Eastern Airways

[Jerry]

On the dried fruit forum its been posted that Eastern are to acquire 3 former Flybe E195s. So could CWL management be tempted to try and do some sort of deal to get 1 back at Cardiff to try and bring back the lost European routes to Italy and Germany?

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

I’m unsure about the deal. I’m sure they are destined for Ad-hoc charters.

I believe they have already re-introduced the first Embraer 170 series aircraft with another one to join the three E190 series aircraft.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

On the dried fruit forum its been posted that Eastern are to acquire 3 former Flybe E195s. So could CWL management be tempted to try and do some sort of deal to get 1 back at Cardiff to try and bring back the lost European routes to Italy and Germany?

Doubt it very much. I think they’ll encounter the same problems as flybe, if not worse.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

It was also posted that they aren't intended to be used on short hops.
For CWL I'm sure it will be a case on how much it will cost.
- If CWL lost money on blackbird after the jets were pulled or managed to recouped some of it.
- How much money was put back in to keeping Flybe on the domestic routes
- Are the routes actually viable? Italy maybe, Germany I dont think so. New Spanish routes, maybe, but do they benefit Wales?
I wouldn't be surprised if theres mirror profitable routes for Eastern to be putting them on. Teesside comes to mind given all that's going on there. They seem willing to stump up the money without learning lessons from what's happened at CWL.

 

[Jarvo]

As far as replacing those lost BE routes, Eastern seem like one of the few who'd possibly be willing to. The only shame is that the planes weren't available and the announcement made a year ago, CWL could have used the possible transfer of home based E-jet trained staff being let go by BE as a flat pack base, requiring minimal assembly for Eastern.

 

[Jerry]

Thinkig about it in more detail it could be that CWL may well be wary of doing something similar as the Flybe deal again unless it was with a bigger operator. Though the former flybe operation would have surely given them lots of data on those routes to pass to other airlines and to use hopefully to attract them. It will be curious to see what Eastern have in store for the 3 E195s they are acquiring.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thinkig about it in more detail it could be that CWL may well be wary of doing something similar as the Flybe deal again unless it was with a bigger operator. Though the former flybe operation would have surely given them lots of data on those routes to pass to other airlines and to use hopefully to attract them. It will be curious to see what Eastern have in store for the 3 E195s they are acquiring.

Some people believe that the WG lost a deal of money on their Flybe arrangement given the new owners' decision to close the base and cut back on routes. Whether the WG did or did not they would, as you rightly point out, have gleaned a lot of information about people's travelling habits on the routes to the continent that are now no longer operated. That's got to be worth something when it comes to future (or even current) negotiations with airlines.

 

[Jerry]

Some people believe that the WG lost a deal of money on their Flybe arrangement

Yes the amount varies from person to person! And a few i've spoken to believe they were conned but i do think the arrangement helped the airport get back onto it's feet. Hopefully the lost European routes will return in the end.

 

[geoff]

One of the rumours on dried plum, was that the E jets were to be used for charter work. Thinking way into the future, Tailor Made Travel, and their in house Regal Holidays are awaiting their imminent ATOL from the CAA, these aircraft could be the right size for a small select holiday company, or one which is starting out. Just a thought of how to get more pssengers and services operating from CWL.

 

[Finger66]

I think there are a few of us around Britain, namely at LBA, CWL and MME that are hoping for a sizeable T3 presence with the E-Jets. I certainly haven't heard or sussed their plan so who knows. One thing is that T3 need to get some focus and identity back so if they are to be used for a more elite/select charter program thar could just achieve that and in quite a lucrative way. It's a big commitment on their part if they haven't got a certain amount of guaranteed work lined up for them

 

[Jerry]

May well be for the VLY flight but Eastern are recruiting for cabin crew to be based at Cardiff.

 

[Jerry]

So it looks like I'll have to rebook my Cardiff to Aberdeen flight as Eastern Airways say they need the confirmation email fromFlybe to honor the booking and of course I can't find it! In the end it's a minor inconvenience compared to 1000s of people losing their jobs and partly my fault!

 

[Jerry]

Waiting to board at the airport for my flight to Aberdeen. Total load 5. 4 to MME and me to Aberdeen!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1238037533931507713

 

[Jerry]

Waiting to board at the airport for my flight to Aberdeen. Total load 5. 4 to MME and me to Aberdeen!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1238037533931507713

Correction. 3 passengers! 2 to MME and me to Aberdeen!

 

[Jerry]

Had a great flight with Eastern Airways earlier on this morning up to Aberdeen. There was only 3 of us onboard so it was more like a private jet experience and the second leg of the flight there was only 7 onboard. Have to give credit to the Eastern Airways cabin crew both were really fantastic and provided great service. Flight was a bit bumpy at times but that's the joy of flying on regional aircraft like them Jestream J41!

 

[Jerry]

Eastern Airways have taken Teesside and Aberdeen off sale. Flights resume on 20th April.

 

[Jerry]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1240897410307588096

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Jerry

Your post in the SOU thread about Eastern planning to announce seven routes from SOU and BHD when the COVID-19 situation permits has got to be good news for CWL, surely. This is the first sentence of Eastern's announcement.

Eastern Airways has today (20 March 2020) confirmed Southampton Airport to Dublin is among seven new routes planned for announcement across the airline’s Southampton and Belfast City airport networks, but has held back while the Covid-19 restrictions peak.

BHD-CWL-BHD must be high on their list, and DUB could be served via a w-routing, perhaps SOU-DUB-CWL-DUB-SOU or even BHD-CWL-DUB-CWL-BHD, or a variation on those themes.

 

[Jerry]

BHD-CWL-BHD must be high on their list, and DUB could be served via a w-routing, perhaps SOU-DUB-CWL-DUB-SOU or even BHD-CWL-DUB-CWL-BHD, or a variation on those themes.

Yes i was thinking that, i'd have thought Belfast would be a route they'd look at. Flybe did operate Dublin using a SOU aircraft and crew overnighting at CWL, Eastern could do the same i suppose though i think from a CWL point of view a base would be nicer, personally i'm not sure they would open one especially if it was too just operate DUB and BHD.

 

[Jerry]

Eastern have positioned G-MAJB too Humberside. So that means no aircraft left there from CWLs airlines.