12 May 2009
Skybus - Newquay to Brittany Resumes The popular Skybus route from Newquay Cornwall to St Brieuc in Brittany resumed service on May 8 2009, just in time for the famous Art Rock Festival. The four day festival, which takes place in St Brieuc from May 28 to 31 boasts a wide range of free and ticketed arts, dance, music and street performances.
Website: http://www.countryconnect.co.uk/news/Skybus-Newquay-to-Brittany-Resumes
27 January 2009 New Scilly service at Exeter Airport
Skybus is to offer a new winter service to the Isles of Scilly from Exeter Airport. The airport has announced that the Skybus breaks to the Flying Boat Club on the island of Tresco will only be available from Exeter.
Website: http://www.fhr-net.co.uk/travel_news/new_scilly_service_at_exeter_airport
11 December 2007 Cardiff-Newquay service reinstated by Skybus Cornish airline Skybus will start flights from Newquay to Cardiff International on March 10. Tickets are now available at the introductory price of £35 one way if booked before January 31, 2008. The service will run five days a week, from Monday through until Friday.
Website: http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1124758.php
10 December 2007 Major expansion of Skybus routes from Newquay Skybus, Cornwall’s longest serving airline, has today announced the launch of two new routes from Newquay Cornwall Airport. Skybus will be flying to Cardiff from March 10, 2008 and to St Brieuc in Brittany from March 17, 2008.
Website: http://www.easier.com/view/Travel/Flights/News/article-151661.html
1994 Skybus in flight of fancy Isles of Scilly Skybus has celebrated its 10th anniversary this year by buying a new aircraft.
The twin-engined 19-seater Twin Otter has been bought by the airline for more than £500,000. It brings back to the Westcountry a turbo-prop aircraft formerly operated by Brymon Airways.
Since being sent back to BAC Leasing by Brymon, the plane has been operating a short term contract in Abu Dhabi for a Middle Eastern Oil Company.
Now it will be expanding Skybus company to fly scheduled services to St. Mary's from Land's End, Exeter and Plymouth.
Skybus manager Mike Vigar said: "Its our tenth anniversary this year and we decided to buy ourselves a present."
The airline flies daily services to St Mary's from Exeter and Land's End, except Sundays, and twice weekly services from Plymouth. The purchase of the Twin Otter has enabled Skybus to dispose of two of its five nine seater Islander aircraft.
They have gone to operate around the Carribbean abd the Greek Islands. The Twin Otter will go into service on May 14 when Skybus aircrews have finished their training. by John Baker
November 1994 Flights give extra boost to isles' economy The Isles of Scilly Skybus is introducing a new service from Bristol and Exeter which should boost the winter holiday trade on the islands.
The service on Mondays and Fridays from Bristol Airport, calling at Exeter enroute to St. Mary's, will be operated by De Havilland Twin Otter aircraft introduced by Skybus this summer.
Managing director Kenneth Christopher said: "We had a special charter flight to Bristol recently by this will be the first regualr service for us.
"We have carried out market research and have worked with the hotels, some of whom have a winter holiday package."
In autumn and winter the islands are a haven for bird watchers and nature lovers as well as for those seeking rest and a chance to get away from it all.
Bristol Airport managing director Les Wilson said he was delighted to see the service reintroduced after seven years.
The service will begin on December 19 and the one-way fare will be £85 (£170 return). There will also be a special short break (one to four night stay) fare of £120.
With the Twin Otter service has come a boost in travellers on the Exeter service - 1,060 last month compared with 919 in the previous September.
In August there were 300 more passengers compared with the same month in 1993.
"The Skybus service has gone very well and obviously the Twin Otter has helped us with the extra numbers." said Mr Christopher.
"Overall we have an increase on last year by air and also by the ferry Scillonian.
"The number of passengers by ship is up 2% on last season."
The ferry continues to operate a return service from Penzance to St Marys on four days - Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdaya - until the end of this month.
By Douglas Williams
October 4th 1991 Champagne start to their holiday Exeter Airport gave a special couple the perfect start to their holiday yesterday - in the shape of champagne and flowers.
The couple, Dennis and Hazel Thornton from Cheshire, were feted as the 1000th passengers on the Skybus service that flies between Exeter and the Isles of Scilly.
The service, which only began in May, has been hailed a great success and the number of flights may increase next year. Operations manager Paul Williams said there had been 188 flights so far this year.
"All the pilots say everything has gone extremely smoothly," he said - something that Mr and Mrs Thornton could only agree with.
Exeter Express and Echo
26 February 1987 Skybus go-ahead for the Isles The Isles of Scilly Skybus Company has been given the go-ahead to provide a passenger air service between the mainland and the Isles.
The long-awaited fixed-wing service from Land's End will get off the ground within the next four weeks.
Delighted company officials are already mooting ideas which could lead to the island service being extended to other parts of the country.
The new service will provide two round trips a day during winter and up to ten in summer, with fares ranging from £25 per return for adults and a one-way ticket for £20. Passengers under 16 travel half price.
If business is brisk, the present staff of 18 at Land's End Airport will be increased, providing unemplyment stricken Penwith with valuable jobs.
Skybus now joins the helicopter service owned by the Pergamon Group and Brymon Airways in providing a scheduled passenger operation to the islands.
A happy company executive chairman, Mr Charles Cartwright said this week: "We think there is a lot of potential in the day trip - for islanders coming to the mainland and visitors to the islands."
He added that the company also had the use of an airfield in Truro - close to the city's hospitals - which could be used for emergency flights.
"We are hoping, if successful, to widen our horizons a bit and service up country. But we do not want to compete with Brymon Airways."
Skybus will operate two nine seater Islander aircraft, with access to a five-seater owned by Westward Airways.
In the cockpit of one of the aircraft will be former Concorde pilot Captain Mike Boyle, who joined the company last year.
Mr Cartwright said the service was a long time coming. Records showed interest in a similar scheme as far bak as 50 years, and in 1945 a flying boat service was being discussed.
Skybus, formed in 1984,tried for a license more than a year ago and were turned down.
Of the success of the latest modified applications, Mr Cartwright said: "It is now all systems go. It is quite and investment and a completely new venture."
Cornishman Newspaper
1985 Boost for Scilly Isles air service Starting the New Year with optimism and investment in the future of Skybus at Land's End Airport, the company has bought a new nine-seater aircraft.
It began yesterday by bringing flowers from the Isles of Scilly, as did the Islander that has been in service there for the past two seasons. The hearing by the Civil Aviation Authority into the company's application for a scheduled passenger service opens in London on January 14.
Mr Charles Cartwright, managing director (finance), of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, of which Skybus is a subsidiary, said yestersay that 4,000 tommes of cargo, including 17,000 boxes of flowers, were brought to the mainland last year. So too were 3,500 passengers.
Skybus had proved very useful during holidays too, providing the islanders with newspapers on New Year's Day when no helicopters were flying.
