KRALENDIJK, WILLEMSTAD - Airline EZ Air has decided against the acquisition of two Saab 2000 aircraft. 

The Saab 2000 is a slightly larger variant of the Saab planes that the company currently operates. Initially, the use of the larger aircraft type seemed interesting, but the airline also encountered several challenges. 

"The availability of pilots with experience on this type of aircraft is very limited. This would have made the training of our own pilots on the new type a challenging and costly matter," said EZ Air director René Winkel. 

Winkel stated that from the outset, it was clear that there are only a few operational examples of this particular aircraft type, but the benefits seemed to outweigh the drawbacks. However, in practice, it turned out differently. 

Despite already making significant investments in the new aircraft type, EZ Air has now decided against its actual implementation. "Furthermore, existing operators of the aircraft are in need of additional Saab 2000 planes. These airlines do not face the challenges that EZ Air, as a new operator, encounters, and they were eager to acquire the aircraft intended for EZ Air," explains Winkel. 

Exploration 

With the plans for the Saab 2000 no longer proceeding, the airline is now examining several alternatives. "We are experiencing a healthy growth in our passenger numbers, and we also have the ambition to expand our operations further in the region. At the moment, we are searching for an aircraft that aligns well with our needs and ambitions, but does not come with the drawbacks of the Saab 2000," adds Winkel.