As part of the rebranding exercise Helios are undertaking since the tragic events of last summer, they are rebranding themselves AJet, and will be exclusively a charter airline, no longer operating scheduled flights.
Quite surprised they are no longer operating scheduled flights to Cyprus, I thought these were successful, maybe room for another carrier to move in from the likes of Luton?
Heres the home page with the logo, though the website is still under construction:
Here’s an article taken from Flight International:
Helios Airways’ parent to relaunch carrier as Ajet after August Boeing 737 crash fall-out
Cypriot tour operator Libra Holidays has confirmed it is establishing a new charter carrier, Ajet Airways, to take over flight operations from its beleagured carrier arm Helios Airways.
Libra says the new carrier will use the aircraft and resources of Helios and will operate charter flights only – unlike Helios which also operates scheduled routes.
The move follows the high-profile crash of a Helios Boeing 737-300 on 14 August last year, in which the aircraft ran out of fuel after suffering a pressurisation problem (Flight International, 23-31 August, 2005). All 121 passengers and crew were killed in the accident.
The incident was subject to intense media scrutiny including the publication of photographs purporting to have been taken from the cockpit of a Lockheed Martin F-16 shadowing the 737 as it glided towards its crash site, that were identified by Flight International to be hoaxes.
In a statement Libra says: “Due to the serious problems that Helios Airways encountered just after the tragic accident of August 2005, Helios considered to pass its operations to Ajet Airways.” It says Ajet was registered on 20 January and is wholly-owned by Libra Holidays.
“Under the presumption that all necessary approvals and consents are issued by the relevant authorities, the lease agreements of the aircraft operated by Helios will be reassigned to Ajet which will operate basically as charter flight airline,” it adds.
The statement does not specify the future role of Helios, but Libra group managing director Andreas Drakou is quoted in the Cypriot daily newapaper Cyprus Mail as saying Helios will remain as a company within the group to support the accident investigation committee and to pursue claims against third parties. But he says it will cease carrying out operations.
Larnaca-based Helios, which Libra Holidays acquired in late 2004, currently operates a pair of Boeing 737-800s.
GRAHAM DUNN / LONDON
By: philgatwick05 - 17th March 2006 at 17:30
And after the Zeebrugge ferry disaster, Townsend Thorensen was rebranded in the livery of it’s parent company P&O Ferries.
Don’t want to deviate here but I was under the impression TT was brought after the Herald sank :confused:
By: Bmused55 - 17th March 2006 at 17:15
On a similar note, BA used the B-Cal takeover as an opportunity to get rid of it’s British Airtours brand after the Manchester 737 fire, remaning it Caledonian.
And after the Zeebrugge ferry disaster, Townsend Thorensen was rebranded in the livery of it’s parent company P&O Ferries.
I’ve always wondered what happened to TT after the enterprise sank (ish)
By: Ren Frew - 17th March 2006 at 13:57
Rebranding after a catestophic accident can do wonders. Anyone remember valujet? Yeah, well, after dumping a DC-9 into the Everglades 10 years ago, they had the FAA all over them for faulty maintanance records and all sorts of other stuff after that crash. They essentially became AirTran and AirTran is doing not too badly nonawadays, even having to compete head-on with DL at MCO and ATL. Nobody remembers Valujet anymore when they fly AirTran.
On a similar note, BA used the B-Cal takeover as an opportunity to get rid of it’s British Airtours brand after the Manchester 737 fire, remaning it Caledonian.
And after the Zeebrugge ferry disaster, Townsend Thorensen was rebranded in the livery of it’s parent company P&O Ferries.
By: philgatwick05 - 17th March 2006 at 12:53
Helios is a great name, and they have a great c/s!!
I’m with you there!:D
By: greekdude1 - 17th March 2006 at 04:25
Rebranding after a catestophic accident can do wonders. Anyone remember valujet? Yeah, well, after dumping a DC-9 into the Everglades 10 years ago, they had the FAA all over them for faulty maintanance records and all sorts of other stuff after that crash. They essentially became AirTran and AirTran is doing not too badly nonawadays, even having to compete head-on with DL at MCO and ATL. Nobody remembers Valujet anymore when they fly AirTran.
By: bmi-star - 17th March 2006 at 00:30
Pity they wanted to rebrand!
Helios is a great name, and they have a great c/s!!
By: tomfellows - 16th March 2006 at 22:27
True, but it’s pretty awful.
By: philgatwick05 - 16th March 2006 at 22:22
What a tacky logo. i hope it doesn’t reflect on what the ‘new’ airline will be like.
I have to agree however it’s simply a slight redesign of the parent company’s logo (Libra Holidays), so in that sense it works. Kind of. In the dark.
By: Bmused55 - 16th March 2006 at 22:19
Tis borderline 😉
By: Grey Area - 16th March 2006 at 22:02
Hmmm…… does that count as “free advertising”, I wonder? :diablo:
Having seen some of your work, Sandy, I can readily understand your frustration.
By: Bmused55 - 16th March 2006 at 21:26
Dammit… why don’t these people come to me!!!
Great logos that don’t break the bank!
That logo is simply cack. I expect their livery to reflect the same feel to it. And they’ll likely have spent tens if not hundreds of thousands on a “design agency” for it.
Oh well.
By: tomfellows - 16th March 2006 at 21:08
What a tacky logo. i hope it doesn’t reflect on what the ‘new’ airline will be like.
By: andrewm - 16th March 2006 at 20:32
Carp logo and name IMHO. They should have bought name rights from Martin as his was a decent enough name!
Will they be going at the PR side as a sort of new start or rebranding. If they publicise rebranding too much they will remove the effect of the rebranding in first place as public will just associate them as being Helios!
By: RIPConcorde - 16th March 2006 at 20:25
What a shame! Going from Helios with a great livery, and with a Cypriot feel about them, to AJet…. A very bland name with a very bland looking logo! Although I suppose a change is definitely needed.
By: A330-300 - 16th March 2006 at 20:10
I wonder how long it took them to think up such a wonderful name.
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March 16, 2006 at 8:06 pm