Updated: 50 jobs lost as charter airline collapses (From Echo)

Updated: 50 jobs lost as charter airline collapses

4:00pm Thursday 4th December 2008 in Search

THE biggest charter airline at Southend Airport, has collapsed into administration with the loss of 50 jobs.

News that Flightline has collapsed comes just a day after the sale of the airport to the Stobart Group for £21 million was finally announced.

Administrators KPMG moved into company offices at Viscount House yesterday and their appointment came as a bolt from the blue to the staff based at Southend.

Bob Moore, 64, was one of those affected. He said: “Everyone came in to work and were just told to go home and the administrators would be in touch. We don’t know anything yet about wages and redundancy.”

Ford Dagenham has been hit by the collapse, as the company used Flightline for flights between Southend and Cologne.

Ford spokesman Oliver Rowe said: “Ford is investigateing alternative suppliers to enable the service to be reinstated”

A statement from KPMG said Jane Moriarty and Myles Halley had been appointed as the administrators and the firm had stopped trading.

Ms Moriarty said: “Some 235 staff have been made redundant.

"However, a small number of employees remain to work alongside the administrators. We are now undergoing an orderly wind down of business.”