Highland Airways
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: In the Pond
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<quote>according to latest EBAN they have two J41s on order. Basil quoted as saying "a 12 month contract is lined up to provide a corporate shuttle from Scotland to the South west". Starting early summer. Eastern are bringing on more SAABs to replace the 41s<quote>
G-LOVB (and other JS31s) have been flying Glasgow-Filton-Plymouth and back for some months now.........
G-LOVB (and other JS31s) have been flying Glasgow-Filton-Plymouth and back for some months now.........
Fit like min?
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ...
Posts: 2,126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Are Highland looking at more scheduled routes beyond what they currently do, eg. INVCWL for example (given their interests at both)?
And are they wise to, given the current economic climate? Guess however there is always an opening for someone, somewhere - good on them.
And are they wise to, given the current economic climate? Guess however there is always an opening for someone, somewhere - good on them.
Fit like min?
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ...
Posts: 2,126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Q at #10 not directly linked to this, but rumour that Highland may be looking at the ex-City Star routes, or some of them.
Dunno how substantiated this is, may be a case of "my friend was hearing that his friend's brother's cousin said..."
Dunno how substantiated this is, may be a case of "my friend was hearing that his friend's brother's cousin said..."
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,175
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I note at Jethros that Highland have acquired three additional Jetstream 31/32s from Norway/Sweden, bringing the fleet to 9 examples. Those plus four Jetstream 41s makes a pretty impressive fleet of 13 Jetstreams. How do they keep them busy - the schedules only require two Jetstreams, and the corporate shuttle another two, if I am not mistaken?
EDIT: As we are just at it - when did they drop the direct INV-BEB flights? I took one of those about two years ago very soon after their inaugural and they seemed to be reasonably patronized back then.
EDIT: As we are just at it - when did they drop the direct INV-BEB flights? I took one of those about two years ago very soon after their inaugural and they seemed to be reasonably patronized back then.
Last edited by virginblue; 10th Aug 2008 at 16:09.
another route
BBC NEWS | Scotland | Highlands and Islands | Airline secures Finnish contract
will they get more 31s for this route/ use the ones they have parked up for long periods
will they get more 31s for this route/ use the ones they have parked up for long periods
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Westward TV
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
there a some very good reasons highland wont setup a lunchtime run out of plymouth using the 41.
first, the crew are on a split due to working a max duty day already, so there is no-one to fly the wee beasty.
second, the charter client have stated that they want the aircraft to be available whenever, and wont be too happy seeing the aircraft disappearing off downroute everyday. this charter is a nice little earner for highland and they don't want to rock the boat after what was a shaky start.
finally, highland don't like to do schedule flying. when they do, it's only PSO routes and there aint many of those out of plymouth.
fraid your stuck with AirSouthwest.
as for the finnish contract, rumour has it that there will be two jetstreams based there to reduce any downtime due to potential tech problems. however, trying to crew this route will stretch an already strained roster.
first, the crew are on a split due to working a max duty day already, so there is no-one to fly the wee beasty.
second, the charter client have stated that they want the aircraft to be available whenever, and wont be too happy seeing the aircraft disappearing off downroute everyday. this charter is a nice little earner for highland and they don't want to rock the boat after what was a shaky start.
finally, highland don't like to do schedule flying. when they do, it's only PSO routes and there aint many of those out of plymouth.
fraid your stuck with AirSouthwest.
as for the finnish contract, rumour has it that there will be two jetstreams based there to reduce any downtime due to potential tech problems. however, trying to crew this route will stretch an already strained roster.
I'm probably one of the few on here who has actually flown into Lappeenranta, near the Finnish border with Russia (even looked at renting a PA28 from the local aero club for a jolly but that's another matter). A few years ago it was on the Golden Air network in Finland, with about 6 SF340s to Helsinki a day, then they gave it up and there was nothing for a while.
Fly Lappeenranta (a sort of local Chamber of Commerce-type initiative) started up and chartered an SF340 themselves for just 4 a day, but don't seem to have had much success, probably because they don't have the interline arrangements with Finnair that Golden Air had. So they are downsizing again, to a Jetstream.
Typical loads a few years ago on the Saabs were about a dozen passengers, in fact never more, and I guess have gone down since, which would fit the Jetstream nicely. Hope the crews manage to enjoy Lappeenranta hotac - have to say it's no Las Vegas !
Fly Lappeenranta (a sort of local Chamber of Commerce-type initiative) started up and chartered an SF340 themselves for just 4 a day, but don't seem to have had much success, probably because they don't have the interline arrangements with Finnair that Golden Air had. So they are downsizing again, to a Jetstream.
Typical loads a few years ago on the Saabs were about a dozen passengers, in fact never more, and I guess have gone down since, which would fit the Jetstream nicely. Hope the crews manage to enjoy Lappeenranta hotac - have to say it's no Las Vegas !
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Tees Valley, UK
Age: 32
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With CCPW and FARA leaving for Finland to fly for Lappenranta, that leaves just 4 Jetstream 31's.
2 based Warton for BAE (EIGG/UIST)
1 ops PSO Cardiff-Valley (BTXG)
1 ops PSO Stornoway-Benbecula (JURA?)
What will then operate the mail contract they have that operates between Kirkwall, Sumburgh and Inverness on a morning? (HWY4A/B/C)
Is G-NOSS ready to be put in to service yet?
Cheers,
Sam
2 based Warton for BAE (EIGG/UIST)
1 ops PSO Cardiff-Valley (BTXG)
1 ops PSO Stornoway-Benbecula (JURA?)
What will then operate the mail contract they have that operates between Kirkwall, Sumburgh and Inverness on a morning? (HWY4A/B/C)
Is G-NOSS ready to be put in to service yet?
Cheers,
Sam
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Land of the Northern Lights
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What will then operate the mail contract they have that operates between Kirkwall, Sumburgh and Inverness on a morning? (HWY4A/B/C)
R@B
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Tees Valley, UK
Age: 32
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What will happen when CCPW leaves for Finland? Is it due to go when Highland bring the next in to service (G-NOSS)?
Also, what's to happen to the other Jetstream 41 G-TEXA?
Also, what's to happen to the other Jetstream 41 G-TEXA?
all highland a/c are currently being followed when taxing/taking off and landing at inv by an airport car from the fire section or the ops dept to check for fod after some incedents including tools found on runway and bits of metal falling off
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: GLASGOW
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Highland Airways
I frequently fly with Highland on the Stornoway - Benbecula route and the service is not very good. I have on occasions been sitting around the airport expecting the be called and the staff have the binoculars out looking for the plane that has not even left were it was coming from yet. A simple phone call to a. let the staff know and b. let the pax know would only be common courtesy.
The fares are a joke too. Stornoway - Benbecula £120 economy return (if you are lucky) for being on 15 minutes and they normally have decent loads and that is it with government subsidy apparently. When I fly Benbecula - Inverness I normaly change onto Loganair (Flybe) in Stornoway as its much cheaper and the cabin is clean, tidy, your hand luggage doesn't get confiscated from you!
Also I was on when an elderly woman was travelling for a hospital visit who was unsteady on her feet and they refused to use ambulift, which I believe the lady's doctor requested. The lady fell over the deathtrap of a step and was hurt badly. Not an infrequent occurance from what I hear.
Even without subsidy I think Loganair (Flybe) would make a better go of the route. It would allow interlining services to Inverness and Edinburgh and also be more useful to Barra pax. It would also have cheaper connection to Aberdeen/Sumburgh.
The fares are a joke too. Stornoway - Benbecula £120 economy return (if you are lucky) for being on 15 minutes and they normally have decent loads and that is it with government subsidy apparently. When I fly Benbecula - Inverness I normaly change onto Loganair (Flybe) in Stornoway as its much cheaper and the cabin is clean, tidy, your hand luggage doesn't get confiscated from you!
Also I was on when an elderly woman was travelling for a hospital visit who was unsteady on her feet and they refused to use ambulift, which I believe the lady's doctor requested. The lady fell over the deathtrap of a step and was hurt badly. Not an infrequent occurance from what I hear.
Even without subsidy I think Loganair (Flybe) would make a better go of the route. It would allow interlining services to Inverness and Edinburgh and also be more useful to Barra pax. It would also have cheaper connection to Aberdeen/Sumburgh.