Air Saint-Pierre
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| Founded | 1964[1] | ||||||
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| Commenced operations | 1965[1] | ||||||
| Hubs | Saint-Pierre Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 2 | ||||||
| Destinations | 7 | ||||||
| Parent company | Privately owned[1] | ||||||
| Headquarters | Saint-Pierre, France | ||||||
| Key people | Rémy Briand, President | ||||||
| Website | airsaintpierre.com | ||||||
Air Saint-Pierre is a French airline based in Saint-Pierre, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, a French overseas collectivity.[2] The airline operates scheduled services between the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon-Langlade and to Canada. Its main base is Saint-Pierre Airport, from which it serves six destinations.[3] In addition to the collectivity's other airport, Miquelon Airport, it serves five airports in Canada. The airline operates a fleet of an ATR 42 for international services and a Reims-Cessna F406 on the inter-island service.
The airline was founded in 1964 and originally flew in cooperation with Eastern Provincial Airways. The first aircraft was a Piper Aztec, which was put into service to a service to Sydney, Nova Scotia. During the 1970s the airline variously took into use Beechcraft Model 18 and Hawker Siddeley HS 748. Flights to Miquelon were introduced in 1979 and to Montreal two years later. A Piper Chieftain was bought in that year. ATR 42s were introduced in 1994 and services Moncton, New Brunswick and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador were introduced in the following years.
History
The airline was incorporated on 6 March 1964, founded by Albert Briand. Services commenced in June with a cooperation with Eastern Provincial Airways, allowing codesharing with EPA's Douglas DC-3 between Saint-Pierre and Sydney. However, the codesharing was terminated in October. Air Saint-Pierre thereafter started conducting charter flights with a Piper Aztec. A second unit was procured in 1966, the same year as the founder died. The airline continued its cooperation with EPA, including hiring the latter for maintenance.[4]
The Saint-Pierre to Sydney route resumed under operation of Air Saint-Pierre in 1971. At first they flew using a Beechcraft Model 18, and three years later this was increased to flights using a DC-3. In 1976 the DC-3 was sold and replaced with a Hawker Siddeley HS 748. Miquelon Airport opened in 1979, allowing Air Saint-Pierre to commence an inter-island service to the larger island of Miquelon-Langlade. The same year the pooling between EPA and Air Saint-Pierre resumed on the Saint-Pierre to Sydney route.[4]
A Piper Chieftain was bought in 1981 and a maintenance contract with signed with Fundy Aviation. In 1986 the HS 748 was with a new of the same model and maintenance of the fleet moved to the island the following year. This coincided with the opening of a route from Saint-Pierre to Montreal. The fleet was increased in 1990 with the procurement of a second HS 748.[4]
An ATR 42-320 was bought in 1994 and the following year the two Hawker Siddeley's were sold. The airline opened a service to St. John's with three weekly round trips. Moncton was added as a destination in 2001, with a weekly summer service.[4] The airline bought its Reims-Cessna F406 in 2003 and put into service on the inter-island route. It was chosen in part for its short-run performance.[5] This allowed the Chieftain to be decommissioned the following year. The initial ATR was sold in 2009 and replaced on 21 October with a newer and more modern ATR 42-500.[4]
Destinations
Air Saint-Pierre is based at Saint-Pierre Airport in the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. It flies four round trips to the other airport in the collectivity, Miquelon. It makes scheduled services to five airports in Canada, typically operating one to three weekly services to Montreal, three weekly services to St. John's, three to four weekly services to Halifax and two weekly summer services to Sydney.[6][7] As there are no direct flights from Saint-Pierre and Miquelon to Metropolitan France, Air Saint-Pierre offers transit services in conjunction with Air France flights from Montreal to Paris, and has summer connections via Halifax and Dublin with Europe Airpost.[8]
Fleet
The airline operates a fleet of two aircraft. The larger, 46-seat ATR 42-500 is used for international flights to Canada. The eight-seat Reims-Cessna F406 is used for inter-island services.[9]
| Aircraft | No. | Seats | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATR 42-320 | 1 | 46 | 1994–2009 |
| ATR 42-500 | 2 | 46 | 2009– |
| Beechcraft Model 18 | 1 | 1971–? | |
| Douglas DC-3 | 1 | 26 | 1974–76 |
| Hawker Siddeley HS 748 | 1 | 42 | 1976–1995 |
| Piper PA-23 Aztec | 2 | 5 | 1966–? |
| Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain | 1 | 7 | 1981–2003 |
| Reims-Cessna F406 | 1 | 8 | 2003– |
References
- ^ a b c Norwood, Tom; Wegg, John (2002). North American Airlines Handbook (3rd ed.). Sandpoint, ID: Airways International. ISBN 0-9653993-8-9.
- ^ "Contact Us." Air Saint-Pierre. Retrieved on December 19, 2014. "18 rue Albert Briand, BP 4225, 97500 Saint-Pierre & Miquelon"
- ^ Flight International 27 March 2007
- ^ a b c d e f "History". Air Saint-Pierre. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ "Reims Aviation concentrates on special mission F406 twin" (PDF). Flight International: 24. 22 April 2008.
- ^ "Schedules & Fares". Air Saint-Pierre. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ "Info" (PDF). Air Saint-Pierre. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ "In Transit on Air France via Montreal". Air Saint-Pierre. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Our fleet". Air Saint-Pierre. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
External links
