Atlantic Star Airlines

Atlantic Star Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
OR TFL ORANGE
Founded 2012
Commenced operations 2016
Operating bases Saint Helena Airport
Destinations 2
Website www.atlanticstarairlines.com

Atlantic Star Airlines is a British company founded by three former and present British Airways pilots.[1] They plan to create an airline specifically to serve the British Overseas Territory of St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean once the island's first airport, St Helena Airport, opens in 2016.

The company seeks to bid for the government contract to fly to St Helena, to be subsidised by the British Department for International Development (DFID).[2] Plans are to serve a route network that will operate from London, down to the island and on to Cape Town with a Boeing 757-200 aircraft which is expected to be provided under a wet lease agreement.[3][4][5][6]


History

Atlantic Star Airlines was incorporated as a private limited company in England & Wales on 20 November 2012.[7] In June 2013 Atlantic Star Airlines announced that it plans to offer weekly direct flights from London to St. Helena with a fuel stop most likely at Madrid–Barajas Airport,[8][9] and a weekly flight from St Helena to Cape Town.[3]

According to Atlantic Star Airlines, any airline starting on the new St Helena route would need financial subsidies during the first years of operation while passenger numbers pick up.[8]

In July 2015 the airline announced that negotiations to use a Titan Airways aircraft had been terminated and this will cause a delay to the proposed service.[10]

In October 2015 Atlantic Star Airlines announced that their new leasing agreement will be with TUIfly, who will operate a Boeing 737-800 on the route from London Gatwick Airport to St Helena, via a short fuel stop in Banjul, Gambia. The two-class configuration will offer Economy and Economy Plus seating options.

Details have been announced of the first flight to commence [11] late evening of Sunday 20 March, arriving mid-morning in St Helena on Monday 21 March. The aircraft will then leave St Helena around lunchtime, to arrive back at Gatwick late the same night. The second service will operate to a similar schedule, leaving Gatwick on Sunday 3 April to arrive in St Helena on 4 April, departing St Helena the same day to arrive at London Gatwick late that night. These dates will have to be rescheduled, because of a delay in the opening date of the St Helena airport.[12]

Destinations

Charter flights operated by TUI Airlines Netherlands using a twin-engined Boeing 737 airline between London-Luton Airport and Saint Helena Airport are scheduled to start in May 2016. The flight will make a technical stop at Banjul International Airport in Gambia.

As the company is not protected by ATOL, ticket sales are being handled by a separate company, TravelPack Limited, on behalf of Atlantic Star.

References

  1. ↑ "Meet the Team". Atlantic Star Airlines. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "Airline dream that began with a map on the kitchen floor". St Helena Online. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  3. 1 2 Pipe, Simon (14 June 2013). "No flights from London? Woah, I'm going to Barbados…". St Helena Online (Jamestown).
  4. ↑ "Atlantic Star Airlines Update" (PDF). The St Helena Independent 2 (25) (Jamestown). 12 September 2013. p. 13.
  5. ↑ "A New Star in the Sky" (PDF). The St Helena Independent 8 (44) (Jamestown). 18 October 2013. p. 6.
  6. ↑ "St Helena's Atlantic Star Airlines plans launch in 2016" (PDF). The St Helena Independent 9 (21) (Jamestown). 2 May 2014. p. 4.
  7. ↑ "Atlantic Star Airlines Limited". Company Check. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  8. 1 2 Vince Thompson (18 October 2013). "Atlantic Star – The Only Plane in the St Helena Sky" (PDF). The St Helena Independent 8 (44) (Jamestown). p. 9.
  9. ↑ Olsson, Mikael (9 May 2014). "There is a connection" (PDF). The St Helena Independent IX (22) (Jamestown). p. 3.
  10. ↑ Atlantic Star Airlines must regretfully announce that there will be a delay to the sale of tickets.
  11. ↑ Atlantic Star Airlines Press Release 28th October 2015
  12. ↑ AIRPORT BOARD GRANTS ADDITIONAL TIME TO ACHIEVE OPERATIONAL READINESS

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