Award Winning Oxford Airport
 

Best Business Aviation Airport as voted by the Airport Operators Association : Oxford (Kidlington) Airport EGTK/OXF - Oxford Airport win Award for Best Business Aviation Airport

Air Babboo flights to Geneva start on Saturday!

First international scheduled flight today from Oxford to Geneva. No snow on the ground unlike Luton and other 'London' airports yesterday.

Shame the likes of Farnborough (or Biggin Hill for that matter) aren't allowed to do scheduled services - no need for a third runway at Heathrow if these three airports between them took up some of the regional stuff.

Hi there!

Long time reader, first time poster, thought it was about time I got involved!

Does anyone know what the loads have been like on the Oxford - Geneva flights so far? I only counted 6 coming off todays inbound GVA flight. Even on a Q400 that can't be profitable?

Thought I might as well pay some attention to my local airport, things seem to be going from strength to strength there.

Rgds,
Oxjob

Any idea of how the loads were on the 19th? It doesn't sounds as though it's been as well publicised at the Jersey services were back in the summer.

Any news on the loads on the GVA flights? Have they improved at all, they were looking a little lackluster at times.

Oxjob - According to the CAA stats for the flights to GVA, December = 90 pax & January = 157 pax, so not really anything special.

Regarding the EDI route, if it cannot be re-started by the incumbent then as mentioned earlier on the Air Southwest thread could they be interested? After all they are familiar with operating out of OXF & have a new aircraft due shortly.
Alternatively would Eastern be prepared to give it a go with their J41's?

We won't see ASW in Oxford while there's no radar

....but they obviously felt happy to operate to JER on Summer Saturdays last year, when arguably the class G would be more of a concern than on a dull day in March.

Or was it that experience that is driving your comment?

Ban the clowns...
 

Whilst the incumbent's current and past credibilty has to be very closely questioned (what? another financial disagreement???? :eek: ) the nature of the route itself may prove to be considerably more viable. From what I understand, take up with Varsity was reasonably strong.

This could be a very nice little earner for a more serious and credible start up.....:ok:

If you're interested here's the link to the full Oxford Mail article - it sheds a little more light on the incumbent.

Edinburgh flights grounded a week after launch (From Oxford Mail)


PP

:ok:
I don't know the full details but I've been told they won't go back until something is done about Radar

What about BE starting EDI with one of the Loganair Saab 340's, if Varsity had a good take up maybe BE can make a go of it.

Any thoughts ?

It is incredible that airports still seem to be taken in by these new airlines that suddenly appear.

Is this the same Mr Halstead that set up Alpha Airlines (or something like that) a year or two ago? They tried to operate a service in the Isle of Man. One launch flight then the whole operation ceased!

Surely there must be some input from the CAA in all this?

Lots of chat about this back at OXF. Looks like they gave the chap a chance - again, as a local entrepreneur, but somewhat regret it now!!

Almost all the forward flights were full and there were clearly over 500 seats sold after just five day's flying - on an 18 seater at that.

Looks like someone else will pick up on what is probably one of the best untapped routes left in the domestic UK market - EDI and OXF amongst the most visited cities in the UK and yet served by a diabolical train service - six hours versus the hour and a bit on the old Jetstream.

With HS2 (the fabled High Speed Rail) in 2026 (if we are lucky), there's a bit of breathing space to capitalise on this juicy route.

In the meantime, OXF will finish the GVA flights when the snow melts and start the Jersey runs in May which are likely to be full again, as they were last year.

Forget the third runway at Heathrow, this is where it is at!

It's a shame that it's all gone wrong.......as it looks like the route is a good one?
But reading this and other forums......it looks like its not going to happen. Not sure anyone will touch Mr H with a barge pole?
But from my point of view it did give me a good chance to get some nice shots....(well one anyway).
Photos: British Aerospace BAe-3102 Jetstream 31 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Varsity
 

Varsity Express: Baby Branson’s bogus business - Times Online

Sums it all up really....

That's really the icing on the cake:

This gentleman has sung praises about MH in the latest edition of the magazin, devoting a 3 page article on him (not on his airline, but on the guy personally). Isn't this the same magazine that also fell into the trap about this new Jersey based airline set up by a young teenager? Apparently top notch journalism at work...

Young at heart - stupid at brain?
 

Comprehensive article Horsebox re: an interview with MH.

If the investigative element is founded as truthful and he knowingly and pre-meditatedly deceived 5 FOs by over-charging for their training as part of an "operational airline" then the Serious Fraund Office may want to talk with him. Not sure Companies House will let him register any LTD company after this.

Also: If he did fabricate any relationship with RB and self styled himself as an understudy then given the kind of attention he has solicited on more than one occassion then he could well be in a lot of trouble with the bearded one...no-one likes this kind of negative media coverage - its not good for business. :=

I hope any influence with Pprune he may have had has completed just evaporated (where did all those threads go???!)

Please forgive me for being upfront and sounding harsh but personally, given the state of our industry at the moment and the number of young wannabees out there open to exploitation I hope MH gets everything he deserves whether that be industry banishment, legal action or prosecution - hopefully all three. :D