With the threat of even tougher EU compensation rules for consequential delays, it begs the question of whether UK domestic aviation is sustainable at all, outside the heavily trafficked trunk routes (now the domain of BA, easyJet and Ryanair) and PSO services.”

This is the conundrum posed by Stan Abbott in this issue as he analyses the downfall of Eastern Airways.

It is a perfectly reasonable point. As we were going to press, news came in about the collapse of Blue Islands, another UK regional. Costs, particularly spare part prices, have increased, while legislation in Europe, such as EU 261, STIPT, the ReFuel EU directive and others are transpiring to increase the complexity of operating in Europe.

Add to this the fact that over a third of technicians and nearly the same number of pilots are nearing retirement age, plus difficulties with air traffic control and the lead time for just about everything, and you have to wonder why anyone would bother getting involved with the regional air business at all. Certainly, you can understand why the ERA’s Jesper Rungholm talks of “dark clouds” on the horizon.