News out of Houston, Texas, is that Bristow Group, Inc., is dealing with serious financial issues. Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection is being discussed as a possibility.
The Bristow brand is best-known in the UK as the operator of helicopter services to North Sea oil and gas installations; less well known is that they’re also the parent of a company called Air Kilroe Ltd., which it’s even less well known is the corporate entity behind the Eastern Airways brand, whose scheduled flights are currently marketed under the flybe brand.
Only a small proportion of flights booked on flybe ticket stock, and/or via the flybe website, are Eastern Airways operated, but it’s also the case that British Airways Cityflyer services from London City to Düsseldorf are operated by an Eastern Airways aircraft.
There’s no suggestion of an imminent interruption to operations if Chapter 11 is sought, but it’s suggested that the Bristow Group’s ‘fixed-wing operations’ are part of the cause of the financial problems.