Hmmm - I wonder who wrote this Wikipedia entry for Varsity Express?
"Varsity Express is a regional
airline based at
Oxford Airport in the UK. The airline was founded in 2009, underpinned by a consortium of English and Spanish investors. The airline made its media debut in January 2010, announcing that it would launch an air service between Edinburgh and Oxford in March 2010. The airline's owners and promoters suggested that further routes would be introduced later in 2010.
On February 7th 2010 The Sunday Times revealed in an exclusive interview that
Martin Halstead was the founder of the company. Halstead had shot to fame in his late teens with the launch of
AlphaOne Airways in 2005. In the interview Halstead revealed that AlphaOne had failed after a key investor pulled out just days into the operation and a court case had later followed during which the investor agreed an out of court settlement for an undisclosed fee.
Halstead's personality-based
PR had launched AlphaOne to a global audience, many of whom were greatly disappointed by the airlines demise, something which he said had left him feeling that he had unfinished business to attend to. In a separate interview in February 2010, Halstead stated that he had put AlphaOne behind him and had become an airline pilot but was tempted back into airline management by the consortium backing Varsity Express.
On February 10th 2010 the airline announced that it was launching a second route from Oxford to Newcastle and adding a second daily Edinburgh service due to increased demand."
Or, indeed, this one...
"Martin Richard Alexander Halstead, born May 18th 1986 in Oxford, UK, is a British entrepreneur best known for launching an airline at the age of just 18, and a second at the age of 23. He is currently the Managing Director of
Varsity Express, where he is also an active
airline pilot.
He is nicknamed 'Baby Branson' in the British press on account of his friendship with
Sir Richard Branson, founder of
Virgin Atlantic.
Contents
[
hide]
[edit] Personal Life
Halstead lives just outside of
Oxford in the
UK. He is engaged to the American composer and musician
Kristen Walker. They are due to marry in Summer 2010.
[edit] AlphaOne Airways
Halstead originally shot to fame in 2005, when at the age of 18 he launched AlphaOne Airways. The airline was due to operate between Oxford and Cambridge with flights starting in April 2005. However, a lack of interest led Halstead to rethink his plans and withdraw from the route before flights began.
The airline emerged 6 months later in October 2005 announcing intentions to start flights from the Isle of Man to Edinburgh. Flights began in December that year, but lasted only two months. At the time no announcement was made regarding the closure of the company. It wasn't until 2007 that Halstead revealed the reasons for the airlines demise in an interview. It was reported that a key investor had withdrawn funds just days into the start of operations, AlphaOne had continued on, but by late January 2006 it had become apparent that the airline was no longer feasible. On February 2nd 2006 the airline ceased operations.
In the years following the demise of AlphaOne, Halstead and his fellow directors filed a litigation case against the investor who had pulled the plug. It was reported that the case was settled out of court in 2008.
[edit] Life after AlphaOne Airways
Halstead withdrew from public life after the demise of AlphaOne Airways. He took up a job working with
Virgin Atlantic in 2007 as a member of onboard
cabin crew while he pursued his piloting career.
In December 2008 Halstead qualified as an airline pilot and the following month started work as a First Officer with a UK Jetstream operator. He is now a qualified Jetstream 31 and Airbus pilot and flies for
Varsity Express"