Oxford Airport has been approved to provide rescue and fire (RFFS) services for Cat 5 aircraft for the first time.
Cat 5 status allows for the charter and provision of niche aircraft shuttles in the 50 to 70-seat category including such types as the ATR-72, BAe/Avro RJ70, Saab 2000, Fokker 50 and Dash-8-300 series.  For business aviation movements, Cat 5 approval also means the airport can now handle jets such as the Embraer Legacy (EMB-135).  The first Legacy aircraft to be based at Oxford will arrive next month and will be available for commercial charter.
From July, Oxford Airport welcomes weekend charter flights to and from Jersey, operated by an Air Southwest Dash-8-300, which will also require Cat 5 RFFS.  These new services, which run through to September, are being marketed exclusively through www.discoverjersey.com.  The Cat 5 capability also offers opportunities to cater for charters in the 50-70 seat range for sporting or special events, conferences and exhibitions around Oxford, both in-bound to the Thames Valley region and outbound throughout the UK and overseas.
Passengers utilizing private charters for such events will enjoy the benefits of a quiet, fast transit and exclusive ‘VIP’ environment at the airport’s oxfordjet business aviation terminal, free from the constraints of the mainstream ‘London’ airport alternatives.  As a conference, event and meeting destination, Oxford Airport, just an hour’s drive from west London, offers some of the most impressive venues in the UK.  These include Blenheim Palace, just over a mile away and the numerous Oxford University colleges such as Christchurch – used extensively as the location of Harry Potter films.
Commenting on the new opportunities, Oxford Airport’s Head of Marketing and Development, James Dillon-Godfray, said:  “Having recently invested in three high-capacity fire tenders and doubled the fire crew manning over the last year, oxfordjet is now ready and fully prepared to accept aircraft types we have previously had to decline.”

• ‹ previous
• 1168 of 1551
• next ›