Orion Airways Airbus 300s.

[hatton]

Did Orion Airways operate its two Airbus 300s out of Gatwick or was one based at Manchester. Does anyone know which other UK airports the A300s flew out of?
Thanks.😀

[Noddys car]

From the old spotting logs G-BMZK frequented Birmingham around July 87

[hatton]

Do you know what destinations the A300 served from BHX. I know there was a EMA -PMI flight.

[Flightrider]

1988 Orion A300 programme:

Sat KG539 LGW-ALC 0815 / KG540 ALC-LGW 1355
Sat KG2205 LGW-AGP 1525 / KG2206 AGP-LGW 2200
Sat KG509 LGW-PMI 2320 / KG510 PMI-LGW 0610
Sun KG511 LGW-LEI 0745 / KG512 LEI-LGW 1405
Sun KG513 LGW-IBZ 1530 / KG514 IBZ-LGW 2200
Sun KG585 LGW-FAO 2320 / KG586 FAO-LGW 0610
Mon KG517 LGW-MAH 0655 / KG518 MAH-LGW 1230
Mon KG519 LGW-CFU 1325 / KG520 CFU-LGW 2030
Mon KG521 LGW-MLA 2200 / KG522 MLA-LGW 0510
Tue KG523 LGW-PMI 0640 / KG524 PMI-LGW 1215
Tue KG525 LGW-HER 1420 / KG526 HER-LGW 2320
Wed KG527 LGW-PMI 0050 / KG528 PMI-LGW 0555
Wed KG529 LGW-FUE 0940 / KG530 FUE-LGW 1810
Wed KG533 LGW-RHO 2040 / KG534 RHO-LGW 0555
Thu KG535 LGW-LEI 1055 / KG536 LEI-LGW 1650
Fri KG503 LGW-CFU 0740 / KG504 CFU-LGW 1545
Fri KG597 LGW-HER 2040 / KG598 HER-LGW 0555

Sat KG921 MAN-PMI 0945 / KG822 PMI-BHX 1540
Sat KG821 BHX-PMI 1710 / KG922 PMI-MAN 2310
Sun KG925 MAN-ALC 0035 / KG926 ALC-MAN 0640
Sun KG927 MAN-ALC 0755 / KG928 ALC-MAN 1440
Sun KG917 MAN-AGP 1615 / KG918 AGP-MAN 2250
Mon KG901 MAN-CFU 0510 / KG902 CFU-MAN 1245
Mon KG903 MAN-MAH 1800 / KG904 MAH-MAH 2350
Tue KG907 MAN-PMI 0735 / KG862 PMI-BHX 1320
Tue KG861 BHX-PMI 1500 / KG908 PMI-MAN 2040
Tue KG905 MAN-TFS 2210 / KG906 TFS-MAN 0745
Wed KG965 MAN-RHO 1010 / KG966 RHO-MAN 1920
Wed KG915 MAN-IBZ 2050 / KG916 IBZ-MAN 0250
Thu KG909 MAN-LEI 0735 / KG910 LEI-MAN 1340
Thu KG911 MAN-FAO 1520 / KG912 FAO-MAN 2210
Fri KG923 MAN-MAH 0745 / KG516 MAH-LGW 1330
Fri KG515 LGW-MAH 1455 / KG924 MAH-MAN 2040
Fri KG931 MAN-HER 2255 / KG932 HER-MAN 0815

All obviously in the days before EU261....

[Mooncrest]

Did Orion recruit Flight Engineers for their A300s or just place a third pilot in the FE seat ?

[classic200]

A300 F/Es

Originally Posted by Mooncrest

Did Orion recruit Flight Engineers for their A300s or just place a third pilot in the FE seat ?

Orion did have Flight Engineers, I think there 14 of us based at LGW or MAN, as for the A/C, they were based one at LGW and one at MAN and they would switch over each week so that some maint. could be attempted by Dan Air at LGW.
I personally have operated from MAN, EMA, LGW, BHX, LTN, STN and Liverpool to Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, France, Germany and all of the Islands.
Sadly it didn,t last long and was swallowed up by Britannia.

[rog747]

In addition to KG's small fleet obtained from LH - The A300B4 was operated by Laker who in 1981 had 3 new ones, Dan Air who leased 3 from Hapag Lloyd,
and Monarch had a new fleet of 4 x -600R's (2 crew) which were flown not just on Med and SKI charters but went all over - MBA via CAI, GOA MLE usually via BAH and MCO Mexico Caribbean usually via BGR

Air Scandic also had a couple of old ones

[Flightrider]

If I remember rightly, Dan-Air only had two A300s at any time - NA was borrowed from Hapag-Lloyd and then NB and NC followed a year later to replace it.

Unless my memory is also playing up, only the first of the Orion A300s was painted and the second stayed in a hybrid Lufthansa scheme (which was pretty austere) from beginning to end. I think it was ZK which was painted - it looked great in Orion colours.

[Flightrider]

One other Orion question of anyone in the know who may be able to answer, if I may ask.

Almeria was a relatively modest destination for the likes of Thomson and rivals of the era including Intasun, the Owners Abroad brands and Cosmos. However Orion had far more capacity into Almeria than almost everyone else put together at the time. Was this simply that Horizon had found a niche and made it work, or was there some other link through hotel ownership or a Bass brewery offshoot or some other connection that this served? Just curious - I'd remembered them flying Almeria from a lot of UK airports on a rotating pattern of Thursday and Sunday flights, but firing in A300s from LGW and MAN would be a lot of capacity even now, let alone back in 1988.

[Phileas Fogg]

Originally Posted by rog747

In addition to KG's small fleet obtained from LH - The A300B4 was operated by Laker who in 1981 had 3 new ones, Dan Air who leased 3 from Hapag Lloyd,
and Monarch had a new fleet of 4 x -600R's (2 crew) which were flown not just on Med and SKI charters but went all over - MBA via CAI, GOA MLE usually via BAH and MCO Mexico Caribbean usually via BGR

Air Scandic also had a couple of old ones

I worked with G-BIMB during 1981/1982 and I found myself working with it again, this time registered as G-HLAD, during 2001/2002 before it became repossed by the lessor and so to the knackers yard

[DaveReidUK]

Interesting assortment of holes in that 727.

[rog747]

Originally Posted by Flightrider

One other Orion question of anyone in the know who may be able to answer, if I may ask.

Almeria was a relatively modest destination for the likes of Thomson and rivals of the era including Intasun, the Owners Abroad brands and Cosmos. However Orion had far more capacity into Almeria than almost everyone else put together at the time. Was this simply that Horizon had found a niche and made it work, or was there some other link through hotel ownership or a Bass brewery offshoot or some other connection that this served? Just curious - I'd remembered them flying Almeria from a lot of UK airports on a rotating pattern of Thursday and Sunday flights, but firing in A300s from LGW and MAN would be a lot of capacity even now, let alone back in 1988.

I think it was the original Horizon Hols that set up Mojacar and Roquetas de Mar
and built some hotels as a new resort and it became a new ''Costa Almeria'' back in the early 70's...It was unheard of before then

[rog747]

Originally Posted by Flightrider

If I remember rightly, Dan-Air only had two A300s at any time - NA was borrowed from Hapag-Lloyd and then NB and NC followed a year later to replace it.

Unless my memory is also playing up, only the first of the Orion A300s was painted and the second stayed in a hybrid Lufthansa scheme (which was pretty austere) from beginning to end. I think it was ZK which was painted - it looked great in Orion colours.

Yes DA only had 2 at any one time - One of the 3 was never painted up in full DA livery
Both KG a/c got full Orion livery ZK & ZL

[hatton]

Originally Posted by Flightrider

1988 Orion A300 programme:

Sat KG539 LGW-ALC 0815 / KG540 ALC-LGW 1355
Sat KG2205 LGW-AGP 1525 / KG2206 AGP-LGW 2200
Sat KG509 LGW-PMI 2320 / KG510 PMI-LGW 0610
Sun KG511 LGW-LEI 0745 / KG512 LEI-LGW 1405
Sun KG513 LGW-IBZ 1530 / KG514 IBZ-LGW 2200
Sun KG585 LGW-FAO 2320 / KG586 FAO-LGW 0610
Mon KG517 LGW-MAH 0655 / KG518 MAH-LGW 1230
Mon KG519 LGW-CFU 1325 / KG520 CFU-LGW 2030
Mon KG521 LGW-MLA 2200 / KG522 MLA-LGW 0510
Tue KG523 LGW-PMI 0640 / KG524 PMI-LGW 1215
Tue KG525 LGW-HER 1420 / KG526 HER-LGW 2320
Wed KG527 LGW-PMI 0050 / KG528 PMI-LGW 0555
Wed KG529 LGW-FUE 0940 / KG530 FUE-LGW 1810
Wed KG533 LGW-RHO 2040 / KG534 RHO-LGW 0555
Thu KG535 LGW-LEI 1055 / KG536 LEI-LGW 1650
Fri KG503 LGW-CFU 0740 / KG504 CFU-LGW 1545
Fri KG597 LGW-HER 2040 / KG598 HER-LGW 0555

Sat KG921 MAN-PMI 0945 / KG822 PMI-BHX 1540
Sat KG821 BHX-PMI 1710 / KG922 PMI-MAN 2310
Sun KG925 MAN-ALC 0035 / KG926 ALC-MAN 0640
Sun KG927 MAN-ALC 0755 / KG928 ALC-MAN 1440
Sun KG917 MAN-AGP 1615 / KG918 AGP-MAN 2250
Mon KG901 MAN-CFU 0510 / KG902 CFU-MAN 1245
Mon KG903 MAN-MAH 1800 / KG904 MAH-MAH 2350
Tue KG907 MAN-PMI 0735 / KG862 PMI-BHX 1320
Tue KG861 BHX-PMI 1500 / KG908 PMI-MAN 2040
Tue KG905 MAN-TFS 2210 / KG906 TFS-MAN 0745
Wed KG965 MAN-RHO 1010 / KG966 RHO-MAN 1920
Wed KG915 MAN-IBZ 2050 / KG916 IBZ-MAN 0250
Thu KG909 MAN-LEI 0735 / KG910 LEI-MAN 1340
Thu KG911 MAN-FAO 1520 / KG912 FAO-MAN 2210
Fri KG923 MAN-MAH 0745 / KG516 MAH-LGW 1330
Fri KG515 LGW-MAH 1455 / KG924 MAH-MAN 2040
Fri KG931 MAN-HER 2255 / KG932 HER-MAN 0815

All obviously in the days before EU261....

Thank you for this, really appreciate it. Was Orion’s EMA timetable to the same destinations but with 737-300s?

[rog747]

Originally Posted by hatton

Thank you for this, really appreciate it. Was Orion’s EMA timetable to the same destinations but with 737-300s?

Looking at that 1988 list there are a few W rotations on there where BHX sees the MAN A300 fly in and out - I guess EMA likely saw those as well now and again too on peak dates/routes
They only flew 2 seasons 87 and 88

The 737's did loads of W flights in and out of - Bournemouth Blackpool Bristol Southend Teesside Bristol LBA LTN GLA

EMA had 737-200 and 300 series that flew to all or most of those places the A300's did - possibly to more smaller Greek islands too

[hatton]

Originally Posted by rog747

Looking at that 1988 list there are a few W rotations on there where BHX sees the MAN A300 fly in and out - I guess EMA likely saw those as well now and again too on peak dates/routes
They only flew 2 seasons 87 and 88

The 737's did loads of W flights in and out of - Bournemouth Blackpool Bristol Southend Teesside Bristol LBA LTN GLA

EMA had 737-200 and 300 series that flew to all or most of those places the A300's did - possibly to more smaller Greek islands too

I wonder if Orion flew into Skaithos and Mykonos?

[Flightrider]

1988 EMA programme for two based 737-300s:

Sat KG703 EMA-PMI 0710 / KG704 PMI-EMA 1350
Sat KG204 EMA-PMI 1530 / KG205 PMI-EMA 2115
Sat KG2861 EMA-GRO 2210 / KG2862 GRO-EMA 0310
Sun KG711 EMA-MUC 0825 / KG712 MUC-EMA 1310
Sun KG777 EMA-LEI 1415 / KG778 LEI-EMA 2050
Sun KG721 EMA-FAO 2150 / KG722 FAO-EMA 0430
Mon KG2407 EMA-CFU 1225 / KG2408 CFU-EMA 2015
Mon KG2603 EMA-ZTH 2135 / KG2604 ZTH-EMA 0645 (tech stop QTV on the way home)
Tue KG204 EMA-PMI 0940 / KG205 PMI-EMA 1535
Tue KG717 EMA-HER 1630 / KG718 HER-EMA 2345
Wed KG719 EMA-PMI 0055 / KG720 PMI-EMA 0635
Wed KG733 EMA-IBZ 1545 / KG734 IBZ-EMA 2135
Wed KG751 EMA-RHO 2245 / KG752 RHO-EMA 0810
Thu KG749 EMA-FAO 0935 / KG750 FAO-EMA 1615
Thu KG2881 EMA-GRO 1715 / KG2882 GRO-EMA 2215
Thu KG771 EMA-AGP 2330 / KG772 AGP-EMA 0600
Fri KG705 EMA-NAP 0710 / KG706 NAP-EMA 1450
Fri KG791 EMA-MAH 1545 / KG792 MAH-EMA 2130
Fri KG737 EMA-CFU 2240 / KG738 CFU-EMA 0625

Sat KG701 EMA-ALC 1040 / KG702 ALC-EMA 1650
Sat KG709 EMA-PMI 1800 / KG710 PMI-EMA 2345
Sun KG707 EMA-PMI 0040 / KG708 PMI-EMA 0625
Sun KG206 EMA-AGP 0905 / KG866 AGP-BHX 1540
Sun KG865 BHX-AGP 1700 / KG207 AGP-EMA 2340
Mon KG773 EMA-IBZ 0035 / KG774 IBZ-EMA 0625
Mon KG769 EMA-MAH 0910 / KG770 MAH-EMA 1450
Mon KG755 EMA-MAH 1550 / KG756 MAH-EMA 2125
Mon KG725 EMA-CFU 2330 / KG726 CFU-EMA 0710
Tue KG715 EMA-TFS 0900 / KG716 TFS-EMA 0545
Wed KG781 EMA-QTV 0800 / KG782 QTV-EMA 1310
Wed KG727 EMA-LCA 1415 / KG728 LCA-EMA 0055
Thu KG783 EMA-LEI 0800 / KG784 LEI-EMA 1430
Thu KG2877 EMA-REU 1515 / KG2878 REU-EMA 2020
Thu KG767 EMA-PMI 2130 / KG768 PMI-EMA 0315
Fri KG2605 EMA-CFU 1345 / KG2606 CFU-EMA 2130
Fri KG743 EMA-HER 2255 / KG744 HER-EMA 0825

Sun KG761 EMA-IBZ 1455 / KG762 IBZ-EMA 1345 ran on 737-200 as a W pattern off Birmingham

Quite a bit of other flying though - BHX/JER on Saturdays had an Orion 737, an Air UK Leisure 737-200, a Brymon Dash 7 and several British Midland DC9s. The Birmingham-based 737 did a Saturday morning Reus, a lunchtime Jersey, an afternoon Alicante and then a night Gerona!

[rog747]

Originally Posted by hatton

I wonder if Orion flew into Skaithos and Mykonos?

I am sure they flew into both, plus Santorini too (IIRC these were 737-200)

[rog747]

(tech stop QTV on the way home) QTV ??
not sure of that one

[DanAir89]

Flightrider

there used to be a book called “airport timetables uk 198x” which was the bible before FR24 - is this where your info comes from? I binned mine years ago but wish I had it handy to answer questions like this!