Air Southwest
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
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It's sad to see ASW go, I'm sorry that Eastern didn't make an attempt to operate the network with its fleet of J41's which may have been a better aircraft than the Dash8 for the network.
I suppose APD, high fuel costs, pax being very price sensitive all played their part.
Hopefully someone else will pick up one or more of the routes in time (when the economy picks up again).
I suppose APD, high fuel costs, pax being very price sensitive all played their part.
Hopefully someone else will pick up one or more of the routes in time (when the economy picks up again).
Join Date: Mar 2006
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I don't think the J41 would have been the savior for PLH. According to BAE Systems, the J41 need a 1,200 metre long runway for normal operations (TODA=1169 m - 31 m too short).
Join Date: Jul 2011
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I've been spotting at Plymouth for over 4 years and was suprised to see that Eastern have totally ditched Air Southwest in terms of NQY & PLH.
I honestly wouldn't be suprised if this is a plan that SHH and T3 have concocted.
By SHH selling the airline, there fore there is no real reason for them to keep the airport going, close the airport, which gives T3 a good excuse to close the airline to.
Is it not to my understanding that Eastern didn't pay to buy the airline, yet got given £3Million in advanced bookings? Almost as though SHH paid Eastern to get the airline of their hands?
I'm sorry, but I've been around these people and companies for years and I don't think it's as easy as closing the airport, they are a development company and is obviously some plan going on behind the scenes to re-develop that land. I know this is the ASW thread but it's all interlinked.
Eastern have obtained 5 planes that would fit on their network, though why three are/have gone is beyond me.
I honestly wouldn't be suprised if this is a plan that SHH and T3 have concocted.
By SHH selling the airline, there fore there is no real reason for them to keep the airport going, close the airport, which gives T3 a good excuse to close the airline to.
Is it not to my understanding that Eastern didn't pay to buy the airline, yet got given £3Million in advanced bookings? Almost as though SHH paid Eastern to get the airline of their hands?
I'm sorry, but I've been around these people and companies for years and I don't think it's as easy as closing the airport, they are a development company and is obviously some plan going on behind the scenes to re-develop that land. I know this is the ASW thread but it's all interlinked.
Eastern have obtained 5 planes that would fit on their network, though why three are/have gone is beyond me.
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Pixie,
Aeroplanes are leased by, most, airlines, they are not owned by airlines hence the sooner one can offload said aeroplanes the sooner one stops paying for lease of said aeroplanes.
Of course this is a set-up, as worker(s) at ASW have indicated the truth will come out once they are no longer contractually obliged to keep their gobs shut, just compare the identities 'South West' and 'Eastern' ... Was this a marriage to be made in heaven or was a quickie divorce on the cards all along?
Aeroplanes are leased by, most, airlines, they are not owned by airlines hence the sooner one can offload said aeroplanes the sooner one stops paying for lease of said aeroplanes.
Of course this is a set-up, as worker(s) at ASW have indicated the truth will come out once they are no longer contractually obliged to keep their gobs shut, just compare the identities 'South West' and 'Eastern' ... Was this a marriage to be made in heaven or was a quickie divorce on the cards all along?
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Eastern's business has built from aquiring and turning round failing airlines, or parts of airlines that were unloved. Air Kilroe, Ba Citi express, J41's aquired from failed American carriers etc. E135/145's that no one else wants etc etc.
When pax numbers on the scheduled services dropped a few years back they shifted into charter work, picked up work overseas, set up a base in France and diversified. At the same time there was ruthless cost cutting, especially in the back office areas, to make sure the company survived. I dont think that sort of ruthless management existed at ASW.
If the ASW routes had been profitable then Eastern would have kept them. If ASW was a business with future, or some potential, then there would have been a queue of buyers at the door when SHH wanted to sell. There wasn't.
In the end, the only option was to give the ticket sale money, and the operation to Eastern, and let them extract anything useful before disposing of the remains.
When pax numbers on the scheduled services dropped a few years back they shifted into charter work, picked up work overseas, set up a base in France and diversified. At the same time there was ruthless cost cutting, especially in the back office areas, to make sure the company survived. I dont think that sort of ruthless management existed at ASW.
If the ASW routes had been profitable then Eastern would have kept them. If ASW was a business with future, or some potential, then there would have been a queue of buyers at the door when SHH wanted to sell. There wasn't.
In the end, the only option was to give the ticket sale money, and the operation to Eastern, and let them extract anything useful before disposing of the remains.
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Such a shame.... Really enjoy dispatching ASW flights. The crew are always professional and a good laugh.
Definitely a loss to the British aviation world.
My best wishes to all staff involved.
Definitely a loss to the British aviation world.
My best wishes to all staff involved.
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EGHQ thanks for all your work and effort. I know I will look back at that office and think fond thoughts of each and everyone in it.
Keep the faith. Something will pop up very soon
F. Fogg did you know that ASW owned 3 of 5 aircraft? The first thing T3 did was to sell them back to the leasing company... some say to pay off debt to an icelandic bank (seeing as this is a rumour network)
Keep the faith. Something will pop up very soon
F. Fogg did you know that ASW owned 3 of 5 aircraft? The first thing T3 did was to sell them back to the leasing company... some say to pay off debt to an icelandic bank (seeing as this is a rumour network)
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Kernow ...
Excuse me but it's 'P Fogg' if you don't mind
I did say 'most airlines' however if you say ASW owned aircraft outright and with no mortgage or similar then who am I to disagree!
Excuse me but it's 'P Fogg' if you don't mind
I did say 'most airlines' however if you say ASW owned aircraft outright and with no mortgage or similar then who am I to disagree!
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Lincolnshire UK
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Last PLH ASW Flight
Thanks footster,
Is it certain that ASW flights won't return to PLH (except by bus) between the short period when Mil radar is available again and September 13th?
Is it certain that ASW flights won't return to PLH (except by bus) between the short period when Mil radar is available again and September 13th?
Join Date: Sep 2004
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ASW website still has Sept 14th as end date for PLH routes, and NQY 'by association' - except ABZ, BRS, ORK, DUB & LBA ending on 30th.
Nothing bookable from PLH after today.
As there doesn't seem to be an active PLH thread, I am sorry to see another one of our cities become airportless - although we do hang on to some faint hope of a base operator returning here.
PLH's routes were predominantly domestic, so I can't help but suggest that APD must have been a serious negative influence here, not that running rotations via NQY helped either.
Nothing bookable from PLH after today.
As there doesn't seem to be an active PLH thread, I am sorry to see another one of our cities become airportless - although we do hang on to some faint hope of a base operator returning here.
PLH's routes were predominantly domestic, so I can't help but suggest that APD must have been a serious negative influence here, not that running rotations via NQY helped either.
Join Date: Feb 2007
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According to the Plymouth Airport website there are still lots of flights to lots of places Flights to Plymouth City Airport - Air Southwest Flights
I think a little update may be required.
So sad to see Plymouth lose its air links. And a particularly difficult time for all the staff involved.
I think a little update may be required.
So sad to see Plymouth lose its air links. And a particularly difficult time for all the staff involved.
