Flybe-9
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Oh, sure - though a risky play for a route so dependent on commuters; guess the assumption is that the train product is now so dire they'll always come back. Though my info may be out of date as the flights are still on sale

Join Date: Aug 2014
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What are virgin thinking of?? .Rebranding the dreadful Q400 with all its negative reputaion in virgin colours , Next time one fails , either a engine lets go or the main gear collapses as it it will inevitably happen it’s no longer another flybe failure but a virgin one .
I think they have lost the plot , and it’s all going to end badly
I think they have lost the plot , and it’s all going to end badly

Join Date: Feb 2018
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Virgin Connect handling contract at the bigger airports? Any new aircraft leases as they have a leasing company I believe? Also if they lose the Aer Lingus regional a place to send their ATRs?

Join Date: Feb 2005
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If anybody seriously believes that a desire to return to the Stone Age amongst the general public actually exists much less forcing wider economic interests to take a back seat whilst we do so then they are totally disconnected from reality I’m afraid. Much lip service will be paid for sure but the appetite to take the serious action required and give up all our mod cons just doesn’t exist I’m afraid. And that’s what’ll doom us as a species.

Join Date: Apr 1999
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A few more details have filtered out largely confirming my idea that this will be an incremental changeover,
Not selling under VSC brand until S20
Internal working/procedural changes to take place over the next few months
No immediate base closures
Focus on profitable routes ( I have already inferred that means some routes closing)
No sign of the A220 !!
I would imagine that their goal is a smaller regional airline, branded in the Virgin family, with a focus on feeding VS longhaul at MAN.
Not selling under VSC brand until S20
Internal working/procedural changes to take place over the next few months
No immediate base closures
Focus on profitable routes ( I have already inferred that means some routes closing)
No sign of the A220 !!
I would imagine that their goal is a smaller regional airline, branded in the Virgin family, with a focus on feeding VS longhaul at MAN.

Join Date: Nov 2006
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What are virgin thinking of?? .Rebranding the dreadful Q400 with all its negative reputaion in virgin colours , Next time one fails , either a engine lets go or the main gear collapses as it it will inevitably happen it’s no longer another flybe failure but a virgin one .
What they don't see are all the less apparent costs of maintenance and engineering required to keep it in the air, the EU261 costs when even that doesn't work, the costs in crew and transport required to cover the schedule when it has broke again, the lost revenue from passengers who would rather fly on a jet, and the costs in training due to the constant throughput of pilots because nobody sees the Dash as a long term career. A couple of years down the line by the time all this has dawned on them, the company is not performing as well as they had hoped and they are given big bonuses and shown the door.
A new management come in, they look at the headline figures for the Dash, and think "Oh wow this is a great economical aircraft"..........................

Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Leeds, UK & Cork, Ireland
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Considering the signifiant ownership of Stobart and their long history of ATR operations, if the Q's really are such dogs then Im sure we will see the fleet rollover with a rag-tag selection of the finest AT7's Stobart can find. Stobart love an all-over white scheme, so I expect the E-Jets and Q's to start getting an albino look shortly.

The Q400 is not a dog. I’ve flown on it about 50 times a year for the last 9 years and the significant delays I’ve had I can count on the fingers of one hand. I’ve also had two cancellations, both weather related.
why would passengers prefer a jet if that involves flying from a congested airport, with service levels of say, Easy or Ryan, and have to queue up boarding and disembarking with 180 others. It’s just a recipe for long travel days, frustration and higher costs (food, drinks and transport to bigger airport)
Give me the Dash 8 any day when I can turn up at the airport 30 mins before departure or I can be at work 30 minutes after landing.
why would passengers prefer a jet if that involves flying from a congested airport, with service levels of say, Easy or Ryan, and have to queue up boarding and disembarking with 180 others. It’s just a recipe for long travel days, frustration and higher costs (food, drinks and transport to bigger airport)
Give me the Dash 8 any day when I can turn up at the airport 30 mins before departure or I can be at work 30 minutes after landing.

Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: South of the Watford Gap, East of Portland
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Don't wish to restart the Q400 versus X debate but, as a regular Q400 pax, I flew in an ATR 42-600 yesterday and what a pleasure it was. No incessant vibration, no relentless noise, roomy and nicely finished cabin - a Jag compared to Toyota Aygo.
Some of the Q400s are looking really tatty and the DHC build quality, or lack thereof, is becoming more evident.
Interestingly, Austrian is getting rid of its Q400s to be replaced by Airbuses.
Some of the Q400s are looking really tatty and the DHC build quality, or lack thereof, is becoming more evident.
Interestingly, Austrian is getting rid of its Q400s to be replaced by Airbuses.

Join Date: Dec 2007
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What happens is; a new management come in, they look at the headline figures for the Dash, and think "Oh wow this is a great economical aircraft".
A new management come in, they look at the headline figures for the Dash, and think "Oh wow this is a great economical aircraft"..........................
A new management come in, they look at the headline figures for the Dash, and think "Oh wow this is a great economical aircraft"..........................

Join Date: Aug 2014
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Flybe engineering are a excellent outfit , however when your dealing with something as fundamentally flawed as the dash is your up against it.....It’s basically a piece of crap.

Join Date: Aug 2014
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qhttps://www.birminghammail.co.uk/new...outes-17100174
The environment my arrrse
Who's he trying to kid?
The environment my arrrse
Who's he trying to kid?

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Nearer home than before!
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Any ATR vs Q400 argument needs to look at the one big thing that accountants just can't see. Disruption due to the utterly crap wet crosswind limits of the ATR. It just cant handle weather like the Q400 can. 5 years of piss poor regularity on the Island and yet again they ACCOUNTANTS) want to [wap over the q400s and the Loganair Saab (40kt limits!!) based there.

Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: A different hotel to the one crewing told me...
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Any ATR vs Q400 argument needs to look at the one big thing that accountants just can't see. Disruption due to the utterly crap wet crosswind limits of the ATR. It just cant handle weather like the Q400 can. 5 years of piss poor regularity on the Island and yet again they ACCOUNTANTS) want to [wap over the q400s and the Loganair Saab (40kt limits!!) based there.
What are the ATR cross wind limits exactly?

Join Date: Jun 2015
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Any ATR vs Q400 argument needs to look at the one big thing that accountants just can't see. Disruption due to the utterly crap wet crosswind limits of the ATR. It just cant handle weather like the Q400 can. 5 years of piss poor regularity on the Island and yet again they ACCOUNTANTS) want to [wap over the q400s and the Loganair Saab (40kt limits!!) based there.

Accountants do not have that level of decision making power.
Why does no one on here know what accountants actually do?
This is an operational decision taken by management under advice, on which Finance will be involved, but as soon as the moans about “bean counters” begin I switch off. Flybe’s problem is one of management, not accountancy. A good CEO understands the operational benefits and restrictions and makes a decision which he or she feels will bring the maximum benefit for the best price with the right capabilities and support.
As for rebrands, again, don’t blame the consultants for ripping you off, they were given a brief, delivered on it and were paid accordingly, by management. Sometimes a re-brand can help, think Delta dropping “wavey-gravey” to unify the brand in preparation for buying NWA, or Loganair, cos they HAD to. It can signal a new purpose and direction, but again, good management needs to drive the major change that a rebrand merely supports!
Why does no one on here know what accountants actually do?
This is an operational decision taken by management under advice, on which Finance will be involved, but as soon as the moans about “bean counters” begin I switch off. Flybe’s problem is one of management, not accountancy. A good CEO understands the operational benefits and restrictions and makes a decision which he or she feels will bring the maximum benefit for the best price with the right capabilities and support.
As for rebrands, again, don’t blame the consultants for ripping you off, they were given a brief, delivered on it and were paid accordingly, by management. Sometimes a re-brand can help, think Delta dropping “wavey-gravey” to unify the brand in preparation for buying NWA, or Loganair, cos they HAD to. It can signal a new purpose and direction, but again, good management needs to drive the major change that a rebrand merely supports!
