Airline passenger news and views

UK charter airline Astraeus Airlines, with its base in Crawley, Sussex, has announced it has ceased operations after nine years in the business.

The company is notorious for having the lead singer of classic metal band Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, as a pilot and marketing director.

Astraeus chief executive Hugh Parry said: "We battled hard to save Astraeus, but lower-than-expected levels of business during the summer of 2011, a lack of contracts for winter 2011-2012, and some extremely bad luck with a number of technical issues mean that we have no option but to cease all operations and put Astraeus Airlines in the hands of the administrators.

"Every effort has been made to ensure that any passengers affected already have or will be able to complete their journey.

"It is small comfort to those affected and impacted, I realise, but Astraeus comprised a fantastic team who did a fantastic job - quite possibly the best team in their aviation business sector."

Dickinson, 53, was flying 250 passengers from Jeddah International Airport in Saudi Arabia, to Manchester, when he learnt about the final decision and was ordered to cease operations immediately.

The singer has used the airline to transport his band during a tour in 2008 and he also flew the Liverpool football team to Naples in October 2010 for a Europe League match.

But he has also been involved in less festive flights: in 2006 he flew 200 UK citizens home from Lebanon during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

He also piloted an Iceland Express aircraft to fly home 180 stranded holidaymakers from Egypt after the collapse of XL Airways in 2008.

Astraeus is owned by Icelandic firm Eignarhaldsfelagid Fengur. The carrier, established in 2002, had operated a range of aeroplanes including Boeing 757-200s, 737s and Airbus A320s. The company switched to leasing aeroplanes in 2008, and it has provided planes to many major carriers such as BMI, Iceland Express or Tonlisap Airlines to cover routes when needed.

Is the second airline to collapse recently after the Essex-based airline Skyjet has said it had filed for bankruptcy.

Be the first to comment on this.