubsParis-Orly Airport
Fleet size6
Parent companyAir France (80%)
Air Inter (20%)
HeadquartersParis, France

History edit

 
Air Charter International Caravelle III in 1971
 
Air Charter International Boeing 727-200 in 1981

Early operations edit

 
Air Charter International Boeing 737-200

Air Charter was established on 7 February 1966 as a subsidiary of Air France under the name Societé aérienne française d'affrètements (SAFA). Flight operations began on 25 July 1966 with two Sud Caravelles and two Lockheed Super Constellations. These flew charter flights from Paris to the Mediterranean.

Later years edit

The airline changed its name on 8 December 1969 to Air Charter International (ACI). In 1971, ACI operated a fleet of seven Caravelles and carried about 420.000 passengers. The first two Boeing 727-200 were introduced in 1972. Transatlantic charter flights to the USA and Canada were offered from 1982 onwards with leased Boeing 747-200 aircraft operated by Air France.[1] Six Super Caravelles were leased from EAS Europe Airlines until 1992.

In 1984, the airline's name was shortened to Air Charter. As the business grew, the first wide-body aircraft was introduced in 1988, the Airbus A300B4. Two Boeing 737-200 from EAS Europe Aéro Service on 1988. By the mid-1990s, the 727s were replaced by the Airbus A320. With the merger of Air France and Air Inter in 1998, Air Charter had served its purpose and services were discontinued on 24 October 1998.

Fleet edit

 
A Boeing 737-500 in an Air Charter/EAS Europe Airlines hybrid livery at Dublin Airport in 1993

Air Charter operated the following aircraft:[2][3]

Air Charter International fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Airbus A300B4 2 1988 1998 1 leased from Air France
Airbus A310-300 2 1997 1998
Airbus A320-200 7 1994 1998 2 leased from Air France
1 leased TransAer International Airlines
Boeing 727-200 11 1972 1995 4 leased from Air France
Boeing 737-200 5 1987 1995 1 leased from Euralair
2 leased from Inter Ciel Service
2 leased from EAS Europe Airlines
2 1996 1998
Boeing 737-300 1 1991 1991 Leased from AWAS
Boeing 737-400 1 1991 1992
Boeing 737-500 1 1991 1992
1 1996 1997
Boeing 747-200 1 1982 Un­known Operated by Air France
Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation 2 1966 Un­known Operated by Air France
Dassault Mercure Un­known Un­known Un­known Operated by Air Inter
Sud Aviation Caravelle 3 11 1970 1989
Sud Aviation Caravelle 10B 4 1981 1991

Accidents and incidents edit

References edit

  1. ^ Leisure Airlines of Europe, K. Vomhof, 2001
  2. ^ "Air Charter fleet". aerobernie.bplaced.net. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "Air Charter Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved April 30, 2022.

External links edit