Collective NOW thread.
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Interesting to see the Now thread still going, and I hear that so is the airline. Sources from within tell me that its full steam ahead with launch planning underway. It seems that whatever problem they had it is resolved now. Same source tells me that many of the staff are back in at Luton HQ with others being contacted to assess their interest in joining.
I wish Now all the best, it can’t be easy getting an airline started in this climate, lets hope they do it.
Tarek Nor
Not sure which one of the managers you are accusing of causing all the problems, but as a friendly ppruner I would suggest you either support your accusations with fact, or remove them quickly before you find yourself in deep water. From one of your earlier posts I see you may have worked for Now, you seem to be very disgruntled over something.
I wish Now all the best, it can’t be easy getting an airline started in this climate, lets hope they do it.
Tarek Nor
Not sure which one of the managers you are accusing of causing all the problems, but as a friendly ppruner I would suggest you either support your accusations with fact, or remove them quickly before you find yourself in deep water. From one of your earlier posts I see you may have worked for Now, you seem to be very disgruntled over something.
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What next, www.fly-now-hop-bear-freedom-ciao.com?
AS MOL recently stated, that there are too many "Low cost" flooding the European market and making losses that will not allow these new airlines to survive.
As the interest rate rises and the 'plastic pushers' find that they cannot meet their monthly debt, the one area to cut back on for them is lo-co air travel.
Flying has become too easy (Pardon the pun). Plastic cards account for 96% of MOL's business.
When the Lo-Co bubble bursts, as it surely will, there will be a major re-adjustment. subsidies from regional authorities and airports will not allow airlines to exist, they need good yields.
I have no idea about Now's plans, but they need a lot of money and should not aim to make a profit for at least 3 years.
That aside, I want to be on their inaugural flight and sincerely wish all their staff, every hope that their career path will bear the fruits of their endeavours.
Anyway, my local Lo-co was cheap, now it is inexpensive, two completely different things.
AS MOL recently stated, that there are too many "Low cost" flooding the European market and making losses that will not allow these new airlines to survive.
As the interest rate rises and the 'plastic pushers' find that they cannot meet their monthly debt, the one area to cut back on for them is lo-co air travel.
Flying has become too easy (Pardon the pun). Plastic cards account for 96% of MOL's business.
When the Lo-Co bubble bursts, as it surely will, there will be a major re-adjustment. subsidies from regional authorities and airports will not allow airlines to exist, they need good yields.
I have no idea about Now's plans, but they need a lot of money and should not aim to make a profit for at least 3 years.
That aside, I want to be on their inaugural flight and sincerely wish all their staff, every hope that their career path will bear the fruits of their endeavours.
Anyway, my local Lo-co was cheap, now it is inexpensive, two completely different things.
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I was in the pub last night with a friend who is joining NOW and she has been told that they are seeking additional funding and that news should be arriving soon. Strikes me then that they don't have what is necessary to start up.
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It's all a bit vague really. I don't think there are as many people back in Halcyon House as some make out, clearly people are working there and obviously being paid, but what's happening with the funding, structure, recruitment and source of aircraft is anyones guess. I'm still waiting for Flightrider to advise how he can say all slots have been cancelled when nobody actually knows the destinations to be offered.
Dirty Harry your post about Tarek Nor............he was dropped from a very high point by the person who employed him. I can see why Tarek Nor is disgruntled but that's between him and the person who laid him off. I hope though that he has found another job where he will be looked after (is there such a place?)
Here we are nearly another 10 pages and as someone else mentioned, no airline yet. Come on NOW - prove everyone wrong and get airborne !!
Dirty Harry your post about Tarek Nor............he was dropped from a very high point by the person who employed him. I can see why Tarek Nor is disgruntled but that's between him and the person who laid him off. I hope though that he has found another job where he will be looked after (is there such a place?)
Here we are nearly another 10 pages and as someone else mentioned, no airline yet. Come on NOW - prove everyone wrong and get airborne !!
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"My friend at NOW tells me they got 40% more money than they were actually asking for"
Well isn't that great? So was it Rainbow Finance or Dial 4 a loan?? Is there a spanking new Bush DVD player in Halcyon House?
Well isn't that great? So was it Rainbow Finance or Dial 4 a loan?? Is there a spanking new Bush DVD player in Halcyon House?
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FEBA
are you making this up? The people involved in the two companies are totally unrelated, NOW is luton based, HOP is planning on having its base at EGSC, different aircraft, different route structure. How could it be?
How you managed to come to this conclusion mystifies me, unless you have intimate knowledge which in that case i am sure the companies would not appreciate you telegraphing.
Although few things suprise me.
I am interested to hear your thoughts
are you making this up? The people involved in the two companies are totally unrelated, NOW is luton based, HOP is planning on having its base at EGSC, different aircraft, different route structure. How could it be?
How you managed to come to this conclusion mystifies me, unless you have intimate knowledge which in that case i am sure the companies would not appreciate you telegraphing.
Although few things suprise me.
I am interested to hear your thoughts
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Bacardi Walla,
Thanks for the info on Tarek Nor, he/she is clearly showing an emotional outburst. It is though my understanding that many staff were made redundant, so Tarek Nor is surely just one of them. I am personally waiting to see if Now get going in the next few weeks, then I will seriously consider them if given the opportunity, as despite all the comments I think they have potential to go places.
Thanks for the info on Tarek Nor, he/she is clearly showing an emotional outburst. It is though my understanding that many staff were made redundant, so Tarek Nor is surely just one of them. I am personally waiting to see if Now get going in the next few weeks, then I will seriously consider them if given the opportunity, as despite all the comments I think they have potential to go places.
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Dirty Harry I believe Tarek Nor was made redundant which like the others, was a shame.
As for a connection with HOP - I personally can't see it. 2 completely different business plans and ideas although the ex Buzz man (TC) did leave NOW to HOP off and do other things ! Who know's, there may be some sinister connection here and yet again, only time will tell......
As for a connection with HOP - I personally can't see it. 2 completely different business plans and ideas although the ex Buzz man (TC) did leave NOW to HOP off and do other things ! Who know's, there may be some sinister connection here and yet again, only time will tell......
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The only connection between Hop and Now is that the Buzz man tried to give Now some pointers as a short term consultant. I understand the ex VEX "Captain????" didn't want to listen too hard.
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It's nothing more than speculation really, based on the TC connexion and the similarities in fund raising. That said, a business relationship between the two would make perfect sense, wouldn't it. 
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FEBA
O I C, i never met this TC in question but from the sounds of things he sounds a good bloke to have on board. The NOW management are an excellent group of people they will get the show on the road i am positive of that.
Why would it be a good link up? Most of the population can fly to the main UK hubs with a particular airline already then get a connection to an international destination. HOP to me, appeared to be offering an alternative to CAR/TRAIN/BUS to commute around the UK mainland. That market is fiercely competitive. You can get the train London to Brimingham 60 mins or so for about £30 and you get right in the centre of most cities, airports and not in city centres where most people want to travel.
Will HOP ever get off the ground? I have not heard much about it other than a few things about offices at cambridge where i instruct. Sounds a good idea but could they make it work? I would imagine they would use ATR's or D328's, can you make money will half full aeroplanes?
All said and done i would fly with HOP i hate driving and the trains are ****e.
take care
O I C, i never met this TC in question but from the sounds of things he sounds a good bloke to have on board. The NOW management are an excellent group of people they will get the show on the road i am positive of that.
Why would it be a good link up? Most of the population can fly to the main UK hubs with a particular airline already then get a connection to an international destination. HOP to me, appeared to be offering an alternative to CAR/TRAIN/BUS to commute around the UK mainland. That market is fiercely competitive. You can get the train London to Brimingham 60 mins or so for about £30 and you get right in the centre of most cities, airports and not in city centres where most people want to travel.
Will HOP ever get off the ground? I have not heard much about it other than a few things about offices at cambridge where i instruct. Sounds a good idea but could they make it work? I would imagine they would use ATR's or D328's, can you make money will half full aeroplanes?
All said and done i would fly with HOP i hate driving and the trains are ****e.
take care
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Still no big announcement from NOW.
The HOP proposal is a non-starter. Ask anyone who has tried to successfully operate 30-40 seat aircraft around the UK. It is impossible to get the unit seat costs low enough to compete agains surface transport, unless you have a reasonable European operation as well, or have a well developed niche.
Formal link-ups with Low cost operations do not work either. Anything that involves transfers has a cost, and can delay flights, both of which are a complete anathema to the Low Cost Model.
Stansted has turned into an un-official low-cost hub on the basis of the number of operators. But even easyJet will not formalise transfer between it's OWN flights because of the costs and operational complications.
Meanwhile........
I checked the search engine last night when it was working. This will be the 4th 10 page+ thread on an operation that APPEARS no further forward than it did last May.
Eagerbeaver, I have to assume your view that the "NOW management are an excellent group of people" must be based on something the rest of us don't know. Because so far they have nothing to show for their "excellent" work. Would you care to share a view on their "achievemments"? I am particularly interested in your view on their decision to offer jobs to people when they wern't funded, thus requiring to make them redundant again within months. "Excellent " or what?
The HOP proposal is a non-starter. Ask anyone who has tried to successfully operate 30-40 seat aircraft around the UK. It is impossible to get the unit seat costs low enough to compete agains surface transport, unless you have a reasonable European operation as well, or have a well developed niche.
Formal link-ups with Low cost operations do not work either. Anything that involves transfers has a cost, and can delay flights, both of which are a complete anathema to the Low Cost Model.
Stansted has turned into an un-official low-cost hub on the basis of the number of operators. But even easyJet will not formalise transfer between it's OWN flights because of the costs and operational complications.
Meanwhile........
I checked the search engine last night when it was working. This will be the 4th 10 page+ thread on an operation that APPEARS no further forward than it did last May.
Eagerbeaver, I have to assume your view that the "NOW management are an excellent group of people" must be based on something the rest of us don't know. Because so far they have nothing to show for their "excellent" work. Would you care to share a view on their "achievemments"? I am particularly interested in your view on their decision to offer jobs to people when they wern't funded, thus requiring to make them redundant again within months. "Excellent " or what?
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Jmc Man, as you like a little wager from time to time i'd be happy to do the Hat vs Bubbly bet with you on Hop
IMHO Now is a Never, it's dead and gone. Given the performance over the past year they will be highly unlikely to attract finance now to fund the thing particularly when there are a whole raft of starts chasing money out there that have better plans.
Me, I am just sorry for all those that got taken for a ride.
IMHO Now is a Never, it's dead and gone. Given the performance over the past year they will be highly unlikely to attract finance now to fund the thing particularly when there are a whole raft of starts chasing money out there that have better plans.
Me, I am just sorry for all those that got taken for a ride.
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EB
I enquired about a ticket on the train, Nottingham to Manchester AP ........................... cost £65. I reckon there is business potential there eh
JMCM
For a luddite you're a fascinating individual. You claim to be in the know yet when questioned about your knowledge of the Now business plan you get caught out
Paradoxically you're good for business, keep the negative stuff re Now and Hop, coming
Cheers
FEBA
I enquired about a ticket on the train, Nottingham to Manchester AP ........................... cost £65. I reckon there is business potential there eh
JMCM
For a luddite you're a fascinating individual. You claim to be in the know yet when questioned about your knowledge of the Now business plan you get caught out
Paradoxically you're good for business, keep the negative stuff re Now and Hop, coming
Cheers
FEBA