Suckling Airways/Scot Airways
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
profit or no profit, this airline still exists which has to be good news in comparison to some operators - and that's great considering how they started as detailed in earlier posts.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Costa Del Solent
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
leon's right,
The routes flown by CB are too short to benefit from a jet on those routes, the D328 is pretty quick anyway. Plus fuel and operating costs for a jet are a lot higher. The D328 is a fine a/c for the job, it doesn't need changing!
Believe that the SOU-AMS route is codeshared with KL and BE.
The routes flown by CB are too short to benefit from a jet on those routes, the D328 is pretty quick anyway. Plus fuel and operating costs for a jet are a lot higher. The D328 is a fine a/c for the job, it doesn't need changing!
Believe that the SOU-AMS route is codeshared with KL and BE.
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: South Coast
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Scot have codeshared in the past, but currently there is no codeshare arrangement. From what I have gathered from people working at Sou, since FlyBE's expansion at the airport, I think Merlin Suckling would now only allow a codeshare with FlyBE 'over her dead body'!
Some of the 'nice family business stories' above are intriguing. I've flown with Scot a few times and had no problems, but apparently Merlin is notoriously difficult to deal with on a business level and often resorts to shouting to get her point across. Apparently she is well known in the industry for it.
I was once present at Sou, flying elsewhere, when Merlin was at the airport to oversee a Football Club charter (Apparently Scot do a lot of these), and she was quite offensive and abusive to the man she was speaking to, who I believe was an Airport Manager, but I didn't hang around.
Anyone else hear any similar stories?
Some of the 'nice family business stories' above are intriguing. I've flown with Scot a few times and had no problems, but apparently Merlin is notoriously difficult to deal with on a business level and often resorts to shouting to get her point across. Apparently she is well known in the industry for it.
I was once present at Sou, flying elsewhere, when Merlin was at the airport to oversee a Football Club charter (Apparently Scot do a lot of these), and she was quite offensive and abusive to the man she was speaking to, who I believe was an Airport Manager, but I didn't hang around.
Anyone else hear any similar stories?
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Euroland
Posts: 959
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, she has a real mouth on her, just ask the EDI Servsair management!
In their largest phase, they had a bunch of 328's doing EDI-LCY head to head with flybe. At one stage it was 8 (I think) rotations a day, mostly empty. There was a deal done - worth millions - that involved flybe coming off the route, but still booking pax through their system for ScotAirways. Good deal for flybe (apart from the crews, who ended up spending their lives in hotels). As the 146 was running with high loads, the deal assured a future for ScotAirways. Pax weren't very happy though.
They did look seriously at the 328Jet, but then financial reality caught up with them.
It used to be good fun, departing after them in the 146 and then passing them about Pole Hill.
They then downsized, shed a few of the 328's (and some staff), some of whom went to flybe.
They did have some "quaint" engineering practices too.
They are really only still in business because Brian Souter poured (and still pours) millions into the company.
In their largest phase, they had a bunch of 328's doing EDI-LCY head to head with flybe. At one stage it was 8 (I think) rotations a day, mostly empty. There was a deal done - worth millions - that involved flybe coming off the route, but still booking pax through their system for ScotAirways. Good deal for flybe (apart from the crews, who ended up spending their lives in hotels). As the 146 was running with high loads, the deal assured a future for ScotAirways. Pax weren't very happy though.
They did look seriously at the 328Jet, but then financial reality caught up with them.
It used to be good fun, departing after them in the 146 and then passing them about Pole Hill.
They then downsized, shed a few of the 328's (and some staff), some of whom went to flybe.
They did have some "quaint" engineering practices too.
They are really only still in business because Brian Souter poured (and still pours) millions into the company.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Horsham UK
Posts: 366
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Every time I've encountered Merlin I 've found charming and entertaining. Last time she was telling me about her 'stop people on trains wiping their bogies on the seats' campaign. Bet she could be difficult though
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Alba sor
Posts: 575
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In their largest phase, they had a bunch of 328's doing EDI-LCY head to head with flybe. At one stage it was 8 (I think) rotations a day, mostly empty. There was a deal done - worth millions - that involved flybe coming off the route, but still booking pax through their system for ScotAirways. Good deal for flybe (apart from the crews, who ended up spending their lives in hotels). As the 146 was running with high loads, the deal assured a future for ScotAirways. Pax weren't very happy though
I believe they posted a loss of £650,000 this July
Scotties yields are quite amazing... and something the likes of flybe can only dream about... 
It used to be good fun, departing after them in the 146 and then passing them about Pole Hill.
They are really only still in business because Brian Souter poured (and still pours) millions into the company
This thread is shaping up to be bonzer fun...
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Blairgowrie,Scotland
Age: 75
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Meeb
You wouldn't want to pick a hat to eat,would you?
I KNEW I'd seen it somewhere,and it's right here on Pprune!
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...t+airways+loss
You wouldn't want to pick a hat to eat,would you?
I KNEW I'd seen it somewhere,and it's right here on Pprune!
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...t+airways+loss
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Euroland
Posts: 959
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Meeb , I know you think you have to defend your ex-company, but you don't seem to know jack about anything.
Now if you would like to challenge me on any facts, tell me which facts you dispute and we'll talk.
Regarding loads, the 146 used to run full about half the time. and with loads in excess of 75% most of the rest of the time. Loads were never an issue. As we handed you all those pax, you couldn't do anything other than have high load factors.
One thing is sure, never, in your wildest dreams, could the 328 catch a 146. We used to pass them with over 40 kts speed differential. What does a 328 cruise at?
I'm a little surprised that you defend them though, seeing as how they made you redundant in January 2001 (remember that now do you?), during the "downsize". I also recall that you were pretty keen to get into flybe at the time, but then flying a shed (after Scotairways) does that to you...
Now if you would like to challenge me on any facts, tell me which facts you dispute and we'll talk.
Regarding loads, the 146 used to run full about half the time. and with loads in excess of 75% most of the rest of the time. Loads were never an issue. As we handed you all those pax, you couldn't do anything other than have high load factors.
One thing is sure, never, in your wildest dreams, could the 328 catch a 146. We used to pass them with over 40 kts speed differential. What does a 328 cruise at?
I'm a little surprised that you defend them though, seeing as how they made you redundant in January 2001 (remember that now do you?), during the "downsize". I also recall that you were pretty keen to get into flybe at the time, but then flying a shed (after Scotairways) does that to you...
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Alba sor
Posts: 575
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oshkosh... that link is 2003, I think you will find this year is shaping up to be good for them, their yeilds are quite remarkable and in the face of BA increasing frequency too...
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Euroland
Posts: 959
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Interesting, as a 146 will easily cruise at M0.72, ISA, at FL310. We did it day in, day out. Passed the 328 every time, as long as the head start was no more than 15-20 miles.
M0.72 being considerably faster than M0.55..
M0.72 being considerably faster than M0.55..
