Eastern Airways

[oldendays]

Before CitiFlyer Express pulled the plug on LBA-LGW, they wet-leased a J41 from Sun Air, a Danish BA franchisee with aircraft painted in BA colours. This aircraft night stopped at LBA and was based for a few months.

 

[Starflyer]

The Dutch airline would have been BASE which was Eindhoven-based and a BA franchise carrier flying Jetstream 31s and Embraer Brasilias.

BA CitiExpress flew LBA-LGW for a short time with a J41 when it had the LBA base. I seem to remember there was also a time when CityFlyer had a Sun-Air J41 on the route for a few months as well.

 

[White Heather]

The Dutch airline would have been BASE which was Eindhoven-based and a BA franchise carrier flying Jetstream 31s and Embraer Brasilias.

BA CitiExpress flew LBA-LGW for a short time with a J41 when it had the LBA base. I seem to remember there was also a time when CityFlyer had a Sun-Air J41 on the route for a few months as well.

Cityflyer also operated Shorts 360s and ATR42s on LBA - LGW. I have photos of both. They had only recently introduced the ATR due to demand when they pulled off the route to use the slots on a route into Europe.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Aaah... BASE Business Air Services Eindhoven. That brings back many memories.

 

[lbaspotter]

Eastern Airways have now extended there route suspensions.

Leeds/Bradford - Southampton = service restarts Monday, February 15th 2021 operating 10x weekly (2x daily Mon-Thu & 1x daily Fri, Sun)

 

[cmj]

Not sure if this has been posted by LBA - NQY is operating via MAN. I guess they've combined both the NQY - LBA and NQY - MAN into one service.

 

[Finger66]

So it seems LM have now also applied for slots for 2 x daily MME - LHR. Where does this leave T3 and I am wondering:
Have MME done a deal to replace T3 with LM. No way can there be enough demand for 2 operators on all the same routes ex MME
Is there a merger/takeover in the offing?
Are LM trying to drive T3 out of business?
Do LM know something about the state of T3?
T3 need to do something with their aircraft if not continuing to op from MME
Any thoughts and/or insight ladies and gents?

 

[White Heather]

So it seems LM have now also applied for slots for 2 x daily MME - LHR. Where does this leave T3 and I am wondering:
Have MME done a deal to replace T3 with LM. No way can there be enough demand for 2 operators on all the same routes ex MME
Is there a merger/takeover in the offing?
Are LM trying to drive T3 out of business?
Do LM know something about the state of T3?
T3 need to do something with their aircraft if not continuing to op from MME
Any thoughts and/or insight ladies and gents?

None at all, but surely Eastern can see there is a fantastic opportunity at LBA on various routes. It's always amazed me that they haven't done more out of LBA. They could really grow here. The routes are vacant and they have the right sized aircraft to operate them . They just need better fares and considerably better reliability with less messing about - and replacements for the now ancient J41s that have been operating in and out of LBA for the past 30 years with so many different airlines! People talk about Jet2 flying old aircraft but those J41s must be some of the oldest on the UK register now. Not necessarily unreliable but surely expensive to operate.

 

[AirBingley]

I’ve said a few tInes for LHR to work, T3 urgently need a 23kg baggage allowance on LHR flights with the option to add further bags if necessary as this turn up at the airport and leave to chance policy will not wash! Clearly the policy is aimed at J41 but E aircraft are pretty capacious and klm manage it. I am so missing BA and KLM have lots of business from me especially this year all being well with the LS city route cull having changed my plans! The KL seat sale is excellent and their rebook policy fair. Wake up T3, you can do this but look at KL! Happy new year my fellow LBA fans!

 

[airforced]

Even when I lived down south I avoided LHR if I could and since moving back north have only used LHR once with BA from NCL and they managed to leave my baggage behind somewhere so when I arrived in Athens I had to re-schedule my islands holiday so that I could be relativaly near an airport for when my baggage finally arrived. Going back to the days when I travelled for work or business I have always preferred AMS for connections as it is so much nicer to travel through using KLM so the loss of a LHR service is a mute point with me.

I agree with the sentiment Finger66 expresses in his post that Loganair are either trying to drive T3 out or there is something else in the wind as the route from MME will struggle anyway. Does anyone think that T3 can become any more reliable than they have been in the past? If not do we really want them at LBA? Expensive together with unreliable won't do LBA any favours whatsoever.

 

[Finger66]

There have been some interesting posts elsewhere this last week, along with some related articles, in relation to T3 at MME. There were suggestions that T3 had started the routes with no commercial risk to themselves until such time as a n other operator could be found. Don’t personally see how the last 12 moths can establish if any new route would work or not, so I am not convinced by that angle. If though there is any truth in it then it’s a good money earner for T3. Time for T3 to put that money into replacing the ageing J41s and develop LBA. Would be nice so an ideal opportunity for our new CEO to make his mark

 

[White Heather]

I also see Flybe 2 have now registered a single Dash 8 400 to the UK register. It's likely there will be more, with many of the original fleet still in storage with the leasing company. It would be good to get them back but in a more meaningful way. Our new CEO is ex Flybe!

It will be interesting to see if any new Flybe goes down the same line as the original in terms of an Exeter base and operating hubs, or start from scratch with a clean sheet, looking at under served airports and routes, in which case step forward LBA!

 

[superking]

I also see Flybe 2 have now registered a single Dash 8 400 to the UK register. It's likely there will be more, with many of the original fleet still in storage with the leasing company. It would be good to get them back but in a more meaningful way. Our new CEO is ex Flybe!

It will be interesting to see if any new Flybe goes down the same line as the original in terms of an Exeter base and operating hubs, or start from scratch with a clean sheet, looking at under served airports and routes, in which case step forward LBA!

Most if not all the dash 8 in storage have been sold. They are to be converted to tankers. The reason for this is they will be fire fighting tankers.Some have already been converted or in the process of being converted.

 

[White Heather]

Most if not all the dash 8 in storage have been sold. They are to be converted to tankers. The reason for this is they will be fire fighting tankers.Some have already been converted or in the process of being converted.

OK, well that is contrary to the article I read which said a fair number of the ex fleet were still available. Looks like Flybe2 are intent in sourcing Dash 8 400s though rather than some other equipment.

 

[Jerry]

Most if not all the dash 8 in storage have been sold. They are to be converted to tankers. The reason for this is they will be fire fighting tankers.Some have already been converted or in the process of being converted.

There is a pretty big second supply of Q400s at the moment as airline's like Austrian and Air Baltic have retired their fleet quite recently. So they'll have no problem sourcing them.

 

[superking]

There is a pretty big second supply of Q400s at the moment as airline's like Austrian and Air Baltic have retired their fleet quite recently. So they'll have no problem sourcing them.

I was commenting on the old Flybe aircraft. You know as well as me there is lots of the dash 8 aircraft dotted around the world in storage. They do make good aircraft for tankers on the water dropping duties.There is a few ex Flybe aircraft converted and already in use. Im not sure if they are in Canada or Australia.

 

[Scottie Dog]

I understood that it might be better for flybe2 to source aircraft without a flybe1 connection for legal reasons, but this may not be true.

 

[superking]

I understood that it might be better for flybe2 to source aircraft without a flybe1 connection for legal reasons, but this may not be true.

Well it sounds about right. Some cases with airlines gone to the wall there is history with the aircraft in money owed here there and every where. You see a lot of reports with aircraft impounded to get the money owed.

 

[White Heather]

The one Dash 8 they have is knocking on a bit at 20 years old. Any leasing costs for it would probably be lower than for a more recently built aircraft.

 

[752]

Interesting Eastern have taken their MAN NQY route off sale, most likely due to Logan & easy on the route, hopefully forward bookings will be transferred to LBA (or offered refunds) maybe Eastern could look at adding more rotation ex LBA & whilst they're at it, add in x2/3 weekly GIB rotation.. (wishful thinking)