Eastern
 

Anyone else heard rumours that Eastern may be taking over another airline ont the IOM

Guess who???
 

So that would be:

Euromanx? possible
A****1? Don't think there's anything worth buying?
BA Citiexpress? Maybe. They took over all the J41's, perhaps they've been offered the rest for 1 pound?

Taking over or being handed more goodies on a plate by BACX? Eastern and CX clearly have a very cosy relationship and if CX did pull off the Rock it has always been assumed that Eastern would collect the family silver. But perhaps WW might not be so generous this time round?

Source or grounds of your rumour, treaclecat?

I doubt it's BACX, seeing as they are in debt. Still, if Eastern wait 2 years until BA dump them completely............

I was tucking into some tasty lunch the other day, accompanied by a couple of friends and a couple more acquaintances, when I heard it said that Eastern are expecting some 146's to join their fleet.

Having heard a similar rumour before (on here, about a year ago) I gave it no second thought and paid scant regard to it's accuracy, believing it to rank at about the 'dog-poo' level on the reality scale.

However, having seen this thread, my curiosity is now aroused as I wonder whether or not another jigsaw piece has been put on the table...

Wouldn't it be smarter to close BACX and offer the routes to Eastern as a BA franchisee on the old profitable British Regional model. As a business model, BACX has nowhere to go.
And what's worse they know it.

Why not BA as an EASTERN AIRWAYS franchisee. Would love to see a mainline B777 in EASTERN AIRWAYS colours.

Or maybe Eastern would consider a consolidation of the UK fringe carriers (someone mentioned Euromanx) or, god forbid, maybe Emerald?

In their illustrious history, Eastern (1 and 2) have never taken over airlines, but they have quietly expanded, taken good business decisions, waited for others to go tits up and then moved in for the kill by taking on new routes.
I don't think they'll change that business model for anyone.

As for the BA46s, well that's serious operating costs and would need existing healthy routes to sustain them.
Unlikely, but not impossible.

146's? Well, there are 2 RJ70's, little used, lurking on the IOM which I do believe are up for grabs. One was inspected a couple of weeks ago by some Nigerian geezer, but nothing has come of that as yet. Maybe Eastern have their eyes on them?

As for Eastern inheriting BACX and it's routes, highly unlikely. As someone said, they move quietly and on almost dead certs, not unwieldy behemoths that are in their death throws. Not in their business plan I would think.

Skiddy - I don't think that anybody is suggesting that Eastern would take over Citiexpress lock, stock and barrel. But don't forget that in 2003 Citiexpress handed Eastern a fleet of Jetstream41s which reportedly included a big financial sweetner on the leases and training as well as a route structure for those aircraft which is still pretty much in place. I would have thought that CX would be quite willing to allow Eastern to pick over the bones and the IOM to Gatwick route, if it were to come up, would look like a very tasty one as would the Inverness route.

I would think that if Euromanx got rid of their RJs they would be condemning themselves to a future as a third level minor airline operating to the margins of the Irish Sea.:hmm:

Eastern
 

re- 'third level minor airline operating to the margins of the Irish Sea'......

I thought that was what emx was in the first place?

It seems to be that the RJ wasn't the best idea for EMX and I wouldn't expect Mr Lake to get involved with 4 engined jets.
Eastern seem to be getting things right, not to big to soon and gently testing the market.

It would be good to see more of Eastern from the island, punctual & professional (mostly). I wonder how long that irish mob will last, I dare say until the grant runs out?

Bring us more Saab 2000's for crimbo santa!

Eastern service comes at a price, hardly low cost carriers, but Mr Lake is a canny operator.

we all start our 146 course in the next few weeks, will have to get used to flying a jet i guess.

G-MIMA

Would you care to be a bit more specific (without mentioning names) who 'we' are, where you are going to fly your 146 from and, if not obviously for Eastern, on whose behalf rembering you flew a route off your place of domicile for citiexpress for some months before taking the route over?

S E

GMIMA used to be an ops boy for flybe (iom based) then after getting commercial licence got a job with with eastern as an F/O.
Last I heard he was still with them. You can probably work out who he is by that!

The plot thickens! but personally I think he's dreaming!

J S

jem star
 

Initials J C by any chance?

Or, am I thinking of a different ops boy made 'good'?;)

what are the Saabs like compared to the Flybe Q400s?

Presumably Eastern will need something to replace the J41s from 2007-09 when they start to go back to CX and from there to the lessors.

Eastern Fleet

OOOOH, lovely, an extra 4 J41s.

Looks like same source from where they acquired the other 2 late last year.

Must be plenty JE41s lying about the US deserts just waiting to be picked up at a cheap price.

Just dust off the sand, get 'em across the Pond, paint 'em into T3 colours, there you go!

Seriously, wonder how much it would cost T3 to acquire the J41s, certainly seem to like them.

Still showing another SB20 as due, anyone know if still the case?

They'll need an additonal Saab 2000 for NCL-LCY won't they?