18 year old starts his own airline

[airhumberside]

Alpha1 Airways

New airline offering twice daily Cambridge to Oxford flights Monday to Friday. Aircraft supplies by Air Med

[lowfaresbuster]

wow, it's been set up by an 18 year old- press release

would it work better as a shuttle/taxi than a scheduled?

[huggybear]

I was involved in helping to get the project off the ground, although I'm no longer working at the airline. I have to say that despite the fact he' only 18, Martin Halstead knows how to run a very tight ship and is way ahead of his years. We can certainly expect great things from both the airline and the individual.

Watch out for these guys because they really have got it together. Heard rumours of possible route expansion as soon as May!

[david_wilding]

Martin Halstead

Martin Halstead was the previous owner of the virtual airline Elation Airways, the best virtual airline previously in operation!!

He operated that incredibly well, and has always had the dream of starting the airline. I wish the best of luck to him!

[Oshkosh George]

More facts here,from the horses mouth,so to speak!----------------

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=40094

[TwinAisle]

Just a thought....

... but this isn't really an airline, is it?

Quote from the website - "Alpha1 Airways is a ticket provider for AirMed"

If this is an airline, so is Lunn Poly....

TA

[BPL321]

I must say for an 18 year old thats impressive based on what Ive read in the previous posts but lets be honest here. The person has either been spoon fed(not actually the persons own money or expertise) or cash windfall from somewhere. Must put the lottery on tomorrow night.

Good luck to this person but I'm sure many of us could set an operation up like this if money was not an issue. For the vast majority its earn the money yourself and live in the real world.

[Danny_R]

Difference being, he's had the courage to start it! Plus, so what if it's not his own money, obviously shows he is a capable young man by getting people to back his idea regardless of age or experience.

As far as it not being a real airline, I'm sure if it works out they will go down the AOC route soon enough! Most people/companies start at the bottom and work their way up in life!

How about we show a bit of support, instead of criticizing before it’s even got into the air?

[BPL321]

Courage? If you knew me you would know I have that but unfortunately I live in the real world where things are not so simple.

I'm sure its very easy for someone with loads and loads of money to say you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it but lets see if half these people would have got where they were without rich mummies or daddies.

Nobody will have backed his idea, someone would have fronted it for him, thats all he has, an idea, not security to finance his little empire.

Don't get me wrong, I hope he does well I'm just trying to get across the point that if we were all spoon fed and all we had to do was think of an idea then we wouldnt be doing what were doing.

[huggybear]

As I said earlier, I worked with Mr Halstead during the start up. Every single penny has come from him, not his mother, not his father. The majority of the money was raised when he sold his former business, Ematch Simulations in August last year.

Martin's background does him a lot of credit, he is a young chap who has totally built all he has up from the ground by himself. His family are nowhere near rich, in fact, I'm sure he won't mind me saying that they struggled to get by when he was younger.

Make no mistake, Martin is no Daddy's boy, he has built this up single handedly and deserves all our respect for that.

EDIT: I'd also like to add, Martin hasn't been spoon fed, he really knows what he's doing and all the ideas were his own. All of us that have worked with him have been amazed and taken aback by the level of maturity he has shown. Don't let his age kid you!

[BPL321]

Fair enough. Anyway more important things to worry about without giving this company free advertising.

[Dude~]

According to the website they fly "Relax in the knowledge that you are being flown by some of the best pilots in the industry in one of the most popular and safest aircraft ever built."

I wonder what source was used to determine that the CHieftain is one of the most popular aircraft ever built?!

Safest? That's not my impression of the Chieftain! Anyone know its single engine MAUW climb rate?

[U/S President]

TwinAisle:“but this isn't really an airline, is it? ...‘Alpha1 Airways is a ticket provider for AirMed’”

During its first 23 months of operations, all easyJet flights were actually operated by GB Airways and Air Foyle.

[EK-LHR-LGW-GLA-MAN-B]

Richard Brandston started working in his own record shop and wokrd his way up, you cant start at the top and stay there. Best of luck to Martin and his airline.

[Big Hilly]

From the BBC News web-site

BH

[Final 3 Greens]

Anyone know its single engine MAUW climb rate?

PA31-310 (so not the Cheiftain) is circa 350fpm, flown well.

Guess this relates to about 200 feet per NM, can't remember Vyse, the last time I flew one was in 1996.

[Kakpipe Cosmonaut]

Good luck to him. I wish him every success.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...re/4371945.stm

[four_two]

After reading the article I have to say that I don't think I'm ready for another Richard Branson right now.

[No comment]

I've got a funny feeling he's probably onto something good there...

[Bluebaron]

who commutes from oxford to cambridge?

what about oxford to gatwick (redhill/biggin/london city)?

any more?

BB