Air Southwest

[Dash-7 lover]

jetstreamtechrecords

you seem awfully well informed, infact you seem to know more than management who are telling us that the Eastern rumours are unfounded. They are said to be down to discuss the codehare arrangements that are in there infancy. What is your source?

Logically, Why would Eastern want another odd-ball fleet of 5 fairly elderly but reliable -8's? They have 50 seat Saabs added to the J41 and Embraer 135's it doesn't make economic sense to introduce another aircraft type with all the associated spares inventory to go with it. (That's all about to head off to NQY due to having to vacate the hangar at PLH in November!)

I can see where the Eastern rumours have come from, they are the only regional airline left in the UK of some size that isn't Flybe or a franchise of, so lets face it, there isn't anyone else big enough! The only others I can think of are Blue Island, Manx 2 (not really an airline, more ticket only sales), Aer Arann - dealing with their own more substantial losses, Aurigny - ditto and about to become BI and Scot Airways.

The staff were told in the initial forums that whoever took on WOW would have to take on the same routes structure and also have to continue to run services out of PLH and keep the brand name. This Eastern cannot do without the Dash-8. You will not get the Saab/135 or J41 (with any useful payload) in or out of PLH without a runway extension.

This is where SHH will lose out if not careful. They state they want to maintain services out of PLH and it's a a political hot potato here if they don't (protecting London airlinks for PLH has been an ongoing battle for the last 25+ years). If they throw the baby out with the bath water then any hope of keeping links out of PLH with sink without trace as what has become an Air Southwest niche will become a Plymouth City Council/SHH noose as there are very few other aircraft types suitable for PLH and the airport will lose valuable income. (then maybe it's time for them to sell the remaining land and make a tidy profit....see where this is going?)

The only positive thing is that the route structures of both airlines do not clash and would fit well together and this is where the code share works. (maybe it's time to bring back Air UK brand lol!! - I miss those F50's!)

The best option we can all hope for is a management buy-out but who knows what stage if anything that's at? If its is that then they know that all of us will do anything we can to turn things around, I'd openly say I'd take a pay cut if it meant preserving the airline, jobs and airlinks for the first 12 months and work around the clock to make it work as personally I think the airline is profitable. I know others would too. There is nothing wrong with the structure or core income at all.

If it does turn out to be another airline then they have a gold mine here, there isn't much meat on the bone staff-wise as we are already a lean machine! I'm excited about the future even though I know my job is at risk but I'm not naive.

For someone that has seen this happen time and time again, Brymon/Birmingham European = Brymon European that lasted 8 months.....Brymon/BA...... Brymon/BACitiexpress..... BACitiexpress/BA Regional/Manx Airlines....BACitiexpress/BA Connect......BAConnect/Flybe..... . I've become numb to it all, when you're sat here for 12 hours and have to field the 10th phone call from an external supplier asking if we've heard anything!! The endless rumour and speculation, although inevitable, does nothing for morale as we were all led to believe it would be a quick process and as stated before, and as the months tick by the initial excitement has dwindled to worry and anxiety and people are now looking elsewhere, especially the office support staff. Each week someone says , oh we will hear next week and then that passes by....... so maybe we'll hear next week!!!!!