bacardi walla

FEBA possibly because he doesn't actually know the full ins and outs of financing a new airline. Plus, the previous investors lost their confidence as a result of this, hence, new investors will tread very carefully indeed.

It ain't happening unless LW wakes up and does something about it. Reacting to requests on e-mail is not exactly what I would call good communications with his staff, but at least LW sends them.

panavia

This is a pretty contreversial topic, and i am almost 100% sure MR W looks at this as regularly as me.

I really do think he is trying his best, and really do think he believes this venture of his will pay off!! Okay so its taking a while, but one day im sure it will, and Never Airlines will become not only one of the biggest topics on here, but a very good airline,

But then again!!!! who knows

C'Mon Lars... dont let all the people you made so many promises too down!

bacardi walla

Believe me, LW does read this thread and actually thinks it's having a positive impact on the set up of NOW. Either he knows something we don't or something is seriously wrong. Lets hope he knows more than he's letting on.

Come on Lars, get this thing airborne. People are losing faith, lets face it, if you do get up and running soon, you will have to recruit all over again and that could potentially take up to 3 months from the date you say go.......

teachin

I agree with bacardi-walla. Come on Lars, get rid of whatever the investors are seeing is wrong with the set-up. Once you take decisive action to get the investors fully behind the venture, the funding will be there and you can call upon all those loyal guys who you told to "hold" whilst you got this up and running. We're all with you. We believed in it so much to leave other good jobs. We'd need positive proof you did it this time as the last time seemed you had it in the bag, but then it went quiet..

jmc-man

Teachin

Well, the way most investors ( at least institutional investors ) work, is that they would look at a business plan, and meet the lead promoters of the plan.

If they had a problem with any member of the lead team, they would make that clear at the early stages. If , however, they were not convinced that the project might "fly", they would just politely decline.

So suggesting that the Chairman gets rid of whatever the investors see is wrong might be hard to do, if they saw the whole investment plan as wrong.

I still believe that the idea of starting a Low cost airline in the backyard of Europes biggest with a fatally flawed pricing structure is the main reason why investors are stepping back. Even basing in Manston might at least have given them a niche to grow into. However fixed pricing would have major drawbacks on cash...the lifeblood of low cost airlines.

Hope nobody minds if the champagne goes back to the cellar for a while.

teachin

Fair point about the fixed pricing jmc-man, surely they would have pointed out a doubt to them in their due diligence and maybe they would have changed that policy.

I still think it's a good venture and hope they convince their investors to give them the nod. If after a while the fixed pricing wasn't bringing in the bookings they could change that policy in time to get cash-flow coming in. Nothing I am sure is set in stone re: fixed pricing.

I still think it is something else we don't know about as to why 2 sets of investors have backed out.

FEBA

JMCM
You need to qualify your posts so as not to mislead
In your opinion

In your opinion

I dispute your fixed pricing arguements, especially with regards to the business sector and last minute bookings. I think that the market would favour such a pricing strategy. It's worked in many other industries so why not aviation?

jmc-man

FEBA

The first part is not an opinion. I am not saying that investors saw the whole plan as wrong. I am saying that it would be hard to " get rid of the part they don't like", if they just don't like the plan. See TEACHIN's post earlier.

The second part is obviously my "opinion" because I start the sentence with " I Believe.... "

The problem with fixed pricing is this :-

1. Your early bookers can get far cheaper fares with other carriers

2. There is no incentive for anyone to book early to get best value, thereby no cash pot to run your business.

Now there may be other industries where this works, but you must remeber that seats on flights have different values for different people. For the leisure traveller they want cheapest flights and can be flexible with their travel. The business traveller wants to be able to book at short notice and be able to change at last minute.

All successful low cost airlines rely on the early bookings to bring in cash. It is a proven concept (Ryanair, Easy, GO etc)

So someone trying to get investors into backing a business which flies in the face of "PROVEN" finance model would IN MY OPINION have a difficult time.

Of course , NOW's problem with getting investors might be for completely different reasons altogether.

Buster the Bear

So when is thier first revenue flight? (When Buster gets his bus pass!!!!!!!).

bacardi walla

Buster the Bear it will be long after that

CaptAirProx

I agree with Jmc, the likes of flybe turned themselves around from the poo by adopting that policy. They now have cash flow and money in the bank earning interest b4 the flights left the ground months ahead.

teachin

Well no updates now for over a week. Maybe they think if they keep quiet then all the disappointed employees will just fade away like the venture. They deserve better...

bacardi walla

Why is everyone relying on receiving an e-mail update? What happens to those people who don't have e-mail? If the management at NOW were professionals, then they would send out updates on a regular basis - by snail mail, you know, that thing the postman brings every morning except Sundays

As I said before, it's dead so I think everyone involved directly or indirectly, should do themselves a favour and move on. The management at NOW have let a very good bunch of people down, very badly. Mr W, sit back and assess what you (as top man) have done. Maybe prove everyone wrong one day and show us your airline operational.

Best wishes

Max Autobrake

... and somebody should do us all a favour and close down 14 pages of

Just how many different ways of saying "They are a great bunch of people there will be an announcement tomorrow what a bunch of idiots they let us all down now they are moving to Manston all the management have left I've got a wife and kids to support they led me up the garden path their pricing policy is fatally flawed there will be another announcement tomorrow its all back on track they've got the finance no they haven't good luck" are there?

teachin

Sunday used to be update night from NOW. The last few weeks nothing has been forwarded to the loyal employees who went to NOW with the expectation of an airline up and running, and funded for operations. This was not the case, it was an airline on paper, with no funds, but the employees at no point were told there was no money. The managers took on staff hoping that the funds would be negotiated in the mean time thus making the lack of funds irrelevant. A very cruel and deceptive way of setting up an airline.

So the crunch came and no operational airline, all the work had been done, all was needed is the money. It didn't materialise. Now we are told they are renegotiating and announcements in March should shed light as to when they finally launch. So do we get the news tonight? Or do we get let down yet again? We wait and see....

panavia

Well tonight is the night, Teachin, i doubt the news will arrive on the first sunday of the month, LW said March my bet is he meant the end, if there is no news, i will be e mailing him yet again to find out why,

I will keep u happy listeners up to date, maybe a lil better than LW himself!

bacardi walla

Why waste your time waiting? Move on and get a job with a proper airline, one that WILL get off the ground or is already flying.

It's a case of NOW Amateurs.

jmc-man

This is all a bit tragic.

On March 11th last year, I posted this on the first NOW thread...

Seems horribly prophetic now.

I think this thread should be wrapped up.

Chillwinston

Having read this current thread and the ones prior I just feel for the people caught up up in all this whom have give up other secure jobs to be treated like this.

I believe (for what its worth) that the founding idea of NOW was a different twist on a tried and tested theme and may of worked, the investors seem to of pulled the plug, for what ever reason and for the bean counters and management to treat employees in this way is disgusting.

JMC-Man has voiced his opinion from the start and fair play to him he was proved right but his last post is uncalled for, for former employees to read that type of self indungent and arrogant post is nearly as bad as the way the management of NOW have acted.

Not a slag, just how the last post comes across

bacardi walla

"Time for bed" said zebodee

Let's face it, we are all tired of reading what boils down to nothing. This so called new airline called NOW has failed and what's more, the management have failed big time. Who in their right mind would go and work for them even if they did have millions behind them. I would say quite a few really, but only if the ex VEX man wasn't there. Yes, I know I will get my wrist slapped by Senor Moderator but hey, it's the truth......

My guess now is that LW is in the process of winding it up and the next so-called announcement will be "we've decided not to proceed blah blah blah" and blame something else for their failings.