The BAe 146 and its variant, the Avro RJ100, were valuable jet aircraft for short runways previously only accessible by turboprop planes. Three Philippine airlines utilized these aircraft to offer jet services to airports that exclusively catered to turboprop flights.
Produced in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace from 1983 to 2001, the British Aerospace 146 (BAe 146) is a short-haul and regional aircraft. In 1992, Avro International Aerospace began producing an updated version called the Avro RJ.
Featuring a T-tail cantilever monoplane design with a high wing, the BAe 146/Avro RJ100 is equipped with four geared turbofan engines mounted on pylons beneath the wings and retractable tricycle landing gear. Its quiet operation earned it the nickname “Whisperjet.”
The aircraft served various airports in the Philippines, including the former Caticlan Airport (Boracay), Balesin, and Batanes, which primarily accommodated turboprop flights. Three airlines in the Philippines operated the BAe 146: Asian Spirit (later Zest Air and AirAsia Philippines), Royal Air, and Skyjet.
Asian Spirit
In 2005 and 2006, Asian Spirit acquired BAe 146 aircraft to offer faster jet services to Philippine airports previously only served by turboprops, becoming the first BAe 146 operators in the country. The airline purchased two BAe 146-100s from Qantaslink in 2005 and two BAe 146-200s from National Jet Systems in 2006.
When AMY Holdings bought Asian Spirit in 2008, the airline ceased operating the BAe 146 as it transitioned to Zest Air. The new airline opted for the Airbus A320 and Xian MA-60, discontinuing their BAe 146 operations.
Skyjet
Skyjet, a boutique airline in the Philippines, currently operates a mix of BAe 146-100 and BAe 146-200 aircraft. Out of the six BAe 146s once operated by the airline, three remain in service, one is parked, one has been written off, and two are no longer in use. The aircraft have served destinations such as Basco, Balesin Island, Busuanga, San Vicente, Camiguin, and Siargao.
Royal Air
Royal Air operated the Avro RJ100, an improved version of the BAe 146. In 2017, the airline acquired three used RJ100s from Swiss Global Airlines, primarily for chartered flights. However, Royal Air started commercial operations in 2018, with flights from Clark and Kalibo to destinations like Cebu, Caticlan, Tagbilaran, Puerto Princesa, and San Vicente. Subsequently, Royal Air added two Airbus A319-100 aircraft for chartered flights to China and expanded its fleet with more Airbus A320s, eventually phasing out the Avro RJ100 from service.
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