Viking Airlines
 

from todays Independent

Directors of the collapsed XL Leisure Group, which fell into administration last September leaving thousands of passengers stranded, have emerged as backers of Viking Airlines, a firm that will fly British passengers to and from the Continent this summer.

Less than six months after XL founder Phil Wyatt was filmed crying on TV, amid the collapse of the firm with debts of more than £100m, his new business Black Pearl Investments, named after Johnny Depp's ship in Pirates of the Caribbean, has taken a 50 per cent stake in Viking through its Icelandic operation, BPI Iceland Ltd.

Alongside Wyatt, Halldor Sigurdarson, XL's former finance director, and former XL director Magnus Stephensen, are backers of the new investment firm behind Viking.
A spokesman for Companies House in Sweden told The Independent on Sunday: "I can confirm the shares for BPI Iceland are represented by a Magnus Stephensen. In the latest minutes that we have received, a company called BPI Iceland owns 30,000 shares in Viking Airlines AB."

Mr Stephensen confirmed that BPI had taken a 50 per cent stake in the airline. From this summer Viking Airlines will fly British holidaymakers, after it struck a deal to sell flights in the UK through Meridian Aviation, a firm run by Jim Wyatt, the brother of Phil Wyatt.

Meridian also recently signed a deal to provide seats in the UK to Kiss Flights, which is run by Paul Moss, a former director of Freedom Flights, a subsidiary of XL Leisure.

In September last year Moss is reported to have said: "Phil was – and is – absolutely devastated by the collapse of XL and is absolutely not involved in Kiss."
An industry source said: "While I'm not suggesting for a moment that Phil Wyatt and the others have done anything wrong, the fact that they are emerging at the heart of the industry less than six months after XL failed will leave many feeling very uneasy."

News of Wyatt's re-emergence comes as many people continue to struggle to get their money back in the wake of XL's demise. Zolfo Cooper, handling XL's administration, has conceded that most creditors are unlikely to recoup their losses.

Meanwhile, figures from PricewaterhouseCoopers released today are likely to provide little cheer for the UK travel industry. In under two years, the number of insolvent tour operators/travel agents has increased by 50 per cent, with 15 going in bust in the final three months of 2008. But PwC's Ian Oakley-Smith, said: "With around 30 airline failures forecast over the next year, travel organisers operating under the Atol scheme will be expected to find alternative air travel for their customers. This could finish off a number of smaller companies."

But he added: "XL had 3 per cent of the market and its demise will have freed up share for other travel companies. As more become insolvent in 2009, this will benefit some of the larger players and the gulf between winner and losers will widen."

Haven't we had all this before?

The people you name are doing nothing wrong legally. If you have to work, no matter who you are, you go back to what you know and start again.

.....and yes, before anyone accuses a leasing company of complicity on XL, Viking's 2 x 737-800s are ex G-XLAE/J. Nothing sinister, just a leasing company finding a client for it's aircraft in a difficult market.

Also remember Goldcrest/Peach Air AirOps Air/Ops Europe

Really? So the out of work pilots, how do they start again and go back to what they know in the current climate?

I think maybe you can understand ex-employees annoyance when they received little to no notice of their impending redundancies, no redundancy pay, etc and then read of these chaps jumping right into another venture when they still owe a lot of people money from the previous one.

I know business is business and I am not claiming they did something illegal (perhaps they did?) but it seems very immoral therefore don't be surprised when there's a backlash!

The backlash
 

is already beginning, Vikings summer programme is full of holes, most tour ops wouldnt touch it with a bargepole.

I doubt any Tour operators are going to want to take any capacity, most of the smaller operators that are the likely target for this airline are the ones that got burned when XL collapsed. And the bigger ops are going to stick to TCX, TOM, MON, LS, AEA, JKK etc.

maybe having a prgramme with holes in them will do it good. With few aircraft and a busy programme, a few holes leave the opportunity for adhoc/subcharter work and also during disruption, the holes are a godsend.

not sure if you have a full programme or not but considering they have just increased capacity during in april on i believe 5 routes for agents to book surely isn't a bad sign, is it ?

something must be going right to put more capacity on ?

Directors of the collapsed XL Leisure Group have emerged as backers of Viking Airline
 

XL founder Phil Wyatt’s new business Black Pearl Investments has taken a 50% stake in Viking through its Icelandic operation BPI Iceland Ltd. Halldor Sigurdarson, XL’s former finance director, and former XL director Magnus Stephensen are backers of the new investment firm behind Viking, along with Wyatt. Viking will fly British holidaymakers this summer thanks to a deal with Meridian Aviation, run by Phil Wyatt’s brother Jim Wyatt (Independent). Holidaymakers face an increase in the amount the pay to protect their holiday under the ATOL scheme, as the CAA warns that XL compensation claims has left it dangerously underfunded at a time when more firms are likely to fail.

Any other thoughts?

just_registered why are you thinking their summer program is full of holes?

Buster_2

My thoughts......... A rat is always a rat :\

Excel airways re-launch.
 

Just heard that Excel airways are to re-start trading under a different name this summer from MAN and LGW bases.

Ex employee's asked to come back.....

Nope Viking are opening a base there after a previous base opening at Gatwick.

Don't think all employees can (assuming they want to) get back in, only 2 aircraft at Viking last I heard. Only for the "in gang" I presume.

Raises all kinds of questions of morality for me personally. Would they pay me back the 5 digit sum they owe me from the last escapade?? Would I want to work for people who have caused a lot of heartache for me and a lot of colleagues? Is there any point in having a contract when the last one they gave me was made totally redundant?

I think I'd suggest a better use for the paper this time round...

Do they have a web page?

Yes they do although the timetables dont all seem to be online yet although i guess looking at Kiss flights website would show you where Viking will be going.

Viking aka XL
 

Whilst I am very happy that many of my former friends and collegues from XL are back flying again with Viking I have very mixed emotions about this airline.
I just see this airline as a re brand of the former airline which went to the wall owing all its loyal and dedicated staff large amounts of money.

If Phil Wyatt and co have ANYTHING to do with this airline (which I am almost certain they are) then I hope it fails misrably BUT then going off his previous form it will fail anyway leaving people stranded and staff unpaid, whilst he and his merry bunch of mates count their cash whilst trying to think up another name for an airline.

I bet your not crying anymore Eh Phil:{

We have covered this topic numerous times and whilst the people behind it are questionable (not my personal view may i add) at the end of the day, its happened, its going ahead as planned as there is not alot anyone can do to stop it happening.

What happened at XL happens across the country in alot of companies, just on a smaller scale and not in the public eye.

Give them a chance and see what unfolds during the summer and then we can all come back here and hopefully look back at what will be a good summer for them.

Thanks

does this refer to VIK based in Sweden?

cornishsimon
 

Correct, the Viking airlines with headquarters in Stockholm.

What do VIK and XL have in common ...... Meridian Aviation

From the independent newspaper:

That's what XL has to do with Viking. I hope they get what they deserve.

So a company gets a new investor and they deserve to go under because of it?

What do the employees of Viking, who have been employees since 2003 deserve? To go under with them?

Just playing devil’s advocate......

3REDS, Flying Macaco.
Its a bitter pill. Swallow it and move on for christs sake! No one likes a whinger.

plumponpies - thats the attitude we've all come to know and love from Phil and his cronies. Although I think this latest incarnation of peach may not be destined for greatness if rumours from inside Meridian are to be believed.:}

Some people want them to fail..WHY? They are employing pilots again, employing people who were out of work, employing people who in this current climate are like me wondering where they can get a job (although i have just got my start date for the raf but i still need some money to live on till then)

i hope they suceed and employ alot more people.

One of PW cronies i ain't.
I just get fed up with with people wishing doom and gloom on others.
Many of my former colleagues now work for Viking. Good luck to them. I wish the company every success.
Why are people do hell bent on wishing others to fail?
What makes it worse is some of those posting such comments worked alongside those now at Viking.....No Morals some people.
From what i hear the guy's at Viking are in for a good summer:ok:

Plump....

I do not want people to loose their jobs I think its fantastic that guys n gals are being employed in this current climate so in THAT respect I wish Viking all the luck in the world and believe me they are gonna need it if Wyatt has anything to do with it.
The guy has and always will punch above his weight that was the undoing of XL and not high fuel prices which he tried to make us all believe whilst crying like a child who had just had its arse smacked.

Lets not forget this is the guy who left thousands stranded,loyal staff unpaid and the UK taxpayer picked up the bill for most of it which must have been in the millions if my payments and dole money are anything to go by X 2000+ staff members.

If this is legal then it shouldn't be and more pressure needs to be placed on the goverment and the CAA to prevent what happened just 6 MONTHS ago happening again.

Having worked for VIK in ATH i saw sense and left after not being paid for 2 months.
Hope the new management of XL2 look after their staff better.

Viking is extensively featured in the current issue of Airliner World. This usually is the kiss of death for an airline... :}

Apparantly some former XL crew being told to turn up to work wearing XL uniform with the badges taken off. Sounds professional.

Give them a break...
 

3Reds - XL is now finished, this thread is about Viking, but as you cant leave it lets look at the facts shall we...

IF you think its great that your ex collegues now have jobs, why do you keep raking up old news? Why should people be worried just because it is alleged that certain individuals are involved with Viking (certain individuals who have been very successful in the past on many occassions may I add!).

Lets get it straight, NO-ONE was left stranded, the CAA repatriated ALL of the passengers. NO loyal staff were left unpaid (assuming you filled in the correct forms!), the tax payer DID NOT pick up the bill for repatriation, it was paid from the CAA ATOL bond, the tax payer did not pick up the debt for the staff - the creditors did!

Yes there may still be a lot of staff that used to work for XL that are now out of work which is unfortunate, but dont forget that when XL started (Sabre) there is no way that they were providing employment for over 2,500 staff either, so dont forget the years of employment that was provided and dont forget there werent 2 million unemployed in the UK last September either!

Investment by individuals IS legal and it isnt going to change, so why dont you just move on and give Viking a chance? I think its employing around nearly 60-70 already that were at XL, so put that back to when Sabre started its exactlky the same!!!

Oh, and Mode - True story apparently, there arent many Airlines that insist that all of their crew have made to measure uniforms, and the little old ladies sewing machine in ATH is working overtime at the moment and cant keep up!

Chidken Sangwich

Here's the rub pal.

XL Airways was not a victim of the present financial crisis this is one point I want to make crystal clear. It was a victim of one mans struggle for wealth and power when Wyatt decided to lead a management buy out from the previous owners the Avion Group which at the time were cash rich unlike the management buyout team which immediatly loaded the Airline with a large amount of debt which it was later unable to repay hence the collapse.

With friends I am in contact with who are now working for Viking have the view that this is a means to an end and I quote "its is easier to find work if you are in work" and would much prefer to stick pins in their eyes rather than work for Wyatt and his pals. ..BUT this isnt gonna pay the mortgage so what real choice do they have. They will show about as much loyalty as was shown to them in XL. But they do have jobs and are fully aware of the dubious characters involved and I wish them all the luck in the world in finding other employment.

Err this is an easy one.... Please dont tell me you have forgotten the fact that XL was still taking online bookings on both is ATOL and non ATOL protected sites even when both the BBC and Sky News were breaking the news that the company was about to go into administration.
On its non ATOL site this amounts to nothing more than theft and even the poor sods that booked on the ATOL protected sites have had to wait months for a refund and many people lost holidays in the process.
Oh and lets not forget the sale of XL France and Germany on the day XL UK went bust...Where did this money go?? Not to the creditors I can assure you.

Not worried? I would be if I had just booked with Viking if the very same people are now involved. But I guess your gonna tell me I worry too much!!

Oh yeah! Please tell because I have spent ages on the internet doing a search about Wyatts past and present tradings and can find nothing positive.

Really, when did the CAA repatriate non ATOL booked customers. And the poor buggers who had booked hotels via XL Holidays.

I think you will find that the CAA ATOL bond was insufficient in covering the costs to repatriate all of XL's passengers and the CAA/GOV did indeed have to dig deep to meet the costs involved hence the British tax payer did infact pay for a large part of the rescue.

Phils big beef at the time was he wanted to repatriate his passengers. You have gotta love this guys business acumen or barrow boy roots. His Airline is on its arse and he is still trying to make money from it. And please dont say he just wanted to help his passengers, people like Wyatt do nothing for nothing.

This quote proves to me that you are either ex higher management who paid themselves before the axe or you have never worked for XL. May I suggest that you educate yourself with the facts of what actually happend before making such silly comments on here.
Let me assure you I did fill out the correct forms but was still left with a LARGE!!! shortfall along with ALL of my former flight deck collegues.
It all depends on what you call getting paid.... getting a max £300 a week for monies owed when my salary was closer to £800 and this included the annual holiday entitlement aswell which I hadnt taken, silly old me!
Duty Pay UNPAID
Expences UNPAID
Travel UNPAID
And had to wait about 3 months for the money to roll in...Try tellin that to the bank manager.

Oh and BALPA! guys if any of you are members might I suggest you do something more useful with your subs each month. They were looking at XL's books for months but decided with the management not to tell us the bad news just incase we might want to leave and secure our future. Funny I thought BALPA was supposed to support its pilot members. And throughout the whole affair were useless and even had the nerve to carry on charging my subs albeit £3 per month and let me tell you that was too much for what they didnt do!!!

The only good thing in all of the mess was that the company went bust mid month and not at the end which would have cost me a few more quid. So thanks Phil I owe you one.

This is my point:

With headlines in the press such as:

XL directors take secret Viking stake. (Why secret oh i forgot they dont want you to know about the previous airline and holiday companies they ran just incase you have the sense not to book with them)

and

British holidaymakers could fly this summer with airline owned by executives besieged by creditors

The public and staff have a RIGHT to know who they are booking with and working for.

If 100% of the traveling public were to know about the people involved with this airline just 6 months after leaving a previous airline in such a financial mess which other people have had to pay for whilst they are busy counting their cash I can honestly say it would last no longer than 2 months.

BUT if the traveling public are made fully aware of the previous dealings of Wyatt and Co and becomes a success then at least something good has come out of the unholly mess and you would never hear me criticise Phil Wyatt or any of his partners again.

I guess it's all about honesty, isnt that what we all want and deserve.

End of rub.

3REDS

To Chidken Sangwich

Reference your quote that no loyal staff went unpaid. While I may have received some monies from the Government's Insolvency Fund, my claim for close to 40000 GBP in unpaid wages, leave, and notice pay seems to indicate to me that several of us former XL employees were in fact not paid.

Now that said, I wish those former colleagues of mine who have taken work with Viking the best of luck. I have no comment on PW, other than I feel screwed over. I am now happily employed elsewhere, and am getting on with things elsewhere.

Regards

Muddy:suspect:

Myself and a few of my friends are starting with Viking next week, we all worked for XL, and none of us feel like it's a means to an end, we're actually really excited about it. What happened was awful, and yes I never got paid everything XL owed me, and I've struggled ever since but I'm not holding any grudges, life goes on!!

I understand why you guy's feel bitter about what happened with XL.
But muddying the name and reputation of an airline that is trying to make headway in these difficult times is uncalled for.
I really don't think you hold much respect for your former workmates or their future, as you appear persistant and relentless in your desire to see Viking fail, purely because of its link to former XL directors.
PW is still solvent and trading, still in the travel industry. So what.
If your a plumber and your company/business goes tits-up, your not gonna hang up your blow torch and try something new whan all you know is plumbing. You go back to what you know, hopefully lesson learned, pick up the pieces and start again.
XL left a void that could be filled.
Viking was an airline that was investable, that could grow to fill that void. I'm sure it will.

On a personal note, i was left with next to buggerall last September just like everyone else. BALPA .....Well its already been said, "effing useless."
What i didn't do was sit down crying into my cornflakes and wondering why!
So please, put away the Phil Wyatt vodo dolls' and stop torturing yourselves.

Well said plumponies

Myself and a few of my friends are starting with Viking next week, we all worked for XL, and none of us feel like it's a means to an end, we're actually really excited about it. What happened was awful, and yes I never got paid everything XL owed me, and I've struggled ever since but I'm not holding any grudges, life goes on!!:ugh:

More fool you, sell your soul to the devil and all that.

I know not many airlines are looking for staff but there are better companies out there who would value your experience even if it is a temp contract.
I also fear this outfit will not be around for long who seriously would set up an airline in this economic climate? package holiday booking are seriously down and I know for a fact the people who are booking want reliable well known airlines after 2008 fiasco of xl/zoom.

Are you being serious?!
 

"More fool you, sell your soul to the devil and all that."

Well i'd love you to go and say that to the families, partners and kids of new employees. I get the feeling they would tell you where you can stick your opinions.

In the end of the day, there are over 2 million unemployed, in the last 2years the airline industry has taken a serious battering - so to have a job whether pilot, cabin crew or ground staff with Viking is better than sitting on your bum watching "This Morning" and dreaming about the airline boom of previous and earning £90 every 2 weeks or what ever it is.

Air2bob - your right not many people are recruiting but honestly tell me and everyone on here - if you were in the same situation that you lost your job with your present company and Viking came along and offered you a job, what would your partner say? How about your children? how about the morgage company?

Would they say do it, we need the money or no dont i think so there are better airlines around, wait for them and see.

I doubt its the latter on. Remember bills dont pay themselves.

Put it in to perspective, put yourself in someone elses shoes before slating people and telling then they are doing wrong. Its very hard to make an informed decision when everything is rosy for you - or is rosier than for the folks who are unemployed!

"I also fear this outfit will not be around for long who seriously would set up an airline in this economic climate?"

There is a void left over by no longer having XL, and other airlines who went bust. Smaller tour operators, which of course at the present climate could be seen as dodgy grounds still need airlines to fly their passengers. Many tour operators dont want to use the big charter airlines like Thomsons and Thomas Cook due to the branding issues. For example on ex FCA aircraft the seat backs mention the web address, the pre landing into resort video covers what FC holidays could do for you and the after take off video on the way home was a 5 min promo on FC brands. Not great if you own a small tour operator and want repeat business because a lot of people will look at First Choice etc for there next holiday.

Furthermore if the small tour operator can buy in a seat from Viking cheaper than from Thomsons or Thomas Cook - then that is what they will do! Help keep costs down, keep people travelling and keep more people in jobs.

If you can make a business work in a recession then in theory you can make it work in a boom time - assuming its managed well. And we wont no if it is for sometime. Its like saying Billys going to be a bad parent before the babys born - only time will tell.

"and I know for a fact the people who are booking want reliable well known airlines after 2008 fiasco of xl/zoom." - yes people do but when booking 2 weeks in Minorca with the Tui Group is £250 more than with small tour operator flying on Viking, people will fly with Viking. Prices and money drives the world.

I say good luck to Viking and good luck to all new employees, and please can we stop slatting them and the folk on here who are trying to best for themselves and their families.

noseyBoy

Well said noseboy :D:D:D

Viking has been around for quite a while working for many different tour operators during the summer season and also had a close relationship with XL.
Viking probably know XL better than anyone because of the work they did for them in the past.
XL went, Viking saw the opportunity and with the input from former XL chiefs, new aircraft, new branding (comming soon) and a new start. I'm sure Viking will end up being just as good as XL were and will make many people proud to work for them.

Viking is not a new airline as some people think it is, its been going for a long time, if they hadn't of come in a filled the gap then i'm sure someone would have.

There were rumours that a Gary Farley (not sure who he is) was due to start a similar operation this summer, were are they, doubt that will happen.
I'd rather Viking who know what they are doing be here than a completely new start up.

Good Luck Viking :ok:

(ps: the seats are selling well too , lets keep it up)