The Irish charter airline Translift Airways is now one of the largest charter airlines in Britain or Ireland the company said yesterday after announcing it is to lease two further aircraft.

The company, which will now have 11 aircraft, is to change its name to TransAer next month to reflect the fact that it is now exclusively a passenger airline.

Translift will carry 1.4 million passengers this year and will have a turnover of over £63 million. It began operations in 1992 and is controlled by former Ryanair chief executive Mr P J McGoldrick.