Fly Gibraltar

Fly Gibraltar was a proposed low-cost airline associated with Gibraltar that was announced in 2006 but never operated a scheduled flight. The venture was described as foreign-owned and was linked to OEM (International) Ltd, a construction company. Its proposed business model focused on short-haul connections between Gibraltar and a group of British and Irish cities, including Dublin, Cork, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and London Stansted. Press activity began in August 2006, when organizers presented the airline as a prospective new carrier for Gibraltar. The initial plan reportedly called for flights to begin in April 2007. During its first year, the airline said that it expected to operate under the air operator certificate of Astraeus, rather than immediately holding its own operating authorization. The proposed carrier also publicized a timetable for online bookings, with the website indicating that reservations might become available from March 2007. The launch timetable was repeatedly delayed. A later announcement placed the operation on hold until June, or possibly until spring 2008. In June 2007, however, Fly Gibraltar announced that it would not commence any operations. The stated obstacle was its inability to provide a £10 million insurance bond required by the Civil Aviation Authority before it could begin business. The available account also indicates that there was no evidence that Fly Gibraltar had actually contacted either Astraeus or the Civil Aviation Authority. UK airline-industry sources reportedly expressed skepticism shortly after the venture's public presentation, characterizing the proposal as unrealistic. The airline's failure to launch was also connected to the wider difficulties surrounding its corporate backer. OEM (International) Ltd was a construction company whose building contracts were later cancelled by the Government of Gibraltar. The cancellation did not turn Fly Gibraltar into an operating airline or produce a continuing consumer-facing business. Its website, which had briefly promoted the proposed service, subsequently became unavailable. Fly Gibraltar therefore remained a proposed airline brand rather than a functioning carrier. It had no documented passenger operations, completed route network, fleet, or sustained booking service. Gibraltar government representatives said that the routes promoted by Fly Gibraltar would instead be offered to other airlines, leaving the brand as an example of an announced but unrealized regional aviation venture.

Fly Gibraltar emerged in 2006 as a proposed foreign-owned low-cost airline intended to be based in Gibraltar. The venture was associated with OEM (International) Ltd, a construction company, and was presented as a means of establishing new direct air links between Gibraltar, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Public announcements and press releases were issued in August 2006, at a time when Gibraltar's scheduled air connectivity was a prominent local issue. The proposed route plan included Dublin, Cork, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and London Stansted. The airline stated that it intended to start flying in April 2007. Its organizers initially said that flights during the first year would be conducted under Astraeus's air operator certificate. This arrangement was presented as a way to support the launch before the proposed company established or used its own operating authorization. However, available accounts do not show evidence that Fly Gibraltar actually contacted Astraeus or the Civil Aviation Authority to finalize the arrangement. Fly Gibraltar's launch preparations did not progress as advertised. Its briefly available website claimed that online bookings would open from March 2007, but the website later became non-functional. Following delays, the company announced that the project was on hold until June or perhaps spring 2008. In June 2007, it issued a further announcement stating that it would not execute any operations. The explanation was that the company could not deposit the £10 million insurance bond required by the Civil Aviation Authority before it could commence business. The proposed carrier also faced questions about the position of its corporate backer. OEM (International) Ltd was a construction company whose building contracts were subsequently cancelled by the Government of Gibraltar. UK airline-industry sources reportedly questioned the feasibility of the airline soon after its public presentation. The project consequently remained an announced proposal rather than becoming an operating airline: there is no documented evidence of scheduled passenger flights, an active fleet, completed bookings, or a functioning route network. Government representatives in Gibraltar said that the routes advertised by Fly Gibraltar would be offered to other airlines. This marked the effective end of the brand's airline plans. Fly Gibraltar is therefore best understood as a defunct proposed airline brand whose principal historical significance lies in its unrealized attempt to expand Gibraltar's regional air services.

• 2007

  Planned April launch is delayed

  [1]Fly Gibraltaren.wikipedia.org

  The airline does not begin flying as originally planned and later places the proposed operation on hold.

• 2007

  Operations are cancelled

  [1]Fly Gibraltaren.wikipedia.org

  Fly Gibraltar announces that it will not commence service because it cannot provide the required insurance bond.

• 2006

  Fly Gibraltar is publicly proposed

  [1]Fly Gibraltaren.wikipedia.org

  Press releases describe a planned foreign-owned low-cost airline based in Gibraltar and outline intended links to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

A proposed low-cost airline intended to improve direct air links between Gibraltar and selected cities in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

• Passenger airline services

  Proposed scheduled passenger services

  Fly Gibraltar planned to sell low-cost scheduled flights linking Gibraltar with several cities in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The published proposal included Dublin, Cork, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and London Stansted. The service never launched, so no passenger product was commercially delivered.

• 2007

  Decision not to commence operationsOther

  Background

  The planned airline could not meet the Civil Aviation Authority's requirement for a £10 million insurance bond.

  Action taken

  Fly Gibraltar announced that it would not execute any operations.

  Aftermath

  The airline never launched, and Gibraltar government representatives said that the proposed routes would be offered to other airlines.

  Required insurance bond. Not deposited (2007)

  Source

• 2006

  Plan to launch a Gibraltar-based low-cost airlineStrategy

  Background

  The organizers sought to establish a new carrier serving Gibraltar and selected destinations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

  Action taken

  Fly Gibraltar publicized a proposed route network and stated that it intended to begin flying in April 2007, initially using operations under Astraeus's air operator certificate.

  Aftermath

  The proposed launch was delayed and the operating arrangement was not documented as having been completed.

  Source

1. 1Fly Gibraltaren.wikipedia.org