Major UK airline plunges into administration - in business since 1997

A UK regional airline, which has been in business since 1997, has collapsed into administration.

Eastern Airways, which operated regional services from airports across the United Kingdom and was based at Humberside Airport in North Lincolnshire, suspended operations back in October last year. The airline then entered administration in November.

All Eastern Airways-operated flights are now cancelled. Therefore, please do not go to the airport as flights will not be operating.

Eastern Airways operated in the UK, Ireland, and Europe. Last year, administrators said that once a contract to operate services for the KLM airline was ended, the carrier had been left with a cost base that was "too high to be sustainable," BBC reported.

Speaking to the BBC at the time, Jamie Miller from RSM UK Restructuring Advisory, who was appointed joint administrator, said sufficient staff had been retained to maintain the fleet while they sought to rescue some or all of Eastern's operations.

He added: "We would welcome any interest from potential alternative operators, or those who may have an interest in the underlying assets."

RSM said Eastern Airways had been operating four aircraft for KLM Cityhopper in Europe, but, when this contract was terminated, it had left Eastern with "high fixed overheads and a staff base that has ultimately proved too high to be sustainable," it was also reported. The majority of its 330 staff were reportedly made redundant.

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Quoted by Travel Weekly, Mr Miller also said: "It is extremely sad that such a long established and historically successful independent airline, one of the few remaining in the UK, has had to enter administration.

"The unexpected and sudden termination of Eastern's KLM contract, along with other economic factors, unfortunately left the directors with no choice but to appoint administrators.

"At its peak, Eastern was an award-winning airline providing 200 flights per day. They also provided valuable services on public service obligation (PSO) routes and supported energy critical services to the oil and gas sector."