VLM Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Antwerp
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can think of lots of individual routes that might be suitable for VLM, but I'm struggling to pull them together into a coherent profitable strategy which involves VLM having a small number of bases instead of aircraft and staff spread thinly in lots of different places.
Am I perhaps being a little too closed minded in my opinion on VLM ?
Am I perhaps being a little too closed minded in my opinion on VLM ?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,175
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, let's see:
LGG base: gone after a few weeks in 2015
WAT base: down to just 10 weekly flights
ANR base: BHX and GVA gone in a few weeks
The whole network now is more less dependent on routes from HAM and FDH.
LGG base: gone after a few weeks in 2015
WAT base: down to just 10 weekly flights
ANR base: BHX and GVA gone in a few weeks
The whole network now is more less dependent on routes from HAM and FDH.
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WAT is actually 12 weekly down from 16 weekly meeting demand between Dec-Feb.
Currently an E-145 is operatibg out of WAT for a few days for whatever reason but I expect things would be a lot worse without WAT.
Currently an E-145 is operatibg out of WAT for a few days for whatever reason but I expect things would be a lot worse without WAT.
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Waterford
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WAT is doing well for VLM
WAT didn't have a LTN flight operate during Winter since 2012 so a decrease in the frequency is probably a means for them to gauge the demand during Winter. WAT fares are also the most expensive on the network so WAT could be helping VLM a lot
WAT didn't have a LTN flight operate during Winter since 2012 so a decrease in the frequency is probably a means for them to gauge the demand during Winter. WAT fares are also the most expensive on the network so WAT could be helping VLM a lot
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,175
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, in Jan/Feb it is a single daily flight WATLTN Mon-Sat and a second flight on mondays. That is seven in my book plus three to BHX.
I wish VLM luck, but they have just sold a bunch of their Fokker 50s and leased them back, which must tell us something given the price of 25 year old turboprops.
I wish VLM luck, but they have just sold a bunch of their Fokker 50s and leased them back, which must tell us something given the price of 25 year old turboprops.
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Didn't look in detail but fair enough.
If you do the Maths with an aveage of 50% loads during summer (we know it was up to 80) and an average of 700 passenger (based on 50%) per week with fares averging 100-150 return VLM pulled in up to 100,000 per week. Possibly closer to 150,000 peak season.
Easily to see lot of money to be made.
If you do the Maths with an aveage of 50% loads during summer (we know it was up to 80) and an average of 700 passenger (based on 50%) per week with fares averging 100-150 return VLM pulled in up to 100,000 per week. Possibly closer to 150,000 peak season.
Easily to see lot of money to be made.
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Antwerp
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
VLM themselves have pointed to the FDH operations as an opportunity to hire local/German crews which should reduce their personnel cost. Which is really important as the whole reorganisation they've been implementing in Antwerp has more or less come to a standstill on that issue.
Services have been outsourced, a Dutch daughter company has been liquidated and planes have been sold but the flying crew is still refusing to take a - up to 17 percent - pay cut. Talks have been going nowhere, so I can understand how VLM is happy to point out that any extra staff being needed for FDH will in fact lower the cost per employee.
What I don't understand is why the opening of the WAT base wasn't an opportunity to do the same. Did VLM not consider it, weren't they somehow allowed to or did they in fact hire Irish crew but without that operation making a sufficient impact? Could anyone shed some light on that?
Services have been outsourced, a Dutch daughter company has been liquidated and planes have been sold but the flying crew is still refusing to take a - up to 17 percent - pay cut. Talks have been going nowhere, so I can understand how VLM is happy to point out that any extra staff being needed for FDH will in fact lower the cost per employee.
What I don't understand is why the opening of the WAT base wasn't an opportunity to do the same. Did VLM not consider it, weren't they somehow allowed to or did they in fact hire Irish crew but without that operation making a sufficient impact? Could anyone shed some light on that?
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Dublin
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No they did not.
Hopefully they will survive their current troubles.
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Dublin
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
They did indeed advertise for local CC but the LCY based crew have mainly been operating the routes until relatively recently.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Salford Lads Club
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
EI, no they never did recruit locally in the end and to my knowledge it is a mixture now of LCY and Antwerp crew that run the routes. As to future local recruitment, I don't know I'm afraid.
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Antwerp
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for all the replies. It does sound like they haven't really been very thorough or indeed organised in their hiring strategy so far. Which means the pressure is even greater on the FDH operations to be successful, both in terms of revenue as well as costs.
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,621
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Didn't look in detail but fair enough.
If you do the Maths with an aveage of 50% loads during summer (we know it was up to 80) and an average of 700 passenger (based on 50%) per week with fares averging 100-150 return VLM pulled in up to 100,000 per week. Possibly closer to 150,000 peak season.
Easily to see lot of money to be made.
If you do the Maths with an aveage of 50% loads during summer (we know it was up to 80) and an average of 700 passenger (based on 50%) per week with fares averging 100-150 return VLM pulled in up to 100,000 per week. Possibly closer to 150,000 peak season.
Easily to see lot of money to be made.
Virtually any airline can manage to be profitable in the peak season, but even Ryanair has historically lost money in the off season. The challenge is to have a cost base which will keep the losses to manageable levels. For a relatively small carrier, that's a big challenge.
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Antwerp
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Any news on the aircraft lease to Cityjet in the future?
I can't speak for Rotterdam but at least in Antwerp it seems to me CityJet hasn't got many other options. Their own RJ85's are really too big for the market and while the route is doing quite well, I can't see CityJet bringing in another partner just to serve ANR and RTM/
So I'm guessing the wetlease will continue until either VLM disappears or CityJet decides to stop the Antwerp and/or Rotterdam routes.
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New CEO for VLM and further management change:
Lara News Show
Lara News Show
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: New Forest
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Surreal VLM flight
I flew SOU-ANR four months ago.F50 with leather seats at 32" pitch. Total 7 pax.Belgian chocs with snack. The a/c departed SOU at 1530 but arrived at SOU at 1130am I asked the Steward what the a/c did between between 1130 and 1530.He replied that the a/c remained at SOU until STD 1530. Meanwhile, the Crew jumped on the train-one stop- to go shopping in Southampton!! Chocolate Truffles all round!