From Blackpool Airport's "News and Rumours":
21/11/01: Scheduled Flights Cancelled
Flights to the Isle of Man (& Belfast) were cancelled today as the hastly-formed Chrystal Airlines, who were leasing in a Bandeirante aircraft, found life difficult after just two days of operation.
This latest 'bombshell' leaves the airport with no guaranteed scheduled daily flights, and as the rumours start to fly, we look at who, if anyone at all, may take over the Irish Sea routes:
Keenair? Liverpool based Keenair operate two Bandeirante aircraft on their own routes from Speke to Ireland, and also lease them out when they can to create extra revenue. This appears to have been a successful operation in the last few years and their aircraft have frequently been seen at Blackpool 'helping out' both Platinum and Comed Aviation in the past. To start flying from Blackpool permanently would mean obtaining more aircraft to fly the routes and employing more people. Therefore the airline can probably be ruled out on the grounds of what they'll have to put in, compared to what they'd actually get out of operating from the Fylde Coast. Probability: Low
Comed Group? Owner Robert Murgatroyd has done it before, albeit unsuccessfully, but the rumours are currently circulating that he's coming back again under the banner of North West Airlines with a Shorts 360 or similar aircraft. Fact or Fiction? Would the airport agree? Do they have a choice? We'll find out soon. Probability: High
A new operator? Right from the moment Platinum 'went under' rumours were that former boss John Mason was putting together a plan to have another airline in the air by year-end. Was this the 'failed' Chrystal Airlines?
If you've read through this article, you can see it's mostly our version of events from behind the fence, but we're here to speculate, and in the absence of any concrete news and information, that's all we can do. If you know any different to what we've said above, email us at
[email protected]
I know no more; a juicy topic though if you like the local politics, handbags, toys from prams, etc. Watch this space!
Cheers! ND
