REGION AIR (PTY.), LTD. (1): Singapore (1988-1991). The first Region Air is established at Singapore on April 5, 1988 to offer regional flights to Asian and Australian destinations. Gerard de Vaz is named managing director. The following year is spent firming up organization and arrangements and in leasing an Airbus Industrie A300-322.
Revenue flights commence in 1990. Although traffic figures are not provided, the 11-employee company indicates that revenues of $414,417 are earned. With expenses of $262,849, the operating profit is $151,568. The recession causes operations to cease in 1991.
REGION AIR (PTY.), LTD. (2): 06-01 Hpl House, 50 Cuscaden Road, 1024, Singapore; Phone 65 235 6277; Fax 65 736 1662; Code 7S; Year Founded 1994. A second Region Air is established at Singapore in the summer and fall of 1994. Equipped with a single de Havilland Canada DHC-8-300, Managing Director Gerard de Vaz, who had overseen the predecessor company, is placed in charge. The 45-employee company inaugurates scheduled services to destinations in Thailand and Vietnam in December.
In 1995, Region Air begins to provide ad hoc charters for larger carriers. Five Airbus Industrie A320-231s are acquired and are wet-leased to Vietnam Airlines, Oman Air, and China Air Lines, Ltd. The Vietnam contract ends and one Airbus is withdrawn in 1996-2000. The Oman and CAL business is retained and new agreements are signed with a number of regional and Mideast carriers.
REGIONAIR, LTD. (1): United Kingdom (1988-1991). Regionair, Ltd. is established at London (Southend) in early 1988 to provide scheduled passenger flights to Rotterdam. Employing a single Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante, the new entrant launches flights in March and by year’s end has flown almost 8,000 passengers.
Operations continue apace in 1989. When Navigations, plc, the parent of Southend-based National Commuter Airways, Ltd. enters administrative receivership on October 20, Regionair, Ltd. is one of several carriers that help to maintain its schedule and also make a bid to take it over.
The workforce is increased in 1990 to 140 and the fleet is increased by the addition of 1 each Fokker F.27 and Dornier 228-212. Enplanements for the first 5 months, for which statistics are reported, total 3,863. In May, the administrators Touche Ross are brought in to operate the carrier.
NCA is acquired by the David Martin Group for ?570,000 in July; however, the arrangement and costs place a very heavy burden on the company’s coffers. Unable to maintain its viability in a recessionary economy, Regionair, Ltd. ceases operations in January 1991 after its owners elect to withdraw funding and begin a different carrier that will operate from Teesside.
World History
