Skyside (SKV, Vienna) is hoping to secure an upgraded Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and take a currently wet-leased A321-200(PCF) in-house in April 2025, Managing Director Kevin Korcz told ch-aviation in an exclusive interview in Vienna. The business aviation specialist is also planning to grow its executive jet fleet, but sees potential for narrowbody cargo thanks to synergies with its parent, the logistics holding Columbia Group.

"The contract [with current operator SmartLynx Airlines Malta] will end by April 1. We, as Skyside, will take over. We are handling now all the manuals, scope extension, etc, and, of course, hiring more people," Korcz said. "We will have scheduled operations because this is very important for the supply chain. There's one day currently planned for ad hoc charters for that plane. But other than that, it's a proper schedule so all suppliers can count on us."

The operator decided to enter the narrowbody segment in late 2024 based on the experience of its parent company. It partnered with a Cyprus-based logistics firm, Airtrans Group, to market capacity on the underserved market in Cyprus and the region. Korcz believes the demand in this area is growing rapidly and justifies basing an aircraft at Larnaca. The A321, 9H-CGG (msn 961), is currently operating from Cyprus to Athens and Maastricht.

Once taken in-house, the aircraft will become OE-LLK. Korcz revealed that the operator is evaluating obtaining a Cypriot AOC in the long run, as it would open additional markets from the country. Initially, however, the A321 freighter will operate under the Austrian certificate.

In parallel to working on taking the first A321 in-house, Skyside is scouting the market for another A321 freighter. Korcz said it would have to be a sistership with the same CFM International CFM56 engines. The second narrowbody would also be based in Cyprus, and could become the first aircraft on the local AOC if and when Skyside decides to pursue it.

Business jet fleet outlook

Despite its expansion into the new market segment, Skyside is also growing its legacy business jet operations.

The operator currently owns three of its operated aircraft - one Falcon 2000EX EASy, one Falcon 2000LX, and one Global 6000. The remaining aircraft (one Citation Jet 3+ and one G550) are managed, but Korcz said they are also available for charter, albeit with the owners' permission. Skyside is looking to replace the Falcon 2000EX EASy, which is undergoing refurbishment but is available for sale, with another 2000LX to harmonise the type's fleet. While the market demand is promising, Korcz said that the decision to expand Skyside's own fleet has not yet been made but will be taken sometime in 2025. If the operator decides to add more aircraft, it will also target pre-owned units due to long waiting times for new aircraft.

In terms of its managed aircraft, Korcz said that Skyside would be open to operating aircraft fully privately with no charter availability under the right conditions.

"In terms of our own fleet, we are attached to Falcon or Global aircraft. It doesn't make any sense to switch to any other OEM. But for third party [management], we are basically looking really into all directions," he said.

He added that while the company does not have strict "red lines", it would not add turboprop aircraft under its management. "We are purely a jet operator."

Korcz added that the certificate change related to the A321 freighter would also open new opportunities for Skyside in the niche but lucrative bizliner market. "I might bring about the recognition on the market that Skyside is able to operate that kind of aircraft, which opens the door a little bit for ACJs and BBJs. This is a side effect of the cargo business," he explained.

Business aviation plans

Skyside wants to grow its business jet fleet, but Korcz emphasised that the priority is quality rather than quantity. The operator is discussing every addition individually to ensure it can maintain its standards and would refrain from growing the fleet just for the sake of numbers.

"We are more focused on maintaining the mid- and long-term relationships with our clients and certainly keeping the quality at its highest level. To do that, it is important to have always sufficient staff available. And, therefore, we have to be very careful with growth - we need to have healthy growth also with staffing," accountable manager Thorsten Kinzl added.

The operator is not looking to add another AOC for business jets and is very satisfied with the openness and efficiency of the Austrian regulator. All of its aircraft are currently registered in the country. Korcz said that Skyside is open to discuss registering managed aircraft elsewhere but it would have to be based on a detailed analysis of the customer's needs.

Maintenance and bases

Besides the cargo opportunities, Skyside also benefits from its integration into Columbia Group in terms of bizjet operations. The holding owns a Part 145 maintenance provider, ACC Columbia Jet Services, with major facilities at Hannover and Cologne/Bonn and a smaller facility at Paphos. The ability to perform in-house maintenance is a strong selling point for Skyside and allows it to minimise the downtime of its fleet.

Korcz said that while the operator's business jet fleet had floating bases, Skyside plans regular maintenance checks using its group facilities. "We are scheduling on a regular basis, let's say every two weeks, a visit to one of our group hubs. It's either Hannover or Paphos. For the Gulfstream, we do have a hangar at Oberpfaffenhofen. All our planes have a known harbour," he explained.

The in-house Part 145 capability allows Skyside to minimise the effects of the lack of free maintenance slots, which affects the entire market.