manx

The History of Manx Airlines

Manx Airlines has served the Isle of Man since 1st November 1982. However, although Manx Airlines as it is known today was founded in 1982, the 'first' Manx Airlines was formed in 1953.
Manx Airlines was formed in 1953, the result of a sequence of events dating from 1947 when Manx Air Charters was founded, operating from Ronaldsway Airport, initially in association with Air Charter Services, the name Manx Airlines being adopted to more accurately reflect the airline's Isle of Man roots on February 21 1953. 1953

In 1956 the airline was taken over by the British Aviation Services Group, becoming fully integrated into Silver City Airways in 1958, and the name Manx Airlines ceased to exist until the formation of the 'new' Manx Airlines in 1982. 1956
Manx Airlines' headquarters originally were in Compton House, Castletown. Manx Airlines currently operates out of some six locations at Ronaldsway Airport, with its main complexes at Viscount House, Leslie Vondy House and its engineering and maintenance hangar facility, plus the cargo office, stores at Balthane, and an extensive customer service presence in the terminal building.

Manx Airlines is born
Sir Michael Bishop, who has been chairman of Manx Airlines since its inception, appointed Terry Liddiard, previously with British Midland Airways, to start up the new airline in 1982.

Terry Liddiard, along with Captain Norman Brewitt, developed the first operational routes for the newly formed company with the intention of serving the Island community and providing a quick and convenient service for visitors to the Island.

On its inaugural day - November 1 1982 - Manx Airlines operated three rotations to Liverpool, two to London Heathrow, Manchester, Belfast and Glasgow, and return services to Blackpool and Dublin. A Liverpool - Belfast service also operated twice.

On average every week Manx Airlines currently operates up to 165 round trips, serving London Heathrow, London Luton, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, Glasgow, Southampton, Dublin and Jersey. In addition, it serves Jersey from Cardiff and also operates seasonal summer schedules from Dublin and Cork to Jersey.

During 1983 Manx Airlines' network expanded with weekend services to Edinburgh and Jersey, the latter via Blackpool, and the company began to operate the Shorts 330 aircraft, with its later and larger derivative, the Shorts 360, serving the company well until earlier in 2000, when it was replaced by a Jetstream 41.
Other aircraft operated in the past have included F27s, Viscounts, a Bandeirante, DHC Twin Otter, Piper Navajo and Jetstream 31s. The current Manx Airlines fleet comprises five aircraft in total, one BAe 146-200, three BAe ATPs, and one Jetstream 41, and together with British Regional Airlines, (Manx Airlines' parent company) the British Regional Airlines Group's total fleet numbers around 50 - making it one of the largest in Europe - with additional Embraer 145 regional jets. the mainstay of British Regional's fleet, due for delivery by the end of 2001.

In 1984 the pioneering concept of the Farecracker fare was first launched on the Isle of Man - Liverpool service. The fare continues to represent affordable air travel and at the time of writing is priced at Ł60 return inclusive of taxes and charges.

During 1985 a third London Heathrow rotation was introduced, together with seasonal services to Newcastle, Leeds Bradford and Birmingham.
In 1985, when the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company switched its major port from Liverpool to Heysham, Manx Airlines extended its Liverpool Farecracker service to include weekends.

In 1986 Manx Airlines took over the Liverpool - Heathrow service from British Midland, and in July of that year the company carried its one millionth passenger. (In 1999 alone Manx Airlines carried 597,000 passengers).

1987 saw the inauguration of a jet service between the Isle of Man and London Heathrow, operated by a BAe146-100. The introduction of the jet reduced the flying time to just one hour and its arrival at London Heathrow in December that year marked the first ever landing of a BAe 146 on a scheduled service.

1988 saw Manx Airlines reservations - now the telephone sales centre - commence operations from Viscount House, where it still remains, although now much enlarged and supported by a Liverpool call centre.
1988 was also when one of Manx Airlines' current fleet mainstays - the BAe ATP (Advanced Turbo Prop) entered service and when the Viscount was finally withdrawn from the fleet. That same year 25 per cent (75% already being owned) of Manx Airlines was acquired by the Airlines of Britain Group, also the holding company of British Regional Airlines.

Manx Airlines engineering and maintenance facility came into operation in April 1989, since when it has expanded both in terms of workforce - currently some 420 - and size. There are now two hangars, plus ancillary offices and a training school. The department also now operates an apprenticeship scheme in partnership with the Isle of Man College, Department of Trade and Industry and Brunel University. The complex is now the company's principal maintenance facility, not only for the Manx Airlines fleet, but also for the fleet of Embraer 145s, the Brazilian-manufactured regional jet operated by British Regional Airlines, the first regional airline in Europe to operate this 49-seater jet.
Services to Birmingham began in 1989, the same year when Manx Airlines won a North West Business and Industry Award. Since then the airline has gone on to be awarded the accolade Regional Airline of the Year in 1987 by Air Transport World, a much-respected airline industry publication, and in May 2000 achieved the international standard of Investors in People.

Manx Airlines' operations began to extend well beyond the Isle of Man with the establishing in 1991 of Manx Airlines (Europe) Ltd to serve its new Cardiff hub from where services to Paris, Brussels, Belfast and Dublin were to be operated by the Jetstream 31.

In 1993 the Jetstream 41 entered service, based at Cardiff, as did the larger BAe 146-200, G-MIMA, to operate the Isle of Man - London Heathrow service. The latter continues to operate this premium service, and in July 2000 its seating was significantly upgraded, with wider, more comfortable five abreast seats in a two plus three configuration.

Cardiff was joined by more hub airports in the early 90s, including Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast City, and in 1994, Manx Airlines Europe began operations in Scotland, taking over routes from Loganair. By this time Manx Airlines was operating over 70 routes within the UK and on to Europe, with a fleet of 24 aircraft.

One of the company's most pivotal developments came in 1995 when on January 9 Manx Airlines Europe became a British Airways franchise, with all the attendant benefits of the British Airways brand. One year later, in September 1996, Manx Airlines (Europe) Ltd officially became British Regional Airlines Limited. That same year Manx Airlines began regular services to Leeds Bradford, taking over routes previously operated by Knight Air.

On June 18, 1998 the British Regional Air Lines Group, Manx Airlines' parent company, was successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange. Following which, in 2000, the group introduced an added value programme for its shareholders, including the facility of annual free flights - subject to certain shareholding criteria - on both British Regional and Manx Airlines networks.
In 1998 Manx Airlines also updated its corporate identity, unveiling a new livery that reflected Manx Airlines' deeply-rooted Isle of Man associations.

10th May 2001 British Airways acquired British Regional Air Lines Group plc (the parent company for Manx Airlines and British Regional Airlines).
Manx Airlines is now a part of British Airways CitiExpress, a wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways. Operating a combined fleet of over 72 aircraft and serving 59 destinations, British Airways CitiExpress is one of the largest regional airlines in Europe.