MerchantVenturer
29th May 2004, 21:35
This report appears in today's Bristol Evening Post under this link.
http://www.thisisbristol.com/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=86419&command=displayContent&sourceNode=86416&contentPK=10130867
One of the country's newest airlines has exceeded its operator's expectations in its first five months. Air Southwest, which flies to Jersey, Plymouth and Manchester from Bristol, is also expected to make a profit in its first full trading year, said Sutton Harbour Holdings. The airline, launched last October, has increased passenger number on its route from Newquay and Plymouth to London Gatwick every month.
Passenger numbers on the route increased by 14 per cent in the five months to March 31, when compared with the previous year when the route was operated by British Airways. The Gatwick service was three-quarters full on average across all flights during the same period.
Ellen Winser, chairman of Plymouth-based Sutton Harbour Holdings, said: "Following the complete withdrawal of British Airways from Plymouth and Newquay, we secured landing rights to four pairs of slots at Gatwick and our airline, Air Southwest, took over the four times daily flights without a break in the service.
"Since then new services operating between Plymouth, Bristol and Manchester and Bristol, Plymouth and Jersey have commenced. Although the Manchester service only started on March 1, the passenger loads have been very encouraging to date and the Gatwick services are showing month-on-month growth.
"We are optimistic that the airline will make a profit in its first full trading year - a most satisfactory prospect."
Air Southwest recently sold its 100,000th seat and is seeing 75,000 visitors to its website every month.
This seems an eminently satisfactory state of affairs. Would other former BACx routes fare similarly well if operated by an efficient small airline?
http://www.thisisbristol.com/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=86419&command=displayContent&sourceNode=86416&contentPK=10130867
One of the country's newest airlines has exceeded its operator's expectations in its first five months. Air Southwest, which flies to Jersey, Plymouth and Manchester from Bristol, is also expected to make a profit in its first full trading year, said Sutton Harbour Holdings. The airline, launched last October, has increased passenger number on its route from Newquay and Plymouth to London Gatwick every month.
Passenger numbers on the route increased by 14 per cent in the five months to March 31, when compared with the previous year when the route was operated by British Airways. The Gatwick service was three-quarters full on average across all flights during the same period.
Ellen Winser, chairman of Plymouth-based Sutton Harbour Holdings, said: "Following the complete withdrawal of British Airways from Plymouth and Newquay, we secured landing rights to four pairs of slots at Gatwick and our airline, Air Southwest, took over the four times daily flights without a break in the service.
"Since then new services operating between Plymouth, Bristol and Manchester and Bristol, Plymouth and Jersey have commenced. Although the Manchester service only started on March 1, the passenger loads have been very encouraging to date and the Gatwick services are showing month-on-month growth.
"We are optimistic that the airline will make a profit in its first full trading year - a most satisfactory prospect."
Air Southwest recently sold its 100,000th seat and is seeing 75,000 visitors to its website every month.
This seems an eminently satisfactory state of affairs. Would other former BACx routes fare similarly well if operated by an efficient small airline?