Eastern Airways

[mathers_wales_uk]

Think it’s already ceased as the Jetstream 41 is back operating

 

[Jerry]

Think it’s already ceased as the Jetstream 41 is back operating

Yep it's not bookable on Easterns website anymore.

 

[geoff]

An article in the business section of Wales on Line, in relation to the CWL-Valley route, shows the Welsh Government paid out over £750,000 in 2020, for no flights being operated on the route, this information was released as a result of a FOI request. It appears that for this week, the BHD service is being operated by a Southampton aircraft, which is routing via CWL.{ according to CWL arrivals and departures boards}.

 

[Jerry]

I wonder if it was some sort of contractual obligation that they had to pay it?

 

[geoff]

Yes it was apparently, the contract runs until 2023, and was valued at £8.3 million, so if they don't resume the Valley service, they will be paying out a lot more money again, without any flights.

 

[Jerry]

Must be some sort of severance clause in the contract?
If it's a contract until 2023 it'll be interesting to see if the route resumes or the WG may well be happy to pay Eastern off in the name of being environmentally friendly.

 

[Chris Gronow]

Seems Belfast has been suspended until March 11th.

Cardiff Airport flights to Belfast suspended – what airport bosses have said

It comes as the latest wave of covid is making a mark on society

www.southwalesargus.co.uk

 

[Jerry]

I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see the route return with Eastern Airways.

 

[CM.]

It’s the same with LBA-NQY. Must seem demand isn’t there at the moment.

 

[geoff]

I doubt they will be back at CWL, if CWL-Valley doesn't restart, let's hope that FlyBE have their eyes on the route when they start.

 

[Jerry]

I've been told elsewhere that the Welsh government told Eastern Airways to stop the Belfast City route. Maybe something connected as a clause in the VLY PSO.

 

[Finger66]

I don’t believe many governments are keen on any airline using an idle PSO aircraft for further commercial gain between PSO flights. Presume that’s in case the a/c gets delayed on a non PSO obligation sector. Not sure if that is true but would make some sense

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

Well at the moment the PSO route has been suspended so would have no impact on the PSO schedule

 

[Jerry]

I don’t believe many governments are keen on any airline using an idle PSO aircraft for further commercial gain between PSO flights. Presume that’s in case the a/c gets delayed on a non PSO obligation sector. Not sure if that is true but would make some sense

The Anglesey route is not in operation at the moment and i believe it is aloud for them to operate another route in between the PSO flights.

 

[MrFenner]

According to sources BHD is “temporarily” suspended…

Cardiff loses its only link to Belfast

Eastern Airways is suspending the Cardiff-Belfast route from this weekend

www.businesstraveller.com

 

[Jerry]

I suppose only time will tell if the route returns.

 

[Jerry]

"In 2019 Eastern Airways was awarded a Public Service Obligation (PSO) deal until February 2023. A public service obligation route links a remote part of the country to a capital city."
I wonder if the WG is just happy to pay Eastern until the contract runs out and then not put out another tender for the PSO?

Conservatives call for resumption of flights between Anglesey and Cardiff Airport

Welsh Conservatives are putting pressure on the Welsh Government to reinstate the flights between Anglesey and Cardiff Airport. The service ran twice a week between RAF Valley and Cardiff until it was suspended by Eastern Airways in March 2020 “due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and...

nation.cymru

 

[geoff]

The Welsh Government paid out over £800,000, last year when there were no flights at all, it seems ridiculous that they would pay this sort of money until 2023 with no flights operating. It was a big mistake putting transport into the brief of the climate change Minister, who does not seem to have any interest in the airport at all.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

"In 2019 Eastern Airways was awarded a Public Service Obligation (PSO) deal until February 2023. A public service obligation route links a remote part of the country to a capital city."
I wonder if the WG is just happy to pay Eastern until the contract runs out and then not put out another tender for the PSO?

Conservatives call for resumption of flights between Anglesey and Cardiff Airport

Welsh Conservatives are putting pressure on the Welsh Government to reinstate the flights between Anglesey and Cardiff Airport. The service ran twice a week between RAF Valley and Cardiff until it was suspended by Eastern Airways in March 2020 “due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and...

nation.cymru

I thought the Welsh Conservatives opposed the route in the past which is what the linked report seems to suggest. Are they still against it in principle but take a current position that because the WG has already contracted Eastern to operate it until next year it might as well operate, at least until then?

 

[geoff]

The Conservatives were against the route in the past, but it now seems they would rather see it operating, rather than see the Labour Welsh Government pay out money just to honour the contract. Plaid Cymru have not stated their view on the matter which seems a bit strange, they were the biggest supporters of the route at one time, and were all for connecting the North of Wales with the South.