Air Southwest

[j41cac]

Has Air south west ever thought about doing something outta the IOM, ie the NCL-IOM service. Right sized a/c to do it and could utilize aircraft that arrives NCL.

Just a thought

[MUFC_fan]

I'm glad you don't run ASW!

Seriously though, that would not work - it needs a service like LBA which Manx2 serves very well.

[Air Hop]

Could work if PLH to IOM via EXT? A IOM link from here would be appreciated, pehaps with BLK as an addition bearing in mind the realtionship between the two airports?

[MUFC_fan]

Air Southwest don't serve EXT?!

A service from EXT would probably work but I wouldn't try it if you didn't want to upset BE who are not starting to become the FR on a regional scale: you fly between our bases, we'll do it too until you can't afford to compete then we will drop it the same time you do - remember My Travelite?

I think a good route for ASW would be a Saturday service of NQY-BLK-JER-NQY but I am only saying that because I don't like using MAN for regional flights and want to fly ASW more often!

[cornishsimon]

i think from a personal point of view that their are plenty of routes for WOW to have a play around with ex PLH, NQY & BRS. However much of it will be down to investment from SHH to allow extra aircraft etc!

CS

[dalej123]

Do you think Air Southwest should get some new Aircraft.

Flybe have 3 BAE 146-200 Stored at Exeter Airport which Air Southwest could get.

What do you think.

[quazz]

are 146-200's newer than dash300's?
Also would WOW's routes have the capacity to move from a 50 to a 112 seater aircraft? Interesting idea, also pax seem to prefer jets to props regardless of age

[dalej123]

The oldest of the 3 BAE-146's is one that had it first flight in 1985. I think the BAE-146 is older than the Dash 8's but still could be good.

[groundhogbhx]

That would be 50 to 97, the -300 holds 112

[dalej123]

But i don't think the -300 can take off from Plymouth. They would keep the Dash 8 aswell as the BAE-146. It would give them a flert size of about 8-10. They can then go to places outside the uk e.g Germany etc.

[Dash-7 lover]

Sutton Harbour hold the purse strings and in todays climate that will be a definate no. The 146 isn't all that economical to operate and would only be useful for sectors out of NQY. Having worked with a flying programme containing all variants of the 146 (the ones stored at EXT funnily enough), I think reliability would also be an issue. The Dash is ideal for the current flying programme event though one is 20 years old. There will be a need for newer aircraft in future but probably younger versions of the -300. The main priority with the current fleet is to get them repainted!(dont ask me when though!)

Any 146 would be payload restricted out of PLH with the current runway length. The 143 probably operate out but empty only and even then it would be pushing it. If WOW were to look at jet equipment then I think the EMB170 would be ideal again not for PLH though.

[WOWBOY]

If air southwest were to include jets into there fleet, then they would need to be able to operate safely out of Plymouth, as that is the main hub and core of the network. I doubt this would be anytime soon. They are very behind there "enviroment friendly dash 8's".

Exapnsion would be new Dash 8-300's.. With wow-c being tech and undergoing surgery at EXT, she could be replaced in the future as well

[cornishsimon]

Well some more dh8-300's could be a good idea, im sure that in the long run it would be cheaper than having the atr on lease covering for planned aircraft downtime as well as the JS41 which is parked up at NQY at the moment and the odd JET2 733 when these too go tech!

Keep in mind that the birthday of SZ is coming up in October so perhaps something could be announced then, new aircraft and maybe new routes?

as far as jets go, i would expect to see props if anything at all, as surely it would work out more expensive having a mixed fleet ?

[jerboy]

Keep in mind that the birthday of SZ is coming up in October so perhaps something could be announced then, new aircraft and maybe new routes?

I doubt they'd announce it just because of the birthday. Do many airlines announce these sort of things on their birthday?

The fact is WOW (or SZ nowadays) have an established route network which seems to be performing OK considering the times. Would they want to compromise this by adding another aircraft (146/RJ) to their fleet; bearing in mind that said aircraft are ancient and don't have the best reliability stats on record?

I honestly don't think that introducing jet aircraft would have that big an affect on demand. Demand for the routes they serve is relatively low and due to the sector lengths are only really feasible on a more fuel-efficient prop aircraft. I also believe that any aircraft they acquire has to be compatible with PLH; they can/do face competition at every other airport they serve from bigger jets. If they stick to an a/c which can serve PLH they always have that option of consolidating their services there where they face little potential competition.

With regards to WC: Isn't this just a D-check? (Correct me if I'm wrong)

[Akrotiri bad boy]

Hurry Up And Wait

Don't get me wrong, I like Air Southwest and what it does for the region however yesterdays flight up to Glasgow gave the impression that the airline didn't really feel like operating the service.

A family member was booked on the afternoon flight ex Plymouth to Glasgow due to depart 16:00ish. He received a phone call whilst out in the boat that the flight had been brought forward and he was to check in at 14:00ish. This he did only to find himself languishing at Newquay for over an hour awaiting a change of aircraft. On finally reaching Glasgow he was informed that Air Southwest had lost his luggage. I can understand the odd bag going astray at LHR but an out of season Sunday at Newquay?

Too often now Air Southwest treats Plymouth as second fiddle, all seems to hinge on the London connection with regional flights held over awaiting any late arrival from the capital; all the more frustrating when having to wait at Newquay. Why oh why does everything have to go via Newquay, is Air Southwest afraid that FlyBe will claim Newquay as its own?

I don't want to see Plymouth close but with the constant aircraft changes and subsequent waiting around at Newquay It would be quicker to drive over to St Mawgan or maybe even to the competitors HQ at Exeter.

[stolport]

Akrotiri bad boy, I think they were just very unlucky. There were some extra charter flights yesterday and the operation of the service from Newquay may have been due to the operation of the Aer Arran ATR on the service which is unable to land at Plymouth due to weight restrictions. I don't think Plymouth is seen as second best to Newquay it's just that it's limited on the aircraft it can accept but they do tend to try their very best to get people to their destination in good time - they have 2 aircraft on wet lease at the moment which shows commitment to their passengers whilst one of their aircraft is being serviced. I can't comment about the bags. The link with Newquay has worked for many many years going back to the Brymon days and allows these two airports to have a reasonable amount of destinations where seats can be filled by sharing the passenger loads between the two airports. Neither airports could probably sustain all of the current routes with solely direct flights but with the link most flights have good passenger loads. It isn't very easy to get to Newquay from Plymouth even if you do have a car - by public transport it takes a long long time.

[judge11]

'by public transport it takes a long long time' - more like an eternity. So much for our 'joined-up public transport system', one of Prescott's great successes (not).

[Drink Up Thee Cider]

Diversion to Gatwick

BBC reports that the Stoke City team diverted into LGW last night. Usual media overreacion no doubt and trust all is okay.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | S | Stoke | Stoke players in plane emergency

[Boeing 77W]

I can't seem to find the original thread, apologies if I've missed it.

Finally some movement from Air Southwest in the form of an alliance with Eastern Airways!

Sutton Harbour Group :: News & Press :: Strategic Airline Alliance with Eastern Airways and Trading Update

It'll certainly be interesting to see how this one develops

[L G Double-Yew]

Sounds like a positive move for ASW, and makes sense for two independents like Eastern and ASW to combine forces against the "big boys".