BRITISH WORLD Airlines (BWA) has won a fierce contest to renew a five-year deal to ferry oil-industry workers between Aberdeen and Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands. The £50 million ($88 million) contract awarded by Shell UK Exploration and Production, is also believed to have been fought for, by Newcastle-based Gill Aviation and Scottish companies.
BWA will introduce two ATR 72-210s for the service, to replace three aging 74-seat Vickers (BAe) Viscounts, which will be converted into freighters.
It intends to purchase the aircraft direct from ATR, with planned introductions in April and May 1996.
British World initially won the Shell business in 1983, shortly after purchasing the entire British Airways Viscount fleet. Since then it has carried nearly 1.5 million passengers on the daily, year-round service, on a route renowned for its atrocious weather. Despite that, the Viscounts have had an average dispatch reliability of more than 98%.
Source: Flight International
