transwede

Just a general discussion on UK airlines which have disappeared from our skies during the past 12 months, the why's, will we miss them or was the business just not up to scratch??

GB Airways - did BA make a mistake in selling franchise, certainly they had a good route network and a healthy reputation.

UKIA - route wise, potentially quite lucrative, management too dodgy?

Flyjet - IMHO there is room for a small independant charter carrier, however did their aircraft let them down, certainly in NCL flyjet was associated with delays, but rumours had it they did actually make a profit!

Silverjet - very recent, is the industry just not ready for this type of carrier?

Air Wales - were they in the past year?

Discussion open...................................

LGS6753

I understand that GB airways was sold by Bland and not BA. They were a BA franchisee. As with Loganair, BA have decided against the franchise model (for now, at least).

Flyjet was actually purchased by Silverjet, and later SJ closed the charter (FJE) operation.

UKIA was never going to work - wrong management, wrong routes, business model fundamentally flawed.

Euromanx also failed.

revo

Mytravel have disappeared as Thomas Cook have completely absorbed them.

flowy50

air wales nearly 18 months now

rolibkk

Who is going to be next?

- Jet2?
- FlyBe?
- Ryan?
- Manx2?
- Blue Islands?

easyJet Galley King

BMI Baby me thinks

Dash&Thump

With their breakeven fuel costs as high as they claim, I suspect Flybe are likely to be "last man standing" if the costs keep on rising. JET2 and BMI baby are the most likely candidate though.

EI-BUD

Is Air Wales really gone, I mean it is not flying Scheduled services in its own right but it is doing work for other airlines?

I say an ATR 42 in full Air Wales at Edinburgh 2 weeks ago, it was taking off ahead of my flight.

EI-BUD

JulietNovemberPapa

You put Ryanair in the same category as those others? Now I have read everything.

MeNelty

The Air Wales ATR G-CDFF is still floating around. Aer Arann currently use it, as it has operated the BHD/ORK route a lot in the past week or so.

Loxley

City Star Airlines are another one that went bust

Facelookbovvered

Manx2
Blue Islands
Flybe

the above can all run their aircraft on the sniff of a tanker drivers glove and Flybe are 15% owned by BA so they ain't going anywhere.

bmibaby are owned by bmi who are part owned by luffty & SAS and short of just shutting up shop and walking away i don't see anything happening to baby anytime soon.

Jet2 publish their 2007 accounts in a couple of days so that will put to rest either the "there about to go under mongers" or the "Jet2 are making buckets loads of money cos they own the kit crew?"

At least with Jet2 you get a detailed breakdown of what they are doing because they are a PLC and are using shareholder funds (other people money if you like) where as with bmi its Sir Michael's cash in the main to do with as he see fit.

Let see what this week brings, hopefully this time next year all the player will still be in play and more importantly for most still employing lots of crews!! lol

harrogate

Oasis, forget ye not.

JulietNovemberPapa

Was a HKG airline.

tonker

For the last time. Jet2 have hedged fuel until WINTER 09.

Why would the current increase in fuel affect them so much as to make them go under. Plus the lucrative mail contract, plus the 20 or so large shiny assets owned by the company which alone would sell for much more than the company is currently worth.

cyfarthfa

Last Air Wales flight was April 2006. According to Jethros two aircraft are still around, G-CDFF (Cardiff) still active and G-SSEA (Swansea) engineless in Guernsey.

mathers_wales_uk

I am sure that the 2 a/c are either owned by Aurigny or Flightline.

G-SSEA has been engineless for a while now, i wonder when the engines will be replaced on the aircraft or are they using the aircraft as spares?

SinBin

You're all forgetting BMed which was absorbed...sorry merged with bmi

Daza

Fly Whoosh

Throat

re G-CDFF (IIRC)

Owned by Air Wales , Marketed by FlightLine and operated with Aurigny crews