Eastern Airways has furloughed 180 flight deck and cabin crew as it reverts to its original and only route while offering vital aid to the nation.
The Kirmington-based carrier has now 50 active staff, as it shuttles key workers in the energy sector between Humberside and Aberdeen on a single return daily flight.
Several planes have also been made available for further repatriation flights to or from Europe and for domestic positioning where the need arises, with bosses talking to government about helping the aid effort ahead of the coronavirus peak.
Up until the travel restrictions came into force, the Humberside Airport-based operator was rapidly expanding its 海角视频 and Ireland network, having launched six new routes in the last month including former Flybe routes from Manchester to Southampton, Southampton to Belfast City, Southampton to Newcastle. Separately new services from Teesside International commenced to Belfast City, Dublin and Southampton.
But a huge drop off have seen the enhanced network and existing operations stripped back by the North Lincolnshire team.
Roger Hage, Eastern Airways鈥 general manager for commercial and operations, said: 鈥淲e have retained some crews and a pair of Jetstream 41 aircraft in Humberside to operate the daily Aberdeen round-trip for key-worker energy sector support.
鈥淲e also continue to fly North-Sea energy support charters for the various contracts we have using our pair of ATRs (twin-engine turboprop鈥檚 used for short haul) based in Aberdeen. These essentially go to and from the Shetland Isles.
鈥淲e have also been in dialogue with the Department for Transport and Treasury regards moving personnel, medical staff, medicines, freight etc, as required as part of managing Covid-19 around the 海角视频. As a regional specialist we can get into smaller airports with smaller aircraft, that will help such needs.鈥
Coronavirus and the Humber:
Eastern, returned back to founder Richard Lake OBE鈥檚 ownership when a company that bought it, Bristow, nearly went under last May, quickly established itself as an entirely independent operator when franchise partner FlyBe fell.
Looking at the financial picture, Mr Hage said: 鈥淭he majority of company staff have been or are being placed on furlough as we are the same as any other business in needing to have staff salaries covered while we are in a聽 period of very limited income.
鈥淎ircraft lease payments, engineering contracts and insurances all remain in full and there is no separate government support for airlines, or airports. We do however still need to fly aircraft and keep crews in current regulatory compliance so this is a challenge we need to work through as staff cannot all be made to stay off work for lengthy periods and simply start back up again.
鈥淲e are planning for when we can re-start a wider 海角视频 and European schedule but remain guided by government advice and travel restriction periods as to when this will be.鈥
On the solitary scheduled flight, the company has also listened to key energy sector workers and, from Monday, April 6, will depart Humberside at 1.15pm allowing for a later northbound timing for those heading offshore early the next morning. Services will leave Aberdeen later at 3.35pm arriving back in Humberside at 5pm.
鈥淚t is important the time of the flight meets most needs,鈥 Mr Hage said, with three flights a day the usual. He added: 鈥淭he early afternoon northbound flight gets all in position for next day offshore services and avoids over seven hours on a train or longer drive, while southbound later afternoon serves most arriving back into Aberdeen from Shetland or northern and central North Sea (installations) to get home by late afternoon. We want to maximise assistance to those key-workers in this vital sector.鈥
The move follows Humberside Airport's switch to reduced operations on Monday, with 80 staff there also furloughed.
