Blue Fox won't take cargo

[oncemorealoft]

Michael Lord-Castle was on BBC Radio 4's Today programme earlier (about 0615 I think). Asked about how they'd be tackling security, he made a point that Blue Fox won't take cargo as to ensure it is properly screened it would take two weeks to check a 767-300 load of freight!

I hoped that,albeit against the odds, Blue Fox might actually work out but now I have serious doubts that he knows what he's talking about.

I would have thought they couldn't afford to ignore the potential revenue that excess hold capacity can potentially yield.

Am I missing something?

[Copenhagen]

They have decided to only take conservative party members as well - this is to ensure that they have no looney lefts on board to upset the aircrafts auroa, which we all know can cause great stress on the composite metals. :p :p :p :p

Is this company for real or what?

[ 22 November 2001: Message edited by: Copenhagen ]

[HugMonster]

Certainly is a bit strange - he clearly has no idea how the cargo market works, what freight forwarders or handling agents are for, or where the security risks are in running an airline.

Furthermore, he also doesn't seem to appreciate that, if you only have a low passenger load in the cabin, as they are planning, that also means that there won't be much in the way of baggage below them - lots of space that could be very profitably used for cargo in a way that an aircraft stuffed to the gunwhales with shellsuits wouldn't be able to - he's therefore immediately thrown away one of his best revenue-earners!

Doesn't seem to me that he knows what he's doing.

[THE FIXER]

Not a very bright bunch are you.

Carrying no cargo gives passenger confidence, increased security, and increased safety.

Because of this forward thinking it has provided Blue Fox with advanced sales of over $25m and secured $540m of funding.

Who’s the fool, it certainly isn’t Michael Lord-Castle.

Is it not time that you got a real life and stopped living in the past, move with the times or be left behind! Just like so many other carriers.

[ 22 November 2001: Message edited by: THE FIXER ]

[flite idol]

The average pax does not have a clue or for that matter care that the hold contains 50,000 drivers door handles for Ford Mondeos or what ever.! As long as his bag (the blue one with the yellow strap is in there), he wont care too much. L-C is obviously trying to make this an issue, which it aint in the same way Sir Dick is touting the benefits of two over four. So Blue Fox better order 747`s or A340`s with then holds welded shut, the I`ll believe the hype.

[ 22 November 2001: Message edited by: flite idol ]

[oncemorealoft]

I'm bright enough to know that in our airline we've not had one query about cargo in relation to customers security concerns.

That you so easily dismiss such a valuable source of potential revenue for the business model you talk about makes me seriously question the validity of the rest of your plans.

Cargo can be the cream on the cake and when there's not a lot of cake in the first place without it you'll be very hungry! :rolleyes:

[Epsom Hold 2]

There is no better way to lose your shirt in the airline business than an all-J/F operation. It has simply never worked (with the possible exception of Midex but they are a glorified bizjet operation for Kimberley Clark...they do make money though, and provide a good product). To then fly these planes with empty cargo holds, well, the mind boggles.

[Dirty Harry]

If Michael Lord-Castle did go on the radio and make these statements, then I feel one should be asking what knowledge he really has about this industry. For anyone who cares to look Blue Fox has a website: www.bluefoxairlines.com (http://www.bluefoxairlines.com) looking through briefly it does seem that some of the team are credible. One thread here says they have raised $540m but there is no mention of this on the website. IMHO $540m seems one heck of a lot of cash. I have seen many claims by Blue Fox that they have funding in place but as yet have seen no action, is this another fairytale?

[distaff_beancounter]

According to records at Companies House, there is a Michael Anthony Lord-Castle (DoB 05/09/59) who, since 1991 is, or has been a director of 18 companies, of which 10 have been dissolved, most of them bewteen 2 & 5 years after incorporation.
"Dissolved" does not necessarily mean that the company was insolvent. Companies can be dissolved after liquidation, or for failing to file accounts or Annual Returns at Companies House, or at the request of the directors if they submit a statement that the company is dormant, and has no liabilities
In this instance, the companies include:-
The International Acadamy of Aviation Ltd
Incorporated 14/11/95 Dissolved 10/12/96
International Executive Airlines Ltd
Incorporated 11/06/96 Dissolved 17/03/98

[HugMonster]

Fixer, what colour is the sky wherever it is you are from?

How many security problems have arisen from cargo carried? How many passengers ask about cargo when they book their tickets?

You describe yourself as an "airline consultant". Have you then any idea how much cargo is worth to an airline?

What exactly do you think Blue Fox will do with $540m? Do you know how much it took to set up easyJet? £5m.

Advance bookings worth over $25m? I rather think you live in la-la land. Lets assume that a one-way ticket costs $2,000. You are expecting us to believe that the company has sold 6,250+ return tickets for an operation that doesn't even fly yet?

Give us a break.

[Doctor Cruces]

Blimey,

If it takes that long to screen freight for a 767, how far in advance must one have to book freight on a 747 freighter? It must take months.

Does this mean that when I used to work for Happylift and we got an urgent request from Ford Motors to take umpty tons of urgent freight to Valencia by 2200 tonight we were doing it all wrong??

Wake up Blue Fox and get in the real world. If you just don't want to be bothered with frt because it doesn't fit into your ethos of exclusivity then just admit it or at least come up with a believable excuse.

Doc C :D

[distaff_beancounter]

I have compared the info on www.bluefoxairlines.com (http://www.bluefoxairlines.com) with the records at Companies House.

For an airline apparently set up to rival Virgin Atlantic, I was expecting to find a Public Limited Company (PLC) with shares issued of several £ million. I also expected to find that the 7 well known, reputable worthies, listed with Mr Lord-Castle, under "Our Team", had been appointed as directors of the company.

I found the following "Blue Fox" companies, all associated with Mr Lord-Castle:-

BLUE FOX AIR PLC No 4211986 Incorporated 23/05/01
Directors: NONE appointed
Shares Issued: NONE

BLUE FOX EXECUTIVE AIRLINES LTD No 3739360 Incorporated 24/03/99
Changed name to GLOBALBAY LTD on 04/05/99
Changed name to CLOWNSYSTEMS LTD on 23/10/00
ONLY Director: Michael Lord-Castle
No accounts or annual returns ever filed, even when overdue
Company Dissolved, via voluntary strike-off on 03/07/01

CLOWNSYSTEMS LTD No 4076307 Incorporated 22/09/00
Changed name to BLUE FOX EXECUTIVE AIRLINES LTD on 23/10/00
ONLY Director: Michael Lord-Castle
SHARES ISSUED: 5,100,000 shares of 1 pence each, totalling £51,000.
Of shares issued, £35,800 (71.6%) appear to be beneficially owned by Mr Lord-Castle
Three of the other "Our Team" members own shares:-
Lord Tebbit £2,500 - Derek Jewson £2,500 - Nirj Deva £800
The first accounts are not due to be filed until 22/07/02
The first Annual Return should have been filed by 20/10/01
The company is now in default with Companies House, for failing to file its first Annual Return

Well - the share capital raised of £51,000, should buy a couple of decent second-hand Cessna 152s .....
What does a Boeing 767 cost - to buy, lease, rent, beg, borrow or steal - these days???
:rolleyes:

[ 24 November 2001: Message edited by: Distaff Beancounter ]

[flite idol]

Clownsystems sounds about right.!