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Comanche
16th Apr 2003, 05:13
Guess that Paris will be the next battle ground for the low cost carriers. French company Aeris has a base there and was recently awarded many new slots out of ORY. Then Easyjet was awarded sufficient slots for around 4 a/c to be based there and I guess Virgin Express is now also joining them by setting up a similar operation out of ORY with the same number of slots allocated as Easy, with some flights going to BOD. Anyone any ideas if all three will be able to sustain a profitable base for a prolonged period of time. I guess Aeris has very big growth plane. Also, anyone know if Virgin Express would be worthwhile working for as a 737 driver out of Paris? Lost touch with their terms and conditions.

GEENY
16th Apr 2003, 21:42
Forgot Volare ,though.

Buster the Bear
17th Apr 2003, 03:44
The award of slots to easyJet permits an extra 10 return trips per day from Orly. Management within easyLand are rumoured to be furious at not being given all the slots they requested!

MerchantVenturer
17th Apr 2003, 05:14
Can anyone explain why Orly is is being courted by easyJet rather than Charles de Gaulle? Is it just to do with landing fees?

The reason I ask is that bmibaby did not appear to have any trouble getting slots for their new twice daily CWL-CDG service.
How come they could do this and easyJet couldn't or don't want to?

I presume that bmibaby would not want high landing fees for a low cost operation.

Any guidance on these matter would be appreciated.

Sorry, my apologies.

I realise now this is the wrong forum for this question.

I will re-post it. Please disregard.

FougaMagister
17th Apr 2003, 05:38
The main winners of ex-Air Lib slots are: Easyjet and Aeris, with about 7,200 and 7,600 respectively. The guys from Luton have enough for 10 return flits/day - to include some NCE, MRS, and one BCN. They didn't know two weeks ago if they would open a base/hub in ORY (would be a good idea though, provided they could find French-speaking cabin crew - French PAX tend to be a bit touchy if the crew don't speak French on a domestic flight) and to put a few 737s/A319s there.
Aeris is a serious contender; one of the more successful charter operators in France, based at TLS and flying 5 737-300s and 2 767-300s, with apparently a 757-200 to follow soon. More growth expected now obviously. They have good management and serious US financial backing.
Virgin Express used to have one 737 based at CDG for charter work until a couple of years ago, and they have said they would set up a new low-cost operation in ORY with some assests/personnel salvaged from the Air Lib liquidators.
The French market sure can use some low-cost competition...
ORY is more suitable than CDG because it is fairly quiet at times, and there aren't that many long-haul flights out of there.

Hope that helps.

FougaMagister

Wing Commander Fowler
19th Apr 2003, 17:06
Virgin Express........? Hehe, paleeeeeeeeeease.

:p