Stobart Air-2

[Porky Speedpig]

Originally Posted by DC3 Dave

Well I never!

Stobart Air to Operate Routes From London City Under BA CityFlyer Brand

Interesting, I wonder if this is part of the 4 aircraft expansion announced by BACF or in addition?

[cornishsimon]

Note that these are E90s to allow LCY operations so that will bring the STK fleet to 5.

3x95
2x90


cs

[Alteagod]

Well that's a kick in the nuts to BE.

[BAladdy]

Originally Posted by cornishsimon

Note that these are E90s to allow LCY operations so that will bring the STK fleet to 5.

3x95
2x90


cs

The ACMI agreement is for a initial 3 year period. It looks like it will be two of the 3 EI registered aircraft in there fleet as Stobart are returning G-FBEF and G-FBEH to BE in March.

The 3 E-Jets operated by Stobart are currently with 118 seats. I am guessing that they will be reconfigured to the standard 98 seat BACF configuration.

[southside bobby]

Did Stobart bid for EZY handling at MAN & BRS as it has been awarded to DHL as LGW previously.

STN appears to be the only base (apart from SEN) that utilises Stobart Handling.

[tophat27dt]

Originally Posted by BAladdy

The ACMI agreement is for a initial 3 year period. It looks like it will be two of the 3 EI registered aircraft in there fleet as Stobart are returning G-FBEF and G-FBEH to BE in March.

The 3 E-Jets operated by Stobart are currently with 118 seats. I am guessing that they will be reconfigured to the standard 98 seat BACF configuration.

Their 3 E195s are not involved. The two ex Virgin Australia E190s recently leased will be used by BACF with 98 seats.

[Expressflight]

Originally Posted by BAladdy

The 3 E-Jets operated by Stobart are currently with 118 seats. I am guessing that they will be reconfigured to the standard 98 seat BACF configuration.

It wouldn't matter how they were configured as the E195 cannot be certificated for LCY ops.

[brian_dromey]

Looks like Stobart are putting their E-Jet capabilities to good use and this deal will probably improve the economics of the 3 195's a bit too. They still have 3 195s to find profitable work for, however. This is either a great move, or adding fuel to an Embraer powered fire. I don't want to see this playing out like flyBe...the 195s have damn near killed them off. The legacy still might.

[fjencl]

When does the BAcityflier contract start as the link is broken.

[Tagron]

The potential benefits to Stobart from the BACF deal seem clear enough, but what is in it for BACF? They already have a large and expanding fleet of E190s (20+) so one might think it would be easy enough for them to lease extra E190s themselves from Nordic Aviation Capital and just operate them as part of the existing fleet. What can Stobart do better or cheaper than BACF itself ? One answer presumably is crew costs. Thin end of a wedge ?

[Red Four]

The latest Stobart RNS says contract starting 16th November - that's not far off now.

[southside bobby]

Perhaps nothing extra loaded on the BACF balance sheet.

[Expressflight]

Originally Posted by Tagron

The potential benefits to Stobart from the BACF deal seem clear enough, but what is in it for BACF? They already have a large and expanding fleet of E190s (20+) so one might think it would be easy enough for them to lease extra E190s themselves from Nordic Aviation Capital and just operate them as part of the existing fleet. What can Stobart do better or cheaper than BACF itself ? One answer presumably is crew costs. Thin end of a wedge ?

Yes it does all seem rather odd. The advantages to BACF of doing it this way seem very small and they lose direct control over day to day operational matters which could affect on-time performance etc.. From the Stobart point of view it's a normal commercial arrangement through which they will, hopefully, generate a profit but to achieve that they have to lease in a couple of aircraft specifically for it. One would think that they may have less immediate need to recruit additional flight deck crew as they have just reduced their E195 flying programme at SEN with no obvious placements elsewhere for the aircraft. Let's hope it works out well for both parties.

[southside bobby]

Every report SO FAR quotes a STK statement that they are hiring 10 flight deck & 30 cabin crew for this venture.

This is in addition to the 60 crew quoted as already hired & retained for the 3 other ERJ190`s.

[cumbrianboy]

it gives BACF flexibility, and its not unprecedented. BACF have used ACMI capacity for years on their network, with Saab 2000's and E170s from other airlines covering work. It makes sense as they can move capacity around and grow without loading the cost base and balance sheet as has been mentioned.

[AirportPlanner1]

Originally Posted by southside bobby

Every report SO FAR quotes a STK statement that they are hiring 10 flight deck & 30 cabin crew for this venture.

This is in addition to the 60 crew quoted as already hired & retained for the 3 other ERJ190`s.

Even though Stobart have existing crew at SEN both they and the new aircraft will need to be certified for LCY operations. They can’t just shuttle them down the A13 on a whim.

[Expressflight]

Originally Posted by AirportPlanner1

Even though Stobart have existing crew at SEN both they and the new aircraft will need to be certified for LCY operations. They can’t just shuttle them down the A13 on a whim.

Exactly, which makes a start date of 16th November rather surprising.

[Tagron]

This may offer a clue. As of 1 January 2019 the rules are changing in relation to the off balance sheet treatment of aircraft on operating leases of greater than 12 months.

https://www.twobirds.com/en/news/art...erating-leases

And I believe that Eastern are no longer operating their E170 and S2000 for BACF ?

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by Tagron

The potential benefits to Stobart from the BACF deal seem clear enough, but what is in it for BACF? They already have a large and expanding fleet of E190s (20+) so one might think it would be easy enough for them to lease extra E190s themselves from Nordic Aviation Capital and just operate them as part of the existing fleet. What can Stobart do better or cheaper than BACF itself ? One answer presumably is crew costs. Thin end of a wedge ?

A few weeks ago (and as recently as last week), Stobart were recruiting E190 pilots to be based in Dublin. Right now, BACF has to overnight crew in Dublin to operate the early DUB-LCY (and has only one DUB->LCY departure before 0800, compared to two by CityJet/Aer Lingus). It could be that BACF wants to compete more effectively but doesn't want to base its own crew in Dublin?

[Sharklet_321]

Given Stobart are an Irish registered airline, doesn't this mean they need a British AOC with British registered aircraft from March 2019? Do they have this in hand yet?