maldives airways was an airline based in malé , maldives .

it was operational between 1984 and 1986 , offering scheduled passenger flights using a fleet of two douglas dc-8 aircraft .

the usage of american-made airplanes was quite impressive , considering that air maldives , the state airline , was operating only one short skyvan at that time .

maldives airways

trans maldivian airways sea plane terminal , ibrahim nasir international airport , male ' , republic of maldives ( 9 , 403 . 48 mi ) maale , maale , maldives
maldives airways was owned and operated by the plo . this airline was one of the many companies which also functioned as a screen for the secret activities of the plo at that time and maldives airways planes were engaged in smuggling weapons or drugs for the palestinian authority
sadly , british airways also flies back from the maldives . you will have to leave eventually – at least until your next holiday .
book your flights to the maldives with etihad airways and get ready to explore the 26 islands that form the ‘necklace of the indian ocean’ .
in the summer months british airways flies to the maldives vis doha , using our partner airline , qatar airways . from november to march , you can book a direct flight from london to malé , the capital of the islands .
you can fly to the maldives every day of the year with our partner airline , qatar airways , from london , manchester and edinburgh . if you are flying with qatar airways , your journey will include a stop in doha . between november and march you can also fly direct to the maldives with british airways . in both cases , you’ll fly into malé , the capital .
hummingbird island airways was a regional airline based at male international ( mle ) [ trans maldivian airways was founded as hummingbird island helicopters in 1989 & commenced services on 30jun1989 using a fleet of helicopters . started fixed wing operations in 1997 when it was renamed to hummingbird island airways . renamed again in 2001 to trans maldivian airways . had maldivian air taxi merge in in 2001
today , trans maldivian airways ( pilot ken simkins ) ferries visitors to more than 100 resorts .
read our baggage guide to answer your specific queries about luggage allowances when you fly with british airways .
no further information at this time [ hummingbird island airways was a regional airline based at male international ( mle ) [ trans maldivian airways was founded as hummingbird island helicopters in 1989 & commenced services on 30jun1989 using a fleet of helicopters . started fixed wing operations in 1997 when it was renamed to hummingbird island airways . renamed again in 2001 to trans maldivian airways . had maldivian air taxi merge in in 2001 ]
maldivian air taxi was founded in 1993 & started operations on 04nov1993 ( tourist and sightseeing airline based at male international airport ) merged into trans maldivian airways ( tourist and sightseeing airline based at male international airport ) hummingbird island airways was a regional airline based at male international ( mle ) [ trans maldivian airways was founded as hummingbird island helicopters in 1989 & commenced services on 30jun1989 using a fleet of helicopters . started fixed wing operations in 1997 when it was renamed to hummingbird island airways . renamed again in 2001 to trans maldivian airways . had maldivian air taxi merge in in 2001 ]
trans maldivian airways is your getaway to the stunning maldives . with the world ' s largest seaplane fleet , trans maldivian airways takes you from velana international airport in malé to your island holiday destination . life is about the journey , and this will likely be the most scenic one in your life . read more . . .
curious about the scale of our operation ? take a sneak peek behind the scenes of trans maldivian airways… read more . . .
british airways’ seasonal direct flights depart three times a week from london gatwick , on sunday , wednesday and friday . flights will land the following day at malé . direct flights back from the maldives to london depart on mondays , thursdays and saturdays .
from the air , the atolls of the maldives look like turquoise constellations . as you approach land , they’re more like emeralds set in white - beach bezels : nothing short of exquisitely beautiful . jetting off to the maldives is a bucket list cliché for a reason – beloved by celebrities , remembered by all who visit , these islands really could be the most beautiful place on earth . fly to the maldives with british airways for your best holiday yet .
pilot rob mcintyre spent two years in the maldives . “i have great memories , ” he says .
with a fleet of more than 40 de havilland twin otters , trans maldivian airways operates the largest seaplane operation in the world . read more . . .
november to march is peak season in the maldives . the weather is lovely as the dry season rolls around and people flock to escape the winter months – plus you can fly direct with british airways . however , because it’s such a popular time , flight prices can rise accordingly – especially around christmas and new year . throughout the rest of the year you can generally find more inexpensive , indirect flights with our partner airline , qatar airways . look out for cheap flights to maldives after may , in the low season .
air maldives was founded on 01oct1974 & started operations on 09oct1974 . it declared bankruptcy and stopped all operations in 2000
discover the best fares at etihad airways to our top destinations . our special prices offer you the opportunity to experience etihad’s outstanding service for less . book now before seats fill .
the main tourist season runs from december to march when people in northern climates escape their winters for a little fun in the sun . if you are travelling during this time it is highly recommended that you book your tickets to the maldives well in advance . the rest of the year can be considered the monsoon season , but the rainfall varies quite a bit . from april to november the rains are more intense , but it is a great time to find cheap hotels in the maldives . flight deals to the maldives are easy to find with etihad airways .
tourism in the maldives began in 1972 with just two resorts . today , ibrahim nasir international airport handles two million passengers annually .
find out more about the maldives and keep up - to - date with information about your tma flight ! read more . . .
it’s not a silly question . officially , the maldives all runs on one time zone : five hours ahead of gmt . however , some resorts have unofficial time zones so that guests can enjoy longer evenings . resorts might be 30 minutes , an hour or an hour and a half ahead of maldives time ( mht ) . check with your resort . malé , the capital , sticks with maldives time .
mega maldives was established in 2010 . it received an aoc on 22dec2010 , and its first domestic flight was from malé to gan on 28dec2010 . mega maldives air has officially announced it suspended all commercial flight operations with effect from 02may2017 . it has now decided to close down completely
the success of trans maldivian airways has been through the efforts of our team . today , we employ more than eight hundred dedicated team members representing twenty nationalities . we aim for the highest standards of professional and personal competence to provide the visitors to the maldives with an incredible experience . if you feel you could contribute . . . read more . . .
you can fly direct from gatwick airport ( lgw ) to velana international airport ( mle – also known as malé international airport ) in around ten hours . if you’re flying with qatar airways , you will change planes at doha .
you don’t want to start your holiday stressed . follow these little tips and see if they can’t help you arrive refreshed and ready to relax in the maldives .
after two years in the maldives , mcintyre flew charters in wheel - equipped twin otters in angola , which offered him longer home leave and was closer to his canadian home—and his family , who tired of life in the maldives . he’s now a production test pilot on the new dhc6 series 400 twin otter . mcintyre says his maldives experience helped him in angola , where he might take off on a paved runway but land on a soccer field or in six inches of mud .
our generous baggage allowances allow you to take everything you need for a longer break in the maldives . when you book a package holiday or fly standard economy you can check in one piece of luggage weighing up to 23kg . if you’re travelling premium economy ( world traveller plus ) , you can take two bags weighing 23kg each . business ( club world ) travellers can take two bags of up to 32kg . that’s a lot of flip flops ! our partner airline , qatar airways , offers up to 30kg of luggage in economy ( world traveller ) , extending to 40kg in business ( club world ) . please refer to the qatar airways codeshare page for more information .
the maldives might be small and remote , but your resort will have plenty of activities on hand , from whale shark spotting to sunset cruises and desert island exploration . read up on the best things to do in the maldives . then slip on your snorkel mask , slap on a kaftan or sink into a spa day : the choice is yours .
there are two seasons in the maldives – the popular dry season runs from december to march , and the so - called wet season runs from may to november . both seasons are great for visitors , as the maldives have a tropical climate and an average temperature of a perfect 26 - 30°c all year round . generally , early may and early november see more unsettled weather .
the official currency of the maldives is the maldivian rufiyaa , but you won’t need to use it if you’re staying on resort . resorts accept dollars , as well as credit and debit cards .
in india , there’s a lot of talk about twin otters : they are proposed for an air service that will link the beaches of the country’s west coast ; they provide transportation around sri lanka or india’s andaman islands , and to the north , the chinese knockoffs known as twin pandas ply the mountains of nepal . the maldivian service , however , has the biggest twin otter fleet in the world . run by trans maldivian airways , the 44 - aircraft service links resorts spread across the atolls and supports the maldives’ most profitable industry : tourism . as the service has grown , it has become the template for other seaplane operators worldwide , and among a globe - trotting breed of twin otter pilots , landing a flying job in the maldives is a point of pride . many pilots who want to try open - ocean flying come to the maldives , and some stay for years .
de havilland canada discontinued production of the twin otter in 1988 after having exported them to 74 countries , but the dhc - 6 otter is still the ideal airplane for an environment like the maldives .
groth and alsford say they see some maldivian pilots starting to shift to land - based airlines , especially with the launch in 2012 of mega maldives , an airline with a fleet of 767s serving the maldives from china . “some more experienced guys are starting to say ‘hey , are we going to fly these floats the rest of our lives , or are we going to do something else ? ’ ”
landing at malé airport doesn’t have to mean the end of the bird’s eye views . step on board a charming twin otter seaplane to transfer to your resort and enjoy one more panorama before landing on the beach . most british airways maldives holiday packages include the price of your transfer , so you can have a smooth , stress - free journey into paradise – all paid for in advance . plus , our generous luggage allowance ensures you can take enough clothing to last a nice long stay – you deserve it .
over a thousand islands , hundreds of resorts , and an untold number of beaches : it ' s hard to know where to stay in the maldives . that ' s why we ' ve picked out the best maldives resorts for you . with their overwater villas , intimate island settings , and specialist diving centres , these places will help you get a lifetime of memories out of your trip of a lifetime .
accident to 8q - tma : the aircraft , operated by trans maldivian airways was maneuvering on the water near the floating platform , after landing in the lagoon near holiday island resort , when it struck another twin otter ( 8q - tmh ) that was parked against the floating platform . there were no passengers on either aircraft .
trans maldivian airways services include resort transfers , photo flights , private charter , excursions and medical evacuation flights . photo flights – the standard photo flight package starting and finishing at the airport includes a 15 - minute flyover . it is a very popular charter service and comes at a reasonable price resort transfers – transfer of guests to and . . . read more . . .
british nationals will be issued a visa on arrival in the maldives . your visa will cover up to 30 days’ holiday . you may need to show that you have a departure date booked , and sometimes that you have enough funds to cover your stay .
date and time : 19 february 2001 at 0810 hrs lt location : near holiday island resort operator : trans maldivian airways pvt . ltd . aircraft : de havilland dhc - 6 - 100 ( 8q - tma ) and dhc - 6 - 300 ( 8q - tmh ) number of persons in the aircraft : 3 injuries to persons : none damage to aircraft : both aircraft sustained substantial damage .
date and time : 17 may 2004 at 1101 hrs local time ( lt ) location : male ' international airport operator : trans maldivian airways pvt . ltd . aircraft : de havilland dhc - 6 - 300 ( floatplane ) number of persons in the aircraft : 17 injuries to persons : fatalities - 0 , serious injuries - 3 , minor injuries - 1 damage to aircraft : total write - off .
the maldives offers world - class scuba diving and the offshore reefs in the area are teeming with all kinds of colourful fish darting all over the stunning coral formations . most people will tell you that the maldives are simply a paradise for scuba so if you don’t dive already , be sure to get certified while you are here . you really cannot afford to miss out on the chance to experience the underwater world here . the best time to dive in these waters is in the months of april and november when the water is incredibly clear .
eight years ago , shareef went to florida to get his seaplane rating after maldivian air taxi agreed to match the $ 20 , 000 his father - in - law gave him for flight training . when he returned to the maldives , ken simkins trained him in twin otters .
a direct flight to the maldives takes around ten hours and some flights include a stopover . make sure you beat jetlag by living in your new time zone as soon as possible . use our jet lag advisor to find out when to rest and when to keep yourself awake during the journey .
in the hangar during my visit was an aircraft acquired from a seller in greenland , which after a tour in the maldives was being checked for saltwater corrosion , the air service’s “biggest problem , ” says rees . “all of our preventive maintenance and inspections are looking towards it , ” he adds .
still , flying in the maldives is something most twin otter devotees want on their résumés . “i’ve never met a seaplane pilot that hasn’t heard of the maldives , even if they don’t know where it is , ” says rob mcintyre , a former captain with maldivian air taxi . “it’s a legendary job , and i’m really proud that i’m part of that exclusive club . there’s no better feeling than putting an airplane down in water that you wouldn’t even want to be in a boat in , and the passengers don’t even notice until the plane has stopped and is bobbing up and down in the water . ”
for foreign pilots who don’t scuba dive , fish , or surf , the maldives might seem like an aquatic prison . local food is tasty but often too spicy for the average canadian palate , and good western food can be found only at resorts , which are geared more toward honeymooning couples than weary pilots .
thanks to imports , resorts in the maldives can provide guests with every cuisine under the sun . if you want a taste of the local produce , turn to fresh fish , coconuts , and curry . invite yourself to a seafood barbecue for blistered pink langoustine or track down a ‘mas riha’ ( tuna curry ) .
“just a bit of local showers . you can go around them if you like , ” nielsen told neil travers , a trainee copilot who , like nielsen , wore green cargo shorts and aviator sunglasses . both men work for tma , an island airline formed by joining trans maldivian airways with another carrier , maldivian air taxi . and both had jettisoned their flip - flops after boarding the floatplane and were flying with bare feet . “looks kind of picturesque though , ” nielsen said .
date and time : 18 october 1995 at 1055 hrs lt location : male ' international airport operator : air maldives ltd aircraft : dornier 228 number of persons in the aircraft : 8 injuries to persons : fatalities - 0 , serious injuries - 1 , minor injuries - 2 damage to aircraft : total write - off .
as i was leaving the maldives , i decided to lay over in colombo and fly with sri lankan air taxi ( slat ) , a fledgling service set up with the help of ken simkins and originally run by sri lanka’s national carrier using aircraft and crews from emirates airlines . at a dock rented from a buddhist temple on a bend in colombo’s kelani river , i boarded a twin otter painted in the technicolor tropical motifs of slat . the captain that day was another canadian , bruce gordon , who described himself as “a classic bush pilot . ” both gordon and his copilot had flown in the maldives , as had slat’s fleet of twin otters .
it’s not hard to see why this one of the most popular resorts in the maldives : lux * south ari atoll is a five - star beauty with lavish villas that feel like home . as one of the larger resorts , it has a range of restaurants to suit all tastes , plus it’s near one of the best places for whale shark sightings .
the maldives has shown that travel to even the remotest and unspoilt archipelagos on the planet is attainable . the islands’ striking beauty , combined with luxury resorts , would not be as accessible as they are if it wasn’t for a handful of daring people . they turned their passion into a service benefiting visitors , resorts and maldivians . . . read more . . .
that was an understatement . a remote island nation about 250 miles southwest of india in the laccadive sea , the republic of the maldives comprises nearly 1 , 200 islands , around 200 of which are inhabited . many of the rest , which make up 26 atolls spread out over 35 , 000 square miles , are nothing more than rings of sand surrounding tiffany - blue lagoons or bottle - green mini - jungles . the beauty of the maldives—along with their remoteness—has made the islands a vacation spot for the affluent—and tma a successful business . the reefs are among the most diverse marine habitats in the world , home to manta rays and giant turtles . and the skies are abuzz with twin otters , the floatplanes in the tma fleet .
the self - contained islands of the maldives are made for all inclusive holidays . find the best resort for you , whether you ' ve got your family in tow or it ' s just the two of you . these four carefully - selected hotels really have thought of everything , from cocktails to kayaking , to make your stay special – with no big bill at the end .
unlike western canada and alaska , where many of the maldives’ floatplane pilots ( and airplanes ) got their start , the maldives has no thick fog clinging to glassy water surfaces or mountains to navigate around—its highest elevation is only 26 feet . seaplane pilots fly according to visual flight rules . but open - ocean flying in a tourism - dependent resort nation has another set of challenges . when the monsoon is robust , pilots may have to land in heavy crosswinds with the floats straddling swells that can reach three feet . were a pilot to land into the wind , on the crest of a wave , the airplane , if unable to stop fast enough , could be pitched back into the air by the next wave , which could cause it to stall at a very low altitude .
the maldives was long a sultanate , first under dutch and then under british protection . it consists of1 , 190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls ( 200 inhabited islands , plus 80 islands with tourist resorts ) ; archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in indian ocean . it became a republic in 1968 , three years after independence . tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago .
shareef remembers his father taking him to the airport when he was 10 to see the first charter condor air jumbo jet land in the maldives . “it was the biggest aircraft that had come here up till that point , ” shareef says . “a lot of people from malé came [ by ] dhoni and waited by the runway to see that flight land . from then , i wanted to be a pilot . ”
in the maldives i met ken simkins , who has been training twin otter pilots since 1983 and became the chief pilot for maldivian air taxi shortly after the airline began in 1993 . at that time , says simkins , most of the airplanes , pilots , and engineers were supplied by the calgary - based charter kenn borek air , which leases aircraft for polar scientific expeditions , u . n . missions , and oil exploration support .
you can’t say you’ve seen the maldives until you’ve seen what’s underwater . the snorkelling here is considered some of the best in the world . there are over 1 , 100 species of fish – that’s almost as many as there are maldivian islands – and many of them form part of the reef ecosystem . look out for parrotfish chewing on the coral , moody barracuda close to the surface , and tiny clownfish dipping in and out of anemones .
i was listening through a headset as the crew made a late loop , flying tourists to three luxury resorts—the vast majority of the maldives’ resorts are high - end—in alifu atoll , about 50 miles southwest of the ibrahim nasir international airport , which is little more than a runway on an island made of reclaimed sand adjacent to the capital island city of malé . with me were 13 passengers from russia , china , and europe , who sat with faces or cameras pressed against the otter’s windows .
the portuguese and dutch had settlements in the maldives before it became a british protectorate , in 1887 . in 1965 it gained independence from the united kingdom , which retained use of the base at gan in the southernmost seenu atoll . simkins , who served in the royal air force and the canadian air force from 1970 until he joined kba in 1993 , had visited gan in the mid - 1970s . recently , its airstrip was developed as another base for tourist flights , including flights in seaplanes .
simkins first met maldivian air taxi owner lars erik nielsen in the summer of 1993 , when nielsen was in vancouver looking to rent or buy a seaplane to bring to the maldives . “nielsen had come out here as a diver , and his thinking was : ‘people want to go to these islands , but after they’ve been traveling for 16 , 18 hours , they don’t want to do another three and a half hours [ in a boat ] in the open ocean , getting seasick . ’ he thought seaplanes might be the answer . when we started , there were maybe half a dozen resorts served by seaplanes ; now there are a hundred or so . ”
floatplane pilots , says nielsen , are a small , itinerant community . many in the maldives hail from other floatplane environments , where there are few roads but lakes and rivers abound . other twin otter pilots flew with wheels in australia , and some have flown with skis in antarctica . “everybody knows everybody , ” nielsen says . “it’s a very international group [ because ] floatplane flying is seasonal work . in the northern hemisphere , when it is winter and there are no jobs , they come here . then they go back home during the [ summer ] low season here . some are doing firefighting in north america , and they come here in the winter when there are no fires . it is a very natural rotation . ”
money permits him to influence states by moving around liquid assets . some $ 700 million was moved out of jordan in 1986 to protest king husayn ' s policies ; $ 200 million was once transferred into tunisia as a reward . nor are all investments apolitical . funds are on occasion loaned to allies in need , such as $ 12 million to the nicaraguan government in 1981 and $ 100 million to iraq in 1986 .
friendship
projects have included factories and farms in places like syria , guinea , the maldives , and poland . ' arafat also has the means to do the odd favor . in 1985 , he is said to have won the release of three soviet hostages held in beirut by paying $ 15 million to fundamentalist muslims .
in the nearly 25 years that the air taxi has been flying , malé has changed significantly . when ulrik nielsen arrived in the 1990s , the buildings were low - rise and the roads unpaved . “at that time it was around 60 , 000 people living there , ” he says . since then , the population has increased to more than 103 , 000 , and more land has been reclaimed to make room for more pastel - colored , 10 - story - plus buildings . the migration was abetted by the 2004 indian ocean tsunami , which caused extensive damage on many of the local islands , causing an exodus . ( the maldives were spared worse damage by the barrier reefs . the air service was lucky that most of its airplanes were in the air when the tsunami struck , but several airplanes in the hangar were damaged . )
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[ n . b . : the following reflects what the author submitted , and not exactly what was published . to obtain the precise text of what was printed , please check the original place of publication . ]
soon after kuwait disappeared into the iraqi maw on 2 august 1991 , the palestine liberation organization ( plo ) found itself bereft of its three largest sources of funds . angry at yasir ' arafat ' s enthusiastic endorsement of saddam husayn ' s aggression , the saudi and kuwaiti governments stopped paying $ 72 and $ 24 million a year , respectively . the united arab emirates , qatar , and egypt also followed suit . and the iraqis , who had been paying some $ 48 million annually , lacked the funds to continue paying
to make matters worse , kuwait was the palestinians ' el dorado , and their wealth in that country was almost completely lost . the numbers involved are large , even if they don ' t reach the wild estimates proffered by plo officials : $ 8 billion according to muhammad milham of the plo executive committee ; somewhere between $ 8 . 5 billion and $ 12 . 6 billion according to yasir ' arafat ; and $ 13 billion according to salim az - za ' nun , the plo ' s representative in kuwait . ( these obviously hyperbolic numbers have been picked up by reputable media ; jonathan c . randal reports the $ 10 billion figure with a straight face in the washington post . ) in addition , palestinians in the territories occupied by israel lost , again according to yasir ' arafat , $ 1 . 4 billion .
alienating contributors and losing capital has serious consequences for the plo . its income appears to be about half of what it was before 2 august and expenditures have fallen by 30 percent . according to a report in the jerusalem post , the organization ' s revenue fell by as much as 90 percent . plo employees , armed and not , have already experienced pay cuts and more reductions lie ahead . a reduction of pay to palestinian fighters in early 1991 provoked a mutiny in fat ' h in lebanon ; fat ' h responded by summarily executing the malcontents , apparently hoping this would prevent a collapse in the chain of command .
although it would be unwise ever to discount the plo , an organization that regularly rebounds from adversity , this blow can be expected severely to crimp its activities and its ambition to remain the dominant palestinian organization .
during the plo ' s heyday in lebanon , 1970 - 82 , when it ran a state - within - a - state , revenues derived mostly from a wide array of legal and illegal commercial activities . the result was a formidable war chest . abu musa , a one - time ally of ' arafat ' s , has stated that in 1982 the plo had $ 1 billion in lebanese banks alone .
on the legal side , the plo got involved in some surprising ventures . the popular front for the liberation of palestine , for example , ran the modern mechanical establishment , an iron and steel company south of sidon . the company made money by paying no taxes , using coercive sales methods , and engaging in predatory pricing . then , after forcing the competition to go out of business , it raised prices .
lebanon ' s anarchy offered unbounded opportunities for illegal activities : drug trafficking , protection rackets , robberies , hijackings , and the training of foreign terrorists . drug trafficking was by far the steadiest and most lucrative racket during the lebanon years ; during the late 1970s , when the plo ruled substantial portions of lebanon , drug - trafficking is said to have brought the plo $ 300 million a year . other activities also brought spectacular returns . the december 1975 capture of opec oil ministers reportedly netted the plo $ 20 million . a few months later , the plo participated in what the guinness book of world records calls the largest bank heist of all time ; robbing the beirut branch of the british bank of the middle east brought the plo one - third the loot , between $ 16 and $ 33 million .
the expulsion from beirut in 1982 ended this financial golden era . the plo has since re - established its operations in lebanon ; even today , james adams comments , it remains
a major economic influence in the country - or what ' s left of it .
but lebanon ' s economy has fallen apart since 1982 , so revenues from there are a fraction of what they were earlier .
also , while soviet - bloc aid used to amount to the equivalent of tens of millions of dollars annually , provided in cash , arms , training , and intelligence , eastern europe ' s liberation and the ravages of perestroika have caused this once - reliable source virtually to dry up .
deprived of these sources , the plo has in recent years become heavily dependent on handouts from arab presidents , kings , and emirs - a demeaning return to pre - 1970 circumstances . gone are those heady days when ' arafat had the leeway to act independently of his state sponsors . the plo has steadily received at least $ 100 million a year from the arab states since 1973 , but the amount has recently edged toward $ 250 - 300 million a year . arab states agreed to take up this slack in plo funding primarily for offensive reasons ( to gain influence ) or defensive ones ( to avoid retribution ) ; in some cases they may even have done so out of conviction .
nearly all of this income came from kuwait , saudi arabia , and the other states that have just cut the plo off . according to plo records made public in 1988 , the saudi authorities over the previous decade had donated $ 855 million . salim az - za ' nun , the plo ' s representative in kuwait , announced that the kuwaitis had provided his organization with $ 2 billion over 26 years . in fact , the total contribution was much more , for both governments funneled massive amounts to yasir ' arafat personally . abu musa , indirectly confirmed this point in 1983 :
saudi arabia gives him tens , hundreds of millions , to corrupt not to develop the revolution . it does not appear in the books . it is much more than the official contributions .
not all the money came from government coffers . palestinians living in arab countries are supposed to pay 3 to 7 . 5 percent of their salaries by way of tax to the plo . while it is unclear when and where these funds were actually collected and transmitted to the plo , it appears that kuwait , saudi arabia , and the uae were the only states to do so on a regular basis ; samir khalaf estimated that palestinians in kuwait alone sent $ 150 million a year to the west bank and gaza before the iraqi invasion . all this has come to an end since 2 august 1991 .
individual palestinians make contributions , especially at times of crisis , ranging from the very small ( the purchase of
arab liberation stamps
) to the very large . some contributions are voluntary , others extracted by threats .
the plo ' s operations and political prominence depend heavily on money , and so the sudden disappearance of half the organization ' s budget is causing many problems .
money gives yasir ' arafat control over some twenty thousand gunmen , consisting of both conventional and irregular forces . it permits diplomacy on a grand scale ; the plo has two more
embassies
than israel and ' arafat sometimes visits three or four capitals in his own plane on a single day . it furthers the plo ' s terrorist and military efforts . there ' s nothing like buying a small airline to penetrate the world of civil aviation , and this is what the plo has done , through one george khallaq , when it bought part equity in transportes aeros de guinea - bissau . on a smaller scale , the plo has shown a marked interest in leasing commercial space at airports .
money sways public opinion by allowing the plo to subsidize the media . in february 1986 , for example , a payment of some $ 150 , 000 to the pro - jordanian al - quds newspaper of jerusalem rapidly turned around that paper ' s editorial stance .
money reduces the chances that a rival palestinian organization will challenge ' arafat ' s leadership . half a year after the intifada erupted , the plo responded by offering $ 50 million to its leadership - a clear attempt to bring an unruly upstart under company control . hamas , the fundamentalist muslim group that has emerged as the plo ' s only serious rival , hopes to join the plo to tap its funds .
money makes it possible to provision social , welfare , economic , cultural , and educational services which win palestinian allegiance to the plo . when traveling in poor countries , ' arafat dispenses money freely .
finally , not to be overlooked is the opulent way of life - elegant villas in tunisia , first - class travel , and the other perquisites of power - that money bestows on the plo pashas . zuhayr muhsin , for example , acquired a pronounced taste for gambling on the côte d ' azur . others put aside impressive nest eggs . wadi haddad , the plo ' s explosive expert killed in 1978 , is said by his comrades - in - arms to have left his sister a bequest of $ 140 million .
notwithstanding the talk of ' arafat ' s abstemious ways , he too enjoys what one newspaper account terms
a billionaire ' s life ,
including private planes , government guest houses , and the like . those in the know also point to the fortune he has put aside . the saudi press noted that ' arafat
helps himself to the aid supplied to the plo and the palestinians .
mustafa tallas , the syrian defense minister , claims that yasir ' arafat owns $ 12 billion in his own name and is
one of the world ' s ten richest men .
tallas further claims ' arafat stole £1 . 7 billion from ar - rafidayn bank in beirut , which he deposited in his own name , not that of the plo .
while this is obviously hyperbole , ' arafat himself does not deny possessing
a great deal of money .
he alleges , however , that it comes entirely from the money he made as an engineer in the 1950s in kuwait ; from the plo , he claims to take not so much as a salary .
to maintain close control over plo finances , ' arafat personally makes deposits and signs large checks . while this highly centralized control leads to resentments and gross inefficiencies , it also makes ' arafat indispensable . as one jordanian official put it ,
they have to keep arafat because if he goes , no one will know where the money is .
wealth has become so central to the plo ' s presence and influence , it sometimes looms larger than military considerations .
money is [ ' arafat ' s ] only weapon at present ,
abu musa declared already in 1983 . thus , when the plo evacuated beirut in 1982 , james adams explains , its leaders
feared the israeli seizure of their assets more than they did a military defeat .
( not without reason ; that exodus is estimated to have cost them $ 400 million . ) confirming this attitude , a white house official recollects ,
we got these messages from the plo containing lists of bmws and mercedes ' that they wanted to get on to the ships . they were very concerned to get their fleets of cars on as well as their families .
heavy dependence on large amounts of money has taken its toll ; as an unnamed jordanian official once put it ,
the plo isn ' t a revolution . it ' s a corporation .
the size and sophistication of the plo financial apparatus makes it a key power center of the organization . one can go further : while foiling attacks and capturing foot soldiers remains important , the only way to hobble and finally put an end to plo terrorist operations is to hit it where it counts most - in the wallet .
every attempt until now to count out the plo has proven wrong ; no one can predict its demise with confidence . ( a bit prematurely , zbigniew brzezinski waved
bye bye , plo
in 1977 . ) but the current situation , described by foreign report as a
financial catastrophe ,
is likely to translate into a severe decline in the popularity of yasir ' arafat and the authority of the plo .
some may find this development unfortunate because it obstructs resolution of palestinian - israeli issues . but that grants the plo too much . it is actually today ' s representative of that radical palestinian tradition that , as abba eban put it , has never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity . far from serving as a force for peace , the plo has bludgeoned and suppressed more moderate elements willing to coexist with israel . for this reason , its financial predicament offers not just the likelihood of less violence in the middle east but also a rare opportunity for alternative palestinian voices to make themselves heard . let us hope that they take advantage of the moment .
mustafa tallas on yasir ' arafat :
he personally owns $ 12 billion , in his own name . that sum in enough to sustain the stone - throwing children for twelve years , but he withholds this money from them and keeps on begging in their name . he stole 1 . 7 billion pounds from the ar - rafidayn bank , which is a joint british - iraqi bank in beirut , and he plundered other beirut banks and deposited the money in his own name - not in the name of the plo .
the saudi media accused ' arafat of
helping himself to the aid supplied to the plo and the palestinians , thus increasing his wealth and that of those around him .
yasir ' arafat :
we have not received a single penny from any gulf country since may 1990 . . . . this is to punish the plo .
' abd al - ' aziz ' ali shahin , one of yasir ' arafat ' s earliest allies , wrote a secret report in mid - 1991 which accused ' arafat of being directly responsible for the deterioration of al - fat ' h to
inconceivable moral degradation .
in shahin ' s eyes , the guerilla fighter died long ago , replaced by a man interested in
the red carpet , the private plane of the president , free reign to spend money .
the good life has even changed the plo leadership ' s outlook , making it most interested
in preserving the status quo , that is to say the financial , administrative , military , political , and mental corruption .
salah khalaf :
our movement is bureaucratized . it lost in militancy what it gained in ' respectability ' : we acquired a taste for dealing with governments and powerful men . we take their opinions and their wishes into account . we let ourselves be entangled in the intrigues of inter - arab relations .
abu musa , the rebel fat ' h figure , once explained that
arafat turned the palestinian revolution into a bureaucracy so rotten that it is worse than the bureaucracy in any underdeveloped country . naturally this institution was not capable of fighting . so when war broke out , the leadership ran away , leaving the rank and file to pay the price .
editorial in al - fajr , an arabic newspaper published in jerusalem :
the ineptness of the plo leadership in dealing with world developments is almost legendary . . . and threatens the future of the palestinian people . . . . maybe it is time some new blood be introduced into the palestinian leadership .
followers of abu iyad formed the 14 january correction movement - fat ' h ( that being the date of abu iyad ' s murder ) and put out a leaflet in the west bank attacking yasir ' arafat for his marriage to suha at - tawil . the leaflet characterized him as a
scheming buffoon
and an
evil satan .
it also accused him of having killed abu iyad due to disagreements about iraq .
zaki razaq , a palestinian ex - banker from kuwait :
ninety - five percent of those [ palestinians ] who lived in kuwait don ' t like arafat . he only represents himself .
austerity moves connected to the financial crisis resulting from the kuwait crisis were felt far and wide . the plo closed its separate information bureau in amman in august 1991 [ mef2 ] , then soon after closed its offices in denmark , norway , and bolivia .
functionaries saw their salaries reduced and fighters lacked ammunition . the money problem got downright petty : not having paid its telephone bills , the tunisian telephone company cut the plo lines .
having been cut off from arab money , yasir ' arafat had to devise new financial strategies . in july 1991 , he announced a plan
to ask the europeans to increase their assistance to make up for the arabs ' shortcomings .
he personally always carries with him a suitcase bearing the information of his many bank accounts . after surviving a plane crash in the libyan desert in april 1992 , finding that suitcase in the sand was an urgent priority .
two men , hasib jiryus sabbagh and sa ' id khuri , occupy central decision - making positions . also , these individuals occasionally make public grants of money , for example to endow chairs at american universities .
yasir ' arafat holds no less than thirty - two titles within the plo , ranging from president of palestine to inspector - general of the al - ' asifa forces .
patrick seale reports that abu nidal had $ 120 million in 1980 , $ 400 by 1988 .
mu ' ammar al - qadhdhafi supplied $ 12 a year in cash , $ 50 in stores and equipment in the mid - 1970s .
in late 1991 , the saudis announced the resumption of funding for the plo , though the sum was a small one - $ 2 . 1 million . a few months later , the saudis reportedly agreed to permit the plo to collect the tax levied on palestinians resident in saudi arabia , a sum of about $ 5 . 5 million a month .
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yorkshire tiger is a bus company based in elland , west yorkshire .

formed in may 2008 as centrebus holdings , in september 2013 it became a subsidiary of arriva and was rebranded yorkshire tiger .

yorkshire tiger

martijn gilbert , business director for yorkshire tiger , said : “we are really excited about the yorkshire tiger brand .
moving forward , tiger wants to standardise the fleet with repaints and re - trims on yorkshire tiger and flying tiger’s vehicles .
an optare solo from yorkshire tiger’s tiger blue operation maintaining service in halifax on new years eve .
does anyone know the correct legal address for hinckley bus . i know that yorkshire tiger is centrebus holding limited t / a yorkshire tiger , this has been
yorkshire tiger will now operate a striking new tiger blue brand for services which were previously operated as k - line .
all bus lines in yorkshire by yorkshire tiger ( s . yorks . ) - timetables , maps , routes | moovit
yorkshire tiger operates the airport services on behalf of leeds bradford airport and the west yorkshire combined authority ( wyca ) .
yorkshire tiger - x267nno | ex stagecoach london 17267 . a65 , … | flickr
resolver is not affiliated to , linked with or otherwise endorsed by yorkshire tiger .
scrap yorkshire tiger completely , let arriva or first fill in the rest . .
🚌 dtb - yorkshire tiger ( w . yorks . ) - bus timetables | moovit
🚌 92 - yorkshire tiger ( s . yorks . ) - bus timetables | moovit
yorkshire tiger operates bus services across yorkshire and lancashire . follow us for live service updates , news , promotions and customer service responses .
a very rare – and very adorable – sumatran tiger cub has been born in yorkshire .
watch inside out across yorkshire on bbc1 on monday 7 march at 1930 gmt as mike dilger travels with the yorkshire wildlife park team to bring the tiger , vladimir to yorkshire . . .
old tatty vehicles that can ' t even be alocated onto the correct route with yorkshire tiger buses on tiger blue bus routes etc . . .
ask a question about working or interviewing at yorkshire tiger . our community is ready to answer .
yorkshire tiger have also got some new ticket rolls with their new name and branding on them .
does yorkshire tiger require pre - employment background checks ? what kind of background check does . . .
becoming a subsidiary of arriva group in 2013 , with its bright orange livery and tiger stripes , yorkshire tiger stands out under the umbrella of its parent company .
yorkshire tiger currently operates over 100 buses across bradford , leeds , halifax , huddersfield , dewsbury and wakefield .
i would like to meet with simon finnie to discuss some improvements for the hunley depot of yorkshire tiger .
arriva buys out the remaining stake in centrebus holdings ( yorkshire ) and re - names the yorkshire operations .
8 . on a more positive note , the acquisition of the west yorkshire operations of centrebus - re - branded as ' yorkshire tiger ' & the hinckley operation .
can we please remember that yorkshire tiger is a arm length company and is not to be associated with arriva yorkshire in anyway or form . barry - - - in
yorkshire tiger , part of arriva , held a launch event at bradford city square on june 29 in celebration of its new ‘flying tiger’ buses on routes 737 and 747 .
over the coming months the people of yorkshire will notice more and more buses appearing in a new tiger striped livery .
new brand will be rolled out to replace k - line routes yorkshire tiger will now operate a striking new tiger blue brand for services which were previously operated as k - line .
after a successful bid for leeds bradford airport contract , yorkshire tiger runs an airport service called flying tiger , which operates from a depot in idle , dedicated for the airport services .
@ benlhudd yorkshire tiger is owned by arriva , but operates under their own brand name . all complaints will be dealt… urltoken
might they go for the black and white to minimise printing costs to both yorkshire tiger and passengers printing off the times of the 737 ? my money’s on them adding the full yorkshire tiger branding to the timetables after their first set of service changes .
colin indeed - i thought our messages were quite clear and made no reference to yorkshire tiger being connected to arriva yorkhire . ian
this is what i think . . . . yorkshire tiger is getting what they deserve , grumpy staff , driving like drunk people , breaking the buses by driving so immature . . . the fleet is completely s . . ! old tatty vehicles that can ' t even be alocated onto the correct route with yorkshire tiger buses on tiger blue bus routes etc . . . scrap yorkshire tiger completely , let arriva or first fill in the rest . .
fleet lists , one for the new yorkshire tiger and the other for stagecoach barnsley as they have many services which cross into west yorkshire . these new / updated fleet list can be seen on the
“it was good working with yorkshire tiger , who have a very responsive team . the staff at the launch all loved it . ”
the next feline superstar planned to be unveiled to an adoring yorkshire public this easter will be an amur or siberian tiger called vladimir .
it’s clear that yorkshire tiger , despite being smaller than other operators , has a team dedicated to making this operation a roaring success .
from the photos on the yorkshire tiger twitter account ( @ yorkstigerbus ) the livery looks nice . rumours are circulating that arriva are repainting the
yorkshire tiger is getting what they deserve , grumpy staff , driving like drunk people , breaking the buses by driving so immature . . .
seven single - decker buses have been destroyed by a fire at the yorkshire tiger depot at lowfields , elland , the huddersfield examiner has reported .
the subsequent arrival of tiger cubs would of course be the dream scenario for the ambitious team in yorkshire . it would be a vital stepping - stone to the ultimate goal of joining the amur tiger captive - breeding programme .
the bus industry is full of companies like yorkshire tiger ; employees are paid just enough to survive , while management are paid enough to live well .
to celebrate national catch the bus week which commenced on 28 april , yorkshire tiger are offering all staff working at leeds bradford airport a chance to sample their services for free on friday 2 may , simply by showing their airport id to the yorkshire tiger driver on the three services . airport staff are also offered one third off all flying tiger monthly , quarterly and annual season tickets .
yorkshire tiger offers great value local and inter urban bus services across north , south and west yorkshire and lancashire . we have 128 vehicles , delivering over 5 . 5 million customer journeys each year , from depots across the region .
check upcoming arrival times , timetables and route on a map for any bus line by yorkshire tiger ( s . yorks . ) in yorkshire with moovit , the world ' s # 1 free public transport app for android & iphone
one of the airport scania ' s now has tiger fleetnames on centrebus livery .
a great yorkshire partnership was the theme for the launch of yorkshire tiger’s rebranded service from leeds to leeds bradford airport . the new ‘ flying tiger ’ operation , representing an investment of over £0 . 75million by the operator , is a partnership between the arriva owned operator , the airport and metro – the west yorkshire ita , using new optare versa vehicles built locally in sherburn in elmet .
the 757 is operated from yorkshire tiger’s leeds depot with a hand picked team of 14 drivers who have been issued with smart new uniform jackets matching the vehicles . the brand design has been undertaken by best impressions and features a new blue colour scheme with a leaping tiger wearing a pilot’s cap and sunglasses . development work and driver training for the relaunched route has been undertaken by transportant solutions working with yorkshire tiger .
bus lines in yorkshire by transdev keighley & district ( w . yorks . )
bus lines in yorkshire by transdev keighley & district ( n . yorks . )
arriva buys out the remaining stake in centrebus holdings ( yorkshire ) and re - names the yorkshire operations . - secretleeds - history , culture and architecture in leeds
of course there are real reasons for keeping yorkshire tiger and arriva’s ‘traditional’ bus business in the county separate and primarily it is one of cost . while arriva yorkshire has a core commercial network , yorkshire tiger has an air of an entrepreneurial upstart . its bread and butter work are routes operated on behalf of local authorities and more marginal commercial operations . but wouldn’t it have been much simpler and easier to bolt the business on to the arriva yorkshire operation ? gilbert parallels the situation with the supermarket industry .
by the end of this year , the name huddersfield bus company will no longer be seen on the streets of west yorkshire . centrebus holdings has since been taken over by arriva as a separate subsidiary . as a break from the old ways , huddersfield bus company and centrebus’ west yorkshire services will operate under the name of yorkshire tiger .
the place to post misallocations , breakdowns and unusual sightings related to buses in yorkshire .
to launch the new buses , yorkshire tiger staff handed out free goody bags , candy floss and prizes alongside a dj performance where the new buses were showcased to the public .
a scania with the airport direct branding loads in the airport bus station for bradford . the leeds service behind is being worked by an optare tempo freshly refinished in yorkshire tiger’s orange livery
some of you will know that these operations have been renamed yorkshire tiger , except that k line retains its name . could this be sold soon , to m travel for example ?
children under five who can’t travel for free can travel at a discounted rate throughout yorkshire .
hence why the ex centrebus work is being kept as a different business to arriva yorkshire .
uk : stagecoach supertram , sheffield , south yorkshire . inc meadowhall , herdings & city centre
yorkshire tiger’s 757 can drop you off right outside city square by leeds station for great train connections far and wide . here are a few of the major cities you can visit past leeds
how many buses have yorkshire tiger had go up in flames now ? more buses have been written off in this fleet than the whole of first wy , ay & transdev put together .
a tiger line picture for you seen departing hemel hempstead - friday 15 august 2008 .
the starting point was taking the orange from the existing centrebus brand as it was something that existing customers would already associate with the business . gilbert , working with nigel featham , the regional managing director of arriva’s bus business in yorkshire , kicked around ideas with stenning during a morning meeting and from that the yorkshire tiger brand emerged . stenning notes that what has been created is witty , quirky and fun with buses sporting tiger print vinyls on a base coat of orange . this is continued to vehicle interiors with a bespoke tiger pattern moquette . when applied to some of the older vehicles in the yorkshire tiger fleet , it certainly creates a bright and welcoming interior .
simon finnie , managing director for yorkshire tiger , added :
we are delighted to be extending the timetable , and we are confident that our travellers will be pleased with the enhanced service .
over the coming months the tiger blue brand will be rolled out to other k - line routes .
steve ottley , general manager for yorkshire tiger , said : “we are really excited about the extension of the yorkshire tiger family , and we are delighted to be trialling free wi - fi and usb power sockets on the 324 service . if this proves popular we will certainly look into rolling this out to other routes as we are committed to providing a good quality , local bus service for our customers . ”
the decision , by arriva yorkshire , has led to renewed calls for greater regulation of bus companies .
a petition was presented by councillor stewart golton to arriva yorkshire ' s commercial director , stuart bear .
yorkshire tiger’s depots are small compared to others . simon believes the company’s ability to operate from smaller bases enables the company to win and retain contracts and focus on delivering quality customer service and allows good potential for growth
* the yorkshire post’s saturday magazine will be a hull uk city of culture 2017 special edition this weekend .
the 757 is one of three interurban links to leeds bradford airport previously branded airport direct . yorkshire tiger also operate the hourly 747 from bradford direct and the hourly 737 from bradford via shipley that continues to harrogate . metro provide some support for both services and support is also provided by north yorkshire county council for the 737 . as part of the upgrade of public transport links to the airport that commences with the 757 flying tigers , the existing scania single - deckers used on the 737 / 747 are being refurbished by arriva for yorkshire tiger .
this means that arriva will trade with 3 different names in huddersfield ! they will be pure arriva on routes like the 229 , yorkshire tiger on routes like the 80 and k - line on route 366 for example .
here you will find details of timetable information for yorkshire tiger services in barnsley . click on the appropriate link below to see the current timetable in pdf format . future service changes are also shown here when services are changing .
here you will find details of timetable information for yorkshire tiger services in doncaster . click on the appropriate link below to see the current timetable in pdf format . future service changes are also shown here when services are changing .
here you will find details of timetable information for yorkshire tiger services in bradford . click on the appropriate link below to see the current timetable in pdf format . future service changes are also shown here when services are changing .
a new survey of bus passengers in west yorkshire has revealed that 91 % are satisfied with their bus journey .
i seem to recall that centrebus holdings came about originally because arriva were going to buy stagecoach ( ex yorkshire traction ) huddersfield and centrebus k - line , but then they decided to join forces for these takeovers . i am unsure why centrebus yorkshire cannot just become part of arriva yorkshire . maybe it still will in a few years .
the staff at the yorkshire wildlife park ( ywp ) have now had their heads turned by another top cat .
idle , barnsley and honley are the smaller business units , but it’s said that tiger operates best in smaller locations .
west yorkshire bus photos blog is licensed under a creative commons attribution - noncommercial - noderivs 3 . 0 unported license .
as well as the usual single and concessionary fares , you can travel on yorkshire tiger’s buses for £4 . 40 , anywhere in the metro west yorkshire boundary . a weekly ticket will set you back £15 . 00 , or £10 . 00 for travel within the leeds green zone . all weekly passes and day saver tickets are available at half fare for children .
use our website to look at our timetables and our great value - for - money fares . catch up on the latest news , browse through our current employment opportunities and find out how you can get in touch with the yorkshire tiger team .
the new name and new look will be used for buses which used to be run under the centrebus and huddersfield bus company names . yorkshire tiger operates over 90 buses across huddersfield , halifax , dewsbury , wakefield , leeds , bradford and harrogate .
the offer is being provided as the tiger line serves wendover , which is near raf halton , a major military training base .
the cub’s parents arrived at flamingo land in 2010 as part of a worldwide conservation effort to save the sumatran tiger from extinction .
a spokesman for yorkshire tiger told cbw that the optare versas previously used on the service have been moved to the 757 route and will be getting new liveries . fares have been slightly reduced and the operator has sent out leaflets offering half price return journeys .
besides being a good rebranding exercise , i would say that repainting the buses orange and applying vinyl tiger stripes would also be more cost effective . furthermore , buses leaving the tiger fleet could have their stripes peeled off with little or no painting required for future owners .
bangladeshi tiger prawns coated in a spicy lahori pesto & tangy homemade yoghurt , it is then skewered with onions , peppers & tomatoes which compliments the taste of the succulent flavour of the tiger prawns . it is served with a summery cucumber , tomato & garden mint relish
however , contrasting with this cheap but very cheerful approach for the main business is the newly launched flying tiger brand . it has been developed to bring together the network of services that connect leeds bradford airport and which were branded as airport direct in centrebus days . here the emphasis has moved away from the value proposition of the main yorkshire tiger brand to reflect a premium and high quality service .
charles johnson , head of planning development at lba , said : “it’s great to see further investment on the yorkshire tiger bus routes to and from the airport . i am confident our passengers will be pleased to travel on the new fleet of buses when arriving and departing lba . it’s important for there to be a smooth , convenient and high quality journey for passengers accessing the airport , and we are pleased to work closely with the yorkshire tiger team – linking the airport to leeds , bradford and harrogate with ease . ”
most children aged five to 18 years can travel at a discounted rate throughout south yorkshire , with a child discount travel card .
according to its twitter feed on 26 december 2015 , flooding meant that services could not be run that morning . md of yorkshire tiger , thierry couturier , said , ‘during the recent floods there were numerous bus routes affected across the region . where possible we tried to operate services with minimal disruption , however some yorkshire tiger buses were unable to run due to severe local weather conditions . communication with staff and customers is key during these times . we had a dedicated team focused on informing passengers by constantly updating our social media platforms . ’
children under 18 can use a child dayrider ticket in south yorkshire ( under 16 in north derbyshire ) with a child discount card .
however , last year peddle and his partners decided to sell their 60 % share in the joint venture , centrebus holdings , and this has brought about a unique opportunity for the group with the acquisition of those shares . while the hinckley - based operation is now managed by the arriva midlands business , the 125 - vehicle yorkshire operations have been relaunched with a distinct new identity and management team as yorkshire tiger .
moovit supports all lightrail , train , bus lines in yorkshire including line dtb . for each line find the line’s route on a map , updated timetables , live arrival times to each stop or station and service alerts , so you know exactly how to get around yorkshire .
moovit supports all lightrail , train , bus lines in yorkshire including line 92 . for each line find the line’s route on a map , updated timetables , live arrival times to each stop or station and service alerts , so you know exactly how to get around yorkshire .
there has been substantial investment into the refreshed new look , including luxury interiors with wood effect floors , new driver uniforms and ‘blue tiger’ seating .
simon finnie , yorkshire tiger managing director , said : “we are excited to upgrade our fleet with the introduction of brand new buses which are smart , stylish and comfortable , with e - leather seats , free wifi , usb sockets , wide entrances and properly designed luggage racks . ”
this is further proof that quality bus contracts are required for west yorkshire , so that bus companies cannot cut bus services at whim .
choose a region please select . . . north east yorkshire north west wales midlands beds and bucks herts and essex kent and surrey arrivaclick go
select a region please select . . . north east yorkshire north west wales midlands beds and bucks herts and essex kent and surrey green line
sumatran tigers are almost extinct in their native island of sumatra , but a cub was born at flamingo land in north yorkshire on friday .
yorkshire tiger has invested in its supervisory and management teams in each depot . meaning now that each depot has a dedicated manager and an operations manager who take ownership for that business , and who takes ownership of the service delivery , operations delivery and the well - being of the staff .
martijn’s comments were echoed by tony hallwood , aviation development & marketing director at leeds bradford airport : ‘we are pleased that yorkshire tiger are investing in their services to leeds bradford , offering passengers arriving at the airport by bus an improved start to their journey alongside benefiting from an enhanced schedule . ’
other routes operated by yorkshire tiger include the 343 from halifax to huddersfield , which takes an equally circuitous route to its greater mancunian counterpart in mossley . this also includes the former k - line services to quarmby , and the 737 service from bradford interchange to leeds / bradford airport via guiseley .
resolver is a totally free service that you can use to complain effectively . we are working with industry leaders , regulators and government to make your voice heard and improve customer service . however , if you ' d rather complain directly , you can use the above address to contact yorkshire tiger .
find out about our range of tickets available for children , young people , students , adults and families in our guide to stagecoach yorkshire tickets .
floods plagued many operations over the festive period . press reports abounded about buses’ trials and tribulations during the challenging weather . one of the operators that faced adverse conditions on several fronts was arriva’s yorkshire tiger , which experienced flooding in the vicinity of one of its depots and a damaging fire at another ,
described as a “lean and flexible local bus company” by managing director simon finnie , yorkshire tiger is not only sharing some of the changes it has made recently , but also how it’s using its size to its advantage , and the benefits of being a smaller contract focussed company within a large organisation .
arriva - owned centrebus holdings , as reported in cbw1104 , has launched a striking new ‘tiger’ brand with new - look buses ready to roar into action .
a live direct link to the special cubbing den at the tiger exhibit at the zoo has been set up so people can see the mother and cub .
you one day’s unlimited travel in south and west yorkshire , derbyshire , nottinghamshire and gainsborough areas for just £10 , for two adults and three children .
in greater manchester , this will affect the scenic 528 service from rochdale to halifax via ripponden . instead of the white , orange and blue livery , yorkshire tiger’s fleet will be all orange with black stripes at the rear . quite a departure from the norm , but one which could win over new passengers .
of course aside from the launch of flying tiger , plenty of other things have been achieved since arriva gained control of the business . gilbert spreads out a document , titled ‘yorkshire tiger’s journey’ , on the table of the leeds coffee shop where we’ve been chatting . what’s remarkable is just what has been achieved . alongside the more prosaic things like issuing new staff uniforms and identity cards , there are some big ticket items like the introduction of new ticket machines and the establishment of the new head office at elland . strikingly though , there’s a checklist of items for the future . “we’re only just over halfway through the first year , ” he adds . “it’s been exciting and extremely rewarding , but there’s still more to do . this is only just the beginning for yorkshire tiger . ”
soon , the centrebus livery ( and the bus station ) will disappear from the 528 route , in favour of a more orange version , with tiger stripes .
les motherby from hull with his vast collection of hull city shirts he has in his back bedroom holding the 1992 / 93 home shirt ( tiger stripes ) .
arriva yorkshire , meanwhile , has launched its own page on facebook in a bid to help passengers keep uo to date with the latest news and views .
you can get explorer tickets in yorkshire , derbyshire and nottinghamshire . it gives you one day’s unlimited travel on the sheffield supertram and on our buses throughout :
i guess its a way of placing a new identity without having to buy much new paint as yorkshire tiger looks to be a variation of the centrebus paint scheme . how long it actually lasts before it comes part of arriva yorkshire remains to be seen . k line by the way is unaffected and will remain as it is for now , while hinckley is now arriva midlands again . i suspect arriva’s next purchase will be much closer to home from what i am lead to understand .
encts concessionary travel pass holders can now travel to their hospital appointments before 9 . 30am free of charge on stagecoach buses in south and west yorkshire and chesterfield .
barry , i posted this for the information of any followers of the centrebus yorkshire operations . i know it in no longer part of centrebus and are ' stand
thank you for the info , was wondering what that yx54 hbb was doing as nothing seems to have changed on it since it arrived months ago . i have heard that 340 and a leeds based bus are both away being repainted into yorkshire tiger livery so im assuming k line are staying separate again from the other 3 depots .
the sub - species of tiger is so highly threatened in the wild that the surviving population is thought to consist of no more than 400 in their final eastern siberia stronghold .
was talking to a guy from ripponden i know the other day , told me he was talking to a tiger driver on the x58 to rochdale , who told him tiger are going to start operating to oldham from halifax and create a circular , incorporating an oldham to rochdale section to connect with the x58 ! very interesting , and great news if this historic service is to be resurrected , but only low cost operators like tiger could do this , firsts costs are way to high now and innovation due to budget constraints lacking .
i ' ve always thought denshaw should have a link with rochdale as the two are quite close by . maybe this possible tiger oldham to rochdale link will go via denshaw .
unlike the lion story , where the main motivating factor behind the move to yorkshire was to give the animals the chance to see out their remaining days in comparative luxury .
welcome back flying tiger . we hope you all had a great weekend . matt , becca and jade are here to answer all of your questions this week from 8am - 6pm .
we are now signing off for the week flying tiger . we hope you have a great weekend . we will be back on monday at 8am to answer all of your questions .
agreed , think it ' s time to put the tiger down , arriva dewsbury can take on their 262 route and wakey the 231 / 2 , the rest of their routes can go to first , but doubt they ' d want any of that rubbish ! it ' s a shame this whole operation has gone downhill since yorkshire traction was bought out .
can anyone supply a list of the buses taken from the centrebus fleets please ? ? hinckley i have done , it ' s the yorkshire ops i need updating . many thanks
on the launch of their new tiger line t1 service at wendover , buckinghamshire based woottens coaches have announced that all military personnel are permitted free travel anywhere along the route at any time .
centrebus holdings limited is a company set up earlier this year in which arriva has a minority holding ( of 40 % ) . it currently operates the huddersfield bus company in yorkshire .
it ' s been a big year for big cats in south yorkshire . not content with the unprecedented recent arrival of a mere 13 lions rescued from frankly awful conditions in romania .
“it’s been a busy few months , ” admits martijn gilbert , yorkshire tiger’s business director , who was parachuted in from a business development role at the group’s uk rail division , to lead the newly created operation . “i moved up to leeds last summer and since then we’ve acquired the business , relaunched and refocussed it . there haven’t been very many quiet days overall . ”
tony hallwood ( pictured ) , leeds bradford airport ' s aviation development director , said :
we are really pleased to see the introduction of the new timetable on the flying tiger bus service .
to meet the luggage requirements of the airport service , yorkshire tiger have worked with optare on the design of the new easy access rack system installed over the front offside wheelarch , which also has facilities for ski storage behind the driver’s bulkhead . the new buses feature free to customer wi - fi together with audio and visual next stop announcement facilities , making travel by bus easier for all .
the new look will be seen on its buses from tomorrow . for further information , their website is urltoken , and you can follow them on twitter under @ yorkstigerbus . furthermore , yorkshire tiger will be happy to share any pictures of their buses in action . there’s no doubt that the guy from east of the m60 may contribute , and some appear on this microcosm of server space !
“tiger can operate as a free spirited , flexible local bus company and have the backing of a larger group which , for example , helps with securing new vehicles and for bidding , ” says simon .
optare sales director john horn highlighted the importance of local customers to optare ‘yorkshire buses for yorkshire people’ and the company’s ability to deliver customer specific requirements , referring particularly to the racks and power supplies . the latter have apparently already attracted interest from other optare customers . john also emphasised the fuel efficiency of the lightweight versa , expecting the new vehicles to deliver 12 - 13 mpg in service .
“we’ve a nice medium - sized business , ” explains gilbert , “and the real core of it remains the more marginal services and tendered operations . with the airport network we have a chance to do something really different , but which reflects the core values of yorkshire tiger . it’s still about value , it’s still about quality , but it’s a very different market from a customer point of view . ”
the buying of centrebus in yorkshire make sense on two points , not only do they acquire the routes they want but they also better operating bases to run these routes from in leeds and huddersfield .
speaking at the launch , martijn gilbert , business director for yorkshire tiger , said : ‘we’re delighted to be launching the new ‘flying tigers’ at the airport , we’re confident that travellers will be really pleased with the new enhanced service . it’s a really exciting time and we are proud to be playing an important part in making sure that passengers start and end their journey with a great , positive experience . ’
thanks bus eireann , although i appreciate that the people questionning my speculation will know the area better than i do . i guessed that arriva were even less inclined to integrate k - line . m travel are a leading west yorkshire independent , albeit to the east of leeds , while tates travel are based in south yorkshire . another suitor for k - line could be tlc as they are based relatively nearby .
as for re - naming the operation yorkshire tiger and not simply re - branding as arriva , i believe ( but please don ' t quote me ) that monopolies and mergers have a say in it somewhere along the line but also keeping the operation as a stand alone company means they don ' t have to offer the current employee ' s the same pay and conditions as they do to arriva employee ' s .
this part of my blog has some un - official fleet lists from the major operators in the west yorkshire area , i will try to keep them as up to date and as accurate as i can .
the leicestershire transport updates facebook page have said that centrebus ' s hinckley services will be taken over by arriva from monday . would imagine that the same will apply to centrebus yorkshire , if the reports are correct .
“i think it’s really recognised now , that employee engagement is critical for keeping staff switched on and motivated , and there is a passion from those within the business – they really want tiger to succeed , ” he adds .
a range of flexible ticketing options is offered for flying tiger , starting at £3 . 60 for a single journey , with euros accepted to help incoming travellers . metroday tickets are valid and tickets can be bought online in advance . leaving leeds city centre , flying tiger uses metro’s a65 bus corridor to achieve a scheduled journey time of 37 minutes from leeds bus station to the airport . access to the airport bus station is barrier controlled to restrict unauthorised access .
tiger revealed it will be working with northern rail , one of its sister companies , to have an integrated ticket system , whereby the rail network and bus services will combine to provide a more easily accessible transfer to the airport .
sumatran tigers are classified as critically endangered , with approximately 300 left in the wild , down from 1 , 000 40 years ago . they are the rarest and smallest subspecies of tiger in the world , and have the narrowest stripes .
i love the idea of yorkshire tiger , with the branding style no less influenced by trentbarton’s efforts . or , staying with arriva territory , the sapphire brand on their route from chester to wrexham . could it be that they are starting to recognise local branding a bit more , either by creating a completely new image ( seen here ) , or reviving an old livery ( with first pmt’s badgerline livery returning to some routes in stoke - on - trent ) ?
if arriva were to put tiger down they ' d be stuck with a load of vehicles they would have to shift on . have to make a ton of staff redundancy ' s and pay all them off . as well as terminating leases on vehicles and depots they maybe be renting . unless tiger was losing money hand over fist then yeah it would be justified in putting bullet into the company and closing it down . however all you hear on here is rumours of this and the company is shite and their not doing this or they should be doing that . their new depot at wombwell has been up n running a few months so the tiger brand must be going in the right not the wrong direction !
fenella’s story actually begins more than 8000 miles away in south africa , where she was adopted by a family of circus performers and acrobats from yorkshire , the overends , in the late 1930s . while touring south africa with a traveling circus in 1939 , the overend family were offered two newborn circus tiger cubs to rear and eventually incorporate into their act . although one of the cubs died barely a week later , the other—given the name fenella , or “feney” for short—survived .
“it’s a small team of drivers who really want that business to work , and all the feedback we’ve had from south yorkshire passenger transport executive ( sypte ) – who we operate the services on behalf of – has been positive .
it says they will be managed separately from arriva yorkshire . i hope the k - line brand is retained . the hbc name could stay , but the name in elland and leeds as well as the livery would have to change .
its long been known within the industry that they wanted certain routes in west yorkshire like the airport services and several services from huddersfield and wakefield to places like denby dale and holmfirth however they have been unsuccessful when tendering for these routes .
the birth of the animal on friday evening - whose sex is not yet known - was announced earlier than usual by flamingo land zoo in north yorkshire so children can come and see it before schools go back after the summer holidays .
tiger put in a bid in for that contract based on new vehicles , based on enhancements made to the service , and where it could demonstrate a good business sense . for this , it could bid for capital expenditure money from its parent company .
the radio crackled into life . . .
he ' s in , but not happy !
we charged up to the tiger enclosure and on our arrival we could see the crate rocking , as a very angry vlad realised he had been tricked .
according to the
west midlands buses in photographs
site arriva have purchased the part share of cenrebus yorkshire and the whole of centrebus in hinckley , leicestershire . no other parts of centrebus are involved in arriva ' s partial takeover afaik . sconehead85
the tiger blue buses were launched on service 324 on the october 31 , operating the meltham and netherton route . buses will run up to every 20 minutes monday to saturday and the ticket price will be £2 . 70 , providing great value for unlimited travel .
“he said it was to signify the blood the players would be shedding in the cause of hull city . it could be seen as a tiger when it’s shot – but you look back and it was a relatively successful period . we were promoted twice . ”
a mellow zingy coconuty dish , tiger prawns grilled in a spicy masala relish , the sauce is cooked with bay leaves , cinnamon , coconut , curry leaves , paprika , garlic & coriander . simply a treat for fish lovers medium may contain nuts or traces of nuts
there were checks en route to make sure he was ok and vladimir seemed to take the eight - hour road journey in his stride . unloading him in doncaster though was another tense experience . everyone , including the tiger , was a little bit tired and emotional .
ravey - arriva were already the major stake holder in centrebus holdings , they held a 40 % share along with two other company ' s , they have bought out their partners in the yorkshire branch of the operation but not the rest of the country .
the coach the gavin saw was east yorkshire motor services , volvo b12b scania levante . the working involves a 562 working from beverley then wait at vcs before running to bristol as an 040 , staying overnight in bristol and heading back home the following day .
well there is another thread that had a copy of the press release . it suggests the centrebus ops will be managed as part of arriva yorkshire , however will remain as a stand alone units - i guess will be along similar lines to wardle and arriva midlands .
arriva buses run in most uk towns and regions . we operate in the north west , north east , yorkshire , wales , the midlands , beds and bucks , herts and essex and kent and surrey . select your region to see what services operate in your area .
ray stenning of best impressions told cbw : “it’s a brand you can have fun with – light - hearted but with serious intent . a tiger is seen as an aggressive animal but it can also be seen as a cuddly animal , so it’s a cuddly brand with a bit of bite to it .
according to the world wildlife fund , the world population of wild tigers is currently somewhere in the region of 3890—a figure that’s easily outstepped by the estimated 5000 to 10 , 000 tigers kept in captivity as pets in the backyards of america . big cat ownership is more heavily regulated in the uk than it is in the u . s . ( although it was once possible to buy lions in the pet department of harrods ) , but more than 70 years ago there was at least one pet tiger living in england—in , of all places , the tiny village of holmfirth in rural west yorkshire .
the rebranded flying tiger service will operate on an increased frequency offering three buses per hour between leeds city centre , railway and bus stations to the airport . the majority of the service is operated commercially with support from metro enabling an increased provision of early and late journeys . a half hourly frequency is provided on sundays .
my thoughts exactly ! even so , this cheap and cheerful approach is most effective , no doubt enhanced by good choice of typography and the stripes at the rear . at least they’ve not thought of putting a tiger at the back ( inspired by the badger which badgerline used to put on their buses ) as yet .
i ' m sorry and this may be where you ' re coming from - this does smack of
we ' ve exhausted things that first may sell off . . . . . hey , let ' s have some speculation on arriva now
fwiw , one of the best performing is arriva yorkshire !
i currently work for yorkshire tiger , and agree that the buses are in need of some attention . the management don ' t appear to trained for the positions that they hold . i know first hand that the management don ' t like you suggest any improvements . the supervisors are to familiar with staff and have lost the respect of the employees . the senior management should check the depot cctv to get a look at the real world of the depot . restructuring work times and giving clear instructions and achievable targets will improve the company image . i have many ideas that will improve moral and so productivity from the cleaner to ceo .
the yorkshire wildlife park staff were keen to avoid having to dart vladimir , a risky procedure at the best of times . so , in conjunction with vladimir ' s current keepers in scotland , they have been training vlad for a number of weeks to walk into a secure crate for tit - bits of food .
five high specification optare versas are being added to yorkshire tiger’s fleet for the enhanced operation with three completed in time for the launch event . the 11 . 7m cummins powered euro5 vehicles offer 38 esteban seats trimmed in eleather , consisting of 14 forward facing pairs of high back seats , a row of five seats at the rear , three inward facing seats over the front nearside wheelarch and two tip - up seats in the nearside wheelchair bay . gangway side armrests are specified for a number of seat pairs and , for the first time on an optare product , charging points offering both 240v three pin and usb connections are installed beneath eleven seat pairs .
“at heart we’re a low cost operation . you could say that it would make sense to tack the business onto arriva yorkshire , but it wouldn’t really work . when you take into account things like central overheads , it would be impossible for the business to make any sort of meaningful return . it needed a different approach to work . ”
it led to the appointment of branding guru ray stenning of best impressions to create a new look and feel for the business . the purchase agreement meant that the centrebus name had to be phased out and the new yorkshire tiger brand aims to create the perception of something new and very different , unusual perhaps for a small low cost operation . “we wanted to create something different from the traditional bus operators in the area , ” adds gilbert . “something very visible that would convey some of the messages about what we wanted to do with the business . we wanted to look professional but also affordable , emphasising the fact that at heart we are a good value operation , and we wanted a uniquely local focus and feel . ”
anyway back to the point , it ' s a crying shame we can ' t offer a critique in a more educated way , yes tiger has some issues and they have made some strides and will continue to do so , but come on ladies and gents defaming over 300 of their drivers is plainly so far on the end of the ridiculous scale it beggars belief .
sorry to correct you andrew but it’s the 737 what runs from bradford to lba via guiseley . the 757 runs from leeds to lba via the a65 through horsforth and rawdon then along harrogate road through the outskirts of yeadon . theirs also a 747 taking a more direct route from bradford via the a658 and yeadon to the airport . just to say not impressed with yorkshire tiger’s website , up until yesterday the fares page was a cut and paste job from the old centrebus website , one of the botched up fares was a £45 leeds weekly green zone ticket ! centrebus fares for nationwide travel were also listed ! this page has been corrected and improved significantly today however . the timetables page however is another cut and paste job from the old centrebus website , lets hope this is improved .
there would appear to be 2 possible problems with tiger running between oldham and rochdale unless it is intended to service roads not currently used by a bus . 1 ) first 409 running every 10 minutes day time mon - sat and every 15 mins day time sunday and less frequently at other times . 2 ) whist not serving the same route as the 409 there is a frequent tram service linking both locations .