Alpha Star commits to 70 aircraft fleet by 2017

Saudi Arabian private aviation company Alpha Star Aviation has pledged to increase its fleet from a current 52 aircraft to 70 aircraft by the end of 2017.

The company, which operates company-owned and managed aircraft on charter and behalf of owners, has not revealed what types it plans to acquire. However, chief executive Salim bin Obaid Al-Muzaini says Alpha Star will be purchasing aircraft as well as taking privately-owned jets under management contracts.

Around 15 of Alpha's fleet is available for charter. Its Airbus portfolio includes a 77-passenger A340 and a 176-seat A320, as well as ACJ320, ACJ319 and ACJ381 aircraft. It also offers a Gulfstream G550 and G450, an ATR 42 and ATR 72, an Embraer Legacy 500 and two medevac-configured Hawker 900XPs.

Alpha Star will put into service an extended-range Airbus ACJ330 next year, and is one of the launch operators for the Airbus ACJ319neo, which it will take delivery of in 2019.

Al-Muzaini says the company, founded five years ago, is experiencing strong growth, with 1,000 movements a month.