TheLocalYokel
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This occurrence reportedly involves three airlines and three airports according to a report in The Scotsman newspaper. See below link to story.
This week the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their young children flew from Norwich to Aberdeen with Flybe, an occurrence that has seen a lot of press coverage given that Flybe is perceived as a 'budget airline', and it contrasts with the publicity recently afforded the Duke's brother who, with his wife and young son, reportedly took advantage of an offer by the entertainer Elton John to use his private jet for a number of private engagements.
However, The Scotsman reports that aircraft were switched and flown empty to accommodate the Royal party (it must be said that it seems clear that this was certainly not at the behest of the Duke of Cambridge or his staff).
Eastern Airways flies the route on behalf of Flybe but they in turn use Loganair to fly for them. According to the report Flybe wanted to maximise publicity and use an aircraft in Flybe livery so an empty Eastern E145 in Flybe livery was flown from Humberside to Norwich, and this aircraft operated the flight from there to Aberdeen with the Royal party and other passengers.
The Loganiar E145 that should have flown that sector was reportedly positioned with no passengers from Norwich to Aberdeen so that it would be available to operate the next scheduled sector from there.
Eastern says it swapped the aircraft so it would be “wholly compliant and in control of the operation”. Flybe denied the switch was for publicity purposes and said the decision was entirely Eastern's.
The Scotsman says that the two empty flights cost around four tonnes of carbon.
Whichever senior person at Eastern made the decision was either naive or unconcerned because he/she ought to have known that the matter of the empty flights would reach the press, and any positive publicity gained by the airline would be counteracted by the fuel burn and carbon criticism. Why would they need to switch anyway (assuming we believe the denial that it was for publicity purposes)? Loganair is a perfectly able UK-registered airline as is Eastern, and Flybe for that matter.
Jets flew empty for 500 miles to pick up Royals for Aberdeen visit
Two empty jets were flown on behalf of Flybe some 500 miles as part of taking the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children to Aberdeen on Thursday, The Scotsman has learned.
www.scotsman.com
This week the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their young children flew from Norwich to Aberdeen with Flybe, an occurrence that has seen a lot of press coverage given that Flybe is perceived as a 'budget airline', and it contrasts with the publicity recently afforded the Duke's brother who, with his wife and young son, reportedly took advantage of an offer by the entertainer Elton John to use his private jet for a number of private engagements.
However, The Scotsman reports that aircraft were switched and flown empty to accommodate the Royal party (it must be said that it seems clear that this was certainly not at the behest of the Duke of Cambridge or his staff).
Eastern Airways flies the route on behalf of Flybe but they in turn use Loganair to fly for them. According to the report Flybe wanted to maximise publicity and use an aircraft in Flybe livery so an empty Eastern E145 in Flybe livery was flown from Humberside to Norwich, and this aircraft operated the flight from there to Aberdeen with the Royal party and other passengers.
The Loganiar E145 that should have flown that sector was reportedly positioned with no passengers from Norwich to Aberdeen so that it would be available to operate the next scheduled sector from there.
Eastern says it swapped the aircraft so it would be “wholly compliant and in control of the operation”. Flybe denied the switch was for publicity purposes and said the decision was entirely Eastern's.
The Scotsman says that the two empty flights cost around four tonnes of carbon.
Whichever senior person at Eastern made the decision was either naive or unconcerned because he/she ought to have known that the matter of the empty flights would reach the press, and any positive publicity gained by the airline would be counteracted by the fuel burn and carbon criticism. Why would they need to switch anyway (assuming we believe the denial that it was for publicity purposes)? Loganair is a perfectly able UK-registered airline as is Eastern, and Flybe for that matter.