No flights since 21st, 1 acft went back to leasing company 2 days ago (flew under is registration number). Unsure of the status of the others.

AEU
 

Just wanted to echo what has been said earlier, have had the privelidge of dealing with Astraeus on many occasions over the years on a number of special charter flights, have always found the crew and flight deck to be professional and personable and the ops staff to be very proactive and knowledgeable, I wish them all the best for the future whatever that may be.

This hardly warrants a reply however....

If you do a little search beyond your tabloids you could find out that at the latter state of the negotiations there was never the question about repaying. The vote was about the terrible imperialistic terms and conditions that UK was trying to squeeze upon Iceland. In fact, the bank in question that was responsible for those debts does have the assets to repay the amount with compound interest and will do so if it hasn't started already.

And you are not entirely accurate here are you proxus? A bit of thread creep but the money that was voted on was to be repaid to two countries not one as your post implies. people polled after the vote said they voted no because they did not see why the government should use tax payers money to bail out private banks for the loan guarantee. The structure of the loans was built partly about the rules of IMF funding that Iceland was seeking. Ironically, it could end up costing more in the long term. I think with what happened at Glitner and subsequent allegations, it is natural that people are going to be suspicious and angry at what has happened to AEU.

For my part, there are some great people at KEF who tried very hard in a difficult summer to keep the operation on track and some equally great people at Gatwick doing the same. When it comes to financial compensation for their work, they will likely as not get very much and at this time of year that is very hard and sad.

Looks as if staff wont get anything, November wages wont be paid, and they have to fill in a claim for what they are owed.

Not sure whether the Govt are obliged to pay anything in these circumstances, anyone know?

I got made redundant a while ago when my base was closed at my last airline, and was at the receiving end of some suspect employment law interpretation, and found myself looking for an airline job. It was a tough market, unfortunately ruined by the likes of CTC, EasyJet and Ryanair, since no-one is interested in experienced F/Os any more.

Anyhow, from a point of despair, I finally ended up with a really good F/O job, much better than my previous job.

I was chatting to a AEU 757 Captn at LGW (an ex-BA skipper) a few weeks ago who talked of impending doom at AEU.

I hope you all find employment soon.

G-PJPJ at Lasham.

Toxic Is The Issue...
 

Hi All,

I was the Captain that flew the last AEU flight out of Iceland.. bound for LGW on the 21st Nov....

I wish to share with you all.. the fact that all my Icelandic colleagues were concerned that morning for the future of the airline (3 crews on the bus)..... and I can tell you that it was a collective concern...well shared and equally contributed to...
Nothing to do with Icelandics Vs.. Non-Icelandics... Rather a fully fledged group of professionals working together to ensure that the travelling public got what they paid for....and concerned for their collective, professional future together...

Regardless of the very personal comments made on this thread... I can tell you that my Icelandic colleagues are some of the finest personalities it has been my pleasure to meet.. and work with that I have ever experienced.

I find it very offensive to categorise and indulge in personable comments that are,..at the very least devicive and sterotyped

Government policies and other such boll*cks have nothing to do with good, professional individuals..simply trying to do their best ..under difficult circumstances - and I do wish that the majority of readers on this thread recognise that.

It is fabulous news that such a high profile and connsumate businessman as Capt. Bruce Dickinson.. wishes to attempt to look after his friends and colleagues in such a noteworthy manner...
He should be applauded for the attempt..whether successful or not......period.
How many so-called "Company Officers" in recent memory have sat quite happily overseeing the demise of the Companies they were placed in charge of - go down the tubes
As opposed to commit themselves to what Bruce Dickinson has very publicly proposed.... Rather.. they ran away when they were sacked with their 3 million pay-offs... (aka MyTravel 2004)

Anyway my friends...(both Icelandic and UK)... It was an absolute pleasure to work with you.. and be in your company... I hope to see you all soon.. and I send you my very best regards

Scotty D..xx

Scotty. You got it in one. I'm not going to post except to say that I have many Icelandics who I might call a friend. They have suffered as much as we at AEU have. Our only consolation is that the individuals to blame for our demise are no longer anything to do with us.
There are some people who, no matter how much money they may have, should not be let loose trying to run a business.
The percentage chance of getting back in the air is, frankly, not great.
On the other hand, I think it has trebled in probability since monday, and there is a model which works - makes money- and de risks the downside.
See you down the pub folks.
"What a ride"
Work in progress..............

I had the pleasure of dealing with a few within AEU, nothing but praise. Always jumped when asked and provided the information.

The aircraft were perfect [except for our little accident with the loo] Great company, Great People.

Wish all the best for those who are looking for work.

G-STRF into Lasham? 28th Nov. 1250.UTC.
 

Just watched Astreus G-STRF on fltradar 24 en route from Copenhagen. Aircraft dropped out of cover near Bentley so presumably headed for Lasham...
Flightradar24.com - Live Flight Tracker!

pp

What happened to the crews who were downroute when the airline ceased operations? Did the administrator pay the hotel bills so the crews could check out - what about repatriation flights?

G-OJIB has just left Gatwick heading west on Flightradar24.

Left Ireland's west coast at 19:00.

G-STRF did indeed go into Lasham, G-OJIB left Gatwick for Montreal Mirabel. Also G-STRI left Gatwick for Sofia today.

whats going to happen with G-STRW, would it maybe go to fed ex as she's getting on a bit.

G-STRW is still parked up at Brize Norton

Last week AEU find them self in financial difficulties & go out of business.

This week AA are in financial difficulties, file for Chapter 11 protection & carry on.

Level playing field????? :confused:

Astraeus
 

Shame about the news for all, some like me came from CFE including. most of Engineering staff, I was there at inception of AEU and watched it grow for 5 years, miss many of the nice guys and gals that worked there good luck to you all and hope you find work soon, don't trust the Icelandics- Palmi been too involved with other 'ceased trading' airlines. Mr Parry I thought left some years ago? was he still in the background after all? he of course was in the boardroom of Air Europe and that went down also!!!!!!!! Apologies if he isn't involved,but just rading the BBC news edtion from 21st Nov and it quotes him.

Hugh Parry was brought in relatively recently after spending several years elsewhere. He tried his best to save the company. I had the pleasure to work there for over 5 years after a long career in BA. I will say that the professionalism and enthusiasm there, both cabin and flight deck, was unrivalled. As said previously, we flew to some weird and wonderful places such as one that even Jeppesen don't produce any charts for whatsoever. We always had excellent briefings for the weird places we flew to. With old equipment, we extracted all they could give.....to get the job done. All done with a superb safety record. My colleagues were as good as any I've ever seen, again cabin and flight deck. I enjoyed it. It's odd reading various sick people extracting pleasure from this eventuality or singling out individuals for criticism- everyone was working hard and efficiently to keep the company going. It shows how brutal this economy has become.

Having lost 4 airlines now, I don't know how the Icelandic bosses will be able to get more aeroplanes. Certain bizarre decisions taken by them must have been instrumental in them driving Astraeus under and abrogating their responsibilities there. Whatever, the one good out of this is that such a foreign owned airline will no longer be flying foreign services out of a foreign base operating on a UK AOC- I hope the CAA will take more interest, because British subjects have been treated abominably in this outcome. Well done everybody- the failure was not with you.

Once again, sad news and good luck to all.

Shaman


As hotac are mostly reserved in airine's name, crews can check out without being held liable.

If bills are settled by crews rather on account crew would be wise not to settle accommodation bills except personal bills. They will never get the monies back from administrator if they use personal monies for hotac. In most cases like this arrangement is made before hand with captain on positioning or parking of aircraft and that should include repatriation of all crews.

I understand the few aeroplanes on turnarounds were grounded and the crews brought direct back to base by EJ. Not sure what arrangements were made for their effects, but the company credit card was still valid. There appears to have been a pretty seamless (and secret!) transfer of operations to CSA Holidays flying A320s via temporary use of Jet Time of Denmark. Further ramifications now are: the ground handling agents/ops/pax staff/engineering at KEF have all been laid off permanently after achieving 6 months in the job following the disastrous overnight decision to change handlers at KEF for 1 June (by the director who ended up in dispute with Fengur after being dismissed, and who is now starting a new airline called 'Wow' with Canadians now- as the new owner reported: 'Wow' upside down is 'Mom', giving you a nice warm cuddly feeling, and I think he added 'wrapping round you keeping you warm' or something like that, but I was feeling rather ill at that stage and couldn't really absorb it.). Also, a significant number of KEF based Astraeus pilots, both British and Icelandic, have also been seen off. I'm not sure the IEX cabin crew status- they had already lost temporary summer staff, and the new operation is smaller, so I would guess more have gone.

It's not a good record- 4 airlines sent to the chopping block by this company, and another patsy being lined up. IEX will have to contend with Norwegian, WOW or MOM or whatever it is, and EJ on the routes as well now. The (ex) staff are bewildered- the whole caboodle dumped in the bin on a demand for more cash, worldwide AOC which is supposed to be worth something, forthcoming contracts in the Far East (2) and Africa which some say were still possibly on. And talk of a takeover bid fended off in September. I gather the public relations of IEX in Iceland are now dire. One wishes them better luck (than we had!)- unlike some in this thread, one does not want to see enterprises flounder and good, hard working people, doing their best, thrown out.

This site has all you need to know, get Google translating for you:
Fréttaleit: astraeus - mbl.is

Just heard a certain Swiss based company is refusing to honor the contracts for pilots they employed and sub-contracted to Astraeus. Whats the point of a contract. Surely there are provisions to deal with situations like this. Aviation circle is small and people dont forget to easily.Do the right thing and honor the contracts! Pay these poor guys.:=

yoland,

I would imagine such contracts read, to the effect, "If we don't get paid then you don't get paid" and whilst life can be tough, if correct, that certain Swiss based company would be honoring the T&C's of contract(s) by not paying ... after all ... they're already out of pocket having not been paid also.

I think there is a chap who lives in Iceland you might need to talk to. The truth is, no one has been paid, not lessors, cab companies, training providers and maintenance companies.....or pilots and staff, whether permanent or contracted.
Its unlikely anyone will be is the sad truth.

<<Just heard a certain Swiss based company....>>

When I was considering this same company for a contract they assured me that they always required salaries in advance from the airline so that they could guarantee their crews' salaries.

- is that the one who lives in Kef?

This is also my understanding having worked as a contractor a few years ago. Would be very suprised if this agency was left out in the cold.:cool:

My understanding is that the contract company themselves have not been paid. Just about everyone is a month in arrears, permanent folk as well. Notice period is a forlorm pipe dream I fear. Although its a lot of money, it pales in comparison to the other creditors, who will be at the front of the queue for the scraps.
Big piece in the Danish papers about pax left in the lurch by the cancellation of New York services. Astraeus (owned by ICEX owner and front for his ticket sales) is liable under EU law I believe.
Being bust is very unfortunate for those poor folk who booked in good faith.
One or two journos are starting to dig deeper. One hopes they continue to do so.
Mr Palmi Haraldsson has a complex set of business arrangements to say the least.

Any news of what Ham Rambler is up to?

Snowed in in kef I think BOAC :E

Wow!......

yep, sitting up here in my little apartment in KEF. Not sure what happens next. First time I've been unemployed since I was 17. Now, like hundreds of others, I'm out pushing my CV around. Best of luck to all my former colleagues. This isn't the way we wanted it all to end...very sad.

Astraeus: first commercial flight 6 April 2002 LGW-AGP with already 'work commitments' from 22 tour operators. Led by Hugh parry and funded by Aberdeen asset management.

A chap in Iceland...
 

for Aztruck and Boac:

I think there is a chap who lives in Iceland you might need to talk to. The truth is, no one has been paid, not lessors, cab companies, training providers and maintenance companies.....or pilots and staff, whether permanent or contracted.
Its unlikely anyone will be is the sad truth.



Actually Mr Palmi Haraldsson lives in London, however his legal residence is in tax-heavenish
Luxembourg, luckily he is seldom seen here in Iceland, Gott sei Dank !!

Astraeus
 

R.I.P Astarueas

Thanks Hamrah for the "once I a lifetime break".

I probably speak for the other 3 pprune cadets when I say they were halcyon days never forgotten.

All the best.

Bruce Dickinson, the lead singer of Iron Maiden, will speak at the Advantage conference in what will be his first address to a UK travel audience.

Drawing on his experience as a rock star, a commercial airline pilot and past marketing director at Astraeus Airlines, Dickinson will talk about change management and the need to be agile and flexible in business.

He was previously a pilot and marketing director for Astraeus Airlines which recently went into administration but which he is now in the process of leading out of liquidation.

So, where are all the pilots nowadays - rumour has it that some are now in the Gulf and one is with BA?

2 have joined us on the MON Boeing fleet........................

From the "weekly joiners" lists that our company publishes, I have seen that there are at least 4
from the 737 fleet that are coming to Jet2. (Some employed, some on contract).

They will be made most welcome. It is the nature and culture of the company.
(Somewhat biased I know)