April 22, 2005 at 4:31 pm
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5038007.html
BUDGET airline Air Scotland today announced plans to launch direct flights from Glasgow to America, Canada and Cuba.
The company has leased two jets and applied to the Civil Aviation Authority to fly twice a week to Miami and New York and once a week to Havana and Toronto in Canada from July.
Air Scotland chairman Dhia Al-Ani believes the new services will double the company’s annual trade of 250,000 customers by opening up competitive routes for Scottish holiday-makers.
It will use two 309-seater Tristar L1011-500 aircraft leased from Globe Jet Airlines to start the service.
Mr Al-Ani said: “We are delighted to announce this expansion to our fleet.
“We have been looking at various options for many months and believe these aircraft will allow us access to long haul markets.
“We are constantly receiving requests from Scotland and overseas for us to operate across the Atlantic.
“Having researched the market, we have applied to the CAA for permission to operate to Miami, JFK in New York, Canada and Cuba and hope we will receive the necessary permissions soon.
“If we do we will be the first low-cost carrier to operate long-haul flights at that scale.”
Glasgow Airport terminal manager Paul White said: “These are ambitious plans from Air Scotland and we wish the company well in its discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority.”
If the routes are approved Air Scotland will join Thomas Cook and Zoom, who have flights across the Atlantic from Glasgow Airport.
They offer fares to Toronto for under £200 return.
From summer 2006 flyglobespan will also start flying direct from Glasgow Airport to Orlando or Sanford in Florida.
Air Scotland currently operates weekly to European destinations – Athens, Paris, and three Spanish airports, Malaga, Alicante and Palma.
In February, the firm revealed plans to fly twice a week from Glasgow Airport to Amsterdam starting from May.
However, this has been postponed until August while negotiations take place to add another two small jets to its fleet.
The company hopes that by securing smaller aircraft, flights will be able to operate to Amsterdam five times a week and boost its Athens and Paris routes.
Mr Al-Ani said: “We want to operate to Amsterdam more than twice per week from the beginning, but due to schedule constraints this was not possible.
“So we have decided to delay the start of the Amsterdam service.
“Around 150 passengers currently booked on the flights will be offered flights with alternative carriers, full refunds, or change of travel date or destination.
“By using our smaller aircraft we will also be able to expand our European network and offer our clients a wider range of routes.”
Should be very interesting!
By: LBARULES - 26th April 2005 at 18:51
Very simliar to the news article I posted to start this thread, only this time, the statement is taken from Air Scotlands website.
http://www.air-scotland.com/otherinfo/news.asp#6
Expansion for Air Scotland / Greece Airways
(4/26/2005)
Air Scotland / Greece Airways chairman, Mr Dhia Al-Ani, announced today further expansion for both the Air Scotland / Greece Airways fleet and also additional routes from Scotland.Mr Al-Ani has confirmed that Air Scotland / Greece Airways has added an additional 2 aircraft to its fleet. Both aircraft are Tristar L1011-500 with long haul capabilities and have 309 seats each. Negotiations are also underway to acquire a further 2 smaller aircraft for European routes.
As well as announcing the new aircraft, Mr Al-Ani has confirmed that Air Scotland / Greece Airways has applied for permission to operate from Scotland to Miami and New York twice a week and Havana and Toronto once a week. All flights are expected to commence later on this year. Plans are also underway to increase the frequency of the Glasgow to Paris and Athens routes to five times per week from July 2005
Mr Al-Ani commented ‘We are delighted to announce this expansion to our fleet. We have been looking at various options for several months and believe that these new aircraft will allow us access to long haul markets as well as accommodating the diversity of routes which Air Scotland / Greece Airways aim to provide. We are constantly receiving requests from Scotland and overseas for us to operate ‘across the pond’. With this in mind and having researched the market, we have applied to the CAA for permission to operate to USA, Canada and Cuba from Glasgow. We hope we will receive the necessary permissions soon. We will be the first ever low cost carrier to operate long haul flights at that scale – another first for Scotland!’
Mr Al-Ani also advised that Air Scotland / Greece Airways have delayed the commencement of the Glasgow – Amsterdam service until August to allow it to offer a more comprehensive service on that route. Air Scotland initially announced two flights weekly, Saturday and Wednesday, whereas this postponement will enable it to offer five times per week flights
Mr Al-Ani said ‘ We are currently in negotiations for smaller aircraft which we will use to operate short haul routes with a minimum of daily flights. We want to operate Amsterdam more than twice per week from the beginning but due to schedule constraints this was not possible. Rather than operate an unsatisfactory service, we have therefore taken the decision to delay the commencement of the Amsterdam service until August. All passengers currently booked on the flights will be offered either flights with alternative carriers, full refunds, or change of travel date or destination. By using smaller aircraft we will also be able to expand our European network and offer our clients a wider range of routes’.
Mr Paul White, Terminal Manager at Glasgow Airport commented: ‘These are ambitious plans from Air Scotland and we wish them well with their discussions with the CAA‘.
Air Scotland / Greece Airways are already operating the only twice weekly direct flight from Glasgow to Athens, the only Glasgow direct to Paris (Charles de Gaulle) as well as operating Alicante 4 times a week, Malaga 4 times a week, and Palma and Amsterdam 2 times a week
By: LBARULES - 26th April 2005 at 18:51
Very simliar to the news article I posted to start this thread, only this time, the statement is taken from Air Scotlands website.
http://www.air-scotland.com/otherinfo/news.asp#6
Expansion for Air Scotland / Greece Airways
(4/26/2005)
Air Scotland / Greece Airways chairman, Mr Dhia Al-Ani, announced today further expansion for both the Air Scotland / Greece Airways fleet and also additional routes from Scotland.Mr Al-Ani has confirmed that Air Scotland / Greece Airways has added an additional 2 aircraft to its fleet. Both aircraft are Tristar L1011-500 with long haul capabilities and have 309 seats each. Negotiations are also underway to acquire a further 2 smaller aircraft for European routes.
As well as announcing the new aircraft, Mr Al-Ani has confirmed that Air Scotland / Greece Airways has applied for permission to operate from Scotland to Miami and New York twice a week and Havana and Toronto once a week. All flights are expected to commence later on this year. Plans are also underway to increase the frequency of the Glasgow to Paris and Athens routes to five times per week from July 2005
Mr Al-Ani commented ‘We are delighted to announce this expansion to our fleet. We have been looking at various options for several months and believe that these new aircraft will allow us access to long haul markets as well as accommodating the diversity of routes which Air Scotland / Greece Airways aim to provide. We are constantly receiving requests from Scotland and overseas for us to operate ‘across the pond’. With this in mind and having researched the market, we have applied to the CAA for permission to operate to USA, Canada and Cuba from Glasgow. We hope we will receive the necessary permissions soon. We will be the first ever low cost carrier to operate long haul flights at that scale – another first for Scotland!’
Mr Al-Ani also advised that Air Scotland / Greece Airways have delayed the commencement of the Glasgow – Amsterdam service until August to allow it to offer a more comprehensive service on that route. Air Scotland initially announced two flights weekly, Saturday and Wednesday, whereas this postponement will enable it to offer five times per week flights
Mr Al-Ani said ‘ We are currently in negotiations for smaller aircraft which we will use to operate short haul routes with a minimum of daily flights. We want to operate Amsterdam more than twice per week from the beginning but due to schedule constraints this was not possible. Rather than operate an unsatisfactory service, we have therefore taken the decision to delay the commencement of the Amsterdam service until August. All passengers currently booked on the flights will be offered either flights with alternative carriers, full refunds, or change of travel date or destination. By using smaller aircraft we will also be able to expand our European network and offer our clients a wider range of routes’.
Mr Paul White, Terminal Manager at Glasgow Airport commented: ‘These are ambitious plans from Air Scotland and we wish them well with their discussions with the CAA‘.
Air Scotland / Greece Airways are already operating the only twice weekly direct flight from Glasgow to Athens, the only Glasgow direct to Paris (Charles de Gaulle) as well as operating Alicante 4 times a week, Malaga 4 times a week, and Palma and Amsterdam 2 times a week
By: Ren Frew - 23rd April 2005 at 00:47
I’ll wait til I see it until I believe it?
Globespan announce DC-10’s , Air Scotland buy Tristars? It all sounds like b*llsh*t to me ?
By: Ren Frew - 23rd April 2005 at 00:47
I’ll wait til I see it until I believe it?
Globespan announce DC-10’s , Air Scotland buy Tristars? It all sounds like b*llsh*t to me ?
By: Bmused55 - 22nd April 2005 at 23:39
Should be, will have to be, but when operating Tristars if they choose to be cheaper I can’t see them making much money out of them?
Oh you can make money for sure, or else they would be in peices by now.
By: Bmused55 - 22nd April 2005 at 23:39
Should be, will have to be, but when operating Tristars if they choose to be cheaper I can’t see them making much money out of them?
Oh you can make money for sure, or else they would be in peices by now.
By: RIPConcorde - 22nd April 2005 at 23:35
But at full fares.
Air-Scotland “should” be cheaper.
Should be, will have to be, but when operating Tristars if they choose to be cheaper I can’t see them making much money out of them?
By: RIPConcorde - 22nd April 2005 at 23:35
But at full fares.
Air-Scotland “should” be cheaper.
Should be, will have to be, but when operating Tristars if they choose to be cheaper I can’t see them making much money out of them?
By: Bmused55 - 22nd April 2005 at 23:25
Scotland also already has flights to New York.
But at full fares.
Air-Scotland “should” be cheaper.
By: Bmused55 - 22nd April 2005 at 23:25
Scotland also already has flights to New York.
But at full fares.
Air-Scotland “should” be cheaper.
By: RIPConcorde - 22nd April 2005 at 23:19
Errr! I don’t think so! The US authorities would take a rather dim view of someone planning to fly from Cubu to their territory!
Besides, a 757 in high density config isn’t capable of UK-MIA non-stop year round both ways.
ANdy
I Wouldn’t of thought this matter if the tech stop was in Gander?
I know, that’s why an included the tech-stop idea in my original post. Not that it’s going to happen if they’re adament on using Tristars…
By: RIPConcorde - 22nd April 2005 at 23:19
Errr! I don’t think so! The US authorities would take a rather dim view of someone planning to fly from Cubu to their territory!
Besides, a 757 in high density config isn’t capable of UK-MIA non-stop year round both ways.
ANdy
I Wouldn’t of thought this matter if the tech stop was in Gander?
I know, that’s why an included the tech-stop idea in my original post. Not that it’s going to happen if they’re adament on using Tristars…
By: Skymonster - 22nd April 2005 at 23:10
Even another B752 if they’re planning on serving YYZ and JFK, could plan a tech stop in for MIA and Havana.
Errr! I don’t think so! The US authorities would take a rather dim view of someone planning to fly from Cubu to their territory!
Besides, a 757 in high density config isn’t capable of UK-MIA non-stop year round both ways.
ANdy
By: Skymonster - 22nd April 2005 at 23:10
Even another B752 if they’re planning on serving YYZ and JFK, could plan a tech stop in for MIA and Havana.
Errr! I don’t think so! The US authorities would take a rather dim view of someone planning to fly from Cubu to their territory!
Besides, a 757 in high density config isn’t capable of UK-MIA non-stop year round both ways.
ANdy
By: SHAMROCK321 - 22nd April 2005 at 23:08
Scotland also already has flights to New York.
By: SHAMROCK321 - 22nd April 2005 at 23:08
Scotland also already has flights to New York.
By: Bmused55 - 22nd April 2005 at 22:08
Yes but Scotland already has flights to Orlando, it doesn’t to Miami.
gah.. ye beat me to it.
also I think Miami might prove a little cheaper on airport fees?
By: Bmused55 - 22nd April 2005 at 22:08
Yes but Scotland already has flights to Orlando, it doesn’t to Miami.
gah.. ye beat me to it.
also I think Miami might prove a little cheaper on airport fees?
By: LBARULES - 22nd April 2005 at 21:54
Yes but Scotland already has flights to Orlando, it doesn’t to Miami.
By: LBARULES - 22nd April 2005 at 21:54
Yes but Scotland already has flights to Orlando, it doesn’t to Miami.