Manx Airlines

Manx Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
JE MNX MANX
Founded 1982
Ceased operations 2002
Hubs IOM Isle of Man Airport
Frequent-flyer program Club Sovereign
Fleet size 5 (2002)
Destinations 13
Headquarters Isle of Man Airport
Ballasalla, Malew, Isle of Man
Key people Terry Liddiard
Website N/A

Manx Airlines was an English-owned, Isle of Man-based airline which existed between 1982 and 2002.[1] Its head office was located on the grounds of Isle of Man Airport in Ballasalla, Malew.[2] An airline of the same name had existed between 1947 and 1958.[3]

History

An earlier Manx Airlines had existed from 1953 until early 1958, based at Ronaldsway Airport and equipped with De Havilland Dragon Rapides and Douglas C-47 Dakotas.[4]

The 1982 Manx Airlines was a joint venture founded by British Midland Airways and AirUK.[5] Services commenced on 1 November 1982 and the first flight was JE601, flown from their base at Isle of Man Airport at Ronaldsway, by their Bandeirante to Glasgow.

From 1985 until 1993, the airline had employed the Shorts 360 and the Shorts 330. A Vickers Viscount 836 was operated from October 1983 until October 1988.[6] Before retirement, the Viscount performed several 'champagne' flights, as it was the last to operate scheduled passenger services in the UK.

Manx flew a Saab 340 during 1987-88, which bore "City Hopper" titles when operating the Liverpool-Heathrow shuttle service. In October 1988, the airline collected their first BAe ATP, replacing the Viscount. Manx also flew the BAe 146. Eventually, the airline owned seventeen ATPs. The airline was successful in acquiring Business Air in 1991.

Aircraft operated

Saab 340A "City Hopper" at Liverpool on the Heathrow service in 1988
Manx Airlines Vickers 836 Viscount at IoM Ronaldsway on Liverpool flight in June 1988
Cabin interior of Manx Airlines Shorts 360 in 1992
Manx Airlines BAe Jetstream 31 at Dublin Airport in 1993.

Manx Airlines operated the following types of aircraft:

Expansion and sale

In March 1991 Manx Airlines created Manx Airlines Europe in order to expand and fly routes within the United Kingdom.[7] In 1994 Manx Airlines Europe became a franchise carrier for British Airways, its fleet flying in the colours of British Airways. In September 1996 Manx Airlines Europe changed its name to British Regional Airlines. In March 2001 British Airways purchased the British Regional Airlines Group (holding company of British Regional Airlines and Manx Airlines) for £78m.[8] The airline was merged with Brymon Airways to create British Airways CitiExpress.

Manx Airlines ceased operations on 31 August 2002. Between March 1999 and the date of closure, the fleet was as follows:[9]

Type Registration(s)
BAe 146 G-MIMA
BAe ATP G-MANA, G-MANB, G-MANC
Jetstream 41 G-MAJA

The last flight was planned to be flown by BAe 146 G-MIMA, from London (Gatwick) to Isle of Man Airport (Ronaldsway). However, due to technical problems, a sub-chartered aircraft was brought in to operate this service. Therefore, the honour of operating the last Manx Airlines flight (JE 818 Birmingham International to Ronaldsway) went to Manx-born pilot Captain Paul Quine who was in command of ATP G-MANB, which landed at Ronaldsway at 20:10 GMT on Saturday 31 August 2002.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1983/1983%20-%201535.html
  2. ↑ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 26 March-1 April 1997. 86. "Isle of Man (Ronaldsway) Airport, Ballasalla, Isle of Man, IM9 2JE, UK"
  3. ↑ Merton Jones, 1976, PP.289-290
  4. ↑ Merton Jones, 2000, pp. 166-167
  5. ↑ http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1983/1983%20-%201535.html
  6. ↑ Eastwood 1998, p. 529
  7. ↑ Wings of Mann, Kniveton G N
  8. ↑ Harrison, Michael (15 May 1998). "Airline flotation". The Independent. Retrieved 10 Oct 2013.
  9. ↑ Pither 1999, p. 166
Bibliography
  • Eastwood, Tony (1998), Turbo Prop Airliner Production List, The Aviation Hobby Shop, ISBN 0-907178-69-3 
  • Merton Jones, A.C. (1976), British Independent Airlines since 1946, Merseyside Aviation Society & LAAS, ISBN 0-902420-09-7 
  • Pither, Tony (1999), Airline Fleets 1999, Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd, ISBN 0-85130-278-5 
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