Difficult start for Comed Mk II
From the Blackpool Gazette website:
Published: Thursday, 11 April 2002, 01:26 PM GMT
No passengers turn up for new air flight
By Dawn Pickering
"A NEW Blackpool-based airline service operating to Belfast failed to make its maiden flight – because there were no passengers!
British North West Airlines (BNWA) was supposed to fly for the first time between Belfast International Airport and Blackpool Airport yesterday
It was to be the third leg of BNWA's new twice-daily flights between Blackpool and the Isle of Man which were launched on Monday.
But although this scheduled service continued as normal yesterday, BNWA bosses confirmed that they as of yet had not taken any bookings for the Belfast leg.
Robert Murgatroyd, BNWA's commercial manager, confirmed: "There are as of yet no passengers booked on any of the Belfast flights. They were due to go yesterday morning but there were no customers.
"It is scheduled to fly as soon as we have passengers."
Mr Murgatroyd added: "Bookings are coming in – we have taking more than 30 future bookings already for our Isle of Man service."
BNWA says that an 18-seater Embraer Bandeirante E110 which is to be used for the service is currently sitting on the tarmac at Belfast International Airport at Aldergrove.
This will be a separate service to that run by Liverpool-based Flykeen who operate twice-daily between Blackpool and the Isle of Man.
Meanwhile, BNWA has threatened legal action with claims that its promotional material has been removed from Blackpool Airport.
They allege that leaflets and posters strategically displayed to advertise the new company keep vanishing – a claim denied by Blackpool Airport.
Mr Murgatroyd previously managed Comed Aviation whose Irish Sea routes were grounded last year after Blackpool Airport impounded its aircraft saying it could no longer support the company's mounting debts."
Sad situation, but probably not surprising in the current circumstances at Blackpool.
ND
Last edited by Niaga Dessip; 11th Apr 2002 at 23:24.