Hans Airways (GKS) has firmed the letter of intent it signed in January for its first aircraft, A330-200 msn 950, with a committed contract, it said in a statement on March 30.

According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, the aircraft is a 13.7-year-old jet, formerly EC-KTG with Air Europa (UX, Palma de Mallorca) and currently in maintenance at Abu Dhabi Int'l. The remarketed aircraft is owned and managed by Carlyle Aviation Partners and will be re-registered as G-KJAS.

It is “undergoing maintenance checks with Etihad Airways Engineering, overseen by a Hans Airways liaison engineer,” the British hybrid-service long-haul start-up said.

The Hans management team aims to secure a proving flight date imminently from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, a precursor to obtaining its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) for which it submitted its application in March 2020.

Hans Airways now plans to start commercial flight operations in early summer, with scheduled secondary-city air links between the United Kingdom and India. CEO Satnam Saini told ch-aviation in December that it would initially launch scheduled services out of Birmingham Int'l. Cabin crew training is currently taking place both in Birmingham and Manchester.