Bruce Dickinson airline collapses: Iron Maiden rocker's employer Astraeus goes bust

THE airline where Iron Maiden rocker Bruce Dickinson works as a pilot has gone bust.

Astraeus, who also employ the heavy metal singer as a marketing chief, last night confirmed it was filing for administration.

The Number of the Beast singer, 53, only found out when he landed a jumbo at Manchester following a flight from Saudi Arabia.

Up to 150 jobs will be axed at the firm, based in Crawley, West Sussex.

Bosses at the charter airline, owned by Icelandic entrepreneur Palmi Haraldsson, blamed "lower than expected levels of business" over the summer and "extremely bad luck with technical issues".

Chief exec Hugh Parry said in a letter to staff: "Regrettably expected contracts in Asia, South American and the Middle East failed to materialise.

"This was clearly not the position I expected. It is of great personal sadness that I have to close down the company."

One source claimed staff were furious at losing their jobs just weeks before Christmas.

He told The Sun: "Dickinson will be all right, but workers now face a fight to get their money."

Dickinson, who learned to fly in the 90s, is worth around £20million.

http://www.thesun.co.uk

Iron Maiden rocker Bruce Dickinson has been grounded - the airline company he flies planes for is entering into administration.

The musician, who has been a qualified pilot for years, flies jets for Astraeus Airlines and was named the firm's new marketing director last year.

But bosses at the company have now been forced to stop all flights with immediate effect and suspend the firm's business dealings following "lower than expected" income over the summer.

A source tells Britain's The Sun, "Dickinson will be alright, but workers now face a fight to get their money."

Dickinson, who also pilots Iron Maiden's tour plane, was one of the first commercial pilots to fly a jet out of New York following Hurricane Irene earlier this year.

http://www.calgarysun.com