Air Southwest
Encyclopedia
Air Southwest was a British
airline
owned by Eastern Airways
. It operated regional scheduled passenger services in the South West of England. Its main base was Plymouth City Airport
, with hubs at Newquay Cornwall Airport and Bristol Airport
. The airline employed 145 people and was headed by Managing Director Peter Davies and Deputy Chief Executive Mike Coombes.
The company held a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.
Air Southwest was established in May 2003 by Sutton Harbour Holdings to fill the void left by the withdrawal of British Airways
from the South West of England. Its first hub was set up at Plymouth City Airport
and operations began on 26 October 2003, the day after British Airways withdrew from the market. The initial route was Plymouth
-Newquay-London Gatwick
. This was soon followed by the introduction of the Plymouth
-Bristol
-Manchester route which was later extended to Jersey
.
and flights to Leeds-Bradford
via Bristol
. At the same time, the airline added a crew base at Newquay, with five cabin crew, ten pilots, and one aircraft.
In April 2006 Air Southwest launched services from Newquay to Manchester via Cardiff
, and from Bristol to Norwich
(although the airline withdrew from this route in January 2007); in addition a crew and aircraft base was established at Bristol. On 30 October 2006 the airline introduced a fifth daily flight from Newquay to London.
The airline uses the low fares, web-based format for bookings with over 90% of all bookings made online. In its first eighteen months of operations Air Southwest carried over 200,000 passengers, increasing the number of passengers flying between Plymouth and Newquay and London Gatwick by 22%. On 25 October 2006, the airline announced that it had carried 750,000 passengers since its launch.
The Bristol to Norwich service ended on 14 January 2007, the airline's first route discontinuation since inception in 2003. Further consolidated was made with the discontinuation of the direct Newquay to Leeds-Bradford service which was routed via Bristol Airport from 16 January 2007, and an increased frequency on the Plymouth to Manchester service to twice daily, via Bristol, from 15 January 2007.
On 24 June 2007 Air Southwest operated its last flights from Cardiff to Newquay and Manchester due to low passenger numbers.
On 29 October 2007 the airline announced an expansion of routes from Plymouth and Newquay, adding flights from Plymouth to Grenoble, Cork, Dublin, Glasgow and Newcastle, and from Newquay to Grenoble, Glasgow and Newcastle. These new routes commenced on 28 April 2008 with the exception of Grenoble which followed on 20 December 2008.
During the summer of 2009 Air Southwest operated a charter on behalf of C.I. Travel. The operation saw the introduction of commercial flights between Oxford and Jersey every Saturday.
On 2 February 2009 the airline announced an expansion of its services between Plymouth and the Channel Islands with the introduction of a service to Guernsey which started on 8 April 2009.
Consolidation of their services to London came when, on 9 March 2009, Air Southwest announced the launch of flights between Plymouth, Newquay and London City Airport. The flights started on 20 April, but the service failed to attract enough passengers and ceased in May 2010
In May 2009 the airline underwent a rebrand to broaden their target audience and increase their market presence. A new slogan of “Fly Britain’s Local Airline” was adopted and supported by a television commercial on regional channels, a revamped website http://www.airsouthwest.com and a nationwide advertising campaign.
Another improvement to the services offered came into effect on May 31, 2009 when the airline adopted the IATA code SZ. This has created a number of opportunities for future development such as the introduction of interline agreements/codeshare with other airlines and the possibility of using third parties such as travel agents for ticket sales.
The airline announced the suspension of services from Newquay and Plymouth to London Gatwick from 1 February 2011.
-based Eastern Airways
in September 2010. On 1 December 2010, the sale was completed to Eastern Airways.
on the 28 July 2011. Flights to Glasgow
, Guernsey
, Jersey
and Manchester ended on 14 September whilst the remaining flights to Aberdeen
, Bristol
, Cork, Dublin
and Leeds Bradford ended on 30 September. The airline said the closure was due to low demand on routes making them financially unviable. The leases of Air Southwest's three remaining aircraft were transferred to Eastern Airways on 4 July 2011.
Originally, Air Southwest operated a buy-on-board service, which provided passengers with a variety of snacks and drinks available for purchase.
On 10 March 2010 however, they started offering complimentary refreshments on all flights. On morning departures, passengers had a choice of a sweet or savoury snack along with a hot or cold beverage, and a complimentary bar service was offered on departures after 1pm. Other product enhancements included the introduction of a hot towel service, along with a boiled sweet pre-departure.
Passengers are given allocated seating when they check-in. A 20 minute minimum check-in time has been introduced for all passengers travelling from Plymouth and Newquay with hand luggage only.
The airline offered a premium service called Advantage. This service offered the following benefits:
As of April 2010, the average age of the Air Southwest fleet is 19.3 years.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
owned by Eastern Airways
Eastern Airways
Eastern Airways is an airline with its head office at Humberside Airport in Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, England. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and private charter services...
. It operated regional scheduled passenger services in the South West of England. Its main base was Plymouth City Airport
Plymouth City Airport
Plymouth City Airport is an airport located within the City of Plymouth north northeast of the city centre in Devon, England. The airport opened on this site in 1925 and was officially opened by the Edward VIII, as Prince of Wales, in 1931...
, with hubs at Newquay Cornwall Airport and Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport may refer to:* Bristol Airport, serving Bristol, England, United Kingdom ** Bristol Airport , a docu-soap based on events at Bristol Airport...
. The airline employed 145 people and was headed by Managing Director Peter Davies and Deputy Chief Executive Mike Coombes.
The company held a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.
Launch
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
from the South West of England. Its first hub was set up at Plymouth City Airport
Plymouth City Airport
Plymouth City Airport is an airport located within the City of Plymouth north northeast of the city centre in Devon, England. The airport opened on this site in 1925 and was officially opened by the Edward VIII, as Prince of Wales, in 1931...
and operations began on 26 October 2003, the day after British Airways withdrew from the market. The initial route was Plymouth
Plymouth City Airport
Plymouth City Airport is an airport located within the City of Plymouth north northeast of the city centre in Devon, England. The airport opened on this site in 1925 and was officially opened by the Edward VIII, as Prince of Wales, in 1931...
-Newquay-London Gatwick
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
. This was soon followed by the introduction of the Plymouth
Plymouth City Airport
Plymouth City Airport is an airport located within the City of Plymouth north northeast of the city centre in Devon, England. The airport opened on this site in 1925 and was officially opened by the Edward VIII, as Prince of Wales, in 1931...
-Bristol
Bristol International Airport
Bristol Airport , located at Lulsgate Bottom in North Somerset, is the commercial airport serving the city of Bristol, England and the surrounding area. At first it was named Bristol Lulsgate Airport and from March 1997 to March 2010 it was known as Bristol International Airport...
-Manchester route which was later extended to Jersey
Jersey Airport
-Busiest routes:Some airlines offer services between Jersey and other destinations with an intermediate stop at Guernsey. There are also periodic charter flights to European holiday destinations, Madeira and ski destinations operated by airlines such as Aurigny Air Services, Europe Airpost, Palmair...
.
Expansion
On 11 April 2005 the company established a new hub at Newquay, with direct flights to DublinDublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
and flights to Leeds-Bradford
Leeds Bradford International Airport
Leeds Bradford International Airport is located at Yeadon, in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire, England, northwest of Leeds city centre itself...
via Bristol
Bristol International Airport
Bristol Airport , located at Lulsgate Bottom in North Somerset, is the commercial airport serving the city of Bristol, England and the surrounding area. At first it was named Bristol Lulsgate Airport and from March 1997 to March 2010 it was known as Bristol International Airport...
. At the same time, the airline added a crew base at Newquay, with five cabin crew, ten pilots, and one aircraft.
In April 2006 Air Southwest launched services from Newquay to Manchester via Cardiff
Cardiff International Airport
Cardiff Airport is an international airport serving Cardiff, and the rest of South, Mid and West Wales. Around 1.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010....
, and from Bristol to Norwich
Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
(although the airline withdrew from this route in January 2007); in addition a crew and aircraft base was established at Bristol. On 30 October 2006 the airline introduced a fifth daily flight from Newquay to London.
The airline uses the low fares, web-based format for bookings with over 90% of all bookings made online. In its first eighteen months of operations Air Southwest carried over 200,000 passengers, increasing the number of passengers flying between Plymouth and Newquay and London Gatwick by 22%. On 25 October 2006, the airline announced that it had carried 750,000 passengers since its launch.
On 24 June 2007 Air Southwest operated its last flights from Cardiff to Newquay and Manchester due to low passenger numbers.
On 29 October 2007 the airline announced an expansion of routes from Plymouth and Newquay, adding flights from Plymouth to Grenoble, Cork, Dublin, Glasgow and Newcastle, and from Newquay to Grenoble, Glasgow and Newcastle. These new routes commenced on 28 April 2008 with the exception of Grenoble which followed on 20 December 2008.
During the summer of 2009 Air Southwest operated a charter on behalf of C.I. Travel. The operation saw the introduction of commercial flights between Oxford and Jersey every Saturday.
On 2 February 2009 the airline announced an expansion of its services between Plymouth and the Channel Islands with the introduction of a service to Guernsey which started on 8 April 2009.
Consolidation of their services to London came when, on 9 March 2009, Air Southwest announced the launch of flights between Plymouth, Newquay and London City Airport. The flights started on 20 April, but the service failed to attract enough passengers and ceased in May 2010
In May 2009 the airline underwent a rebrand to broaden their target audience and increase their market presence. A new slogan of “Fly Britain’s Local Airline” was adopted and supported by a television commercial on regional channels, a revamped website http://www.airsouthwest.com and a nationwide advertising campaign.
Another improvement to the services offered came into effect on May 31, 2009 when the airline adopted the IATA code SZ. This has created a number of opportunities for future development such as the introduction of interline agreements/codeshare with other airlines and the possibility of using third parties such as travel agents for ticket sales.
The airline announced the suspension of services from Newquay and Plymouth to London Gatwick from 1 February 2011.
Strategic alliance with Eastern Airways
An alliance with UK regional carrier Eastern Airways was announced on 25 February 2010. As a result of the alliance Air Southwest will join a Global Distribution Systems (GDS) which will enable them to sell tickets through a number of external sources like travel agents and increase their market presence. It will also pave the way for the introduction of codeshare agreements between the two airlines.Sale of the airline
In May 2010 Sutton Harbour Holdings, the parent company of Air Southwest, announced that the airline was to be sold to enable the company to "resource activities more effectively". Following a drop in profits by £600,000, the airline was sold to HumbersideHumberside
Humberside was a non-metropolitan and ceremonial county in Northern England from 1 April 1974 until 1 April 1996. It was composed of land from either side of the Humber Estuary, created from portions of the East and West ridings of Yorkshire and parts of Lindsey, Lincolnshire...
-based Eastern Airways
Eastern Airways
Eastern Airways is an airline with its head office at Humberside Airport in Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, England. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and private charter services...
in September 2010. On 1 December 2010, the sale was completed to Eastern Airways.
Closure of the airline
Air Southwest announced on the 14 July 2011 that they would cease operations on the 30 September 2011. Air Southwest ceased operations at PlymouthPlymouth City Airport
Plymouth City Airport is an airport located within the City of Plymouth north northeast of the city centre in Devon, England. The airport opened on this site in 1925 and was officially opened by the Edward VIII, as Prince of Wales, in 1931...
on the 28 July 2011. Flights to Glasgow
Glasgow Airport
Glasgow Airport may refer to:*Glasgow International Airport, in Renfrewshire, the primary airport serving Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.*Glasgow Airport , also known as Wokal Field, in Glasgow, Montana, United States.It may also refer to:...
, Guernsey
Guernsey Airport
Guernsey Airport is the largest airport in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and is the only airport on the island of Guernsey. It is located in the Forest, a parish in Guernsey, west southwest of St. Peter Port.-History:...
, Jersey
Jersey Airport
-Busiest routes:Some airlines offer services between Jersey and other destinations with an intermediate stop at Guernsey. There are also periodic charter flights to European holiday destinations, Madeira and ski destinations operated by airlines such as Aurigny Air Services, Europe Airpost, Palmair...
and Manchester ended on 14 September whilst the remaining flights to Aberdeen
Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK...
, Bristol
Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport may refer to:* Bristol Airport, serving Bristol, England, United Kingdom ** Bristol Airport , a docu-soap based on events at Bristol Airport...
, Cork, Dublin
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
and Leeds Bradford ended on 30 September. The airline said the closure was due to low demand on routes making them financially unviable. The leases of Air Southwest's three remaining aircraft were transferred to Eastern Airways on 4 July 2011.
Service
On 10 March 2010 however, they started offering complimentary refreshments on all flights. On morning departures, passengers had a choice of a sweet or savoury snack along with a hot or cold beverage, and a complimentary bar service was offered on departures after 1pm. Other product enhancements included the introduction of a hot towel service, along with a boiled sweet pre-departure.
Passengers are given allocated seating when they check-in. A 20 minute minimum check-in time has been introduced for all passengers travelling from Plymouth and Newquay with hand luggage only.
The airline offered a premium service called Advantage. This service offered the following benefits:
- Free changes to booking up to two hours before flight departure
- Business lounge access
- Provided lotion (for women and men)
- Fast track security
- Free on-board refreshments
- Increased baggage allowance of 30 kg
Destinations
| List of destinations | ||
|---|---|---|
| City | Airport | |
| Ireland Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... |
||
| Cork Cork (city) Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban... |
Cork Airport | |
| Dublin | Dublin Airport Dublin Airport Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon... |
|
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
||
| Aberdeen Aberdeen Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of .... |
Aberdeen Airport Aberdeen Airport Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK... |
|
| Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... |
Bristol Airport Bristol Airport Bristol Airport may refer to:* Bristol Airport, serving Bristol, England, United Kingdom ** Bristol Airport , a docu-soap based on events at Bristol Airport... Hub |
|
| Dundee Dundee Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea... |
Dundee Airport Dundee Airport -Road:The airport lies on the main A85 Riverside Drive, which links the city centre to the Kingsway and the A90, with the airport barely a couple of kilometers from the city centre itself. Taxis are available from outside the airport.-Bus:... ** Seasonal Charter to Jersey ** |
|
| Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... |
Glasgow International Airport Glasgow International Airport Glasgow International Airport is an international airport in Scotland, located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire... |
|
| Guernsey Guernsey Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet... |
Guernsey Airport Guernsey Airport Guernsey Airport is the largest airport in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and is the only airport on the island of Guernsey. It is located in the Forest, a parish in Guernsey, west southwest of St. Peter Port.-History:... |
|
| Jersey Jersey Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and... |
Jersey Airport Jersey Airport -Busiest routes:Some airlines offer services between Jersey and other destinations with an intermediate stop at Guernsey. There are also periodic charter flights to European holiday destinations, Madeira and ski destinations operated by airlines such as Aurigny Air Services, Europe Airpost, Palmair... |
|
| Leeds Leeds Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial... /Bradford Bradford Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897... |
Leeds Bradford International Airport Leeds Bradford International Airport Leeds Bradford International Airport is located at Yeadon, in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire, England, northwest of Leeds city centre itself... |
|
| Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... |
Manchester Airport | |
| Newquay Newquay Newquay is a town, civil parish, seaside resort and fishing port in Cornwall, England. It is situated on the North Atlantic coast of Cornwall approximately west of Bodmin and north of Truro.... |
Newquay Cornwall Airport Hub | |
| Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound... |
Plymouth City Airport Plymouth City Airport Plymouth City Airport is an airport located within the City of Plymouth north northeast of the city centre in Devon, England. The airport opened on this site in 1925 and was officially opened by the Edward VIII, as Prince of Wales, in 1931... Hub |
|
Fleet
Before being transferred to Eastern Airways on the 4 July 2011, the Air Southwest fleet included the following aircraft (at 3 July 2011)| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|
| de Havilland Canada Dash 8-311 | 3 | 0 | 50 |
| Total | 3 |
As of April 2010, the average age of the Air Southwest fleet is 19.3 years.