Branson making another bid for BMI?

[Happy Boy]

Just sitting waiting to board a domestic flight at LHR this evening and overheard a city type discussing the current hot city rumour. Apparently Branson is rumoured to be about to launch yet another attempt to bid for BMI. Also said that he was imminently about to announce a 20 a/c order for 777-300s. Anyone else heard any news? The phone call sounded genuine enough.

[Max Angle]

Trouble is, it's not really case of launching a "bid attempt", bmi is not a public company with shares that can be bought to give a controlling interest. You can only buy it if it's for sale and so far it seems that Sir M. isn't interested, personally I hope he changes his mind soon.

[Spearing Britney]

Right rumour, wrong airline. Wasn't he seen chatting to GB's owners in Marrakech recently...

[IRRenewal]

Virgin ordering 777's? To a certain competitor on long haul routes that must be a PR dream come true. I can see the advertising head lines after years of claiming that only 4 engines will do for long haul.

Will be interesting to see how the Virgin marketing people talk themselves out of that one.

[Torquelink]

I thought Virgin's recent order for A340-600s taking the total to 24 was the end result of a A346 vs B773ER competition. Can't see them going for that many B773ERs as well!

:confused:

[Avman]

Me thinks Happy Boy must have had one too many during Happy Hour :D ;)

[bluewater]

I reckon they may be for the Virgin downunder!

[Boethius]

According to the S. T. last weekend Sir R. is getting all friendly with Rodney over at BA. Asked him to look after some LHR slots for a while. Maybe Sir R will put in a bid for BA and forget about bmi:mad: :mad: :mad:

[b mi baby]

Maybe Sir R will put in a bid for BA and forget about bmi
Maybe pigs will fly next week as well - dream on!!!!!

[Jeff Stryker]

there has been alot of talk about consolidations in the industry.
singapore air own 49% of virgin.
bmi is in star alliance as in singapore, but not virgin at this time?
why?
could a BA holding some slots for virgin be a sign that a possibel merger is in order and the holding of slots is an attempt to show that competition can exist etc?
could it also be something to do with bmi's bid for the indian slots?

[Taildragger67]

They probably don't need to merge but there is commercial sense in closer co-operation. For example, bmi becoming, in effect, Virgin's domestic/European feeder service and vice-versa. One or other might need to migrate terminals at LHR but we shouldn't be surprised to see some schedule co-ordination & perhaps code-sharing.

Surely such closer co-operatin would push VS closer to Star membership? Certain anti-alliance slogans have been quietly omitted from new-livery paint-jobs...

[PAXboy]

The man from bmi has always said No! He wants to have his own grown up airline and will go to the end of (just about) anything to achieve it. As has been mentioned, he can do what he likes and it is the hard effort of individuals, like him, that moves companies forward.

As a mere pax I don't think that his plan will work. It might have worked 20 years ago but VS got the long haul first. From my point of view, I don't care whether VS join Star Alliance to get the code sharing and inter-line agreements, or not. BUT, if they [i]do/[i] then the rest of the Alliance had better make their FFM schemes as good as VS!

Prediction: bmi will stay as it is until Sir M. dies. This stretches beyond retirement as he will be on the board until he is either horizontal or incapacitated. That is not an insult!!!! It is based on observing his dedication to his company for many years and what I expect him to do, he will not give up.

[willd]

VS are using BA to babysit the 3 slots that they received 2 weeks ago at the slots convention in BOS. This is because they cannot operate the slots just yet due to a lack of a/c. They will have to wait until their new 346's arrive before taking over the slots. The reason why VS approached BA was because it was deemed more viable and senseable than letting AF babysit them as has been happening. VS will be handed back the first slot in October.

VS will not join the *a due to a number of reasons. They (like EK) feel that joining an alliance will help them much at this point, they are happy with the agreememnts they have with BD,MH,SQ,HW,CO that they have currently. They also wont want there beloved clubhouses being used by anyone which is what will happen if they join *a. The star just doesnt sit into there business plan currently.

Personally with regards to BD I wouldnt be surprised if VS somehow took over there MAN long haul routes in the future. I cant really see VS and BD fully merging i would guess that BD would operate European routes with VS getting the rest. Although latest rumour out of Crawley is that big expanssion will be announced at MAN as soon as they get enough a/c. The current problem for VS is there lack of a/c. Remember in 3 years they will be double the size they are today.

[Mode7]

I thought that 'he' said he'd never buy another airline after the stuff up with buying Virgin Express which is why he now only starts airlines - VG Nigeria, US, Blue etc?