Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Scotland's biggest airline collapses

Simon Evans
Wednesday 16 December 2009 19:15 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Flyglobespan, Scotland's biggest airline, has this evening collapsed with hundreds of jobs likely to be lost.

Flyglobespan, Scotland's biggest airline, has this evening collapsed with hundreds of jobs likely to be lost.

The group, which has persistently denied stories written by the Independent that was in financial peril, has had its licence to operate revoked by the Civil Aviation Authority, the airline industry regulator.

The group confirmed that it entered into voluntary administration this afternoon.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accountants, has been appointed as administrator to the collapsed airline, which is run by Tom Dalrymple, one of Scotland’s wealthiest men.

It's believed that Globespan, which was spared administration at the 11th hour last month, failed to receive payments from Halcyon Investments, a Jersey-based special purpose vehicle.

It is understood the payment was linked to funds owed to the airline by E-Clear, a credit-card processing firm.

Globespan Group, which was founded in 1970, has around 900 staff and operates a fleet of more than 10 planes primarily from Scottish airports to destinations such as Alicante in Spain and Orlando in the US.

The firm also operates baggage and check-in facilities for rival budget airline FlyBe at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. And last year the company won contracts from the Ministry of Defence to fly to the Falkland Islands and Qatar from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Last month the group staved off collapse with a last-ditch cash injection

Administrators were lined up to handle the airline's collapse but directors at Globespan Group managed to secure new funding at the 11th hour.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in