City Star Airlines

[huggybear]

Anyone know how City Star are doing out of ABZ? Haven't really heard much from them since the first flight and just did a search on google and can't find their web site.

Thanks chaps

[Oshkosh George]

It's very strange that Google doesn't list directly the City Star website,but if you check some of the results,there are links to the site.

Still seems live,and I know they used HB-AES for a time,perhaps still are.TF-CSA was back in Iceland. Still very quiet otherwise,perhaps Richard Taylor could fill us in?

[Richard Taylor]

Fit like Guys!

Well,they are still flying,at least that's something!

One of the morning flights during the last month carried...4 pax!

I myself heard one evening flight come in with...3 pax!

On the other side of the coin,some of the flights have had healthy loads,or so I've been told.

They have also flown a couple of weekend charters to the likes of Swansea & Manchester as well as up to Iceland.

Now they have had their first full month of ops(April)here's hoping that demand increases as greater awareness of the service kicks in.

BAA Aberdeen estimate that 12,500pax indirectly flew to Oslo last year,so there must be a market for a direct flight if that stat is true.

[Cyrano]

Richard:

BAA Aberdeen estimate that 12,500pax indirectly flew to Oslo last year,so there must be a market for a direct flight if that stat is true.

I saw the same statistic (it was on the City Star Airlines press release when they announced the postponement of their service, back in January) and wondered about it too. In my experience, when airports talk about passenger numbers on a route they are normally referring to the number of one-way sectors (so I'd take "12,500 passengers" to mean 6,250 Aberdeen-Oslo and 6,250 Oslo-Aberdeen). That'd be 17 passengers a day each way, which is slim pickings for a direct service.

But maybe they *did* really mean 2 x 12,500 passengers = 25,000 in total, or 34 passengers a day. That's still only a ~50% load factor if City Star gets every single one of those passengers.
And this isn't going to happen. They're not even in the GDS (at least not in Amadeus, which I've just checked), so a would-be passenger who just goes into her travel agent in Oslo and says "I need to fly to Aberdeen" (or vice versa) isn't even going to know they exist - unless there's saturation advertising out there. Instead the passenger is going to be sold an SK connecting flight through Bergen or Stavanger or Copenhagen.

City Star also referred in their press release to "market stimulation" from a direct service (ie carrying more passengers than had travelled indirectly). OK, this would certainly be the case for a new leisure route like Aberdeen-Nice, but Aberdeen-Oslo? I don't know, but somehow I doubt there is really a lot of pent-up demand for VFR traffic and holiday breaks between Aberdeen and Oslo, which can only be released by a (relatively expensive) direct service...

Hmmm.

I think it's a shame - I would like to see them make a go of it, as it takes some guts to start a new regional airline, and they have created (at least from the outside) a nice-looking brand and so on. But at the end of the day I don't think they've chosen a viable market.

C.

[Richard Taylor]

Hi Cyrano,they'll do well to break the "monopoly" of SAS/Wideroe on the Norwegian market,for sure.

No doubt the main target of the route is the oil/gas industry.

Don't think the fares are aimed at the leisure end of the market.

If Flybe,as rumoured,do come onto the ABZ-Scandi market,Citystar may struggle sadly to compete with them and SAS N/Wideroe.

I am still not sure people here realise that a direct ABZ-OSL service exists & if they do,whether they'd want to hop aboard a smaller DO328 compared to a B737/DHC8 at SVG & DHC8 at BGO.

Proper marketing is everything in this business.

[Oshkosh George]

But maybe they *did* really mean 2 x 12,500 passengers = 25,000 in total, or 34 passengers a day. That's still only a ~50% load factor if City Star gets every single one of those passengers.

Surely 34 pax is more than a 100% LF?

[Unusual Attitude]

Know the boys at CityStar well and they seem happy that things are picking up.

I have personally done that route many times as pax and its usually reasonably busy with SAS. The oil & marine industries are the main users of that route but the market has been dead for the last 2 years due to lack of exploration.
Things took a dramatic upturn last Sept however with vessel and rig rates going through the roof with the future looking bright for the next 2 years at least. The knock on effect of this is that everyone is out travelling again which should be reflected in increasing Pax numbers on this route.

They are also doing ok on the charter front, put one their way the other day actually and know of a few more possibly coming up which will suit them.

[Richard Taylor]

That's excellent news UA :ok:

[Cyrano]

Surely 34 pax is more than a 100% LF?

Twice daily, don't forget. 34/(2 x 32)=53%.

[Meeb]

I believe this outfit now have a second airframe which is due on line sometime very soon.

Just wondering what this second 328 will be used for? Their website is pretty vague (still no on-line booking!), maybe they are doing well with their charters? :confused:

[Richard Taylor]

New flights to Reyjavik?

And charter use?

They were using a North Flying A/S Metro earlier this week,whilst their DO328 was up in Iceland.

[jamesbrownontheroad]

Just wondering what this second 328 will be used for? Their website is pretty vague (still no on-line booking!), maybe they are doing well with their charters?

The http://www.citystarairlines.com/star_destinations3.htm (destinations) page of the City Star website lists Reykjavík as 'coming soon'.

And the page on the website dedicated to the fleet (http://www.citystarairlines.com/fleet.htm) lists two other aircraft types as coming soon - a Dornier 228 and a Piper Chieftan. The former holds many fond memories for me - my first flight from Cambridge with the now re-branded Suckling Airways...

*j*

[Oshkosh George]

If you read the text on the site,you'll see that the 228 is for Icelandic domestics,and the PA31 for Icelandic ambulance flights. So looks like the UK is out then!

[Meeb]

I asked for information... not regurgitated "vague" information from the website... :rolleyes:

[Richard Taylor]

Rumours of an Aberdeen - Oslo service starting soon...

;)

[Take up the Hold]

Richard

They already fly Aberdeen-Oslo. Did you mean somewhere else?

TUTH

[airhumberside]

He meant Aberdeen-Oslo. See his smilie

[Richard Taylor]

You know me toooooo well Airhumberside! ;)

Marketing of "whatever new air route from ABZ it is" starts in a few weeks time.

Local radio claimed it was an increase in the Oslo route,but I don't believe that is right.

Still say Reykjavik,Iceland.

[Take up the Hold]

I believe HIAL are reporting interest in an Aberdeen-Stornoway route. Could it be City Star?

TUTH

[Richard Taylor]

Loganair apparently.

The Western Isles MSP who suggested it is being invited to meet the Minister responsible for Transport at the Scottish "Parliament".

Possible some "financial" assistance will be made available to start the route in the initial stages.

The local MSP thinks there will be a demand.

Don't think ABZ has had a link with SYY since the late 70s(Air Ecosse I think did the route).

[Richard Taylor]

Job advert in the local press this morning for Captains,1st Officers & cabin crew for Citystar.

In connection with 2nd aircraft due soon.

[Yak97]

Slightly off topic...

Wasn't it SYY where the Danair 748 rolled away and crushed the SATCO's car against the tower? If I remember correctly an aircraft the next day, when asked by ATC how many pax onboard reported "10, all second hand car salesman". Stoney silence from ATC!!