This article belongs to the lore of Astyria.

Royal Airways

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Royal Airways
GNRA.png
IATA ICAO Callsign
EA EAW PIDGEON
Founded1933
HubsRoyal St. Christopher's Airport
Frequent-flyer programRoyal Airways Society
Fleet size22
Destinations53
HeadquartersAviation House,
Calbend,
Lendert-with-Cadell
Key people
  • Sir Colling Barnes (Managing Directour)

Royal Airways, formally the Royal Erbonian Airways Corporation is the flag carrier airline of Great Nortend. Its headquarters are located at Aviation House, on the Calbend in Lendert-with-Cadell, and operates scheduled international services mainly from its base at Royal St. Christopher's Airport. It is the only airline based in Great Nortend, and does not operate any domestic services as Great Nortend has only one public airport. It is colloquially known as the Silverpigeon Line, owing to its replacing carrier pidgeons for sending letters abroad.

History

Royal Airways was established in 1933 from the amalgamation of the Post Office Air Service, Haxley Airways and Hambrian Airways under Royal charter issued by His Majesty King Edmund IX. At first only operating flights a single route from the then St. Christopher's Aerodrome and a now-military airport in Rhise, it has gradually broadened into a hub-and-spoke flight system operating out of Royal St. Christopher's Airport.

Corporation

Governance

Royal Airways is governed by the terms of its Royal Charter as issued in 1933 and amended in 1982. Control of the airline is vested in the Court of Directours which is chaired by the Governour. The day-to-day operations of the air line is managed by the Managing Directour, since 2019 Sir Colling Barnes.

Livery

The present Royal Airways livery is known as “Silverpigeon”, comprising a polished silver fuselage with a red ribbon below the windows. Royal Airways is lettered in red above the windows, in capital letters widely spaced. The tail is painted with the Great Cross flag, the white represented with polished silver. The coat of arms of the Corporation is painted under the first doors.

Uniform

The uniforms of Royal Airways denote rank. Officers, which includes the Captain, First Officer and Purser, wear a dark navy double breasted jacket and trousers with black tie and peaked cap similar to that of naval officers. Their rank is denoted by gold rings on their cuffs and braid on their caps.

Stewards wear jackets with ties with their rank on their shoulderboards. In the evening, mess jackets are worn with bow ties. Stewardesses wear grey jackets, rounded collars and grey mid-calf skirts.

Destinations

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Fleet

Royal Airways flies 14 Airbus A320 airliners for short haul journeys. It has 8 Boeing 777 aircraft for long haul journeys.

Cabin

All Royal Airways airliners have a two class cabin configuration with First Class and Second Class available on all flights.

Long Haul

First Class

The First Class cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 seat configuration with 26 inch wide seats. On 6 of its Boeing 777 aircraft, there are 8 first class seats in two separate cabin compartments whilst on its other 2 777 aircraft, there are 12 seats in three compartments. The seats, which are upholstered in wool brocade fabric are fully reclined to a horizontal position for sleep. A mattress, twin sheets, blanket and pillow are also provided. Aisle curtains are provided for privacy, and a screen between the middle seats.

Second Class

The Second Class cabin is arranged in a 2-2-2 seat configuration. The seats are in plain woollen fabric and are approximately 20 inches wide, with a seat pitch of 38 inches, reclining up to 33°.

Short Haul

First Class

The First Class cabin is arranged in a 2-2 seat configuration. Seats are 21 inches wide and do not fully recline. However, there is a fully extendible and padded footrest.

Second Class

The Second Class cabin is arranged in a 3-3 seat configuration. Seats are 18 inches wide. It is much the same as aboard the Boeing 777 aircraft otherwise.

Services

In-flight catering

On all flights, there is complimentary full food and beverage service which includes breakfast, morning tea, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and supper, depending on the time and duration of the flight. Royal Airways uses marten silver cutlery, bone china crockery and lead crystal glassware in First Class and EPNS cutlery, porcelain crockery and normal glass in Second Class. It also uses starched tablecloths in both First Class and Second Class.

In First Class, luncheon and dinner always include an entrée (or hors d'œuvre), a soup, a roast, a salad and a sweet pudding. Dinner also includes a remove and sorbet before the roast, and a dessert of (nuts, fruit and cheeses) after the sweet pudding. Breakfast is typically a cooked breakfast with a choice of eggs, bacon, potatoes, black pudding, kippers, mushrooms and tomatoes, toast, porridge, oatmeal, or a cold breakfast of pastries, fruit and breads.

In Second class, luncheon and dinner are much simpler and consist of of an entrée, a roast and a sweet pudding. Dinner has an added remove before the roast. Breakfast usually has the option between a cooked breakfast and a cold breakfast.

A full afternoon tea is complimentary for First Class passengers and Royal Airways Society members. For ladies and children, in addition to tea, a selection of cakes, savoury sandwiches and scones are offered. Men are offered sandwiches, buns, scones, biscuits and pastries, with tea or coffee. For those in Second Class, a simpler assortment of biscuits and buns with tea is provided.

Morning tea is a simple assortment of savoury biscuits and buns with tea, and supper is similar.

On all Fridays and in Lent and Advent, excluding feast days, Royal Airways adheres to Church of Nortend regulations on fasting and abstinence. Breakfast and luncheon are reduced to collation size. No meat or meat fat is served, or butter, milk, or sugar. Fish generally takes the place of meat. The sick, infirm and children may request a normal meal.

In-flight amenities

On long haul flights, there is a shared lounge in between the two cabins where there is a bar and light music. A variety of fiction and non-fiction books are provided. Music is also provided in both classes at the seat through the in-flight 'radio', accessed with headphones. A selection of board games, cards and puzzles are also available, as well as writing paper, stationary, postcards &c. Telegrammes may be sent for a fee.

There is no seat-back entertainment system.

Copies of the Bible and the Offices are provided at every seat.