Established at Cochenour, Ontario, in 1961 to provide regional charter, contract service, and air taxi flights to destinations in the surrounding area. Operations continue during the next three decades.
Scheduled third-level services are inaugurated in the Red Lake area beginning in 1990. Passengers are transported with 1 Beech 99, 1 Cessna 206, 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers, 1 DHC-6 Twin Otter, and 3 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos. Two additional Twin Otters are acquired in 1991.
Two Douglas DC-3s are added for freight operations in 1992 and in 1993-1994 President Ross Mamakeesic oversees 40 employees and increases his fleet with 2 DHC-3 Otters.
Flights continue in 1995-1998 and during these years, Richard Mc-Dole takes charge. His fleet comes to comprise 2 each Beech 99s, DC-3s, and DHC-3 Otters, plus 1 Twin Otter and 1 Cessna 185.
SABRE AIRWAYS, LTD.: 12 The Merlin Centre, County Oak Way, Crawley, West Sussex, England, RH11 7XA, United Kingdom; Phone 44 (1293) 410 727; Fax 44 (1293) 410 737; Code SBE; Year Founded 1994. Upon the November 29, 1994 collapse of Ambassador
Airways, Ltd., this carrier is formed by Air Foyle, Ltd. to take over the deceased airline’s charter contracts. Links are maintained with Inspira-tions-owned Goldcrest, a seat broker. Revenue operations, on the Air Foyle license, commence on December 17 employing a pair of leased Boeing 737-204As first flown by Britannia Airways, Ltd.
Two B-727s, a Dash-203A and a Dash-276A are chartered in 1994 and flying from Birmingham, London (CTN and LGW), Manchester, and Newcastle, the company visits all of the usual European charter destinations, including Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Bulgaria, and the Canary Islands.
In addition to the two B-737-204s that it has based at London (LGW) at the beginning of 1995, Sabre bases its B-727-2D3A and B-727-276A at Manchester over the summer. From these locations, the carrier will again offer holiday flights on behalf of the broker Goldcrest. Sabre receives its own certificates and license on December 13, at which time the company is reformed into a freestanding concern. Keith Newnham is appointed managing director and flights continue as before.
Enplanements in 1996 total 516,000. Although the relationship with Goldcrest is continued, the company establishes its own commercial department as well. Orders are placed for two B-737-800s.
Airline employment grows by a huge 74.8% in 1997 to 236. After suffering verbal intimidation towards the crew due to delays and after route alterations are announced, a company pilot refuses to risk takeoff with 187 rowdy passengers from London (LGW) for a flight to Sicily on August 11.
The passengers, a mix of Italian and British, who are later provided with a replacement flight, complain that the airline has treated them unfairly and that accusations of their unruly behavior are unfounded.
A total of 277,000 customers are flown on the year.
Early in 1998, Sabre undertakes code-sharing flights with Sabena Belgian World Airlines, S. A. over the route from London (STN) to Brussels. Merger discussions begin with Virgin Express, S. A. On May 18, Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson announces that Virgin Ex-press-EuroBelgium Airlines, S. A. is close to establishing a new holiday subsidiary, based in the U. K., to be known as Virgin Sun Air, Ltd. Lift for the new package tour airline, to be formed in partnership with Virgin Holidays, Ltd., will be provided by Sabre Airways under contract starting in 1999.
Between May and July, an A320-211 is subchartered from the new Egyptian carrier Lotus Air, S. A.E. A second will also be acquired later. The first of two B-737-8Q8s to be chartered from ILFC on the year arrives on July 27. When the ship enters revenue service a week later, it is the first of its type to be operated by a U. K. carrier.
Recruitment is begun in November for 250 reservations agents for the new Virgin Sun package tour business to be launched in the spring.
Customer bookings accelerate 27.8% to 354,000; 117,000 FTKs are also operated.
Airline employment is increased 1.7% to 240 at the beginning 1999.
On May 1, the new Virgin Sun Air, Ltd. takes wing; lift is provided employing a pair of subleased Sabre A320-214s. Revenue charters are operated from London (GTW) and Manchester to Mediterranean and European holiday destinations.
On May 7, the British charter carrier files a $1-million suit against Kiwi International Air Lines for damages sustained to a jet engine it had leased to the bankrupt U. S. scheduled operator.
Customer bookings increase 23.5% to 445,000, but cargo traffic drops 19.1% to 114,000 FTKs. The workforce at the beginning of 2000 totals 240. At the beginning of the year, a B-727-225A is leased to MSP-based Sun Country Airlines; it will be returned in May.
Barnet-based Libra Holidays Group, which had ended its relationship with Caledonian Airways, Ltd. at the end of the year, establishes its own Libre Aviation division under the direction of ex-Cyprus Airways, Ltd. CEO Demetris Pandazis. Plans are announced for the establishment of a Cypriot charter airline named Sky Airlines, Ltd., that will launch service in spring 2002. Meanwhile, LHG Managing Director Andreas Drakou purchases a 33% stake in Sabre during February, receiving the option to purchase another 30% by March 31 and an extra 30% by year’s end. The deal secures immediate seat capacity for Libre with Sabre, but is subject to CAA approval, which Managing Director Newn-ham now seeks.
As part of the arrangement with Libra Holidays Group, Sabre had pledged to withdraw its B-727s, replacing them with newer aircraft. On June 9, Sabre Managing Director Newnham notes that the carrier will withdraw its B-727s by October, including several reengined units to be returned to service shortly.
The first reengined B-727, a Dash-276A, arrives at London (LGW) on July 8. It wears an all-white livery with red titles.
Arrangements are completed in July for the lease of two Next Generation B-737-81Qs and a B-737-8Q8 to Miami Air International. The first two will enter service in November and December, with a third arriving the following summer.
The company’s B-727-225A is chartered to Sun Country Airlines at Minneapolis (MSP) in late October for use on the charter line’s winter schedule.
Libra Holidays Group joins with London (LGW)-based Excel Aviation, a seat-brokering company, to complete the paperwork on November 20 for acquisition of a 78% majority stake in Sabre. The two quickly receive government approval for the takeover. Former Caledonian Airways, Ltd. Managing Director Eamon Mullaney now becomes chair-man/CEO. Current Sabre Managing Director Newnham will retain his post until January when his deputy, Johathan Bousfield, and former Caledonian Airways, Ltd. executive Steven Tomlinson, become joint managing directors. At that point, the small Stansted Airport operation will be closed down and the staff transferred to Gatwick Airport.
The same day, Travel Trade Gazette UK and Ireland (TTG) reveals that a new look will be emphasized. It also covers the announcement that Sabre will be renamed Excel Airways, Ltd. on May 1. The company has had some public relations problems with its current moniker being confused for that of the SABRE computerized reservation system. The company will continue to operate its fleet of Next Generation B-767-81Qs and Dash-8Q8s, as well as three B-767-204ERs leased this day from Air Atlanta Icelandic, H. F. Most will wear “www. excellair-ways. com” on their sides.
Chairman Mullaney informs TTG on November 27 that with the beginning of the summer holiday season at the end of March, Excel will operate from bases at London (LGW), Manchester, and Newcastle to holiday destinations in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, and the Canary Islands. Two-thirds (700,000) of all the seats will be booked by Libra Holidays; however, 300,000 more will be available for third-party operators.
In fact, Sabre officially changes its name to Excel Airways on December 29, even though it will continue to operate as Sabre until April 30. At year’s end, a new Web page is opened on the Internet.
World History
