Falklands/UK air bridge goes bust and all flights are cancelled
Scotland's biggest airline, Edinburgh-based Flyglobespan and also responsible for the UK Ministry of Defence air link with the Falkland Islands was placed Wednesday in administration with all scheduled flights cancelled.
Administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers said Globespan was in contact with about 5,000 passengers booked with or travelling with the airline.
Last year the airline, which employs about 800 staff, carried more than 1.5 million passengers and operated 12,000 flights. The majority of the company's staff has been made redundant.
In October 2008 Flyglobespan was awarded an MoD contract to fly four times per fortnight Brize Norton/MPA Falkland Islands using a Boeing 767. The two-year contract with two one-year options was expected to run until 2012. The air bridge left Brize Norton on Wednesdays and Sundays, and Mount Pleasant northbound on Fridays and Tuesdays. The British forces airbridge is the Islanders only alternative to flying with Lan via South America and was not cheap: 2.600 USD for a return flight, while tourists pay 4132.48 USD or if they book less than 28 days in advance, it will cost them 6666.02 USD. Fares were expected to further increase any moment.
An MoD spokeswoman said: “We are aware that Flyglobespan has gone into administration and we are currently assessing the wider impact on MoD business.”
A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said: “We are doing everything in our power to help passengers rearrange their travel plans, wherever possible, and to secure additional capacity from other airlines serving Glasgow.
The vast majority of destinations served by Flyglobespan are already served by other carriers, a number of whom have already stepped in to offer support to Flyglobespan's customers.”
The move followed attempts to conclude a financing deal for the airline with Jersey-based Halcyon Investments which broke down earlier on Wednesday.
In a statement Wednesday night, the administrators said the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) would be responsible for the repatriation of about 1,100 people who are on holidays booked as part of a Globespan package holiday.
However, a further 3,400 people are overseas and are not protected, who booked directly through flyglobespan.com.
Customers who booked Flyglobespan flights directly via the Flyglobespan website or the call centre would not get a refund on the cost of their flight but the Department of Transport said they may qualify for a reduced rate repatriation fare.
Transport minister Paul Clark said: ”I spoke earlier this evening with a representative of the European Low Fares Airlines Association, who confirmed that several of their members will provide special fares.
The British Civil Aviation Authority in an official release to customers and passenger said that it regretted to inform that “the tour operator Globespan Group PLC has ceased trading. Globespan Group PLC includes Globespan (tour operator) and Flyglobespan (airline).
“The company you have booked with, either Globespan (tour operator) or Flyglobespan (the airline), will determine whether your booking is protected by the ATOL scheme.
“The ATOL scheme is designed to protect bookings made with an ATOL tour operator. Customers booked with the tour operator Globespan are protected”.
Managing director, Gordon Dewar said: “This is a sad day for the Scottish aviation industry. However, our immediate attention must turn to the thousands of passengers who were due to fly with the airline over the coming months.
”We are already holding urgent discussions with a number of other airlines and are hopeful of replacing much of the capacity that has been lost from Flyglobespan going into administration.“
A Scottish government spokesman said: ”This is extremely disappointing news. The Scottish government is contacting the company as a matter of urgency to seek clarification on the situation.
The Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy said: “The news that Flyglobespan has gone into administration is a real blow for Scotland and first and foremost for the hundreds of employees who now face redundancy a week before Christmas.
”Our other immediate priority must be to help the thousands of people who booked and flew with the airline and are now effectively stranded abroad.
“My officials and I have been in touch with the Department for Transport as this issue unfolded and will continue to work with them to see what can be done to help those caught in the middle of this unfortunate situation.”
Earlier this year, Flyglobespan announced it had made an operating profit of £1.2m following a loss of £19m the previous year.
Set up in 2002, the company operates from five UK airports, including Prestwick, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Earlier this year, it pulled its services out of the Durham Tees Valley airport, blaming the worsening economic climate.
Latest reliable news is that failure of Globspan will not impact the link between Brize Norton and Mount Pleasant airport according the Falkland Islands Government website.
“Regarding the news that Flyglobespan - the Edinburgh based airline company who provide the aircraft for the Airbridge to Ascension and the Falkland Islands - are going into liquidation, the Falkland Islands Government has been informed by the Ministry of Defence that Flyglobespan is a sub-contractor to the MoD’s main contractor that operates Airbridge. The main contractor is committed to operating the Airbridge and will be making suitable alternative arrangements, as necessary. It is presently reported that there is no disruption to the service.
In the event that difficulties do arise, the MoD’s main contractor will enact contingency plans to find other suitable aircraft. FIG is being kept up to date with news and if there is any change to the current schedule, passengers will be informed.”
Suggested Stories
-
Feb 10th 2012
Antigua and Barbuda deny supporting bar on Falklands flagged vessels
-
Feb 10th 2012
Timerman on Friday formalizes at UN complaint against UK ‘militarization’ of Malvinas dispute
-
Feb 10th 2012
State Department ratifies Falklands’ dispute is a bilateral Argentina/UK issue
-
Feb 09th 2012
Chilean community in Falklands march in support of the air link with Santiago
22 comments Feed
Note: Comments do not reflect MercoPress’ opinions. They are the personal view of our users. We wish to keep this as open and unregulated as possible. However, rude or foul language, discriminative comments (based on ethnicity, religion, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or the sort), spamming or any other offensive or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. Please report any inadequate posts to the editor. Comments must be in English. Thank you.
www.flickr.com/photos/45547666@N02/4193224958/
www.panoramio.com/photo/3376640
It's even worse with Aerolineas Argentina. It was under Spanish control, but is “again” under government control. You can imagine how long that will survive.
Nitro,
You have to ask yourself, what the heck do those clowns in the argentine goverment know about the airline industry and airplanes? Oh wait, it's just another piggy bank for the cronies, while Aerolineas debt is growing faster than it's revenue...lol. So funny.
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Cacerolazo_Argentina_2001-2002.jpg
VIVA ARGENTINA, VIVA PERON, VIVA GALTIERI, VIVA MENEM, VIVA KIRCHNER :D :D :D :D
images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/FRDY65WDOYA/hqdefault.jpg&imgrefurl=www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7E09609A975EA280&search_query=argentina+crisis&usg=__GHkcOG4QKH4QM1tXu7aUSvS7jig=&h=360&w=480&sz=17&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=_NOaOaA2oK1ncM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=129&prev;=/images?q=crisis+in+argentina+2001&hl=en&sa=N&um=1
Exactly the same way the Islands can never import say fresh fruit etc direct from Argentina - standard international regulations require the supply country to provide a biosecurity certificate(phytosanitary certificate) this Argentina refuse to do as it claims the Islands Govt does not exist!! Its not us who ban the import of Argentine products - its your Govt that prohibts their supply!! So instead we get nice stuff from Chile and Uruguay!
You can say that again!
Remove the threat to us, and the british forces will leave and we could even move on to independence in time - but would Arg. ever accept and respect it?
You forgot to mention “In my dreams after smoking Paco”.
You cannot even afford to buy food with your lousy pesos and you talk about a ticket to Stanley..laugh.
es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tronador_II
Nicholas I can buy the ticket of $AR450 from Rio Gallegos and coast the stay in Stanley,buy food and get a plane to flying above our Islands , remember I am not a poor Chilean.
First off all, you can't afford shit, so spare me your travel plans.
Second, in the current economic situation your nation cannot afford developing nuclear weapons nor nuclear power plants . The only country in latin america who is by far capable (but according to American and European experts, they already have them) to develop nuclear weapens are the Brazilians. They already have more nuclear power plants in the pipeline and one is already under construction that will surpass you folks. It's funny, they dominate you all there and not only economically. You, who is still stuck in the past, you were shortly that position, long long time ago but not anymore and it's already been said, even by Argentine ministers, you cannot compete with them. Even Chile is beating you..laugh. Call me a Chilean, at least they are not failures, closed minded idiots and not being fooled by a reckless big spending lying socialist government sponsored by Hugo Chavez like yours. Keep believing your own nonsense , it's going bring you all (you include the other fake patriotic argies here) very very very far (to nowhere)..laugh. You folks are hilarious, bring it on with more fights ..LOL.
Merry Christmas
The answer is NOOOOO!!!! Sorry man, those are our islands and your independence is unacceptable. If you think argentina is threating you, then get use to it. That's the consequence for invading our land and remaining there. Islander, It seems to me you have good will but unfortunately we don't agree.
Ahh Nicholas, you are a completely different story. First of all, stop putting pictures of argentina in sad times because I would have to do this:
blog.elfenwald.org/wp-content/2007/02/bbc-911_wtc7_steht_noch.jpg
This is another
samuelatgilgal.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/world-trade-center.jpg
Do you think the pictures above are funny, you stupid?
May be the next ones
www.thememoryhole.org/war/coffin_photos/dover/page76.htm
www.thememoryhole.org/war/coffin_photos/dover/page82.htm
You wanna laugh? just have a look,
1.bp.blogspot.com/_OfpZQm4cpao/SuZByeLHwAI/AAAAAAAABbk/ZSVRyCfIgt0/s1600-h/piss_poop_American_flag_cut.jpg
Lol!!!
Second of all, you are full of sh*t. Argentina has 2 nuclear plants working and a third one being built, you stupid. All the former brazilian scientists were instructed in Argentina, you asshole!. Argentina helped the brazilians to develop its nuclear sector, you idiot!. And they are not beating us nor the chileans and we are not beating them, you piece of sh*t!!!. You had better go to your favorite night club and pay(as you usually do) for the waitress you like instead of writing crap, you little, sad and short man!!!
Sorry to all the rest, but someone has to put this stupid and ignorant guy in his place.
cheers.
I could put some very grose photos of your war dead on here , but I wont.
now go and enjoy your goat or donkey.
www.falklands25.com/i/memories/51Falkland Island Flag.JPG
P.S. khh, why don't you put your real name coward!!!!
www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/28/world/AP-LT-Argentina-GayMarr.html
-------------------
Adam smith
<www.flightstomelbourne.com.au“; ”dofollow”> flights to Melbourne</a>
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!