Astraeus Airlines

Astraeus Airlines was the trading name of Astraeus Limited, a British airline headquartered at Astraeus House in Crawley, West Sussex, and principally based at London Gatwick Airport. The company was founded in January 2001 and began charter operations in April 2002 with Boeing 737 aircraft. Its name was derived from Astraeus, a figure associated with dusk in Greek mythology. The airline initially developed as a charter operator serving United Kingdom leisure-tourism companies, providing seasonal capacity for summer and winter programs. For a short period it also operated under the Flystar brand. The carrier expanded its fleet and capabilities during the middle of the 2000s. Boeing 757 aircraft were added in 2004, allowing Astraeus to serve longer-range charter requirements and offer greater passenger capacity. By 2008, its fleet had grown to include Boeing 737-300, 737-700 and Boeing 757-200 aircraft. The company was described in 2009 as the only remaining airline charter company based at Gatwick, reflecting its position in the United Kingdom’s specialist charter market rather than as a large scheduled airline. Astraeus also built a business around ad hoc and contracted aviation capacity. It supplied aircraft and crews for sports teams, military movements, government work, entertainment clients and general leisure or business charters. Reported clients and users included football clubs such as Manchester United and Arsenal, the English and Irish football associations, and entertainment companies including Disney and Warner Bros. These assignments complemented its regular charter activity and gave the airline a diversified, flexible operating profile. In May 2008, Astraeus changed its operating model. It stopped concentrating on full-time charter and scheduled flying and instead focused on aircraft sublease services. The company offered wet leases, in which aircraft were supplied with crew and operational support; damp leases, generally involving aircraft with some crew support; and dry leases, in which aircraft were supplied without operating crews. This model enabled Astraeus to place aircraft with clients for short- or long-term requirements anywhere in the world. Astraeus held a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with at least 20 seats, and it was registered under the International Air Transport Association’s IOSA safety-audit program. A notable part of the brand’s public profile came from its association with Iron Maiden. Bruce Dickinson, the band’s lead singer, served as an Astraeus captain and marketing director while continuing his music career. He flew several high-profile charter flights, including a 2010 flight carrying Liverpool Football Club to Naples. Astraeus also operated specially branded aircraft for Iron Maiden’s tours. The most prominent example was the Boeing 757 known as “Ed Force One,” which was repainted in Iron Maiden graphics and flown by Dickinson for the band’s Somewhere Back in Time touring activity in 2008 and 2009. A different Astraeus 757 was used for the band’s 2011 The Final Frontier World Tour. Astraeus was wholly owned by the Icelandic travel group Eignarhaldsfelagid Fengur hf, which also owned Iceland Express. The airline ceased operations and entered administration on 21 November 2011. Astraeus attributed the closure to a shortage of winter 2011 contracts together with serious technical difficulties and what it characterized as exceptionally unfavorable circumstances. The company is therefore remembered as a specialist British charter, wet-lease and aircraft-sublease operator rather than as a continuing passenger airline.

Astraeus Limited was established in January 2001 as a British airline company and adopted Astraeus Airlines as its trading name. The business was based in Crawley, West Sussex, close to its principal operating base at London Gatwick Airport. It began commercial charter operations in April 2002 using Boeing 737 aircraft. Its initial role was to provide seasonal aircraft capacity for United Kingdom leisure-tourism operators, particularly during the summer and winter holiday periods. For a short period, some operations were conducted under the Flystar brand. The airline expanded in response to the needs of charter customers. Boeing 757 aircraft joined the fleet in 2004, giving Astraeus a larger and longer-range aircraft type. By 2008, the fleet comprised Boeing 737-300s, Boeing 737-700s and Boeing 757-200s. The airline became known for supplying capacity beyond conventional leisure charters, including sports-team movements, military flights, government contracts, entertainment work and other one-off or recurring charters. Reported users included Manchester United, Arsenal, the English and Irish football associations, Disney and Warner Bros. Astraeus changed direction in May 2008. Rather than continue as an airline primarily committed to full-time charter and scheduled services, it concentrated on sublease operations. Its offering included wet leases, damp leases and dry leases, allowing clients to obtain aircraft for varying periods and with different levels of crew and operational support. This repositioning made Astraeus a flexible provider of aircraft capacity, able to deploy its aircraft internationally for short- and long-term requirements. The airline retained a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence and was listed as an IOSA-registered company under the International Air Transport Association framework. The company was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Icelandic travel group Eignarhaldsfelagid Fengur hf, which also owned Iceland Express. Astraeus's corporate identity received unusual international attention through its relationship with Iron Maiden. Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden's lead vocalist, worked for the airline as a captain and marketing director. He flew Boeing 757 aircraft and undertook high-profile charter assignments, including a flight carrying Liverpool Football Club to Naples in October 2010. Iron Maiden also commissioned Astraeus aircraft for touring. One Boeing 757 was converted to a combi configuration and painted in the band's livery for the Somewhere Back in Time tour in 2008. Known as Ed Force One, the aircraft was flown by Dickinson and used again during the second leg of the tour in 2009. For the band's The Final Frontier World Tour in 2011, another Astraeus Boeing 757 received a related but slightly different Iron Maiden livery. Astraeus continued to rely on charter and sublease contracts, but its operating position weakened in 2011. The airline reported that it lacked sufficient contracts for the winter season and also experienced serious technical difficulties. On 21 November 2011, it ceased operations and entered administration. The closure ended the company's activity as a British charter and aircraft-leasing operator.

• 2011

  Operations end

  [1]Astraeus Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Astraeus ceases flying and enters administration on 21 November after reporting insufficient winter contracts and technical problems.

• 2008

  Business model shifts toward subleasing

  [1]Astraeus Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Astraeus reduces its emphasis on full-time charter and scheduled flying and focuses on wet, damp and dry aircraft leasing.

• 2008

  Ed Force One enters Iron Maiden touring service

  [1]Astraeus Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  An Astraeus Boeing 757 is converted, repainted and used by Iron Maiden for its Somewhere Back in Time tour.

• 2004

  Boeing 757 aircraft join the fleet

  [1]Astraeus Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The airline adds Boeing 757 aircraft to support larger-capacity and longer-range charter requirements.

• 2002

  Charter operations begin

  [1]Astraeus Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  Astraeus commences charter flying in April with Boeing 737 aircraft.

• 2001

  Astraeus Limited is established

  [1]Astraeus Airlinesen.wikipedia.org

  The British airline company is founded in January 2001 and begins developing its Astraeus Airlines trading identity.

A flexible specialist charter and aircraft-capacity provider serving leisure, institutional, sports and entertainment customers, with a later strategic emphasis on wet, damp and dry leasing.

• Passenger air charter · 2002

  Leisure charter flights

  Astraeus began as a seasonal charter airline serving United Kingdom leisure-tourism operators. It supplied aircraft capacity for summer and winter programs and used Boeing 737 and Boeing 757 aircraft to match different route lengths and passenger volumes.

• Aircraft leasing · 2008

  Wet lease services

  Under its wet-lease offering, Astraeus supplied aircraft together with crew and operational support. This service allowed clients to add short- or long-term flying capacity without independently providing the aircraft operating organization.

• Aircraft leasing · 2008

  Damp and dry lease services

  Astraeus also offered damp-lease and dry-lease arrangements, providing clients with different combinations of aircraft, crew and operational responsibility. These services formed the core of the company's later strategy to place aircraft internationally.

• Ad hoc aviation services

  Specialist charter capacity

  The airline arranged one-off and contracted flights for sports teams, military users, government bodies, entertainment companies and other leisure or business customers. This work included high-profile sports charters and branded touring aircraft.

• 2011Iron Maiden The Final Frontier aircraft

  International

  A different Astraeus Boeing 757 was prepared with an Iron Maiden livery for The Final Frontier World Tour, continuing the airline's role in the band's touring logistics.

  Outcome. The aircraft provided tour capacity before Astraeus ceased operations later in 2011.

  Source
• 2008Ed Force One

  International

  Astraeus converted and repainted a Boeing 757 in Iron Maiden branding for the band's Somewhere Back in Time world tour. Bruce Dickinson, who was both an Astraeus captain and Iron Maiden's lead singer, flew the aircraft, creating a high-profile connection between the airline and the music audience.

  Outcome. The aircraft was used during the 2008 tour and again during its second leg in 2009, substantially increasing public awareness of Astraeus outside the conventional charter-airline market.

  Source

• 2011

  Cessation of operations and administrationOther

  Background

  The airline reported a lack of contracts for winter 2011 and serious technical difficulties.

  Action taken

  Astraeus stopped flying and entered administration on 21 November 2011.

  Aftermath

  The airline became defunct and no longer provided passenger, charter or aircraft-leasing services.

  Source

• 2008

  Strategic shift to aircraft subleasingStrategy

  Background

  Astraeus had developed as a leisure charter operator but also had experience supplying ad hoc aircraft capacity to institutional, sports and entertainment customers.

  Action taken

  The company stopped concentrating on full-time charter and scheduled service flying and prioritized wet-lease, damp-lease and dry-lease arrangements.

  Aftermath

  The shift positioned Astraeus as an internationally deployable aircraft-capacity provider, but the company ultimately ceased operations in 2011 after reporting inadequate winter contracts and technical problems.

  Source

1. 1Astraeus Airlinesen.wikipedia.org