WOW Airlines (Iceland)
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WOW Airlines (Iceland)
Apologies if there already is a thread, I'm afraid I couldn't find one using site search (the one part of pprune which I'm afraid I really hate!).
WOW is billed as a new startup from Iceland, with routes including STN-KEF, starting in June 2012, using 2 x A320s, leased from Avion.
Website looks superb, but only small amount about the owners. Can pay be credit or debit card with same surcharge (1.2%), so some level of consumer protection, but I would still hesitate about any new carrier in such a crowded market, especially when U2 have since announced they are doing their own LTN-KEF service.
Thoughts?
WOW is billed as a new startup from Iceland, with routes including STN-KEF, starting in June 2012, using 2 x A320s, leased from Avion.
Website looks superb, but only small amount about the owners. Can pay be credit or debit card with same surcharge (1.2%), so some level of consumer protection, but I would still hesitate about any new carrier in such a crowded market, especially when U2 have since announced they are doing their own LTN-KEF service.
Thoughts?
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who is now starting a new airline called 'Wow' with Canadians now- as the new owner reported: 'Wow' upside down is 'Mom', giving you a nice warm cuddly feeling, and I think he added 'wrapping round you keeping you warm' or something like that, but I was feeling rather ill at that stage and couldn't really absorb it.). Also, a significant number of KEF based Astraeus pilots, both British and Icelandic, have also been seen off. I'm not sure the IEX cabin crew status- they had already lost temporary summer staff, and the new operation is smaller, so I would guess more have gone.
It's not a good record- 4 airlines sent to the chopping block by this company, and another patsy being lined up. IEX will have to contend with Norwegian, WOW or MOM or whatever it is, and EJ on the routes as well now.
It's not a good record- 4 airlines sent to the chopping block by this company, and another patsy being lined up. IEX will have to contend with Norwegian, WOW or MOM or whatever it is, and EJ on the routes as well now.
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Yes, I was just looking at it from UK perspective. But just how big is the market for flights t/f Iceland? Population about same as Coventry, but they can't exactly jump on a train with their beachtowels.
Inbound, the scenery is stunning, totally unique, but still needs a lot of marketing to tempt people away from their usual mentality of heading south.
Is there really room for four airlines on the LON-KEF market?
Inbound, the scenery is stunning, totally unique, but still needs a lot of marketing to tempt people away from their usual mentality of heading south.
Is there really room for four airlines on the LON-KEF market?
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One thing going for Wow over EJ is the flight timings, especially for weekend breaks - EJ departs at crack of dawn and returns 10ish from KEF, Wow is at more leisurely afternoon/evening hours. Already booked a trip (but did use a credit card!)
As someone with great experience of the Icelandic market with numerous visits through employment and as a tourist, I would be very extremely nervous about booking with IEX right now, and WOW's network looks mighty similar to IEX's....perhaps a bit too conveniently similar.
As someone with great experience of the Icelandic market with numerous visits through employment and as a tourist, I would be very extremely nervous about booking with IEX right now, and WOW's network looks mighty similar to IEX's....perhaps a bit too conveniently similar.
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sxf,
Yes, a very good point. Sometimes a new airline is a safer bet than a dying one!
But I would still rather get up a bit earlier for the security of an established player - except that I have a natural tendency to try out companies I haven't flown with.
If only AA routes some of their LHR-JFK services via KEF, maybe that would be a safer bet
Yes, a very good point. Sometimes a new airline is a safer bet than a dying one!
But I would still rather get up a bit earlier for the security of an established player - except that I have a natural tendency to try out companies I haven't flown with.
If only AA routes some of their LHR-JFK services via KEF, maybe that would be a safer bet
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Oh alright- like a slippery Moray Eel, I can't stay in my slimy little hole, so here I come. Let me give you the saga of KEF-UK air operations. Loftleidir for many years, then Icelandair to LHR. Iceland Express starts up ops to Europe using one or two weird ACMI operators from Europe. Owners of IEX buy Astraeus and use them for services ex KEF to Europe (LGW), and eventually US- infrastructure struggles to handle. Executive of holding company owner of IEX and Astraeus takes clever decision (after demand for further charge from ground handlers KEF) to decline further revenue for handling US flights and sacks said ground handlers, precipitating immediate crisis for recruitment and training of new staff at KEF for start date of 1 June (good one!). 3 hour delays trying to reconcile transfer bags US>KEF>Europe, and no duty frees (no bonded warehouse). Said executive sacked, sued by holding company for fiddling, plans to start WOW in comp with IEX. All made up, in time for November, flow of funds to Astraeus cut off. New carrier ready same day to cont ops, reduced IEX op covered by CSA Holidays A320s. Latest episode in this saga from the northern lands is smaller IEX operation, WOW allegedly coming with a Canadian operator flying services, EJ flying to LTN 3 times a week, Norwegian and SAS appearing. Is there room? My posterior!
Now if you are going to put up money for a ticket- don't consider relative cost Credit card/Debit card- just go for total safety! The owner of IEX/Astraeus has driven 4 airlines under, and one of the directors has branched out on his own while he still has a virgin record and has yet to follow the usual course of airline ownership up north! Meanwhile, one understands nobody has any money coming- staff, taxis, training organisations, contractors, aeroplane leasors, property landlords, navigation charges, landing fees....you get the picture? Meanwhile, the 30+ ground handlers at KEF, up to 170 Astraeus staff, many Icelandic 737/757 pilots at KEF employed by Astraeus....all redundant, whilst the owners totally walk away from all liabilities. It's almost funny.
If I were you, I would not invest in airlines near the Arctic Circle. Only buy tickets with a credit card. Beware it is still (even after a big devaluation) stonking expensive up there. The country is very beautifully scenic, but so is Scotland, but the volcanoes are a bit short there. But good luck!
Now if you are going to put up money for a ticket- don't consider relative cost Credit card/Debit card- just go for total safety! The owner of IEX/Astraeus has driven 4 airlines under, and one of the directors has branched out on his own while he still has a virgin record and has yet to follow the usual course of airline ownership up north! Meanwhile, one understands nobody has any money coming- staff, taxis, training organisations, contractors, aeroplane leasors, property landlords, navigation charges, landing fees....you get the picture? Meanwhile, the 30+ ground handlers at KEF, up to 170 Astraeus staff, many Icelandic 737/757 pilots at KEF employed by Astraeus....all redundant, whilst the owners totally walk away from all liabilities. It's almost funny.
If I were you, I would not invest in airlines near the Arctic Circle. Only buy tickets with a credit card. Beware it is still (even after a big devaluation) stonking expensive up there. The country is very beautifully scenic, but so is Scotland, but the volcanoes are a bit short there. But good luck!
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Icelandic folk v nice. a few w.......s but same as down south. I'd go Icelandair if I were you, or even better(and cheaper I suppose) Easyjet. Most Icelandic people despise the bank robbers and wannabee oligarchs
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Originally Posted by Notso Fantastic
Iceland Express starts up ops to Europe using one or two weird ACMI operators from Europe. Owners of IEX buy Astraeus]
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VOM1T, "Það er skammgóður vermir að pissa í skóna sína." I thought I gave a fairly dispassionate review of Iceland's non-Icelandair recent commercial history? Despite feeling upset for what the 'wannabe Oligarchs' have done to the smaller people.
There does seem to have been unethical behaviour by these people up there, and anybody who goes up there for work should be warned, or trades with them in various ways- there are a lot of people counting their losses (again) right now. It does not leave a good taste seeing so many out of pocket (and jobs) whilst these individuals claw their way over others frantically restarting the same old music! The whole question of guaranteed bank deposits has also not been addressed, but I never deposited money in a foreign bank I'd never heard off before. Maybe I have a surprisingly strong ethical streak, but whilst these same people are allowed to continue running the same old music and acting as 'airline slaughtermen' (Sterling, Mytravel, Astraeus), then it appears from outside their behaviour is officially condoned by the country. Their record of employment is best described as 'excrutiatingly-execrable'. Like it or not, they are the face of Iceland.
There does seem to have been unethical behaviour by these people up there, and anybody who goes up there for work should be warned, or trades with them in various ways- there are a lot of people counting their losses (again) right now. It does not leave a good taste seeing so many out of pocket (and jobs) whilst these individuals claw their way over others frantically restarting the same old music! The whole question of guaranteed bank deposits has also not been addressed, but I never deposited money in a foreign bank I'd never heard off before. Maybe I have a surprisingly strong ethical streak, but whilst these same people are allowed to continue running the same old music and acting as 'airline slaughtermen' (Sterling, Mytravel, Astraeus), then it appears from outside their behaviour is officially condoned by the country. Their record of employment is best described as 'excrutiatingly-execrable'. Like it or not, they are the face of Iceland.
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Notso Fantastic, my apologies if my aim was off, the comment was intended as an insight into the behaviour of other characters involved, rather than directed at your informative posting.
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I see- I mistook your meaning. There is little we can do now but watch the same old wheels turning again. At least this time it won't be done on the strength of a UK AOC. But we can start making enquiries as to the status of the CAA deposit and whether this now may go towards the liabilities of the organisation?
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AA LHR-JFK via KEF ...? I wouldnt have thought so, who is going to want to go on that without significant discount
AA LHR-JFK via KEF ...? I wouldnt have thought so, who is going to want to go on that without significant discount
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If I had a day or two to spare, I'd be up for a stopover in Iceland, and given that Icelandair make a fair go at plugging a transatlantic stopover in their marketing, I suspect quite a lot of other leisure passengers who are not too time poor are up for it as well.
However, serving this market should mean there is spare capacity on ptp too, although my experience has shown that when an airline operates from a spoke to its hub, it can often still be cheaper to take a connecting service with someone else between these two points. Hence, there should be room for a loco on this route, but 3?
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Astraeus & CAA deposit
Notso Fantastic
I see- I mistook your meaning. There is little we can do now but watch the same old wheels turning again. At least this time it won't be done on the strength of a UK AOC. But we can start making enquiries as to the status of the CAA deposit and whether this now may go towards the liabilities of the organisation?
I see- I mistook your meaning. There is little we can do now but watch the same old wheels turning again. At least this time it won't be done on the strength of a UK AOC. But we can start making enquiries as to the status of the CAA deposit and whether this now may go towards the liabilities of the organisation?
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As an ex-employee of Astraeus, one heard that a deposit was required by the CAA, and the CAA required regular increasing amounts. If such a sum was required and held by them, I hope it will be retained pending payment of staff and all suppliers. I understand nobody was paid at all for work, services or goods supplied to Astraeus. Yet the travel company Astraeus was flying for (Icexpress- also owned by the same holding company) had a standby airline ready to take over the return flights of the cancelled services and CSA Holidays all set to continue operating IEX services. Meanwhile, numerous people in the UK are counting their losses. Very tacky.
But this is not Astraeus or IEX, it's WOW, but the dividing lines do seem vague sometimes!
But this is not Astraeus or IEX, it's WOW, but the dividing lines do seem vague sometimes!
Last edited by Notso Fantastic; 17th Dec 2011 at 10:20.