Virgin Domestic
Indeed, but it's a way round the slot rules which don't stipulate a minimum slot size. Virgin themselves have used a King Air hired from an air-taxi operator in the past to come in and out as a Heathrow slot-sitter.
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Slots are Restricted
WHBM, I agree with your assessment. However there’s one major problem. Under the Commission’s decision there are restrictions on Grandfathering rights;
1.1.3. Grandfathering rights
As a general rule, the slots obtained by a prospective entrant must be operated on the city pair(s) for which they have been requested from IAG and cannot be used on another city pair unless the prospective entrant has operated them during at least six full consecutive IATA seasons ("the Utilisation Period"). The prospective entrant would be deemed to have grandfathering rights for the slots once appropriate use of the slots has been made on the city pairs at issue, for the Utilisation Period. Once the
Utilisation Period has elapsed, the prospective entrant would be entitled to use the slots obtained on the basis of the Commitments exclusively to operate services on any route connecting London with any other part of Europe (including Aberdeen and Edinburgh), or on London-Moscow, London-Cairo and London-Riyadh. (my emphasis added)
So they can only be used to serve Europe (or the 3 nominated longhaul destinations). I can’t see how they will get around this. The slots were given up to recreate competition on certain routes. I think VS are going to get caught by their own very public arguments!!
1.1.3. Grandfathering rights
As a general rule, the slots obtained by a prospective entrant must be operated on the city pair(s) for which they have been requested from IAG and cannot be used on another city pair unless the prospective entrant has operated them during at least six full consecutive IATA seasons ("the Utilisation Period"). The prospective entrant would be deemed to have grandfathering rights for the slots once appropriate use of the slots has been made on the city pairs at issue, for the Utilisation Period. Once the
Utilisation Period has elapsed, the prospective entrant would be entitled to use the slots obtained on the basis of the Commitments exclusively to operate services on any route connecting London with any other part of Europe (including Aberdeen and Edinburgh), or on London-Moscow, London-Cairo and London-Riyadh. (my emphasis added)
So they can only be used to serve Europe (or the 3 nominated longhaul destinations). I can’t see how they will get around this. The slots were given up to recreate competition on certain routes. I think VS are going to get caught by their own very public arguments!!
An interesting point, Qconn - thank you for registering to make it. I wonder if Virgin could, however, lease them out to, and make money from, any other operator to do European flights; that appears to be an interpretation of what is said here. Am I correct that the slots they previously had leased out until this year were being used by Lufthansa ? And I wonder if that European operator could then lease out, quite independently, their quite separate existing slots to, say Virgin ?
Hmmm, a geography lesson for the Commission, I think.
Hmmm, a geography lesson for the Commission, I think.
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Using an A319 from BH Air Bulgaria ("Balkan Holidays" callsign) according to dispatcher at MAN this morning. (They've got previous history having operated ex-Lagos for Virgin Nigeria when that started apparently).
Last edited by dontdoit; 24th Aug 2012 at 13:51.
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So rare to hear A318's mentioned. I flew into Paris yesterday and saw many examples AirFrance and one from Tarom.
I would suggest if they see A318 as suitable over A319, shows already how low volume/ marginal they would expect this route to be.
I would suggest if they see A318 as suitable over A319, shows already how low volume/ marginal they would expect this route to be.
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I heard the rumour in the crewroom a 175 had been put on NQY LGW a few months ago especially for the virgin guys (usually a Q400 route) anyone able to confirm this happened for sure?
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Virgin big wigs recently seen on a Flybe ejet in Newquay. It really would make the most sense but things rarely work out that way
