Cityjet

[flatliner]

Do you think the other regional airline that flybe are looking at is Aer Arann ? They could be picked up quite cheap at the moment and also have some lucrative LCY slots .........

[dublinaviator]

I doubt it, we already know from the examinership proceedings that they weren't one of the 14 interested investors.

[second coming]

Aer arran is like Air South West to flybe, available but no worth. Cityjet is as mentioned a cert, wouldn't be surprised if it was a done deal a while ago. Thought the order for 175's would have a hidden meaning and lets be honest LCY ops would be a good reason. They are the perfect plane to replace the rj85's plus BA have proven they can operate at LCY. There is no way I can see KLM letting flybe take over city hopper, firstly because they don't need to and secondly they are not like BA and want a regional network under their brand. Can't see Air France selling a regional for the same reasons.

[jdcg]

How about Cimber Sterling? They have a similar business model and it did say that one of the takeover targets was in Northern Europe...

[clareview]

Who says BA wants a regional brand? They have not long ago spent years and a lot of money getting rid of their Regional Operations

[ib26uk]

I have a "vision" of how this is going to pan out !!!!!!!!!!!

Flybe buy CityJet from Air France / KLM & Flybe buy CityFlyer from British Airways !!!!!!!!!!!!

and then British Airways will one day buy out Flybe and make it back into our regions !!!!!!

[dublinaviator]

I heard a rumour from a very reliable source who has a friend in FlyBe who talked to someone the other day who said they might be buying Lufthansa!

[dublindispatch]

And i heard from a source who had heard it form a friend that knew someone who was told that they they had heard that a friend of theres had meet a guy who knows a man who confirmed that a work mate had read that a friend of him had been told that an internal memo from an un named source had probably been informed that no one knew anything at all and that it was all just speculation

[cityjetch]

Hi there !

I had also heard that rumour : Flybe buying Cityjet.

Does any one have any more info ?
And what about WX's sister VLM ?

Thanks

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by clareview

Who says BA wants a regional brand? They have not long ago spent years and a lot of money getting rid of their Regional Operations

Indeed. But then they have a history of a Grand Old Duke Of York management style. It was probably back in the 1960s that their predecessors started dumping off regional routes to the likes of Cambrian, then later on they were all brought back in house again. How many times were some Scottish routes given to Loganair and then came back under the main brand again ?

And as we are on the Cityjet thread here, I shall refrain from commenting about a certain carrier who started as an independent (free at last), then went under the Virgin brand (better than being independent), then independent again (much better than under Virgin), then painted everything under the Air France brand (way better than being independent), then went back under their own brand yet again (indescribably better than .......)

[EISNN]

Believe nothing of what ya hear and only half of what ya read.

[dublindispatch]

I agree and when u see the a/c in the paint job then believe it and not before!!

[Cloud1]

CityJet aint going to be at the top of Flybe's agenda but I did laugh at everyone's comments over the different business' and how passengers would react.

Would you like to join the queue as the business man in front at LCY moans about the small print in the baggage charges or has to find change to buy a sandwich on board. For the two markets you are talking about the flybe product is a bad fit which leave the option of winging it with three slightly different business models.

Surly if the said business man actually read the info during the booking process, he would prebook his bag and adhere to the weight restrictions thus avoiding a queue in the first place

[RooCat]

While everyone is taking guess' at who Flybe will buy, it is pretty clear that there are only 2 airlines in Ireland and while Cityjet and aer arran are technically regional airlines, they are not performing so well so why would flybe want to really waste money on an airline whose business operates differently to them, has lost a lot of money, and while they can get rid of the BAE 146'S, the routes are designed differently and if any takeover could be achieved, it wouldn't seem in the best interests of both parties.

Sorry if any offence is caused to Cityjet fans!!

[second coming]

Roo cat, they don't just operate in Ireland. In fact very little. I think the recent deal between AF and flybe is also maybe an indication that this deal with cityjet is on. They operate all sorts of routes for AF that flybe could be interested in.

[RooCat]

Second Coming-thats a very interesting point and from what your saying,could be logical. But it is just run-of-the-mill speculation at the moment. Theres not even any mention from French at the moment, so it could be anyone!!

[second coming]

Good point, but something is going on. Guess we will have to just wait and see.

[egnxema]

Just to widen things out - could BE be inerested in BMIR?

[RooCat]

I'd put money on it as it would be a good fit but it says european airlines as Flybe are looking to expand across the channel

Toon Army!!

[escaped crusader]

whats really happening...

You're close but have got things a little back to front.
Air France are not planning to sell Cityjet to Flybe.
Air France are planning to buy Flybe.
There have been a number of meetings in CDG regarding this and some of this has even been alluded to in the french papers.
Air France want into the low cost market. They want into point to point flying. They still want feeders into CDG of course but it will be done on a low cost basis.
They are sick of their regional operators running at a constant loss. The only one of their subsidiaries who have ever made them any profit are in fact Cityjet.
So where does this leave Cityjet I don't know. The arrival of the new French Female CEO will have something to do with this thats for sure but she's also surely been brought in to sort out the Male dominated, Ex Air Corps hierarchy which have brought Cityjet to its knees.
The scandal is all coming out now since the last CEO got the boot.
Accomodation kickbacks, creaming money out of a mystery passenger business, simulator owned by the hierarchy, kickbacks to Jerez flight training, office jobs for cadets, Jobs for the lads (Tech Pilot, Training Manager)... just to name a few dodgy dealings that have come out.
Good luck Christine! You'll need it. Interesting times ahead for all at Cityjet.
E.C.