Manx Airlines

Manx Airlines was an English-owned, Isle of Man-based airline that existed between 1982 and 2002.[1] Its head office was located on the grounds of Isle of Man Airport in Ballasalla, Malew.[2] An airline of the same name existed between 1947 and 1958.[3]

Manx Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
JE MNX MANX
Founded1982
Ceased operations2002
HubsIOM Isle of Man Airport
Frequent-flyer programClub Sovereign
Fleet size5 (2002)
Destinations13
HeadquartersIsle of Man Airport
Ballasalla, Malew, Isle of Man
Key peopleTerry Liddiard. Captain Paul Quine
WebsiteN/A

History

An earlier Manx Airlines existed from 1953 until early 1958, based at Ronaldsway Airport and equipped with De Havilland Dragon Rapides and Douglas C-47 Dakotas.[4] The airline also operated the Bristol Freighter and its aircraft were equipped with passenger modules. One of this airline's Bristol Freighters crashed on 27 February 1958 in the Winter Hill air disaster.[5]

The new Manx Airlines was a joint venture founded by British Midland Airways and AirUK.[1] Services commenced on 1 November 1982 and the first flight was JE601, flown from its base at Isle of Man Airport at Ronaldsway, by its Bandeirante to Glasgow.

From 1985 until 1993, the airline employed the Shorts 360 and the Shorts 330. A Vickers Viscount 836 was operated from October 1982 until October 1988.[6] Before retirement, the Viscount performed several 'champagne' flights, as it was the last to operate scheduled passenger services in the UK.

Manx flew a Saab 340 during 1987–88 and bore "City Hopper" titles when operating the Liverpool-Heathrow shuttle service. In October 1988, the airline collected its first BAe ATP, replacing the Viscount. Manx also flew the BAe 146. Eventually, the airline owned seventeen ATPs. The airline was successful in acquiring Business Air in 1991.

Aircraft operated
Saab 340A "City Hopper" at Liverpool on the Heathrow service in 1988
A Manx Airlines BAe 146-200
Cabin interior of Manx Airlines Shorts 360 in 1992
Manx Airlines BAe Jetstream 31 at Dublin Airport in 1993.

Manx Airlines operated the following types of aircraft:

Expansion and sale

In March 1991, Manx Airlines created Manx Airlines Europe in order to expand and fly routes within the United Kingdom.[7] In 1994, Manx Airlines Europe became a franchise carrier for British Airways, its fleet flying in the colours of British Airways. In September 1996, Manx Airlines Europe changed its name to British Regional Airlines. In March 2001, British Airways purchased the British Regional Airlines Group (holding company of British Regional Airlines and Manx Airlines) for £78 million.[8] The airline merged with Brymon Airways to create British Airways CitiExpress.

Manx Airlines ceased operations on 31 August 2002. Between March 1999 and the date of closure, the fleet was as follows:[9]

TypeNumber
BAe 1461
BAe ATP3
Jetstream 411

The last flight was planned to be flown by BAe 146 G-MIMA, from London (Gatwick) to Isle of Man Airport (Ronaldsway). However, due to technical problems, a sub-chartered aircraft was brought in to operate this service. Therefore, the honour of operating the last Manx Airlines flight (JE 818 Birmingham International to Ronaldsway) went to Manx-born pilot Captain Paul Quine, who was in command of ATP G-MANB, which landed at Ronaldsway at 20:10 GMT on Saturday, 31 August 2002.

See also

de:Manx Airlines (1947)

References
Notes
  1. "1983 | 1535 | Flight Archive". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  2. "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 26 March – 1 April 1997. 86. "Isle of Man (Ronaldsway) Airport, Ballasalla, Isle of Man, IM9 2JE, UK"
  3. Merton Jones, 1976, PP.289-290
  4. Merton Jones, 2000, pp. 166-167
  5. "The Winter Hill Air Disaster". Patrick Taylor.com. 27 February 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. Eastwood 1998, p. 529
  7. Wings of Mann, Kniveton G N
  8. Harrison, Michael (15 May 1998). "Airline flotation". The Independent. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  9. Pither 1999, p. 166
Bibliography
  • Eastwood, Tony (1998), Turbo Prop Airliner Production List, The Aviation Hobby Shop, ISBN 0-907178-69-3
  • Merton Jones, A.C. (1976), British Independent Airlines since 1946, Merseyside Aviation Society & LAAS, ISBN 0-902420-09-7
  • Pither, Tony (1999), Airline Fleets 1999, Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd, ISBN 0-85130-278-5
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