Gestair (Spanish: Grupo Gestair) is an aeronautical group based in Madrid, Spain, and in Valletta, Malta. It was created in 1977. Gestair is the industry's premier company in Spain and a benchmark throughout Europe, specialising in Business Aviation. It has created Gestair Aviation, Gestair MRO and Gestair Aeroplanning Units based on the needs of their customers, enablinitus to provide an integral aeronautical service.
History
Gestair was founded in 1977 in Madrid. It specialized in offering private jets for short lease from key airports in Spain and with the years it expanded its operations to include six hubs spread across the country. The aircraft of Gestair's Business fleet section are categorized into four types: ultra long range, long range, medium-range and short range.[1]
Along over three decades of operation the activities and services of Gestair group expanded to include charter airline services — through Audeli Air—, air taxi, flight training (in 2013 bought by G Air Group), handling, consulting, as well as maintenance and overhaul of aircraft.[2] The maintenance and overhaul unit, initially named Corjet Maintenance, was later renamed Gestair Maintenance.[3]
In 1994 Gestair founded 'Regional Líneas Aéreas' together with Regional Airlines (France). The airline operated scheduled passenger flights from Madrid with a fleet of Saab 340.
In January 1998 Regional was renamed Cygnus Air and by November the airline shifted to full cargo operations. Its fleet consisted then of two Douglas DC-862F aircraft. In July 2002, a DC8-73F was phased in. At that time the airline was owned 60% by Macholfam International, a branch of the Gestair group, and 40% by Imesapi of the ACS group.[4] In May 2007, as part of a new policy of the Gestair Group,[5] the name of the airline was changed to Gestair Cargo. At that time its main customer was Iberia Airlines.[6]
Gestair Cargo expanded and modernized its fleet in 2011 adding two Boeing 767-300F.[7] and by March 2010, following a capital increase, 73% of the company belonged to Imesapi and 27% to the Gestair group. In mid 2013 Gestair sold its cargo section to the founder of the Dutch Antilles Express airline, US businessman Arnold Leonora.[8]
