bmi / Virgin again???
 

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news..._SHGc&refer=uk

So soon after Virgin Express & SN and along with
rumours ref bmibaby and Flybe seems something’s brewing??

"A BMI spokesman declined to comment."

So, it's true then.:E

Possible Senario -
Mainline routes go to Virgin
Regional Routes go to FlyBe
bmibaby sold to fund Heathrow slots.

What do you reckon ?

With BMI attacking Virgin on the Indian routes I doubt that relations are that cordial between the 2 companies.

Surely if Virgin wanted to start low cost operations in the UK it would use Virgin Express rather than re-invent the wheel?

I think that it's only a matter of time until the merger takes place. It just makes so much sense.

The Count

We hav'nt got the Indian routes yet and the word on the street in the company is that we won't get them. CaptJ's scenario sounds entirely plausable to me.

The only flaw I can see in the above plan is that will effectively put BMI board out of work!

Can't see Austin reid or SMB giving up all their toys in one go.

A Flybe/Baby merger has also been discussed before. Might make more sense if Flybe and Regional/Baby merged with BMI being more in control.

Austin reid is getting ready for retirement, wouldn't a merger prove to be a nice handshake (sure beats a carriage clock). There has been talk of this merger for sometime, it would not suprise me if it happend. The India routes have indeed not been granted yet, i suspect a VS/BD codeshare on these will be the outcome.
Virgin are selling A LOT of seats on the carribean routes from MAN not as a codeshare YET, but I wouldn't be suprised if that suddenly happend, still over a month to go before the first one. Don't forget MAN/BGI was VS license first. Hmmm......



Probably good that I like the red uniform :E

Better be quick about it, whatever they do. Resignations from the FOs seem to have accelerated this week.....daren't even guess at how many, but the lack of concern shown by management indicates that there is something afoot...!

i think it was about 10 in just over a week,heard this second hand so could have grown a little

Rgds K.I.L.

Where are they going? BA? Virgin?

Or are they coming across to the Orange side?

And how many more are waiting in the wings to go to BA/Virgin???

Does this mean that they will now recall the mainline crews who are still at baby now that baby have got some fresh meat from Oxford, or will they have to start looking elsewhere to fill these positions?

If there was something going on between bmi and Virgin, I doubt very much that anyone would want to jump ship just yet and sacrifice carrying over any kind of seniority, but then again, what do I know.

BMI FO's
 

I know at least 5 are going DEP 744 for BA.....

and Vs are interviewing this week


rgds


K.I.L.

Actually, it indicates nothing at all. In fact, it's a perfectly normal reaction for bmi management - they've never given a monkeys when anyone's left the company. If anything, I would expect they're happy to see the wage bill drop.


Hmmm, not so sure. VS have recently ordered a huge number of aircraft for delivery over the next few years so I would think they would quite like the routes to themselves, thank you very much.

:E

If its not a silly question, how many more can depart before there is a serious problem with crewing levels?

Is this the start of the mass exodus that was so heavily debated not that long ago?

As ALLMCC has asked, surely bmi cannot sustain this kind of loss, especially if there are more out there just waiting for the call to go elsewhere.

I wonder what bmi's next step will be to prevent more people from going. Perhaps the whole pay issue might now be resolved... or is that wishful thinking?

HA HA HA HA HA ROFLMAO:p

bmi management need to climb down out of their ivory towers first.

A VS Commercial Briefing I attended last week would indicate that the BMI deal is back on as a takeover rather than merger. The final seniority list would be interesting!

This keeps coming up...!

In previous versions of this discussion, I've warned that any 'merger' between Virgin and BMI would in fact be a takeover of BMI by Virgin. I maintain that position.

Any such merger is unlikely to work in BMI's favour. It is highly likely that the company would be divested of non-core business in the way that CaptJ suggests, and that only the most profitable mainline routes (and a proportionate - i.e. minimal - number of employees) would be absorbed into Virgin's structure. Virgin has no interest in operating short haul just for the sake of it - however much such a 'synergy' appeals to those inexpert observers who see Virgin's raison d'etre as being a competitor to BA in all its markets. It ain't so! Virgin's real interest in BMI is their slots at Heathrow, and nothing else.

In all cases of planned company takeovers that I can recall, there is evidence, well before the fact, of the subject company making itself more attractive to potential suitors by reducing debt and costs and suchlike, and ridding itself of elements of its business which are unlikely to fit in with those suitors. I see no such activity at BMI. In fact, it would be fair to say (from current employees' remarks) that there is little evidence of action of any kind from BMI to either improve its chances of survival, or to prepare itself for sale!

The BMI Caribbean routes from Manchester are reliant on Virgin Holidays contracts, which went to BMI because VS could not provide equipment to operate those routes - though they were planned and slots had been bid for. At some point those contracts will eventually be flown by Virgin, whether there is a 'merger' with BMI or not.

The India-UK market is potentially large enough to provide both BMI and Virgin (and many others) with lots of revenue. As the flights and operators are effectively determined by the two Governments, there is no reason for this market to be a bone of contention between the airlines at an operational level. As an aside, Virgin is apparently looking to operate to Bombay from February 2005.

Well said, Scroggs! Hit the nail squarely on the head.

:ok: