I was involved in the maintenance of the Metropolitan Airways fleet 1983 to 1985.
A while ago now but what I remember is this:-
Started as Alderney Air Ferries with an Islander. Scheduled route from Bournemouth to Gatwick.
Then got two Twin Otters, G-RBLA and G-BELS and took over the Dan-Air Link City route Bournemouth - Cardiff - Birmingham - Manchester - Newcastle.
I think Dan-Air pulled the 748 off the route when the BAe factory at Bournemouth closed and there was less demand.
Then they got their first SD330, G-BGNA, for Cardiff- Leeds- Glasgow.
Things picked up and the Twin Otters weren't big enough so two more SD330 were leased. G-METO and G-METP. These were ex Genair and previously Fine Air of Canada. they were the first and third production aircraft and had been parked for around a year before Metropolitan got them. Initally they were not very reliable and by the time we had sorted all the problems the passenger numbers were very poor due to the unreliable service.
Things didn't go well and ceased trading summer 1985.
The night things stopped we had to park G-METO and G-METP at Bournemouth and disable them.
Glasgow base didn't know the airline had gone bust and did a Saturday charter to The Isle of Man with G-BGNA where it was impounded.
My memories from around 40 years ago.
Dixi.