Phil Mercer

Monday, March 01, 2010

Varsity Express

 

Four years ago an 18 year old man from Oxford tried to follow his childhood dream and not only become a pilot, but go one step further and set up his own airline.

I'm not sure many 18 years olds would have the gumshum or even precociousness to try, let alone pull it off. Martin Halstead was determined to give it a go. He found some backers, hired a
Plane and started up Alpha One. The idea: to connect Oxford to Cambridge. Unfortunately things didn't work out. A backer pulled out and after a short spell operating somewhere else, Alpha One landed with a bump.

Halstead dusted himself off, got a job flying for someone else and moved on. That was until he was made redundant late last year.

I think most others would give up and try web development instead.

Not young Halstead. On the same day the P45's were being dolled out he received a call: 'how do you fancy another go at you're own airline?'
He jumped at it. A little over 6 months later and the first flight of Varsity Express took off from London Oxford airport this time heading for Edinburgh.

It seems things have moved on in the aviation world. We may be bumping around at the bottom of a financial crisis, but a look at London Oxford Airport brings hope. A new business oriented terminal at the airport, a few other airlines proving there is a market (at least for once a week leisure destinations) and a public fed up with a six hour commute to Scotland all makes for a nice thermal to lift Halsteads wings.

Varsity Express have the right offer. Small aircraft (Jetstream 31) departing through a tiny but conveniently located airport allow for a personal service. The price is good (£49 one way if you book early enough) and obviously 75 mins by air beats half a day by rail, any day!

There are a few niggles. The aircraft are old and cramped. At Edinburgh the decision to fly to the business terminal is a double edged sword: The convenience of a posh lounge and very slim security (it's all about profiling!) are all well and good for the regular business traveller. However the standard easyryan style passenger turning up at the main terminal were having a challenge to find the little desk in the arrivals hall for their shuttle to the business terminal.
These are all teething issues really. Halstead already has plans for a second J31, (an extra daily flight to Edinburgh plus a daily Newcastle service) and should the market prove to exist, a larger craft would be in the offing.

Interestingly, because they are using such a small plane, they bypass the passenger tax which must help keep the costs down.

All in all I tip my cap to Mr Halstead. He has acheived his dream and provided Oxford with a long overdue connection to the outside world. Let's hope it proves to be the start of big (yet little) things.

# posted by Phil @ 11:32 pm

Comments:

Varsity express is small and also easy to use for normal people

# posted by  symonds : 10:20 am

 

Shame he only managed to run flights for a week before terminally screwing it up, though. He claimed to have financial backing for eighteen months, but failed to pay his operating airline, LinksAir, and they pulled out.

He's clearly useless, and has exploited a loophole in the law to set up an airline without proper resources or regulation. He's massively inconvenienced me - I was meant to be flying with them last Thursday. What a bunch of clowns.

# posted by  Primitive Person : 10:54 pm

 

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