GB Airways

[flyer55]

Anybody know what is going on with GB ?

[beauport potato man]

what do you mean?

seems ok to me.....

[flyer55]

Hearing rumours the franchise maybe no longer !

[Carnage Matey!]

Apparently Willie Walsh recently said he'd be surprised if GB was still a BA franchise in 12 months.

[flyer55]

So I wonder if BA going to buy GB or let it go !

[vs69]

Must be one in the eye for BA that virgin got the contract for gb's maintenance....

[beauport potato man]

rumours are rife that GB are withdrawing from the franchise next year....

For their own good, i think its a wise move. Low cost are biting at their heels on all the 2-3 hour sectors (and even longer ones like turkey now, with EZY) and Scope prevents them from doing any longer routes. So they're currently stuck in a middle ground with nowhere to expand or develop.

Since KH has become MD he's changed lots of key personnel (including removing some key BA people) moved the engineering to VS, and is reviewing the ground handling we have at LGW which is currently very poor.

GB will always be 2nd class citizens with BA and always be 2nd in any priority against the mainline operation. Having been in the franchise for this long though means going on their own would be tough, maybe impossible.

With the recent change in legislation down in GIB concerning mainland spain flights i wouldn't be surprised if some of the 320's end up down there doing domestic stuff, like the GB of old, and the operation in the uk moved to another franchisor.

GB have 190 airbus trained pilots, LHR and LGW slots, and some very lucrative routes, so would be quite appealing to other airlines. The airline has been going since the 30's so the owners know their stuff about the business, and i'm sure plenty is going on behind the scenes to ensure its future.

But where its future lies is anyones guess. I'd be surprised if BA wanted rid of it, as its guaranteed income for them (the franchise payment) and GB do routes that BA couldn't make money on. Plus its exposure of the brand etc. And at the moment BA need the money.....

There's definately a plan, but i guess we'll have to wait to see what it is...

BPM

[Carnage Matey!]

Must be one in the eye for BA that virgin got the contract for gb's maintenance....

Not as much as it is for the Virgin manager who won the contract and then got fired for getting his costings completely wrong! :} I hear Virgin would be quite pleased to offload that contract somehow.

[vs69]

Apologies for the thread drift, that ones news to me with a lot of the manpower on A320 refresher training and type training plus wasnt aware of any managmental departures lately but being on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder I would be last to know.....

[Gatwick07]

GB Airways have recently started doing BA Connect flights out of Manchester, Bristol and East Midlands. They've realised they make money selling food and drink. It's possible they could go independant and make all their flights retail. Just a thought.

[BMED LHR]

By working with franchise operators, British Airways’ presence is maintained on an increased number of routes. Additionally, British Airways will benefit from gaining important revenue from international connecting traffic.
British Airways works with many smaller franchise and subsidiary airlines all flying the British Airways livery. Other franchise operators are BMED, Comair, Loganair and Sun-Air of Scandinavia.
British Airways earns a franchise fee and a contribution from airport handling and other services provided to the franchisees, as well as benefiting from an increased network.
Together, British Airways and franchise partners serve 700 destinations in over 140 countries worldwide .

GT AND BA , Will be still good partner's for now and the future .
Everyone is happy and making money .

[flyer55]

Yeah BMED - Cityflyer was the same , so you never know so watch this space !

[BMED LHR]

Yeah BMED - Cityflyer was the same , so you never know so watch this space !

I forgot about that one , your very right ;)