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Airliner World’s comprehensive coverage of worldwide newsTHE ISLES of Scilly Steamship Group
has confirmed plans to launch a new
helicopter link from Land’s End Airport
to the Isles of Scilly this May. The ser-
vice will fly up to eight times daily under
the Island Helicopters brand using a
ten-seat AgustaWestland AW
operated by Gloucester-based
Specialist Aviation Services (SAS).
Chairman of the Isles of Scilly
Steamship Group, Andrew May
remarked: “We’re thrilled to welcome
Island Helicopters to Land’s End Airport
and look forward to sharing our modern
facilities, which already handle more
than 60,000 passengers a year. We
know there is demand from thousands
of people who have really missed the
helicopter since it stopped in 2012.
“We’ve listened to that demand,
investigated what we believe can work,
and have partnered with SAS to make it
happen. This gives visitors and island-
ers more choice over how they travel
and makes the transport network more
resilient, which is exactly what our
customers say they want.”
Henk Schaeken, Managing Director
of SAS, added: “We’re delighted to be
partnering with the Steamship Group to
provide the aircraft and crews for these
new helicopter flights from Land’s End
Airport. The AW169 is a state-of-the-
art helicopter and we’ll be providing
a brand new aircraft straight off theproduction line, offering passengers a
speedy and comfortable service.
We look forward to expanding our
operations in Cornwall.”
Rotary wing services to the islands
were originally launched in 1963
but ended in October 2012 after the
Penzance heliport was closed to make
way for a new supermarket. Since then,
links have been limited to fixed-wing
flights by Skybus or sea ferries, both of
which are operated by the Isles of Scilly
Steamship Group.
The new helicopter operation has
been welcomed by business leaders in
Cornwall, but marks a notable U-turn for
the Steamship Group. Responding last
year to plans from Penzance Heliport
Ltd to launch its own rotary wing
connections to the islands, the firm has
previously maintained there is insuf-
ficient traffic on the route to support
additional capacity beyond its already
established sea and fixed-wing air links.
Penzance Heliport Ltd, which is funded
by a group of private investors,
intends to offer flights using a fleet of
15-seat AW139s from a new heliport in
Penzance. A planning application for
the facility was approved unanimously
by Cornwall Council last February but
the development is currently on hold
after the Isles of Scilly Steamship
Company began proceedings for a judi-
cial review. (Photo Island Helicopters)New Heli-Links
for the Isles of Scilly
IAG Set on European Expansion
INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES Group
(IAG) has reiterated the desire to grow
its operations in Vienna, despite
having had its bid to acquire locally
based carrier Niki rejected.
The conglomerate had outlined plans
to transform the former airberlin
offshoot into an Austrian subsidiary
of its Spanish budget subsidiary
Vueling, but lost out to a rival offer
from Niki Lauda’s Laudamotion (see
Airliner World, March 2018).
IAG CEO Willie Walsh revealed,
however, that it still intends to enter
the market. Speaking in an FY
earnings call, he told Reuters: “You
should expect to see a stronger IAG
presence in Austria.”He refused to speculate as to whether
IAG would continue with its previous
plan of basing five Airbus A320s
in Vienna.
“The advantage for us is having seen
what the market is like there and
established a clearer understand-
ing of the present IAG.” He added:
“We’re now looking to do somethingorganically in Austria.”
Walsh did not disclose which of its
brands the group will use to develop
its presence in Vienna.
He did, however, suggest IAG may
also establish widebody operations
from the Austrian capital, via low-cost
long-haul division Level, “within two
or three years”.TUI’s Fleet Overhaul
Continues
EUROPEAN LEISURE operator TUI
Group has reached another milestone
in its fleet renewal programme after
receiving its maiden Boeing 737 MAX- The jet, which has been suitably
registered OO-MAX (c/n 44588), was
handed over to the conglomerate’s
Brussels-based division, TUI Airlines
Belgium, and is the first of 70 on order,
including a further 51 MAX 8s and 18
stretched MAX 10s.
“The 737 MAX is a great fit for TUI
Group, with 14% lower carbon emis-
sions and a 40% smaller noise footprint
supporting its airlines’ commitment
to sustainability,” Boeing Commercial
Airplanes’ VP European Sales Monty
Oliver remarked. “We are honoured by
the TUI Group's continued confidence
in our products and look forward to the
many MAX deliveries that lie ahead.”
(Photo Boeing/Craig Larsen)Not so Blue
This partially titled Airbus A350-941, F-WZGX (c/n 193, to be F-HREV), is the second example
destined for Parisian start-up French Bee. The Air Caraïbes subsidiary was previously known
as French Blue but changed its name earlier this year following an objection from US low-cost
carrier JetBlue. EUROSPOT