Originally Posted by
davidjohnson6
In the last 12 months, has there been any realistic and credible sign of an airline wanting to fly to Carlisle on a regular basis ?
If airspace were to remain in place, is there a good reason to expect an airline to start flying to Carlisle in the next year or two ?
So I've been attempting to establish an airline called
Lakeland Airways that is(was) looking to be based at and offer flights from/to Carlisle, however our plans have changed quite a bit over the last couple of years and I'm not actively promoting/talking about things too much as I'm still seeking investment and I don't want to end-up overpromising and under-delivering unlike some other start-ups out there (i.e Global Airlines).
I think COVID, the loss of the Loganair flights, the fiasco surrounding the Jason Scales/Ettyl failed takeover of Stobart Air & CAX back in 2021 and the unhelpful
comments that were made by the Leader of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce last year have all hindered the future prospects and I suspect that becoming an unlicensed airfield will further hamper Esken's efforts to find a suitable buyer for it; I'd be curious to know if this move will result in them being in breach of their lease agreement with the Council...?
Also,
it's highly unlikely that Cumberland Council will
be able or willing to do anything to keep it open as an airport, especially as they've recently announced a predicted
budget overspend of more than £28m; I wonder if they might consider selling the freehold of the site and granting a change of use to a potential commercial/industrial or even residential developer in order to claw back some much needed finance.
Such a shame really as I do believe that CAX does still have potential.