Right after I report something on PPRuNe, all the other news services follow suit.......
Now this item..........
(QUOTE)
Anderson, Lang, Virgin in talks
From AAP
17nov01
TRANSPORT logistics giant Lang Corporation and Virgin Blue have met with Federal Transport Minister John Anderson to discuss a proposal that reportedly could threaten to derail the Fox-Lew bid for Ansett.
A spokeswoman for Mr Anderson confirmed today the minister had met with Lang Corporation chief executive Chris Corrigan and Virgin Blue representatives for about an hour yesterday.
"Mr Corrigan was in the office yesterday afternoon for an hour or so," the spokeswoman said.
A newspaper report today said the proposed deal would enable Virgin Blue to expand its operations.
It comes as the Government signalled it was not prepared to meet key demands included in Lindsay Fox and Solomon Lew's bid to launch a restructured Ansett.
Ansett creditors endorsed the Fox-Lew bid on Thursday at a meeting that also heard Lang Corp hoped to acquire Ansett terminals and infrastructure, in conjunction with an equity deal with Virgin that would lead to the expansion of Virgin and the employment of about 2,000 Ansett staff.
"We have about a dozen or so corporations as potential investors in Virgin and some of them bring different strengths," Virgin spokesman David Huttner told ABC radio today.
"Certainly Lang is one of those parties - and they're a very strong and very respected organisation - but we'd be wanting to talk to all of them before we decide we want to go further."
A spokesman for Lang Corp quoted in today's newspaper report said the company was in talks with Virgin about "a range of opportunities in the aviation industry".