Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

Eos and MAXjet recently launched transatlantic services to New York via the Essex hub to end a barren spell for the region’s business commuters.

Now we can disclose that MAXjet will not only be launching a Washington route within the next few weeks but also plans to open up travel to oil-rich Dallas.

Another airline is planning a Florida service. On a wider scale, we can also disclose that negotiations are progressing with major carriers that should lead to new services to the Pakistan capital, Islamabad, Dubai in the Gulf and the Greek capital, Athens.

Flyglobespan is to expand its Stansted operation with the launch of a daily service to Athens with flights starting at only £69 each way – including taxes. The service will launch in May and will initially run until October.

The City of San Jose is also progressing dialogue with a top carrier to launch a Silicon Valley-Stansted service.

Stansted executives have been delighted with the quiet progress made with their New York routes by both Eos and MAXjet. While Eos is filling up faster with its smaller payload, MAXjet is more aggressively targeting new opportunities and seems determined to scale up in double-quick time.

Washington-based MAXjet says it will offer five weekly flights from Dulles International Airport to Stansted. The company is acquiring a second jet that will be used for the Dulles to Stansted flights and is starting a customer appreciation programme where frequent fliers will earn points toward free tickets.

"Our load factor levels and customer reaction to our product have been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging," says CEO Gary Rogliano.

MAXjet, which has about 120 employees at its Dulles headquarters, has billed itself as the low-cost alternative for international travel. Round-trip tickets from New York to London on MAXjet started as low as $1,600, compared to industry averages that range from $3,500 to as high as $8,000. The company’s jets are configured with 102 seats – all business class.

On the longer-term radar, Chinese and Indian services are being pursued to plug East of England executives into the two fastest-growing economies in the world.

Stansted managing director Terry Morgan is jetting to China in the near future as part of an East of England International delegation to cement relations made by fellow executives at a recent match-making forum.