Zoom boss plans start-up airline
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Zoom boss plans start-up airline
Apologies if this has already been posted elsewhere, from TTG.....
Zoom boss plans start-up airline
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Chris Gray and Lucy Huxley
The former UK boss of Zoom Airlines is in the advanced stages of setting up an airline aimed at meeting demand for seats from small operators hit by the collapse of XL Airways.
Jonathan Hinkles is talking to investors about getting start-up funding of up to £11 million and has pledges of support from several independent operators that are also prepared to invest.
The airline, codenamed “Project James”, would fly from Gatwick using four leased aircraft, a mix of Boeing 737-700s and 737-800s, to summer destinations including Greece, Turkey, Spain, Egypt and winter ski resorts including Chambery.
Hinkles, who was UK managing director of transatlantic no-frills airline Zoom, which collapsed in August, is targeting a formal launch within weeks and plans to start flying in April 2009.
Hinkles said the idea was to meet demand from small operators who wanted to take small allocations on aircraft flying to routes previously serviced by XL Airways.
He refuted claims by The Co-operative Travel boss Mike Greenacre, that the trade should stick with established airlines because start-ups were inherently risky in the present climate, saying his passengers would book through Atol-bonded
operators on routes for which there was clear demand.
“The routes to market for the sectors we are selling would be through Atol-bonded tour operators and the flying would be on routes that have been flown for many years,” he said.
Hinkles said capacity out of Gatwick was 25% down next summer and his venture would replace seats that had been taken out of the market.
Noel Josephides, Sunvil managing director, said he supported the idea of Project James as small operators were struggling to find capacity for next summer as the big two refused to give allocations they had used for several years.
“It [Project James] would solve a lot of problems for us,” he said. “We need the right size of aircraft and choice in the market so we don’t have to put all our capacity into one airline.”
Zoom boss plans start-up airline
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Chris Gray and Lucy Huxley
The former UK boss of Zoom Airlines is in the advanced stages of setting up an airline aimed at meeting demand for seats from small operators hit by the collapse of XL Airways.
Jonathan Hinkles is talking to investors about getting start-up funding of up to £11 million and has pledges of support from several independent operators that are also prepared to invest.
The airline, codenamed “Project James”, would fly from Gatwick using four leased aircraft, a mix of Boeing 737-700s and 737-800s, to summer destinations including Greece, Turkey, Spain, Egypt and winter ski resorts including Chambery.
Hinkles, who was UK managing director of transatlantic no-frills airline Zoom, which collapsed in August, is targeting a formal launch within weeks and plans to start flying in April 2009.
Hinkles said the idea was to meet demand from small operators who wanted to take small allocations on aircraft flying to routes previously serviced by XL Airways.
He refuted claims by The Co-operative Travel boss Mike Greenacre, that the trade should stick with established airlines because start-ups were inherently risky in the present climate, saying his passengers would book through Atol-bonded
operators on routes for which there was clear demand.
“The routes to market for the sectors we are selling would be through Atol-bonded tour operators and the flying would be on routes that have been flown for many years,” he said.
Hinkles said capacity out of Gatwick was 25% down next summer and his venture would replace seats that had been taken out of the market.
Noel Josephides, Sunvil managing director, said he supported the idea of Project James as small operators were struggling to find capacity for next summer as the big two refused to give allocations they had used for several years.
“It [Project James] would solve a lot of problems for us,” he said. “We need the right size of aircraft and choice in the market so we don’t have to put all our capacity into one airline.”
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I have met Johnathon Hinkles, And I know how detrmined he is about the Industry.
He has years of Exp, And now it is only right that he has a chance to make it work.
It is just 'Sad' that Zoom had not managed to last another 8 weeks longer, As the fuel price has dropped sufficiently to operate.
If their 'pathetic' creditors/loan co or whatever? had shown some 'Gorm' - understanding/positive thinking then Zoom would still be here now.
Instead the creditors 'rode' in like the 'wild west' and repo'd their Aircraft, As they do.
I would have refused to hand the 767 keys over
They can't 'Beat you up' can they??
Iv'e never heard of a 'poor' creditor have you....
Good Luck To The New Team.
He has years of Exp, And now it is only right that he has a chance to make it work.
It is just 'Sad' that Zoom had not managed to last another 8 weeks longer, As the fuel price has dropped sufficiently to operate.
If their 'pathetic' creditors/loan co or whatever? had shown some 'Gorm' - understanding/positive thinking then Zoom would still be here now.
Instead the creditors 'rode' in like the 'wild west' and repo'd their Aircraft, As they do.
I would have refused to hand the 767 keys over
They can't 'Beat you up' can they??
Iv'e never heard of a 'poor' creditor have you....
Good Luck To The New Team.
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Jonathan Hinkles,
I have an idea for a name for your new airline that might just work.
Thinking back to the good old days as a child when we could not sleep for days because we knew our annual holiday was fast approaching .The thought of actually going to an airport. Then soaring into the sky in a jet was like going to never never land. The excitement was unbelievable. A whole culture and generation grew up with trusted airline names that all family and friends were familiar with. The same situation lasted for many blissful years. For earlier generations it was very comforting to know you were flying with the most famous airline in the UK that catered for ordinary folk. Very British, very strong, very friendly, and very comforting.
Alas, takeovers, consolidations and buy outs became the norm. But, something was lost in the process.
Today’s business class passengers with BA and the likes of Virgin Upper class, probably took their first flights with mummy and daddy with the airline in question.
The company I am talking about was eventually taken over by the ones who cast the big square shadows. The famous brand name was destroyed and various new names put through the sausage machine.
The new fresh management team had brilliant ideas like, why don’t we move our flights from the UK’s second biggest financial centre outside London, to a small mining town in the South of the county. It worked a treat, for the competition that is.
So which brand name am I talking about as if most didn’t know.
Well, it is of course Britannia Airways. So how about, Britania Airways?
I have an idea for a name for your new airline that might just work.
Thinking back to the good old days as a child when we could not sleep for days because we knew our annual holiday was fast approaching .The thought of actually going to an airport. Then soaring into the sky in a jet was like going to never never land. The excitement was unbelievable. A whole culture and generation grew up with trusted airline names that all family and friends were familiar with. The same situation lasted for many blissful years. For earlier generations it was very comforting to know you were flying with the most famous airline in the UK that catered for ordinary folk. Very British, very strong, very friendly, and very comforting.
Alas, takeovers, consolidations and buy outs became the norm. But, something was lost in the process.
Today’s business class passengers with BA and the likes of Virgin Upper class, probably took their first flights with mummy and daddy with the airline in question.
The company I am talking about was eventually taken over by the ones who cast the big square shadows. The famous brand name was destroyed and various new names put through the sausage machine.
The new fresh management team had brilliant ideas like, why don’t we move our flights from the UK’s second biggest financial centre outside London, to a small mining town in the South of the county. It worked a treat, for the competition that is.
So which brand name am I talking about as if most didn’t know.
Well, it is of course Britannia Airways. So how about, Britania Airways?
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Must unlikely as I am sure TUI have kept that name to stop anybody else using it
Thats is a very important rule, don`t let anyone try and impersonate you
and especially use your old name.
Bring back Britannia and get rid of that bloody awful blue Thomson scheme
Ian
Thats is a very important rule, don`t let anyone try and impersonate you
and especially use your old name.
Bring back Britannia and get rid of that bloody awful blue Thomson scheme
Ian
