MARCH 8, 2004

Stoddart's new airline

Paul Stoddart, the boss of Minardi, is to launch a low-cost airline in Australia later this year, taking on Richard Branson's Virgin Blue and Jetstar, Qantas's no frills airline which was launched last month.

Paul Stoddart, the boss of Minardi, is to launch a low-cost airline in Australia later this year, taking on Richard Branson's Virgin Blue and Jetstar, Qantas's no frills airline which was launched last month. Stoddart's airline will be called Ozjet and will fly on the busy east coast routes between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane although Stoddart will probably use smaller airports than his rivals. Stoddart has a fleet of aircraft in Europe which is not being used following the failure of a management buyout to acquire his European Airline operation.

Stoddart reckons that the model established in Europe by Easyjet will be popular in Australia, while also solving his problem of what to do with his fleet of aircraft.