S.Atlantic : UK HUB OF RAF PASSENGER SERVICE WILL MOVE
Submitted by SARTMA.com (Juanita Brock) 20.04.2005 (Article Archived on 04.05.2005)
There’s news that the UK hub of the RAF Passenger service to the Falklands will soon move from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The BBC World Service's Graham Bound tells us more.
UK HUB OF RAF PASSENGER SERVICE WILL MOVE
A Report for BBC World Service “Calling the Falklands” by Graham Bound (GB) 04/15/05
There’s news that the UK hub of the RAF Passenger service to the Falklands will soon move from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The move is planned for November, although it could happen earlier. The tri-stars are the chartered aircraft that provide the Falklands service will operate out of Fairford for about four months. Brize Norton Spokesman, Squadron Leader Richard Pratley (RP) told me why.
RP: As part of the on-going work here at Brize Norton to ensure that we have infrastructure, which is of the required standard, there is a need to do some re-surfacing work on the runway and some of the associated issues that fall with that. And, as a result, the decision has been taken that, in the interests of safety and cost-effectiveness that the most effective way to proceed is to move the operations done here at RAF Brize Norton in terms of the flying side across to RAF Fairford. Another option that was considered would have been to have closed the runway for a limited period and worked on the runway for 12 hours a day and opened up the runway again to do 12 hours worth of flying. The benefits of both were looked at and a decision has been taken to move the whole operation in terms of the flying side across to RAF Fairford.
GB: Is this refurbishment part of the major plan to make Brize into something of a super base following the closure of Linum, then?
RP: Not directly linked. The time-scales are such that – now being 2005 – the work on going – the move – the elements – whatever is coming across from Linum to Brize is very much looking out towards 2010 – 2112. There is major work that needs to be done at Brize Norton prior to that. Obviously that work will then stand the station in good stead when it comes to the longer-term project, which is to move other elements of the Air force across and base them permanently at Brize Norton. This is short-term now but a long-term benefit as well.
GB: The key question is how will all of this affect people using the South Atlantic Service?
RP: With the service as it stands at the moment, the passengers check in here at Brize Norton and then board an aircraft outside the terminal. The way we intend to do our business – and it’s still at the planning stage – that passengers will still check in here at Brize Norton and give us their baggage, etc. They will be given a boarding card in the same way as they are currently. Rather than stepping outside the terminal on to an aircraft parked out here, we will be bussing passengers the 20 minutes or so down the road to Fairford, where they will then board their aircraft. There will be a slightly longer check-in period but we believe it is something that we can manage effectively and it won’t unduly affect the care that we give to our passengers.
GB: So this is one of the longest journeys from the check-in area to Departure gate in the history of passenger flying. It’s about 20 miles.
RP: It’s actually not as far as that. Certainly, looking at it as the crow flies, I am reliably informed, I haven’t measured it myself, but it’s somewhat under 10 miles. There’s a president elsewhere, certainly in days gone by, passengers were able to check in their baggage in some of the London stations and then would travel down without their bags to catch their flights out of airports like Heathrow and Gatwick. It’s not something that we would choose to do as a matter of course in terms of passenger handling but we see it as being the most effective way of completing the essential maintenance we have to and, at the same time, minimising the disruption to our passengers.
GB: So, curiosity but no major disruption to the passengers, really?
RP: Absolutely.
GB: Now, Fairford is actually leased by the Americans, so when passengers get to RAF Fairford, will they find themselves in “Little America?”
RP: I’ve been across to Fairford several times in the last couple of months and it is a somewhat curious mix of old Royal Air force and new United States Air force. It’s still largely manned by MOD Guard Force. Whilst there are American personnel there, there is still very much a feel of a Royal Air force Station about it. The Americans have been approached and have kindly agreed to offer us the use of their facilities. But I think the passengers will see a professional level of service and one that is keen to make sure that customer focus is maintained.
GB: Can you just confirm that this really is just for four months beginning in November?
RP: The dates of the planned work upon the runway are still to be confirmed. It could be as early as September or as late as November in terms of commencement. Any major infrastructure project obviously comes with an estimated time start and completion so it could be between three to four months. Yes. We would expect this to be going between three to four months. But it’s always very difficult to confirm 100% how long this work will take.
GB: And, from as early as September.
RP: Possibly as early as September although that’s still to be confirmed.
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