Air Southwest

:"Not to be confused with Southwest Airlines."Infobox_Airline
airline=Air Southwest
logo=New asw lgog.jpg
logo_size=150
IATA=WO
ICAO=WOW
callsign=SWALLOW
parent=Sutton Harbour Holdings Plc
company_slogan = "A breath of fresh air"
founded=2003
key_people=James Cameron, CEO
headquarters=Plymouth
hubs=Plymouth City Airport
focus_cities=Newquay, Bristol,
frequent_flyer=
lounge=
alliance=
fleet_size=5
destinations=12
website=http://www.airsouthwest.com/

Air Southwest Limited is a British airline based in Plymouth, England. It operates regional scheduled passenger services from the south west of England. Its main base is Plymouth City Airport, with hubs at Bristol International Airport and Newquay Cornwall Airportcite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= Flight International | page= 67 | date= 2007-03-27] .

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. [ [http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=183&pagetype=90&pageid=340 Operating Licence] ]

History

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 South West Limited on 3 June 2003. [ [http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/51bd87d5ea332801c74d320eba7914f7/compdetails Company Details] ]

Air Southwest was established in May 2003 to fill the void left by the withdrawal of British Airways from the south west of England. Operations began on 26 October 2003, the day after BA withdrew from the market, with the Plymouth-Newquay-London Gatwick route. This was soon followed by the introduction of the Plymouth-Bristol-Manchester route which was later extended to Jersey. Fact|date=April 2007

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. Fact|date=April 2007

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.

On Saturdays during the summer, the airline operates a weekly charter flight between Jersey and Leeds-Bradford. The airline also operates charter flights on behalf of Plymouth Argyle F.C., transporting players and supporters to away games.

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.

The airline is a wholly owned subsidiary of Plymouth-based regeneration and transport group Sutton Harbour Holdings Plc, which also owns and operates Plymouth City Airport. The airline employs 150 people and is headed by Chief Executive Jim Cameron and Deputy Chief Executive Mike Coombes .

Air Southwest's Summer 2007 schedule included the discontinuation of the Bristol to Norwich service on 14 January 2007, the airlines first route discontinuation since inception in 2003. The airline further consolidated its route network with the discontinuation of the direct Newquay to Leeds-Bradford service which has routed via Bristol Airport from 16 January 2007, and an increase in frequency on the Plymouth to Manchester service which was increased to twice daily, via Bristol, on 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; Grenoble is due to start on 20 December 2008.

Service

On 19 February 2008 the airlines announced the launch of "Business Plus". For a premium, customers choosing this service benefit from [ [http://www.airsouthwest.com/latestnews.shtml News: Business Plus] ] :
*Free changes to booking up to two hours before flight departure
*Business lounge access
*Fast track security
*Free drink on-board
*Increased baggage allowance of 30 kg

Destinations

Air Southwest operates to the following destinations:

*Bristol (Bristol International Airport)
*Cork (Cork International Airport)
*Dublin (Dublin Airport)
*Glasgow (Glasgow International Airport)
*Grenoble (Grenoble Airport) (begins 20th December 2008)
*Jersey (Jersey Airport)
*Leeds/Bradford (Leeds Bradford International Airport)
*London (London Gatwick Airport)
*Manchester (Manchester Airport)
*Newcastle (Newcastle Airport)
*Newquay (Newquay Cornwall Airport)
*Plymouth (Plymouth City Airport)

Fleet

The Air Southwest fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2007) :

*5 Bombardier Dash 8 300 with 50 seats

External links

* [http://www.airsouthwest.com/ Official website]

References