The first Fox Air
Shuttle Airbus A319 was delivered from the Airbus facility in Finkenwerder,
Hamburg on the second of November 2000. Fox Air Shuttle was to be a subsidiary
to Fox Air US. Fox Air Shuttles base and hub was New York La Guardia offering
flights at first to Bangor and Baltimore with flights to Chicago Midway and
Cleveland to follow soon after. The fleet at this moment was the three brand new
Airbus A319’s (five on order) and soon five 737-200’s.
Operations began on
the 6th of November 2000. But due to an economic crisis at parent
company Fox Air it was announced on the 16th of February 2001 that
Fox Air was selling Fox Air Shuttle. Three days later Fox Air announced who were
the bidders for Fox Air Shuttle. They were Air Danmark, Air Viking and World
International VA Holding. But Air Viking was out due to lack of capacity. There
was a 50/50-vote situation, it had seemed that World International VA Holding
had made the best offer but the board seemed to prefer Air Danmark’s offer.
On the 22nd
of February 2001 Fox Air announced that Fox Air Shuttle is to be sold to Air
Danmark. But they had to deliver three Airbuses A330-300’s and three A340-300’s
is Fox Air livery to Fox Air’s hub in Chicago O’Hare by the 1st of
March that year. If not the offer will go to World International VA Holding.
But on the 6th
of March it was announced that Air Danmark could not finance the take over deal,
Fox Air said, “the Fox Air Shuttle deal will not be made with Air Danmark.” At
the same time Fox Air announced that they would have to sell up. But three days
later they announced that World International VA Holding (a bidder for Fox Air
US) would get a chance to take over Fox Air Shuttle instead of Fox Air US
selling up.
Soon World
International VA Holdings announced that they would take over Fox Air Shuttle.
Also included in that announcement were plans for Fox Air Shuttle. These plans
included new aircraft (namely A300-600’s, Boeing 767-200’s, MD-88’s and
ATR-42’s), new flights to be opened and possibly a new hub if all goes well. By
April 2001 20 Airbus A300-600’s were delivered to start new high-density routes.
But six days after
receiving the 20 airbuses (6th of April) World International VA
Holdings announced that they wished to open they’re own US airline and that they
are handing back Fox Air Shuttle to Fox Air. The new US airline named ‘USA
World’ would be based in Chicago and would be owned 30% by Fox Air. World
International VA Holdings kept sixteen of the Fox Air Shuttle Airbus A300-600’s,
the aircraft will be used for USA World operations. All of the aircraft
mentioned in World Internationals VA Holdings future plans for Fox Air Shuttle
will go elsewhere.
On August 4th it was
announced that Fox Air Shuttle ceased operations until further notice. But on
the next day Fox Air Shuttle was thrown a lifeline when SKYlines a new airline
took over Fox Air Shuttle. The deal included all aircraft, 4 A300-600’s, 3
A319’s (five on order) and 5 Boeing 737-200’s. SKYlines are to add to the fleet
with a group of leased Boeing 737-700’s. New York La Guardia will continue to be
the home of Fox Air Shuttle.
