UK Bases and Governed territories

[jezbanks]

Why as a UK based airline can I not open a base in a UK territory (such as Hong Kong or Bermuda or Gibralter)?

I notice french airlines can open in Martinique which is a governed state?

[gazzz0x2z]

Why as a UK based airline can I not open a base in a UK territory (such as Hong Kong or Bermuda or Gibralter)?

I notice french airlines can open in Martinique which is a governed state?

I guess you're looking at me...

Well, IIRC, it's just because each oversea territory has a different status, and the rule has been assumed that France-based companies could open bases in the onverseas territories. Which is rather realistic IMHO. I have no clue for the UK, though.

[knobbygb]

Read up on how these governed territories and regions are organised and administered. Each country has it's own way of managing this, subject to it's own laws. The situation is far from  simple and isn't consistent across countries.

With the specific examples you mention, Martinique is an insular region of France - it is actually an integral part of the French Republic that just happens to be a long way away. It's even part of the EU! Indeed, a flight from Paris to Martinique is technically a domestic flight!  The same is not true of the places you mention that have various ties to the UK. Hong Kong was a British Overseas Territory but was never actually part of the UK. Gibraltar is a still such a territory. France also has former colonies that have similar statuses and are not actually part of the Republic.

It's complicated and I'm no geography expert so I'd suggest some research - it's actually quite interesting.

[Tha_Ape]

Don't have the time now to develop on this, but Gazzz and Knobb made good points. And actually, for instance, while Jersey and Guernesey are just a few steps from the French coast, aren't part of of the EU.

Even for France only, different overseas territories have different statuses (I think 3 in total). And Saint Martin (France) has a different status with the EU than Sint Maarten (Netherlands), while being the same island.

Then Saint Martin has a different status towards France than Martinique and Guadeloupe, while being all in the Caribbean (actually, the same than Saint Pierre and Miquelon or French Polynesia ).

But Saint Martin and French Polynesia have a different status towards the EU. And then New Caledonia another one.

And so on and so forth. A real mess. And probably the same for our cousins on the other side of the Channel (ex: Jersey "belongs" to the queen...)

[NorgeFly]

From wiki "The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are 14 territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom. They are remnants of the British Empire that have not been granted independence or have voted to remain British territories. These territories do not form part of the United Kingdom and, with the exception of Gibraltar, are not part of the European Union. Most of the permanently inhabited territories are internally self-governing, with the UK retaining responsibility for defence and foreign relations. Three are inhabited only by a transitory population of military or scientific personnel. They all share the British monarch (Elizabeth II) as head of state."

The relationships between the UK and it's overseas territories are complex and vary from territory to territory and significantly from those of France and it's territories. The part in bold above is most important here - BOTs/UKOTs are self governing in almost every respect and therefore have their own rules and regulations on aviation. As others have indicated, some French territories operate more as an annex of the French Republic with a regional or municipal government, rather than as an autonomous/independent state as is the case with the BOTs/UKOTs.

In fact, Air France have a few (not sure exactly how many) aircraft based in their Caribbean territories which operate short-haul flights around the islands and to Miami. But we not see British Airways (or any other UK airline) operating similar routes between its overseas territories.

The Channel Islands (BOTs/UKOTs), for example, are not part of the European open skies program (or EU) and airlines (including those from the UK) have to apply for permits to fly there with the government of each jurisdiction (with Jersey and Guernsey each having their own government). The Isle of Man (also a BOT/UKOT) has a different arrangement as they have chosen to align themselves more closely with UK and EU rules and allow freedom of flights.