VH-SXO and VH-SXK arrive in Shannon

To paraphrase the song, "It's a long, long way from Cairns to here". And so it was that on St. Patrick's Day two Embraer 190 aircraft which had been operated by Brisbane based SkyAirWorld arrived in Shannon having left the north coast of Australia at the weekend. The aircraft in question are VH-SXO, pictured at top and VH-SXK, pictured at bottom and were repossessed by leasing company GECAS.

SkyAirWorld went into receivership on Friday last owing AUS$40m and leaving 140 staff with little chance of getting their entitlements. The collapse of the airline has left government officials in Australia in a rather embarrassing position since the airline was awarded the equivalent of a PSO route as recently as January to provide services between mainland Australia and the Christmas and Cocos Islands. The services were due to commence in early April.

SkyAirWorld began operations in May 2007 with a route to the Solomon Islands. At the time of the collapse the airline's fleet consisted of two Embraer 190, one Embraer 170 and two Embraer 145 aircraft. The Embraer 170 was painted in a spectacular Solomon Airlines colour scheme.

SkyAirWorld had signed an agreement at the end of last year to lease an aircraft to Timor Air with flights due to commence between Darwin and Dili and also entered an agreement with Lion Air of Indonesia which would have established a joint venture airline which would have allowed Lion Air enter the Australian domestic market and serve routes between Australia and Indonesia.

The two aircraft which arrived in Shannon are VH-SXK, msn 19000154 which was delivered exactly a year ago on March 16 and VH-SXO, msn 19000231 which was delivered on December 5 last.