Eastern Airways

[lbaspotter]

https://www.energyvoice.com/other-news/199261/troubled-bristow-sells-eastern-airways/

Troubled Bristow sells Eastern Airways

by Mark Lammey - 14/05/2019, 11:45 am

View attachment 13197

Troubled US aviation giant Bristow has sold Eastern Airways to the regional carrier’s chief executive and founder.

Eastern, one of the largest carriers operating out of Aberdeen, is now owned and operated by Orient Industrial Holdings, which is controlled by Richard Lake.

Mr Lake founded Eastern in 1997 and jointly owned the company alongside Brian Huxford until 2014, when it was taken over by Bristow in a multimillion-pound deal.

Flights between Aberdeen and Newcastle and Norwich are operated by Eastern Airways under a partnership with Flybe.

On Saturday, Bristow said it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US in an effort to sort out its finances.

The Houston-headquartered group said yesterday in US Securities and Exchange Commission filing that its Bristow Helicopters subsidiary had pursued “various transactions to exit” Eastern.

Bristow said Eastern had made “negative contributions” to the company’s financial performance in each of the last three fiscal years.

Humberside-Airport-based Eastern made pre-tax losses of £6.8 million during the year ended March 31, 2018, compared with losses of £3.5m in 2016-17.

Bristow has retained its controlling interest in Humberside Airport, from which it provides UK search and rescue servi

ces.

 

[lbaspotter]

Update coming soon. Will spill beans when it becomes public.

 

[Finger66]

Very easy to automatically think the worst here but don't think RL would buy the airline from Bristows for it just to go belly up. My gues is a split from the BE franchise and a return to independence. Hopefully with some extra routes from LBA, especially the return of ABZ. That's just my wish of what I want to happen, I know nothing specifically

 

[oldendays]

Eastern could also do with getting to grips with their fleet, in other words, simplify it. If the company proposes to hang on to the charter work for sports teams, then it makes sense to keep the Embraer 145s. Alternatively, concentrating on pure scheduled services might suggest a single type fleet, i.e. ATR42/72. As a pair of these is already in service, and the J41s and Saabs seem to be fading away, this could well be the future.

 

[Finger66]

I agree. Fleet streamlining and simplification needed. T3 used to have a great product so need to get that back. Lots of room in the business travel market for a very good product that you don't have to pay the earth for

 

[Jerry]

For a new fleet they will need significant financial backing. Have they got that?

 

[Finger66]

Not sure on that but don't think they will go with a big fleet. Could actually focus a bit on LBA as LM seem to be attacking T3 down the east coast so their traditional ABZ routes no more. But LBA is missing that. SOU does ok so get that through route working as it used to with SOU three a day and ABZ twice. Through traffic topping up point to point. Might even be scope to introduce something like GLA with a 2nd based aircraft. GLA could be 3 a day and run on to NWI twice a day

 

[lbaspotter]

Well seen as flights are now bookable on the flybe website I may as well spill the beans.

Bad News first: The Leeds/Bradford - Southampton route aircraft type is permanently been downgraded to be operated by the airlines BAe Jetstream 41 aircraft.
Good news is that the 3rd daily rotation is been reinstated Monday to Thursday as from September 9th 2019.

 

[Finger66]

A slightly under-whelming announcement but could have been a lot worse. Business travellers want choice and frequency so a positive move, just as long as the J41 proves reliable. Possibly points to the phasing out of the Saabs and a streamlining of the fleet. However the J41s are long in the tooth and can't go on forever, or even too much longer for that matter, so something is going to have to replace them sooner rather than later

 

[Jerry]

Apparently the Saabs are being returned to the lease company i believe so it's likely the fleet for the immediate future will be J41s with 2 E145s for charter work and the ATRs for Shetland.

 

[markietg]

I’ve never flown on a Jetstream 41 before so had a quick look at flights and prices for a one way flight down to SOU on Tue 24th Sept.....how crazy is this
LBA-SOU Direct 0650-0805 £139.45
LBA-SOU Direct 1310-1425 £139.45
LBA-SOU Direct 1710-1825 £139.45
Or
LBA-BHD-SOU 1110-1555 £54.31 ‍

Same day from Manchester
MAN-SOU Direct 0840-0940 £43.60
MAN-SOU Direct 1215-1315 £59.60
MAN-SOU Direct 1635-1735 £43.60
MAN-SOU Direct 1855-1955 £43.60
MAN-SOU Direct 2035-2135 £38.60

 

[Finger66]

Economies of scale on a more economical aircraft. 78 seats a flight to fill ex MAN. Won't be much in the full fare costs once the MAN flights fill up. T3 just need to make this all work now

 

[Bigman]

...and Manchester has an hourly rail service to Southampton on top of that. We don't even have our 1 train a day anymore.

 

[louis_walton]

Southampton – Leeds/Bradford Embraer ERJ145 replaces Jetstream J41 from 27OCT19 (Eastern Airways service)

 

[lbaspotter]

Southampton – Leeds/Bradford Embraer ERJ145 replaces Jetstream J41 from 27OCT19 (Eastern Airways service)

Nope the Embraer 145 plan is not happening anymore. The flybe website proves this as i've checked several dates during November, December 2019, January, February and March 2020.
As I posted yesterday the plan for the future is to use BAe Jetstream 41 on the route and increase frequency instead.

 

[louis_walton]

Routesonline must not yet be as up to date with the Flybe/Virgin situation as they reported the ERJ145 and the Newquay route ending. However the Newquay route is no longer ending and as @lbaspotter stated we won't be seeing the ERJ145. It's a shame as my family use the route for business purposes and for cruises and all preferred the aircraft which I'm sure 99.9% other customers also will. However I did inform them of the additional flight which pleased them even more so you definitely do win some and loose some in this situation.

 

[Seasider]

Business pax will nearly always prefer an extra flight (more flexibility) than a slightly bigger plane especially when the flight time is very similar.

 

[Finger66]

Spot on seaside. Probably more economical too so better chance of profitability which should help keep the route. LBA were aware of lack of domestic flights so just wonder if they have had any involvement in this, one way or another

 

[White Heather]

Spot on seaside. Probably more economical too so better chance of profitability which should help keep the route. LBA were aware of lack of domestic flights so just wonder if they have had any involvement in this, one way or another

Highly likely in my view. The absence of domestic routes was highlighted by the new CEO last month and he seemed keen to do something about it. Increased frequency on the ones we do have left is probably the logical first (and easiest ) step.

 

[Finger66]

Let's hope the CEO can convince BA next then.........but staying with T3 hopefully some new routes too - GLA anyone? Return of ABZ?