Exeter
I understand that GAMA have replaced Capital as the Channel Islands air ambulance provider as a result of Capital's impending shut-down.
The Capital guys indicated that their operations in the Channel Islands were only continuing until a replacement operator could be found.
And now it has.
The Capital guys indicated that their operations in the Channel Islands were only continuing until a replacement operator could be found.
And now it has.
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Gama have been awarded the contract as Capital are closing. All staff have been served redundancy notice and once the transfer has completed, the company will close fully.
I'm not sure where people have read that Capital lost the contract, they simply are no longer in a position to continue trading and have been in talks with the islands for months to find a solution.
This information comes from speaking with staff from Capital who like many are left at a loss and searching for work.
I'm not sure where people have read that Capital lost the contract, they simply are no longer in a position to continue trading and have been in talks with the islands for months to find a solution.
This information comes from speaking with staff from Capital who like many are left at a loss and searching for work.
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Capital Air Ambulance
Just so we're clear, Capital Air Ambulance has not gone bust, but is currently in the process of a controlled wind-down to closure. A large percentage of the Company is owned by the Rigby Group PLC, the same Group which owns BIH at Newquay, Bournemouth, Coventry, Exeter and Norwich Airports. Naturally, the aviation industry has taken a huge hit with the Coronavirus pandemic. The Rigby Group have had to make some decisions regarding their 'aviation portfolio'. This will be obvious when you see what's happening with their Airports as well.
With nobody flying abroad, that put Capital in a very difficult situation as most of its work was based around repatriation work from overseas. Despite efforts to keep going through the Coronavirus pandemic, with a large percentage of staff initially furloughed, whilst some repatriations continued, including patients with the virus, with the various aviation restrictions coming more and more in to place, work came to an end. Only the Channel Islands contracts remained, and then on special measures to ensure they could continue. Those alone were not enough. The Company employees were told that the Group had made the decision to divest itself of Capital, and that there would be a planned wind down process. Some might say the 'rug was pulled'.
All staff have been made redundant, some were transferred by agreement to GAMA and others were given an option to go to GAMA. By agreement of the Channel Islands health authorities, GAMA have taken over the contracts. They were not 'won'; or lost as stated in reports, but it was done via a mutually negotiated arrangement with all concerned parties.
Currently, a small Capital team are in situ to assist with the transfer of the Channel Islands contracts across to GAMA and help them through the workings. The apparent final date is the 31st August, if not before. At that point Capital Air Ambulance will effectively cease trading.
As some of you have said, various aircraft have left Exeter. Apart from 2 King Airs that GAMA are buying, and one that they are leasing, all other aircraft are on the market for sale. One Lear was sold a few weeks ago.
As you may imagine, it is an incredibly difficult and sad time for the Capital team. Wild and inaccurate speculation does not help.
In case anyone asks, this comes directly from a Capital (now former) employee, so not rumour or hearsay.
With nobody flying abroad, that put Capital in a very difficult situation as most of its work was based around repatriation work from overseas. Despite efforts to keep going through the Coronavirus pandemic, with a large percentage of staff initially furloughed, whilst some repatriations continued, including patients with the virus, with the various aviation restrictions coming more and more in to place, work came to an end. Only the Channel Islands contracts remained, and then on special measures to ensure they could continue. Those alone were not enough. The Company employees were told that the Group had made the decision to divest itself of Capital, and that there would be a planned wind down process. Some might say the 'rug was pulled'.
All staff have been made redundant, some were transferred by agreement to GAMA and others were given an option to go to GAMA. By agreement of the Channel Islands health authorities, GAMA have taken over the contracts. They were not 'won'; or lost as stated in reports, but it was done via a mutually negotiated arrangement with all concerned parties.
Currently, a small Capital team are in situ to assist with the transfer of the Channel Islands contracts across to GAMA and help them through the workings. The apparent final date is the 31st August, if not before. At that point Capital Air Ambulance will effectively cease trading.
As some of you have said, various aircraft have left Exeter. Apart from 2 King Airs that GAMA are buying, and one that they are leasing, all other aircraft are on the market for sale. One Lear was sold a few weeks ago.
As you may imagine, it is an incredibly difficult and sad time for the Capital team. Wild and inaccurate speculation does not help.
In case anyone asks, this comes directly from a Capital (now former) employee, so not rumour or hearsay.
Last edited by 888Flyer; 27th Jul 2020 at 15:11.
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I am quite surprised that domestic air links haven’t been restored sooner for both Exeter and Newquay, given the demand for staycations now vs going abroad. Devon and Cornwall are slowly opening back up and I am sure there are many around the country who would spend the money for a break, avoiding lengthy car journeys.
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Blue Islands now are now only flying 3 weekly flights to Manchester from 1st Sept as a tag from the Jersey route that starts on the same day.
However, the route is now due to operate 12 weekly (2x Mon-Fri, 1x Sat/Sun) from 26th October with the timings indicating a based aircraft being used for this. Good news for Exeter and hopefully a few of the ex Flybe staff will be taken on as part of this. I wonder if they will consider operating a Dublin route as well as they have planned from Southampton?
However, the route is now due to operate 12 weekly (2x Mon-Fri, 1x Sat/Sun) from 26th October with the timings indicating a based aircraft being used for this. Good news for Exeter and hopefully a few of the ex Flybe staff will be taken on as part of this. I wonder if they will consider operating a Dublin route as well as they have planned from Southampton?
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Next summer is starting to look a bit more promising in terms of replacing Flybe with the following now on sale:
Aer Lingus Regional
Belfast City - 7 weekly AT7
Blue Islands (1x AT7 based)
Manchester - 14 weekly (2x Mon-Wed, 3x Thurs/Fri, 1x Sat/Sun)
Jersey - 7 weekly
Loganair
Aberdeen - 4 weekly ER3 (via Newcastle)
Edinburgh - 7 weekly ER4
Glasgow - 7 weekly ER4
Newcastle - 7 weekly ER3
Hopefully Blue Islands will consider EXT-DUB to fill the gaps in the schedule for the based aircraft.
Aer Lingus Regional
Belfast City - 7 weekly AT7
Blue Islands (1x AT7 based)
Manchester - 14 weekly (2x Mon-Wed, 3x Thurs/Fri, 1x Sat/Sun)
Jersey - 7 weekly
Loganair
Aberdeen - 4 weekly ER3 (via Newcastle)
Edinburgh - 7 weekly ER4
Glasgow - 7 weekly ER4
Newcastle - 7 weekly ER3
Hopefully Blue Islands will consider EXT-DUB to fill the gaps in the schedule for the based aircraft.
Last edited by adfly; 8th Sep 2020 at 20:50.
Exeter Aerospace is the name of a new maintenance setup formed at Exeter Airport by the Dublin Aerospace Group.
They have a lease on the former Flybe Engineering hangar and are recruiting 100 staff to start the operation. That figure could rise to 250 over the next several years should demand dictate.
The announcement on the Exeter Airport web page is here Exeter Aerospace
They have a lease on the former Flybe Engineering hangar and are recruiting 100 staff to start the operation. That figure could rise to 250 over the next several years should demand dictate.
The announcement on the Exeter Airport web page is here Exeter Aerospace
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This is excellent news for the South West. With Blue Islands also apparently hiring about 20 staff when their base starts in late October as well hopefully they'll be more skilled aviation jobs that will be available for the ex Flybe staff.
Out of interest, does anyone know roughly how many people Flybe employed in Exeter as part of its base at and also in the maintenance facility?
Out of interest, does anyone know roughly how many people Flybe employed in Exeter as part of its base at and also in the maintenance facility?
According to this link, Flybe Maintenance employed more than 500 at Exeter
https://www.linkedin.com/company/fly...ation-services
https://www.linkedin.com/company/fly...ation-services
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Still a long way to go then, but a promising start. Unfortunately it looks like Blue Islands have put their base back to S21 now as they have with Southampton, so MAN and JER will continue at 3 weekly over the winter. Probably a sensible idea considering the govt are now playing whack-a-mole with local 'lockdowns' as well as the quarantine matters but a shame to see nonetheless...
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Meanwhile in reality a funding package worth nearly £1m designed to ensure Exeter Airport can avoid the worst case scenario of closure has been unanimously backed at East Devon District Council cabinet meeting Wednesday night.
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Ryanair have had a tidy up of their routes and it looks like for next summer 2021 that Malta and Naples have been dropped and Malaga and Alicante continue at X 2 a week
This winter sees Alicante and Malaga operate at just X1 per week
This winter sees Alicante and Malaga operate at just X1 per week
