Article from BTNews 23 MAY 2016
Stobart on pole for Carlisle
Management changes at Stobart Air will not affect the carrier’s plans to operate scheduled flights from Carlisle, Stobart Group chairman Andrew Tinkler said last week. Services would be operating by this time next year, he added.
Tinkler took over as chairman last month after the departure after six months of former Ryanair executive Tim Jeans.
The announcement was followed by news last week that chief executive Sean Brogan was also leaving after his plan to lead a management buy-out was rejected.
The proposed routes between Carlisle and Southend, Dublin and Belfast will receive a start-up subsidy from the government’s Regional Air Connectivity Fund.
Stobart will also receive grant funding towards runway improvements, which must be completed before scheduled passenger services can start.
Tinkler said the aim was to bring the airport up to CAA standards this summer, though flights might not start until next spring, depending on demand.
The Stobart Group, which owns the airport, posted pre-tax profits of £10m for the year to April. The group has a 45% stake in Stobart Air.
The airline, which operates Aer Lingus Regional services under a franchise agreement, carried 1.4m passengers in 2015-16.
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