PRESS COVERAGE DOES NOT CONVEY FULL HORROR OF HAITI, SAY FLIGHT CREWS

ASTRAEUS

COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT SOURCING AND MANAGEMENT
PRESS RELEASE

January 25, 2010.

PRESS COVERAGE DOES NOT CONVEY FULL HORROR OF HAITI, SAY FLIGHT CREWS.


UK airline Astraeus has carried out 15 flights, with more likely, ferrying rescue teams and medical cargo to Haiti.

Astraeus mobilised three aircraft and six crews to ferry British, Spanish and Icelandic rescue teams, including a record-breaking re-commissioning of a Boeing 757 that was undergoing maintenance as the earthquake struck.

“Our crews have been reporting that while Haiti is a world away both in terms of geography and living conditions at the best of times, the news footage and newspaper photographs do convey the damage and hardship but it is as nothing compared to being immersed and surrounded by how utterly overwhelming the disaster is to the population, and the enormity of the challenge facing rescuers,” said Mario Fulgoni, Chief Executive of Astraeus.

“There has been a huge amount of debate about the rate at which aid is getting into Haiti, but the fact is that there is only one runway and only so much apron space at Port-au-Prince Airport. And while there are immense technical flying challenges in approaching and landing in Haiti given the collapse of air traffic control services during a key period after the earthquake, there are also some very straightforward issues on the ground.

“Quite simply, the authorities can only park so many aircraft in the space they have – any more tightly packed and there is potential for damage through even slow-speed collision, and a consequent double whammy of having two un-flyable aircraft taking up even more valuable ground space.”

Astraeus completed maintenance on a Boeing 757-200 at Bournemouth before flying it to Gatwick where it was the first aircraft allowed in after emergency snow clearing work was carried out to open the runway. Within hours it was en route to the Dominican Republic with 75 UK fire and rescue team members. It then ferried a Spanish rescue team into Port-au-Prince, then flew Spanish nationals out.

A second Boeing 757 then ferried Spanish rescue teams from a military base in Madrid to Halifax, Canada, then on to Port-au-Prince. The same aircraft then evacuated the by-then exhausted British rescue team to Canada and then on to Gatwick.

A third aircraft, a Boeing 737, ferried medical cargo and Icelandic rescue teams in and out of Port-au-Prince.

UK-based Astraeus commenced operations in 2002, employs 250 people and operates a fleet of eleven Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft and one Airbus A320, primarily on contract with a variety of airlines. Astraeus has a worldwide Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and is IOSA accredited. Astraeus is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eignarhaldsfelagid Fengur HF which also owns Iceland Express.

Ends

Further information:
Iain Macauley
+44 (0)7788 978800 / im@pressrelations.co.uk / www.flystar.com