Local ground handling business links up with world leader in airline services

Eastern Airways has announced that their wholly owned subsidiary, Regional Handling, which operates from Ronaldsway and Aberdeen airports, has entered into a joint venture, for ground handling and catering facilities, with the Gategroup.

The Gategroup, whose roots lie in Gate Gourmet, is the world’s largest independent airline catering and logistics provider. It operates from over 100 sites world wide, provides services to over 270 airline clients and had a turnover of about £2 billion in 2007.

The majority interest in the new Company, Regional Handling Ltd, has been acquired through Gate Aviation, formerly operating as International Aviation Services and Fernley, which itself became part of the Gategroup in September 2007.

In a press release issued by the Gategroup, Guy Dubois, President and CEO Designate of gategroup, says: “This is a natural area of growth for gategroup, and in particular for member company Gate Aviation, which already offers an extensive network of airline specialty services in the U.K. and Europe. We are delighted to join with a company that also enjoys a stellar reputation for quality service,” he added.

Nigel Daniel, of Gate Aviation told the Manx Herald that he saw this deal as a really good business opportunity and is planning to grow the business; possibly here in the IOM as well as at other airports.

Currently Regional Handling provides services to Eastern Airways, Manx2, Aer Arran and Loganair.

Darren Roberts, Communications Manager for Eastern Airways, said that the airline was very pleased with the tie up which would allow Eastern to concentrate on its core business. He informed the Manx Herald that the Birmingham and Newcastle routes, in particular, were performing well and meeting the needs of the Island. In response to a question on expanding services to other destinations, he said that the airline was always on the look out for new opportunities; but nothing was currently planned.

The Manx Herald believes it will be interesting to see how the business develops and what, if any, impact it will have on the fortunes of Flight Support.

Flight Support recently had to make redundancies following the collapse of EuroManx.

Brett Turner, CEO of Flight Support says that this has effectively put the numbers of people, employed by the company in the IOM, back to where they were last winter. However, he hopes new opportunities will present themselves, allowing the company to expand once more in the IOM, if any new airlines start operating services to and from the Island.