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| website=[http://www.airsouthwest.com/ airsouthwest.com]
| website=[http://www.airsouthwest.com/ airsouthwest.com]
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'''Air South West Ltd.''', operating as '''Air Southwest''', is a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[airline]] headquartered in Schiphol House, [[Humberside Airport]], [[Kirmington]], [[North Lincolnshire]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom]].<ref>"[http://cwair.airsouthwest.com/up/file/PCA_Master_Plan_Document.pdf Plymouth City Airport Master Plan]." [[Plymouth City Airport]]. October 2008. 24 (24/46). Retrieved on 7 February 2011. "Plymouth City Airport benefits from having a home-based carrier, Air Southwest, locating its management headquarters and main engineering base at the Airport."</ref><ref>"[http://www.airsouthwest.com/contact/ Contact Us]." Air Southwest. Retrieved on 20 September 2009.</ref> It operates regional scheduled passenger services in the south west of England. Its main base is [[Newquay Cornwall Airport]], with a hub at [[Bristol International Airport]].<ref name="FI">{{cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= [[Flight International]] | page= 67 | date= 2007-03-27}}</ref> The airline was set up in 2003 after [[British Airways]] withdrew flights to the south-west. It was founded by Sutton Harbour Holdings Plc (who also own and operate [[Plymouth City Airport]]) until falling profits forced it to sell the airline to [[Eastern Airways]] in September 2010. The airline employs 145 people and is headed by Managing Director Peter Davies<ref name="AW">{{Cite journal | title = UK & Ireland Airlines Guide 2011 | page = p.2 | journal = [[Airliner World]] | date = March 2011}}</ref> and Deputy Chief Executive Mike Coombes.
'''Air South West Ltd.''', operating as '''Air Southwest''', is a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[airline]] owned by [[Eastern Airways]]. It is headquartered in Schiphol House, [[Humberside Airport]], [[Kirmington]], [[North Lincolnshire]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom]] <ref>"[http://www.airsouthwest.com/contact/ Contact Us]" Air Southwest. Retrieved on 20 September 2009.</ref> alongside Eastern Airways. It operates regional scheduled passenger services in the South West of England. Its main base is [[Newquay Cornwall Airport]], with a hub at [[Bristol International Airport]].<ref name="FI">{{cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= [[Flight International]] | page= 67 | date= 2007-03-27}}</ref> The airline employs 145 people and is headed by Managing Director Peter Davies<ref name="AW">{{Cite journal | title = UK & Ireland Airlines Guide 2011 | page = p.2 | journal = [[Airliner World]] | date = March 2011}}</ref> and Deputy Chief Executive Mike Coombes.


The company holds a [[Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)|United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority]] Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.<ref>[http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=183&pagetype=90&pageid=340 Operating Licence]</ref>
The company holds a [[Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)|United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority]] Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.<ref>[http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=183&pagetype=90&pageid=340 Operating Licence]</ref>
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==History==
==History==
=== Launch ===
=== Launch ===

Air South West Limited was incorporated in the United Kingdom on 15 January 2003 as Placedean Technology Limited, changed its name to Mid South Aviation on the 27 March 2003 and then to Air Southwest Limited on 3 June 2003.<ref>[http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/51bd87d5ea332801c74d320eba7914f7/compdetails Company Details]</ref>


[[Image:airsouthwest dash8 g-wowa arp.jpg|thumb|right|Air Southwest [[Bombardier Dash 8#Series 300|Bombardier Dash 8-311]] taking off from [[Bristol International Airport]], [[England]]. (2006)]]
[[Image:airsouthwest dash8 g-wowa arp.jpg|thumb|right|Air Southwest [[Bombardier Dash 8#Series 300|Bombardier Dash 8-311]] taking off from [[Bristol International Airport]], [[England]]. (2006)]]


Air Southwest was established in May 2003 to fill the void left by the withdrawal of [[British Airways]] from the southwest of England. Operations began on 26 October 2003, the day after British Airways withdrew from the market, with the [[Plymouth City Airport|Plymouth]]-[[Newquay Cornwall Airport|Newquay]]-[[London Gatwick Airport|London Gatwick]] route.<ref name="AW"/> This was soon followed by the introduction of the [[Plymouth City Airport|Plymouth]]-[[Bristol International Airport|Bristol]]-[[Manchester Airport|Manchester]] route which was later extended to [[Jersey Airport|Jersey]]. {{Citation needed|date=April 2007}}
Air Southwest was established in May 2003 by [[Sutton Harbour Holdings Plc.]] to fill the void left by the withdrawal of [[British Airways]] from the South West of England. It's first hub was setup at [[Plymouth City Airport]] and operations began on 26 October 2003, the day after British Airways withdrew from the market. The intial route was [[Plymouth City Airport|Plymouth]]-[[Newquay Cornwall Airport|Newquay]]-[[London Gatwick Airport|London Gatwick]]. <ref name="AW"/> This was soon followed by the introduction of the [[Plymouth City Airport|Plymouth]]-[[Bristol International Airport|Bristol]]-[[Manchester Airport|Manchester]] route which was later extended to [[Jersey Airport|Jersey]]. {{Citation needed|date=April 2007}}


===Expansion===
===Expansion===

Revision as of 18:26, 30 August 2011

Template:Two other uses

Air Southwest
File:Airsouthwest logo.svg
IATA ICAO Call sign
SZ WOW SWALLOW/EASTFLIGHT
Founded2003
Hubs
Focus cities
Fleet size3
Destinations12
Parent companyEastern Airways
HeadquartersSchiphol House
Humberside Airport
Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom
Key people
  • Peter Davies (CEO)
  • Mike Coombes (MD)
Websiteairsouthwest.com

Air South West Ltd., operating as Air Southwest, is a British airline owned by Eastern Airways. It is headquartered in Schiphol House, Humberside Airport, Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom [1] alongside Eastern Airways. It operates regional scheduled passenger services in the South West of England. Its main base is Newquay Cornwall Airport, with a hub at Bristol International Airport.[2] The airline employs 145 people and is headed by Managing Director Peter Davies[3] and Deputy Chief Executive Mike Coombes.

The company holds 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.[4]

History

Launch

Air Southwest Bombardier Dash 8-311 taking off from Bristol International Airport, England. (2006)

Air Southwest was established in May 2003 by Sutton Harbour Holdings Plc. to fill the void left by the withdrawal of British Airways from the South West of England. It's first hub was setup at Plymouth City Airport and operations began on 26 October 2003, the day after British Airways withdrew from the market. The intial route was Plymouth-Newquay-London Gatwick. [3] This was soon followed by the introduction of the Plymouth-Bristol-Manchester route which was later extended to Jersey. [citation needed]

Expansion

On 11 April 2005 the company established a new hub at Newquay, with direct flights to Dublin 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. [citation needed]

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.

Air Southwest Bombardier Dash 8-311 lands at Bristol International Airport, England. (2005)

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.[5]

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.[6]

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,[7] but the service failed to attract enough passengers and ceased in May 2010[8]

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 [3] and a nationwide advertising campaign.[9]

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.[10]

The airline announced the suspension of services from Newquay and Plymouth to London Gatwick from 1 February 2011.[11]

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.[12]

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".[13] Following a drop in profits by £600,000, the airline was sold to Humberside-based Eastern Airways in September 2010.[14] 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 will cease operations on the 30 September 2011. Plymouth flights are to be ceased on the 14 September with all Newquay flights ceasing on the 30 September. The airline said the closure was due to too low demand on routes making them financially unviable.[15] The leases of Air Southwest's three remaining aircraft were transferred to Eastern Airways on 4 July 2011.[16]

Service

Air Southwest Bombardier Dash 8-311 taking off from Bristol International Airport, England. (2008)

Air Southwest previously operated a buy-on-board service, which provided passengers with a variety of snacks and drinks available for purchase. Today, however, they offer complimentary refreshments on all flights. On morning departures, passengers have a choice of a sweet or savoury snack along with a hot or cold beverage, and a complimentary bar service is offered on departures after 1pm. Other product enhancements include 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.[17]

The airline operate a premium service called Advantage. This service offers the following benefits:[18]

  • 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

All Passengers who are travelling from Plymouth to Newquay will be transfered to Newquay Airport by coach

Destinations

List of destinations
City Airport
Ireland
Cork Cork Airport
Dublin Dublin Airport
United Kingdom
Aberdeen Aberdeen Airport
Bristol Bristol International Airport Hub
Dundee Dundee Airport ** Seasonal Charter to Jersey **
Glasgow Glasgow International Airport
Guernsey Guernsey Airport
Jersey Jersey Airport
Leeds/Bradford Leeds Bradford International Airport
Manchester Manchester Airport
Newquay Newquay Cornwall Airport Hub

Fleet

The Air Southwest fleet includes the following aircraft (at 15 July 2011)[3]:

Aircraft Total Orders Passengers
Bombardier Dash 8-311 3 0 50
Total 3


As of April 2010, the average age of the Air Southwest fleet is 19.3 years.[19]

References

  1. ^ "Contact Us" Air Southwest. Retrieved on 20 September 2009.
  2. ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 67.
  3. ^ a b c "UK & Ireland Airlines Guide 2011". Airliner World: p.2. March 2011. {{cite journal}}: |page= has extra text (help)
  4. ^ Operating Licence
  5. ^ Direct Flights from Oxford to Jersey
  6. ^ Air Southwest to start service to Guernsey
  7. ^ New Flights to London City
  8. ^ Airline scraps London City flights to Newquay, Plymouth
  9. ^ Major advertising campaign
  10. ^ Air Southwest seeks global audience
  11. ^ "Air Southwest scraps all flights between Plymouth and London". The Herald. 11 January 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  12. ^ Strategic Airline Alliance with Eastern Airways
  13. ^ Parent company to sell Plymouth-based Air Southwest
  14. ^ "Plymouth-based airline Air Southwest sold". BBC News. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  15. ^ [1] BBC News - Air Southwest to cease operations at Plymouth and Newquay
  16. ^ [2]
  17. ^ News: Express Service
  18. ^ News: Business Plus
  19. ^ http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Air-Southwest FLEET AGE

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