British International (Cardiff) has announced that it will end its scheduled helicopter services from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly by October 31, 2012. It currently offers five daily round-trips from Penzance to Isles of Scilly St. Mary's and four daily round-trips to Tresco. British International says the key reason why it plans to end the scheduled service it has provided since 1964 is related to legal action taken by several parties against a plan to sell the land of its current heliport location in Penzance to supermarket chain Sainsbury's. It had planned to use the profits from the sale that now seems on hold or at least delayed to finance a replacement for its S-61 helicopters used on these routes and to build a new heliport instead. Its competitor Skybus (United Kingdom) (IOS, Land's End) will continue to serve St. Mary's from Bristol International, Exeter, Land's End, Newquay and Southampton with DHC-6s.
British International announces end to scheduled helicopter services
© Tis Meyer (PlanePics.org)