Viking Airlines

[MerchantVenturer]

East Midlands and Birmingham airports also see some routes ending early October as at Bristol and some Glasgow routes are shown in the VIK timetable as ending early August presumably because the Scottish school holidays end around then.

Viking is stopping Bristol to Tenerife and Lanzarote in early September when the English school holidays end.

In the past some BRS summer charter routes to Greece have finished in early October - the TCX Kos route is one this year for example.

Given that TOM, TCX and at least one of the lowcost airlines (U2 and FR) compete on most of the Canary routes, with easyjet and Ryanair flying 5 x weekly between them to TFS, it's no surprise that the market is being squeezed. Same applies to Corfu and Heraklion with TCX, TOM and easyJet flying these routes plus ECA to Heraklion in the current peak season.

Although Bristol is outperforming most other airports in percentage passenger growth this year the charter sector is lagging behind.

Airport figures show that overall passenger numbers for the first six months of 2010 are up 4.26% on 2009 with atms down by a miniscule 0.11% which suggests that loads generally may be a bit higher, but the charter sector has seen a 6.46% increase in atms for an increase in passenger numbers of just 1.90%, which suggests there may be an over supply on some routes.

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by MerchantVenturer

Although Bristol is outperforming most other airports in percentage passenger growth this year the charter sector is lagging behind.

A general trend. The charters are running away from the low costs into an increasingly thin market. Much of their old mass market, to Spain, has now been lost, as plenty of weekly charter flights are replaced by plenty of daily low cost flights. Faro and the Canaries are going the same way.

Places like Greece, Turkey, the slightly longer haul destinations where bilaterals still survive, and short-season flows like ski flights are their current strength, but that will change as well over time. One thing the charter operators have been good at is developing new areas for themselves rather than failing to adapt and being overtaken by others.

[MerchantVenturer]

Indeed, and Bristol, like most other airports, has lost an enormous number of charter flights and charter passengers over the past few years.

The point I was trying to make is that although the overall passenger numbers are up this year, with scheduled international (the biggest sector by far) up by 6.34% against a rise in sched int atms of just 0.88%, the additional charter journeys this year (the first time for a while that the airport has seen a rise in charter atms year on year) have attracted a disproportionately small number of extra charter passengers, hence my suggestion that some routes were over supplied.

[OliWW]

something like half of the fleet is going back to Canada in early october-november time... one of the reasons why airports such as EMA, BRS, NCL, BHX wont get many flights during the winter, is due to not enough winter aircraft, which is then followed up with demand to many destinations they fly to in Turkey and Greece, where the weather isn't hot enough for a summer holiday, compared to the Canaries where most of their flights will be to. The flights from EMA, BRS etc... should be back for Summer 2011, just not the winter when there is less demand

[airhumberside]

Goldtrail flights?

They may well have had an allocation, but most if not all VIK BRS flights have had a Kiss Flights allocation as well

some Glasgow routes are shown in the VIK timetable as ending early August presumably because the Scottish school holidays end around then.

Yes. Kiss Flights, who mostly use VIK at GLA, have only ever had most of their GLA flights on sale for 2010 around Easter and then again around June/July for school holidays. These flights ending when they have would be unconnected to Goldtrail. I presume the GLA aircraft is now operating out of an English base

As a side note, Kiss are planning a longer operating season at GLA for 2011. Again I guess they will be using Viking

[davidjohnson6]

Is it because someone got jumpy over the words "Iraq" and "Viking" in the same sentence, or is there something a little more ominous that an insurer knows about ?

Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance (SAFI) for Travel Agents

[mathers_wales_uk]

I have replied to the Pegasus thread about this topic. See here

[Pooley]

Postal address for Viking Airlines

As the link to make a complaint on their website conveniently does not work can anyone tell me their postal address in the UK?

Thanks

[airhumberside]

You wouldn't think it would be so hard to get a simple address ...

Wikipedia has an address off:
28 Churton Street London, SW1V 2LP
However this turns out to be the address of Flight Options, who own Kiss Flights, a major customer of Viking. Whether this means Flight Options represents Viking is the UK I don't know

The wiki article also states that Viking have another office in Richmond, not that there seems to be anything to verify it

The only thing that does seem certain is their Swedish postal address (not what you wanted I know)
Finspångsgatan 54A, SE-163 53 Spanga, Stockholm, Sweden

[HXdave]

information on the nature of the complaint would be useful..................

after all, from what i understand from working in the travel trade is that Viking airlines are not a Uk airline or a registered UK airline (hence the guy from sunvil no longer having to worry about the operation of said airline)

now if your question is about a reservation on the airline, would this be a direct booking with the airline (and as a non UK registered airlene - then not a damn thing a UK court could argue on), or a booking through a third party who chartered a viking airline aircraft.

[MMENCLLBAMAN]

Kiss Flights - Another one gone under!!

Travel Weekly:

Kiss Flights ceases trading

Aug 17, 2010 17:30


Kiss Flights is understood to have ceased trading with thousands of holidaymakers abroad and many more advance bookings, placing fresh strain on consumer financial protection.
Details have yet to emerge of the failure. A spokesman from the CAA said: "We are waiting for written confirmation."
Kiss held an air tour organiser’s licence (Atol), but it is unclear how many clients are covered by the licence.
This is the latest in a series of failures, including Goldtrail Holidays and Sun4u, in recent weeks.
Seat-only operator Kiss launched in September 2008 following XL Leisure Group's collapse with the intention of targeting the market vacated by Freedom Flights - XL's former seat-only operation.
It is understood Kiss picked up a large number of bookings from the collapse of Goldtrail. Frank Renzulli, the senior consultant of Top Class Travel in Cheshire, said: “Obviously with the Goldtrail collapse we rebooked all our customers on Kiss flights and so we have a massive flying problem.
“It’s going to give the industry a massive headache, it’s the middle of the school holidays and we’ve got the bank holiday coming up. It’s going to be a nightmare.”
Former Freedom Flights managing director Paul Moss joined the seat-only operator in 2008.
The collapse of XL Leisure exposed holes in the licensing system and led to a rise in the consumer protection charge on package holidays – the Atol Protection Contribution (APC) – and spurred efforts to widen the Atol scheme.
Kiss offered flights and accommodation to Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, the Canary Islands, Spain and Portugal. It was sold to sports tour operator and dynamic packager Flight Options in January 2009 for an undisclosed sum.

[b747 flightboy]

Viking Bust?

Heard from a travel agency friend that viking have gone bust. Any truth? I do hope not

[Affretage]

Apparently Kiss Flights, Vikings retail arm have ceased trading today. I am afraid it looks like the end of Viking. Good old PW.

The story is here

Kiss Flights ceases trading - www.travelweekly.co.uk

[davelongdon]

A friend of mine has had hi contract terminated as he turned down the chance to fly for Viking out of Iraq :S

[BOAC]

Let's not bury them just yet?

While one of Viking’s tour operating customers, Flight Options, (Kiss Flights) has unfortunately gone into administration, Viking is financially healthy and is set to continue its normal UK operations. The company has already put into motion plans to downsize its fleet, immediately reducing the number of aircraft by three. Regrettably, this will result in some job losses, mainly in the UK. It should be noted that the majority of Viking’s operations are based in Central and Eastern Europe and in the Middle East.

For the financial year 2009, Viking Airlines reported a net profit of €3.8 million. The company also reported an equity ratio of 40%. Viking Airlines has no interest-bearing debt.

The company was formed in 2003 and is owned by European Aviation & Technical Services and Black Pearl Investments Ltd.

[33percentlonger]

Taken from Flight Options Important Information

As of 1700hrs on 17 August the Flight Options group of companies have ceased trading. The Civil Aviation Authority have been informed and we are awaiting further advise on the situation. Please contact the CAA for a further update www.atol.org.uk

[wouldhave]

The following statement has been placed on Viking Airlines website - an immediate cut of 3 aircraft from the fleet seems to be on the cards

While one of Viking’s tour operating customers, Flight Options, (Kiss Flights) has unfortunately gone into administration, Viking is financially healthy and is set to continue its normal UK operations. The company has already put into motion plans to downsize its fleet, immediately reducing the number of aircraft by three. Regrettably, this will result in some job losses, mainly in the UK. It should be noted that the majority of Viking’s operations are based in Central and Eastern Europe and in the Middle East.

For the financial year 2009, Viking Airlines reported a net profit of €3.8 million. The company also reported an equity ratio of 40%. Viking Airlines has no interest-bearing debt.

The company was formed in 2003 and is owned by European Aviation & Technical Services and Black Pearl Investments Ltd.

Customers can book seats on Viking Airlines through our website Flyviking.com
and we would like to re-emphasise our continued dedication and commitment to our customers.

We will continue to update this website with news for passengers who have booked with Kiss Flights

[pappabagge]

Viking Beware

The Powers That Were behind Viking are to be avoided at all costs. They have plagued and tarnished the industry image in Sweden for many years now, popping up at irregular intervals as a world-leading, cutting edge new carrier. Only three problems; i) no funding, ii) no airframes and iii) no infrastructure. The last jaunt they tried resulted in the now legendary Iraqi landing rights débacle. Prior to that whole-page adverts had been taken out in the regional and national press here advertising a wonderful triangular route system running ESGG - ESSA - ESMS clockwise and counterclockwise with simultaneous departures on the hour, every hour, using ONE wet-leased B737NG. Go figure. Avoid like the plague.

[DjerbaDevil]

From Viking Airlines web site:

Kiss Flights update

While one of Viking’s tour operating customers, Flight Options, (Kiss Flights) has unfortunately gone into administration, Viking is financially healthy and is set to continue its normal UK operations. The company has already put into motion plans to downsize its fleet, immediately reducing the number of aircraft by three. Regrettably, this will result in some job losses, mainly in the UK. It should be noted that the majority of Viking’s operations are based in Central and Eastern Europe and in the Middle East.

For the financial year 2009, Viking Airlines reported a net profit of €3.8 million. The company also reported an equity ratio of 40%. Viking Airlines has no interest-bearing debt.

The company was formed in 2003 and is owned by European Aviation & Technical Services and Black Pearl Investments Ltd.

Customers can book seats on Viking Airlines through our website Flyviking.com

and

we would like to re-emphasise our continued dedication and commitment to our customers.

We will continue to update this website with news for passengers who have booked with Kiss Flights

[djms]

I do hope so.
associated 'management' did the dirty on many many people 2 years ago.
sorry for anyone genuine who will now lose their jobs, probably all over again because of these charlatans