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Carlisle becomes gateway to US in tie-up between Stobart Group and Aer Lingus Carlisle becomes gateway to US in tie-up between Stobart Group and Aer Lingus
(4 days later)
Soon there will be a new way to get to New York: from Carlisle, on a 48-seater twin-turboprop plane operated by the haulier Stobart. The company that owns 49% of the famous Eddie Stobart green lorries is preparing to start services from the tiny Carlisle Lake District airport to New York and five other North American cities, costing from £209 each way.Soon there will be a new way to get to New York: from Carlisle, on a 48-seater twin-turboprop plane operated by the haulier Stobart. The company that owns 49% of the famous Eddie Stobart green lorries is preparing to start services from the tiny Carlisle Lake District airport to New York and five other North American cities, costing from £209 each way.
Andrew Tinkler, chief executive of Stobart Group, said the first flights from the former RAF base six miles east of Carlisle would take off to the US, via Dublin, next summer.Andrew Tinkler, chief executive of Stobart Group, said the first flights from the former RAF base six miles east of Carlisle would take off to the US, via Dublin, next summer.
“The idea is you can fly from Carlisle to Dublin, go fast through [US] customs in Dublin and on to an Aer Lingus transatlantic flight, and walk through domestic [terminal on arrival on US soil],” he said.“The idea is you can fly from Carlisle to Dublin, go fast through [US] customs in Dublin and on to an Aer Lingus transatlantic flight, and walk through domestic [terminal on arrival on US soil],” he said.
The weekly flight from Carlisle to Dublin will be operated by Stobart Air’s 48-seater ATR42-500 jet. At Dublin passengers will undertake all US immigration and customs inspections before transferring to Aer Lingus flights to New York, Orlando, Boston, Chicago, Toronto and San Francisco. The weekly flight from Carlisle to Dublin will be operated by Stobart Air’s 48-seater ATR42-500 jet. At Dublin passengers will undertake all US immigration and customs inspections before transferring to Aer Lingus flights to New York, Orlando, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, and can also fly on to Toronto..
They will also be able to indulge in duty-free shopping during the stopover in Dublin airport. There are not many shopping opportunities at Carlisle airport, which started life as a second world war airfield in 1941: facilities stretch to Cafe Stobart on the ground floor of the control tower.They will also be able to indulge in duty-free shopping during the stopover in Dublin airport. There are not many shopping opportunities at Carlisle airport, which started life as a second world war airfield in 1941: facilities stretch to Cafe Stobart on the ground floor of the control tower.
Tinkler said he expected about 20,000 people a year to fly between Carlisle and the US. He said flights would cost the same as from Newcastle to New York, £209, “if not a little bit less, as it is a bit closer than Newcastle” .Tinkler said he expected about 20,000 people a year to fly between Carlisle and the US. He said flights would cost the same as from Newcastle to New York, £209, “if not a little bit less, as it is a bit closer than Newcastle” .
Stobart Air, which is 45%-owned by Stobart Group, already operates Aer Lingus UK routes to Dublin from Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Blackpool, Manchester, Leeds Bradford, East Midlands, Birmingham, London Southend, Cardiff, Bristol and Bournemouth – as well as from Jersey and the Isle of Man.Stobart Air, which is 45%-owned by Stobart Group, already operates Aer Lingus UK routes to Dublin from Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Blackpool, Manchester, Leeds Bradford, East Midlands, Birmingham, London Southend, Cardiff, Bristol and Bournemouth – as well as from Jersey and the Isle of Man.
Tinkler said Stobart Air would also start twice-weekly flights from Carlisle to London Southend. Both airports are owned by Stobart Group, so the company will “collect income at both ends as well as on the flight”.Tinkler said Stobart Air would also start twice-weekly flights from Carlisle to London Southend. Both airports are owned by Stobart Group, so the company will “collect income at both ends as well as on the flight”.
He said London Southend, which Stobart bought for £21m in 2008, had increased passenger numbers by 19% to more than 1 million a year.He said London Southend, which Stobart bought for £21m in 2008, had increased passenger numbers by 19% to more than 1 million a year.
Tinkler said he was aiming to attract more airlines to Southend, a base for easyJet and Flybe, as central London airspace became increasingly crowded.Tinkler said he was aiming to attract more airlines to Southend, a base for easyJet and Flybe, as central London airspace became increasingly crowded.
“There are not the peak-time slots available for anyone that wants to grow in London,” he said. “We [London Southend] are just outside London airspace, meaning flights are 10-15 minutes quicker, and because we’re a small airport you can get through the terminal in 10 minutes.”“There are not the peak-time slots available for anyone that wants to grow in London,” he said. “We [London Southend] are just outside London airspace, meaning flights are 10-15 minutes quicker, and because we’re a small airport you can get through the terminal in 10 minutes.”
Asked whether it was not a bit cheeky to brand the airport – which is 42 miles from the palace of Westminster – London Southend, Tinkler said: “If you think that, then Stansted isn’t London either.”Asked whether it was not a bit cheeky to brand the airport – which is 42 miles from the palace of Westminster – London Southend, Tinkler said: “If you think that, then Stansted isn’t London either.”
Journeys from London Liverpool Street to Southend airport take roughly five minutes longer than the 45 minutes it can take to get from Liverpool Street to Stansted.Journeys from London Liverpool Street to Southend airport take roughly five minutes longer than the 45 minutes it can take to get from Liverpool Street to Stansted.
Tinkler is a former brother-in-law of Eddie Stobart’s son William, who is chief executive of Eddie Stobart Logistics, the company that owns the famous lorries.Tinkler is a former brother-in-law of Eddie Stobart’s son William, who is chief executive of Eddie Stobart Logistics, the company that owns the famous lorries.
• This article was amended on 27 October 2014 to clarify a sentence which suggested passengers would undertake US immigration and customs inspections at Dublin before flying to Toronto.