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Oxford, a very affluent area of the country, added to the fact it has a world class university - could IOM be a good destination? You've also got Flybe to Luton which isn't that far away either. |
Well, one thing Mr Halstead is clearly extremely good at is getting free, relatively uncritical publicity
Martin Halstead, nicknamed "Baby Branson" is back in the air - Times Online |
Well, one thing Mr Halstead is clearly extremely good at is getting free, relatively uncritical publicity
Martin Halstead, nicknamed "Baby Branson" is back in the air - Times Online |
I get suspicious when:
1. The registered office is a virtual one. 37th Floor, One Canada Square: http://www.easyoffices.com/virtual-o...da-Square/6309 2. There's no physical street address on the website (all the UK airlines have them on there before I'm told that "it's a modern webby thing" - it's not, it's a legal business requirement in the same way as letterheaded paper). 3. There's no corporate company name on the website (check your EU Direct Selling Regulations): Varsity Air Services Ltd seems to fit the bill though. 4. Varsity Air Services Ltd has one shareholder, Martin Halstead, with £100 of share capital (so how is he getting rewarded by the investors with a share of the company if it works when he already owns it?) 5. The "airline" is formed for £24.99 with http://www.companiesmadesimple.com 6. No mention anywhere in the entire internet world of "Will Gilligan" - I honestly can't believe that a "Commercial Director" isn't on linkedin at least these days - it's what they do. Whereas Martin Halsted, who has the makings of an exceptional self-publicist, is everywhere. 7. It's not an airline, it's a seat seller. 8. Nobody can run two flights a day supported by two aircraft - it just cannot work (as a "premium airline" particularly), even at £149 a seat. 9. I know the contracted "Aviation Consultant" working for them, nice guy. Great at airport marketing. 9. It's virtually the same story as last time - only this time against a background of a year on year fall in demand on London-Edinburgh passenger numbers, together with an Edinburgh-all domestic destinations fall in demand (http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=80). Yes, the rail service between the two is rubbish, but that doesn't mean that all the passengers want to travel from Oxford to Edinburgh; you're trying to attract the Thames Valley catchment area, the majority of whom might just find it as simple to travel to Heathrow on the rather handy M4 and M40) where you have 17 flights (so you can delay or bring forward your journeys, not wait until the one flight a day); it'll only take a few incidences of a tech aircraft (I don't believe that second one is really just going to be sitting in Oxford or Edinburgh waiting to launch) or weather (I'll bow to being corrected on the better minima of Heathrow versus Oxford, but it's a gut feel of a J31 over an A320) to start to make people think "I might as well drive to Heathrow, at leas I'll get home that night". I'm sorry that I'm so negative on this and I'm sure it'll get some backs up (particularly amongst the piloting fraternity who are looking for any faint glimmer of employment hope) but remember the adage "once bitten, twice shy" - I'm not knocking him for trying it (again) but it's virtually the same business model as Air Alpha One thingamebob and it just makes us all look like a bunch of people who take "punts" rather than logical aviation business decisions. For the next few weeks there will be newspaper articles, interviews, press release after press release and whilst we should all encourage people to give business a shot I just know that it's going to be the same result. God I'm getting cynical in my old age... |
I get suspicious when:
1. The registered office is a virtual one. 37th Floor, One Canada Square: http://www.easyoffices.com/virtual-o...da-Square/6309 2. There's no physical street address on the website (all the UK airlines have them on there before I'm told that "it's a modern webby thing" - it's not, it's a legal business requirement in the same way as letterheaded paper). 3. There's no corporate company name on the website (check your EU Direct Selling Regulations): Varsity Air Services Ltd seems to fit the bill though. 4. Varsity Air Services Ltd has one shareholder, Martin Halstead, with £100 of share capital (so how is he getting rewarded by the investors with a share of the company if it works when he already owns it?) 5. The "airline" is formed for £24.99 with http://www.companiesmadesimple.com 6. No mention anywhere in the entire internet world of "Will Gilligan" - I honestly can't believe that a "Commercial Director" isn't on linkedin at least these days - it's what they do. Whereas Martin Halsted, who has the makings of an exceptional self-publicist, is everywhere. 7. It's not an airline, it's a seat seller. 8. Nobody can run two flights a day supported by two aircraft - it just cannot work (as a "premium airline" particularly), even at £149 a seat. 9. I know the contracted "Aviation Consultant" working for them, nice guy. Great at airport marketing. 9. It's virtually the same story as last time - only this time against a background of a year on year fall in demand on London-Edinburgh passenger numbers, together with an Edinburgh-all domestic destinations fall in demand (http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=80). Yes, the rail service between the two is rubbish, but that doesn't mean that all the passengers want to travel from Oxford to Edinburgh; you're trying to attract the Thames Valley catchment area, the majority of whom might just find it as simple to travel to Heathrow on the rather handy M4 and M40) where you have 17 flights (so you can delay or bring forward your journeys, not wait until the one flight a day); it'll only take a few incidences of a tech aircraft (I don't believe that second one is really just going to be sitting in Oxford or Edinburgh waiting to launch) or weather (I'll bow to being corrected on the better minima of Heathrow versus Oxford, but it's a gut feel of a J31 over an A320) to start to make people think "I might as well drive to Heathrow, at leas I'll get home that night". I'm sorry that I'm so negative on this and I'm sure it'll get some backs up (particularly amongst the piloting fraternity who are looking for any faint glimmer of employment hope) but remember the adage "once bitten, twice shy" - I'm not knocking him for trying it (again) but it's virtually the same business model as Air Alpha One thingamebob and it just makes us all look like a bunch of people who take "punts" rather than logical aviation business decisions. For the next few weeks there will be newspaper articles, interviews, press release after press release and whilst we should all encourage people to give business a shot I just know that it's going to be the same result. God I'm getting cynical in my old age... |
My guess is that one of the key factors which may test them will be whether their ops manual requires them to have a Deconfliction Service outside CAS. If it does, they'll regularly get vectored al over the shop by Brize, who will then dump them on to non-radar Oxford who then have to somehow fit them into all the other traffic doing procedural instrument approaches. And what happens if Brize says they can't provide a DS due to traffic density (a regular occurence in this area I suspect)? Mind you, none of this will be visible to the public, most of whom will be craning their necks out to the left as they crank into an avoiding left turn, while all the pilots and controllers on board crane their necks out to the right to se what they're trying to avoid!
All of this will have to have been put in a safety case which is signed off by the CAA. It would be very interesting to see what that says! NS |
My guess is that one of the key factors which may test them will be whether their ops manual requires them to have a Deconfliction Service outside CAS. If it does, they'll regularly get vectored al over the shop by Brize, who will then dump them on to non-radar Oxford who then have to somehow fit them into all the other traffic doing procedural instrument approaches. And what happens if Brize says they can't provide a DS due to traffic density (a regular occurence in this area I suspect)? Mind you, none of this will be visible to the public, most of whom will be craning their necks out to the left as they crank into an avoiding left turn, while all the pilots and controllers on board crane their necks out to the right to se what they're trying to avoid!
All of this will have to have been put in a safety case which is signed off by the CAA. It would be very interesting to see what that says! NS |
A very good analysis, Daifly!
Mind you, if Flyvarsity's Facebook pages are to be believed, then not only are sales going extremely well but the company is delighted that it has been named as the "world's prepiest (sic) airline." Anybody care to guess who that quote actually comes from? :rolleyes: |
A very good analysis, Daifly!
Mind you, if Flyvarsity's Facebook pages are to be believed, then not only are sales going extremely well but the company is delighted that it has been named as the "world's prepiest (sic) airline." Anybody care to guess who that quote actually comes from? :rolleyes: |
when they launched IOM - EDI schedule to great fanfare it operated...........................once with 3 pax and then got canned:{
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when they launched IOM - EDI schedule to great fanfare it operated...........................once with 3 pax and then got canned:{
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Once bitten!
Oxford falls into the same category as GLO with super fast handling and security clearance. Within two minutes of checking into OXF for a skiflight recently I was in the comfy lounge having a coffee. Compared to passing through LHR and LCY recently that is a big bonus.
But........................ I was asked if I wanted to do some work for Halstead Mk1 and wisely turned the offer down. Others were not so lucky. I expect everyone will treat this initial operation with due caution but I wish him and the airport the best of luck |
Once bitten!
Oxford falls into the same category as GLO with super fast handling and security clearance. Within two minutes of checking into OXF for a skiflight recently I was in the comfy lounge having a coffee. Compared to passing through LHR and LCY recently that is a big bonus.
But........................ I was asked if I wanted to do some work for Halstead Mk1 and wisely turned the offer down. Others were not so lucky. I expect everyone will treat this initial operation with due caution but I wish him and the airport the best of luck |
Daifly
As per my post of 18th Jan Where does this Martin Halstead get his idea s from THE DANDY?BEANO He is a total Idiot Oxford Edinburgh 1 round trip per day 2 A/C HA HA His ideas are totally idiotic it will and never will Work Oxford- Cambridge Yeh there are lots of students etc will traverse this route ?? His IOM Edinburgh was a total and utter laugh 3 Pax who were they Halstead and hi s 2 Mates. Why dont the CAA come down heavy on idiots which he clearly is How many pax on Last weeks sKed (NOT MANY) I suspect Tjis Guy is finding Idiots who think they can make a fortune I wish the idiots would pass there money my way.. THE GUY IS A TOTAL AND UTTER IDIOT AS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT HIM.. Give the Money to Cancer Reserach or something similar VARISTY EXPRESS THE IDIOTS OF SHEDULED CARRIERS |
Daifly
As per my post of 18th Jan Where does this Martin Halstead get his idea s from THE DANDY?BEANO He is a total Idiot Oxford Edinburgh 1 round trip per day 2 A/C HA HA His ideas are totally idiotic it will and never will Work Oxford- Cambridge Yeh there are lots of students etc will traverse this route ?? His IOM Edinburgh was a total and utter laugh 3 Pax who were they Halstead and hi s 2 Mates. Why dont the CAA come down heavy on idiots which he clearly is How many pax on Last weeks sKed (NOT MANY) I suspect Tjis Guy is finding Idiots who think they can make a fortune I wish the idiots would pass there money my way.. THE GUY IS A TOTAL AND UTTER IDIOT AS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT HIM.. Give the Money to Cancer Reserach or something similar VARISTY EXPRESS THE IDIOTS OF SHEDULED CARRIERS |
Well if I had £1 for every time you said idiot or idiots I am sure I would have enough financial support to start my own airport very quickly ;)
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Well if I had £1 for every time you said idiot or idiots I am sure I would have enough financial support to start my own airport very quickly ;)
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If I had £1 for every spelling mistake in learjet50's post, I'd have enough money to buy Varsity Express and a sports car to boot!
Anyway, good luck to them, it's nice to see someone with some faith in aviation. Whether that faith is misguided is yet to be seen. |
If I had £1 for every spelling mistake in learjet50's post, I'd have enough money to buy Varsity Express and a sports car to boot!
Anyway, good luck to them, it's nice to see someone with some faith in aviation. Whether that faith is misguided is yet to be seen. |
My guess is that one of the key factors which may test them will be whether their ops manual requires them to have a Deconfliction Service outside CAS. If it does, they'll regularly get vectored al over the shop by Brize, who will then dump them on to non-radar Oxford Traffic loading at these times is 'normaly' light. The only conflictor will be the 'Traffic Survey' C172 :-). |
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