BBGA members Signature Flight Support and XLR Executive Jet Centre stepped up last Thursday to host Channel Islands’-based Blue Islands as it presented its 70-seat ATR72 in fresh colours at Southampton and Exeter Airports. It was a significant day for the 15 year-old regional airline, which is expanding into the UK regions from the shadows of Flybe. Aviation media and TV crews experienced the convenience and accessibility of the business aviation facilities, with the main passenger terminals not opening until later in the day. Media were excited to fly again, adhering to social distancing and mask wearing throughout the flight.
Freelance writer and editor of EVA Magazine, Paul Eden said: “It was great just to be flying again, but the added bonus of visiting these two important FBOs made the experience even more worthwhile. Signature’s slick handling of a Learjet arrival at Southampton demonstrated exactly why business aviation has kept moving throughout the pandemic.”
Blue Islands is basing an aircraft and crews initially at Southampton, followed by Exeter later in the year, creating up to 80 direct and indirect jobs. New routes in its network rolling out from July 20 include Southampton and Exeter to Manchester; Southampton to Dublin and the Channel Islands and Birmingham and Bristol to Jersey and Guernsey.
“We were keen to showcase that Blue Islands is back with a new identity and new product offerings, and to announce new routes in Southampton and Exeter as soon as we (operationally) could. We couldn’t have done this without the support of Signature and The Rigby Group’s XLR Executive Jet Centre, who looked after us very well,” said Paul Simmons, Executive Director at Blue Islands. The airline’s ATRs are being repainted (from its purple Flybe franchise colours) into striking white and blue colours by Satys Air Livery at Norwich Airport. www.blueislands.com.
NB: Southampton Airport returned to full operational hours on 13th July.
