Eastern start oil contract early

[richardtaylor]

Eastern called in 3 Saab 2000s today to start operating the IAC Aberdeen to Shetland flights, after the demise today of Flightline.

The interim contract has started at short notice & a lot earlier than they anticipated!

Flights are to Sumburgh rather than Scatsta, probably because crews are not yet fully trained to fly in & out of SCS on the Saabs.

Probably connected to this, an OY-reg'd ATR72 using a T3 callsign has positioned in this evening to ABZ. Either to help out on the LSI flights, or to operate some of the scheduled routes. I think Danish Air Transport are the source.

[richardtaylor]

The OY-Reg ATR72 replaced by an EI-Reg ATR72 to operate ABZ schedules (Aer Arann?)

Also apparently an E135 on NWIABZ route?

[yourfriendlyspanner]

Clearly taking on more than they can handle!

3 x saab needed for the new contract
1 x saab needed as a spare for the above similar to flightline (who rumour has it chartered there spare and IAC found out)
1 x saab needed for the ABZ-SOU's
1 x saab needed for the Stavangaers and midday NCL
1 x saab needed for the Norwich to ABZ
2 x saab needed for London city - AMS
ANd where do they fit the new Osla service?
Say bye bye to private charter work on the saab

BUT do not forget, they have signed agreement for maintenance of ELEVEN saabs...www.lufthansa-technik.com/applications/portal/lhtportal/lhtportal.portal?requestednode=4221&_pageLabel=Template7_8&_nfpb=true&webcacheURL=TV_I/Media-Relations/Media-Archive/Archive-Press-Releases/Press-Releases-2008/LTSW_Luxair_Eastern_Airways_US.xml

The lastest saab additions are delayed, they are not in acceptable state

[Humberside]

How come Eastern arent doing the heavy checks on the Saab's themselves?

[richardtaylor]

I still cannot believe that using the hot standby elsewhere would result in Flightline having their IAC contract terminated.

The IAC contract is very much a M-F preserve, there were only occasional flights on a Sat, so the Saabs could still be utilised at weekends.

Exceptions I suppose would be if there was bad weather (fog) during the week, or the soon-to-be Christmas rush, with extra flights usually laid on. Whether Eastern will have to lay on extra will remain to be seen.

[richardtaylor]

More & more rumours that Eastern have beaten off Flybe to retain the Scatsta oil contract.

[hooey]

There can be as many rumours going around as you like, it's fact that matters...why have Eastern applied for a dangerous goods certificate for the Scatsta route? They wouldn't go through all that time, training, paperwork etc just for the last 8 or 9 months of the contract would they?

[richardtaylor]

Eastern to continue providing the fixed-wing services between ABZ & SCS, after Bristow retained the contract with IAC to provide the rotary transport out of SCS for the next 5yrs.