Toll grits teeth as VB shares head south
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Brett will be on Sunday tom morning with Ross talking about VB. Should be on before 8am for all the early birds.
As someone said earlier BG has a vested interest in turning the share price around. If he holds 10% or thereabouts he would prefer to leave at $2.00 as opposed to 60c.
I think that Premium Economy should be upgraded to Business, 2x2, the curtains, free PTV, free food and drinks from the cart, etc. Now is the time to strike whilst QF are playing with fire with their engineers. There will always be public servants travelling business class on the taxpayers money no matter what the economy is doing.
As someone said earlier BG has a vested interest in turning the share price around. If he holds 10% or thereabouts he would prefer to leave at $2.00 as opposed to 60c.
I think that Premium Economy should be upgraded to Business, 2x2, the curtains, free PTV, free food and drinks from the cart, etc. Now is the time to strike whilst QF are playing with fire with their engineers. There will always be public servants travelling business class on the taxpayers money no matter what the economy is doing.
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The company is still spending quite a bit of money, with the board recently approving a new reservations system... lets hope this one works... last time they ended up writing off millions of dollars on the one they couldn't get to work!
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No one should make jokes about charging for bags, since this is the big thing happening overseas now. Jetstar is doing it the other way round by giving you a discount for not checking a bag. American Airlines is the first airline that is now a Low Cost Carrier to charge for checking your first bag. Australia might get airlines charging you a lot to check your second bag.
Everyone says the bag charges are an extra fuel tax, but I have never seen it explained if airlines are charged per bag by Ground Handlers at airports where they do not have their own employees. If that is so, it makes sense for them to carry on your own 10kg bag, if a plane can carry everyone's 10kg bag in the overhead lockers provided.
Comparing Virgin Blue Premium Economy with bmi's service in Europe, the bmi website says that Y+ passengers can choose items for free from the Buy on Board menu. That would make sense for DJ, and surely if DJ is chasing Corporate Accounts, the inflight inclusions would be part of what would win contracts for them. Other things would be the transfer between Domestic at SYD and V Australia, where last time I looked the fee was going to be $15, but is free on Qantas. Does Virgin Blue think that people do not know these things?
Everyone says the bag charges are an extra fuel tax, but I have never seen it explained if airlines are charged per bag by Ground Handlers at airports where they do not have their own employees. If that is so, it makes sense for them to carry on your own 10kg bag, if a plane can carry everyone's 10kg bag in the overhead lockers provided.
Comparing Virgin Blue Premium Economy with bmi's service in Europe, the bmi website says that Y+ passengers can choose items for free from the Buy on Board menu. That would make sense for DJ, and surely if DJ is chasing Corporate Accounts, the inflight inclusions would be part of what would win contracts for them. Other things would be the transfer between Domestic at SYD and V Australia, where last time I looked the fee was going to be $15, but is free on Qantas. Does Virgin Blue think that people do not know these things?
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From the Qantas web site... Carry on baggage note Qantaslink dash 8's limit one bag at 4kg...
Route Piece Allowance & Dimensions Weight Allowance
Australian and New Zealand Domestic
All Classes:
2 x 105cm (41in) bags or
1 x 105cm (41in) bag plus 1 x 185cm (73in) non rigid garment bag or
1 x 115cm (45in) bag
7kg (15lb) per piece
All Dash aircrafts 1 x 105cm (41in) bag 4kg (9lb) total
All International (country specific exceptions apply)*
First/Business/Premium Economy:
2 x 115cm (45in) bags or
1 x 115cm (45in) bag plus 1 x 185cm (73in) non rigid garment bag
Economy:
1 x 115cm (45in) bag or
1 x 185cm (73in) non rigid garment bag
7kg (15lb) per piece
Route Piece Allowance & Dimensions Weight Allowance
Australian and New Zealand Domestic
All Classes:
2 x 105cm (41in) bags or
1 x 105cm (41in) bag plus 1 x 185cm (73in) non rigid garment bag or
1 x 115cm (45in) bag
7kg (15lb) per piece
All Dash aircrafts 1 x 105cm (41in) bag 4kg (9lb) total
All International (country specific exceptions apply)*
First/Business/Premium Economy:
2 x 115cm (45in) bags or
1 x 115cm (45in) bag plus 1 x 185cm (73in) non rigid garment bag
Economy:
1 x 115cm (45in) bag or
1 x 185cm (73in) non rigid garment bag
7kg (15lb) per piece
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wirgen & co;
for goodness sake all the "brett" stuff is nothing more than a CEO [and Board] who is way out on a limb and knows that Toll would dump the shares in a blink if they can recoup some of the spend.
Like any CEO, he desperately needs to talk up VB's financial performance but please let's not be so myopic so as to think that dropping $100m in costs over 4 months is not at the expense of the front line staff and demonstrates true financial performance.
Cabin Crew are generally treated like wayward teenage children, fellow drivers are beng driven hard and things are tight all round. I had a beer the other night with a very senior VB Manager who was lamenting the pressure - especially as forced leave across the board puts stress on those still at work. - (balance sheet B.S. - after all it is June)
Be loyal to your employer, but please don't proclaim the "brett" factor as the saviour - reality is Virgin is a great LCC but under the direction of this bloke and a managment pyramid of 'yes men' flunkies, VB has badly lost it's way. It has low net asset value, and operates under a highly geared 70's business model with all the contingent risk that such brings. For those like some contracted accounting firms that declare these facts a good thing - remember that it all means that VB is totally cash flow dependant and that the oponents shield can also quickly be a sword.
As a business it needs to get back to core, forget the "new world carrier" BS, dump the Branson garbage, regain its ETOPS certification and focus on being the great LCC it once was.
The piece which will TX on Sunday tomorrow is a soft run and has more to do with RG justifying an earlier position..... It will be more like a Kerry Anne interview than the 4 corners it should be.
Toll [desperately] needs someone to show serious interest - in the hope gettting another to raise the bid enough to save face - VB is a great business and deserves the opportunity of re-carving a niche in the skies
it just needs to lose the 'brett' 'richard' etc mythology and focus on the basics.
AT
for goodness sake all the "brett" stuff is nothing more than a CEO [and Board] who is way out on a limb and knows that Toll would dump the shares in a blink if they can recoup some of the spend.
Like any CEO, he desperately needs to talk up VB's financial performance but please let's not be so myopic so as to think that dropping $100m in costs over 4 months is not at the expense of the front line staff and demonstrates true financial performance.
Cabin Crew are generally treated like wayward teenage children, fellow drivers are beng driven hard and things are tight all round. I had a beer the other night with a very senior VB Manager who was lamenting the pressure - especially as forced leave across the board puts stress on those still at work. - (balance sheet B.S. - after all it is June)
Be loyal to your employer, but please don't proclaim the "brett" factor as the saviour - reality is Virgin is a great LCC but under the direction of this bloke and a managment pyramid of 'yes men' flunkies, VB has badly lost it's way. It has low net asset value, and operates under a highly geared 70's business model with all the contingent risk that such brings. For those like some contracted accounting firms that declare these facts a good thing - remember that it all means that VB is totally cash flow dependant and that the oponents shield can also quickly be a sword.
As a business it needs to get back to core, forget the "new world carrier" BS, dump the Branson garbage, regain its ETOPS certification and focus on being the great LCC it once was.
The piece which will TX on Sunday tomorrow is a soft run and has more to do with RG justifying an earlier position..... It will be more like a Kerry Anne interview than the 4 corners it should be.
Toll [desperately] needs someone to show serious interest - in the hope gettting another to raise the bid enough to save face - VB is a great business and deserves the opportunity of re-carving a niche in the skies
it just needs to lose the 'brett' 'richard' etc mythology and focus on the basics.
AT
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Quote:...the company needs to make up its mind, once and for all, whether it's going to continue as a LCC
The Company hasn't been a "Low Cost" operator for some time now.
A Global study released in May looked at 540 airlines, 123 of them "self-nominated" LCC's. A good number of them could be accused of false advertising.
...consider it as a "hybrid airline" alongside many of the other self proclaimed LCC's. Many of the tools and frills VB offer aren't used by LCC's
...June Orient Aviation explains more.
Pacific/Polynesian Blue is closer to LCC than them, given they remain sadly the lowest paid 737NG crew in the region
The Company hasn't been a "Low Cost" operator for some time now.
A Global study released in May looked at 540 airlines, 123 of them "self-nominated" LCC's. A good number of them could be accused of false advertising.
...consider it as a "hybrid airline" alongside many of the other self proclaimed LCC's. Many of the tools and frills VB offer aren't used by LCC's
...June Orient Aviation explains more.
Pacific/Polynesian Blue is closer to LCC than them, given they remain sadly the lowest paid 737NG crew in the region
Last edited by Chocks Away; 8th Jun 2008 at 10:42.
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So if Brett & the board are leading the company the wrong way, what are we meant to do? Is our only option to hope they someone buys tolls stake and stears it all back in the right direction?
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Airtags,
Spot on mate. Hints of Nazi Party propaganda this morning. That was a totally rehearsed interview. Its common knowledege that before the interviews, the questions are sort and emailed to the interviewed person!
Greenwood even wrote a favourable article about VB in response to JP Morgans mid-week spray! That interview was staged publicity and a softening blow to let staff and punters know of coming changes (ie baggage tariffs, staff requirements etc).
Yes, VB needs to make plans, adjust to the situation etc, etc, but the reality of the situation is, if fuel prices don't come down, this airline is in some serious trouble, as will many other airlines. End of story. Fingers crossed for all of us (no matter who you work for), the cost of fuel comes down.
Spot on mate. Hints of Nazi Party propaganda this morning. That was a totally rehearsed interview. Its common knowledege that before the interviews, the questions are sort and emailed to the interviewed person!
Greenwood even wrote a favourable article about VB in response to JP Morgans mid-week spray! That interview was staged publicity and a softening blow to let staff and punters know of coming changes (ie baggage tariffs, staff requirements etc).
Yes, VB needs to make plans, adjust to the situation etc, etc, but the reality of the situation is, if fuel prices don't come down, this airline is in some serious trouble, as will many other airlines. End of story. Fingers crossed for all of us (no matter who you work for), the cost of fuel comes down.
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DJ war chest
Oh for Pete's sake, it's just over $700 million. It's in the accounts. It's no secret. Don't be such an idiot.
I used to fly around half and half QF and Virgin. Now its more like 1:4 domestic because I won't fly Jetstar anywhere and I won't pay top lolly for a flight to Brisbane that takes four hours to leave on Qantas. And I don't like Virgin all that much either. But I don't think they are stuck in the middle of anything, QF mainline is too expensive and Jetstar is too flaming uncomfortable. So I end up in Virgin, drinking piss weak coffee listening to flight attendants acting like children.
Not happy.
I used to fly around half and half QF and Virgin. Now its more like 1:4 domestic because I won't fly Jetstar anywhere and I won't pay top lolly for a flight to Brisbane that takes four hours to leave on Qantas. And I don't like Virgin all that much either. But I don't think they are stuck in the middle of anything, QF mainline is too expensive and Jetstar is too flaming uncomfortable. So I end up in Virgin, drinking piss weak coffee listening to flight attendants acting like children.
Not happy.
