The Stobart Annual Report, published last week, was explicit as to the company's intentions for Aer Arann.. From Page 37,
<Phase 2 will be to replicate the Aer Lingus Regional model using London Southend as the UK base and servicing Scotland, Benelux and Northern France. We will target a minimum of 300,000 passengers per annum.>
The accompanying RNS quotes a "focus" on Spring 2014 for these routes, with this comment:
<We are currently understanding route and carrier planning for Carlisle Airport and are aiming to capitalise on the business potential for London-bound traffic, as well as providing an exclusive new in-bound route for some of the Lake District's 40 million visitors each year.>
Separately Stobart have again confirmed their intention to base an ATR42 at Carlisle to, operate CAX-SEN twice daily and CAX-DUB daily, subject as always to the final resolution of planning issues for the airport and distribution centre at Carlisle. Again 2014 is the projected start date. See #540 this thread.