Royal Airways

Royal Airways

IATA ICAO Callsign EA EAW PIDGEON
Founded	1933
Hubs	St. Christopher's Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Royal Airways Club
Fleet size	22
Destinations	53
Headquarters	Aviation House, Calbend, Lendert-with-Cadell
Key people	Sir Colling Barnes (Managing Directour)

Royal Airways, formally the Court and Company of 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 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 Silver Pidgeon, 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 St. Christopher's Airport in Nevvings.

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 the “Silver Pidgeon”, 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 foremost set of 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 neck-tie and peaked cap, similar to that of naval officers. Their rank is denoted by gold rings on their cuffs, shoulder boards, and braid on their caps.

Stewards wear grey jackets with ties with their rank on their shoulderboards. In the evening, mess jackets are worn with bow ties. Stewardesses wear grey dresses with white aprons during the day, changing into black dresses with white aprons in the evening.

Destinations

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Fleet

Royal Airways flies 14 Boeing 737 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 2-3-2 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 extendable 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 dining

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 ordinary glasses in Second Class. It also uses starched table cloths and napkins 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 pre-cooked breakfast and a cold breakfast.

A full afternoon tea is complimentary for First Class passengers and Royal Airways Club members. In addition to tea, a selection of cakes, buns, biscuits, savoury sandwiches, pastries and scones are offered. For those in Second Class, a simpler assortment of biscuits and buns with tea is provided. Morning tea is a simple assortment of biscuits and buns with tea, and supper is similar, albeit with cold meats.

On fast days, Royal Airways adheres to the Church of Nortend's regulations on fasting and abstinence. 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 main cabins where there is a bar. 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.

Rewards programme

Royal Airways operates the Hatting's List listed Royal Airways Club for valued customers. Membership is by invitation, and includes peers and aristocrats, distinguished public figures such politicians, judges, diplomats, military officers, members of the Privy Council, businessmen, chivalrymen and churchmen, as well as loyal and frequently flying passengers. There is believed to be nearly 50,000 members of the Club, making it the largest club on Hatting's List.

There are three tiers of membership : Second Class Membership, First Class Membership and Honorary Membership. Second Class Membership has an annual £15 fee whilst Second Class Membership has an annual £25 fee. Honorary Membership is complimentary, and often bestowed on senior peers, politicians, diplomats, military officers, members of the Privy Council, churchmen, judges, civil servants and statesmen.

Membership entitles members to admittance to Royal Airways Clubrooms at airports around the world, as well as affiliated clubs abroad when flying on Royal Airways. Other miscellaneous benefits include increased luggage allowances, stand-by list priorty, expedited check in and concierge services abroad. First Class Members are offered First Class fares at Second Class fare prices when available. Second Class Members are offered discounted Second Class and First Class fares as well, albeit by a lesser margin. even in Second Class, an adapted form of First Class cabin service if usually offered.

Honorary Membership provides complimentary First Class seats where available, and complimentary Second Class seats otherwise. Most flights have four Second Class seats reserved for members of the Club until 4 hours prior to departure.