Virgin welcomes senior executive
 

Wed "The Australian"

Virgin welcomes senior executive
Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
October 13, 2004

VIRGIN Blue has moved to bolster its management team with a new senior executive position as it responds to increased competition from Jetstar and pursues its own growth strategy.

The airline has appointed former Thomas Cook chief executive Stefan Pichler to the new role of chief commercial officer.

Mr Pichler, 46, will be responsible for the airline's network management, sales, product and services, communications, marketing and brand management.

A former senior Lufthansa executive and non-executive director of Deutsche Bank and Steigenberger Hotels, Mr Pichler developed Thomas Cook from a national tour company to the world's second-biggest leisure group.

He will report to Virgin chief executive Brett Godfrey.

The airline yesterday dismissed speculation that Mr Pichler was being brought in to replace Mr Godfrey, blaming rumours to that effect on a mistranslation by the German press.

"It's about helping us and the airline move to the next phase of where we're going," Virgin spokeswoman Amanda Bolger said.

Smith Barney Citigroup transport analyst Jason Smith said: "They're bolstering the management ranks and secondly an appointment of that nature may indicate they've got some larger international aspirations than we currently know about."

Macquarie Equities analyst Ian Myles said he did not believe the appointment was a sign Virgin was worried about Jetstar.

Mr Godfrey was unavailable yesterday but said in a statement of Mr Pichler: "His insight and experience with major carriers will be of great benefit to us as we continue to take the challenge to our major competitor and get set for our next phase of development."

Mr Pichler ended an extensive career at Lufthansa as a member of the airline's executive board and also worked as the German airline's head of worldwide sales.

He started his career as head of sport promotions with US-based footwear company Nike and has master's degrees in economics and law from Augsburg University.

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Another whingeing sychophant?:yuk: :yuk: :yuk: :yuk:

What like getting rid of the Condor brand ?

Why don't they just say, "He failed miserably in Germany, so he's come over here where he can put spin on what he's done in europe to make himself look good..."

Whats this I read.
A real manager in Virgin Blue???

Credentials and track record sound impressive and it looks like a possible replacement for Brett Godfrey ultimately.
The main problem is that Mr Pichler will be reporting directly to Brett Godfrey personally.

Makes you wonder how he will respond if his efficient and pragmatic Germanic attitude of running the commercial side of business is in conflict or is ignored by his superior.

Great credentials, but he doesnt really sound like a "virgin" type personality.
This is a man that has been used to being in charge and an effective leader also.
Godfrey may be concerned but Chris Corrigan would be thrilled.

Best wishes to the man.

Speaking of which, why hasn't Brett Godfrey graced us with his whining and whingeing on the nightly news?

Better buck-up Brett old son or you just may be replaced by der neu fuhrer!!!

Looks like things are on the up at VB then.

I can just see his policies implemented now..............

Buxom blonde German wenches wearing brown shirts, welcoming pax aboard to the thralls of "Deutschland, Deutschland uber alles", wearing their crisply ironed shirts with their respective ranks glistening on their stiff lapels as they march proudly, goosestepping down the aisles.

No more face-painting or the sale of tacky T shirts or Virgin paraphenalia, just an efficient flight with the sale of real beer and german schnapps.

And by the way, the happy birthday song has been replaced by, "what a friend we have in Deutschland".

Shame for the male flight attendants though.
I hope you boys enjoy wearing lederhosen (leather shorts) !!!!

All that said, I love flying with LUFTHANSA, their service and their efficient operation in what I consider to be one of Europes best airlines.

Best of luck to Mr Pichler.

C'mon guys, might it be that we are able to attract someone with fairly attractive big fishpond qualifications by anyones measure to the newest Australian airline in our little fishpond, because they are a serious competitor and seriously here to stay.

No I don't work at Virgin, nor do I fly with them as a pax much, but I do really enjoy the benefits of the competition they have continued to bring to this country.:ok:
Remember the alternative used to be Ansett and they seemed to have something to do with the routine killing of any other competition, perhaps if they had got on with the real game of business and competition, rather than skulduggery with their mates in Govt, it would have been a different story.

When I were a lad a late sixties return LON airfare was around $1600 and a return Syd/Per around $1200. NO alternatives NO choice and if you somehow wangled a cheap OS ticket the IATA inspector = QF would get you at the gate. A new Holden cost around $2,000. ???

So QF, Jet* and AA haven't opened the doors a bit wider to employment as a result?

Big piccie time chaps. :)

Good luck to Mr Pilcher, next development stage begins now.:cool: Aussies at large can only be the winners, who cares if Dickie makes a bit more money, if he is we all are.

Before anyone starts hitting on Mr. Pilcher, what they need to do is compare him against the real track record of a few others at the top. He will surely make a great contribution.

Good luck to him and he can only enhance the situation. VB need to get a grasp of this market as Jetstar has stopped it's growth effectively.

Yes Gaunty! Thank God for competition!

The punters can now still travel to Europe for the price they used to pay in the 1960s. They can travel interstate for less than the taxi fare to the airport. They can fly across the Tasman for probably less than they used to 40 years ago.

Trouble is, the airlines are either going broke to do it, or they're screwing everybody's wages through the floor so that they can afford to do it.

Yes, thanks to rock-bottom wages, pay for your own endorsements, pilots undercutting each other and lack of effective union representation, the punters now have the cheapest fares ever!

About the only thing that's nowhere near where it was 40 years ago are the CEO's and director's salaries. But after all they deserve it so much more than the workers don't they??

THANK GOD FOR COMPETITION!!!

Yep, I remember the good old days when the only people who could afford to fly were businessman and pilots. I have this theory that if I wasn't happy with the wages I were getting I would either work somewhere else or do something different.

Hmmm a quick poll would say that answer number 2 appears to be correct.

BUT it all comes down to economics, supply and demand.

Working for an airline still seems to be the glam job that it was back in the sixties. So there are plenty of new recruits lining out the door to get one of these "plum job's", so why wouldnt the companies be happy to screw down wages to make those only working for the AUD leave and the ones doing it for the LOVE stay. The CEO's know they have thousands on the database willing to take the job as long as the pay is slightly more than what they could get working at Macca's

;)

I have raised the question before about how low jet crew wages could really go until the steady flow of eager pilots dwindled to a trickle. It is an interesting experiment that we are seeing played out at the moment.

The problem still remains for the operator though that they need to retain staff, which is harder with low pay scales than attracting pilots who are after their first jet job.

I gather VB is losing quite a few FOs at present but hey it's only a rumour.:p So supply & demand has to work itself out to retain experienced crews, hence "loyalty" bonuses etc.

At the end of the day it is still a great job. Look around you at "normal" professions. Look at what the wages are like then think before grumbling too much.
:ok:

Wirgin Blew rhymes with being screwed.

I have never heard of anyone describing employment with Virgin Blue as being "glamorous".

I am misunderstood, perhaps I should have put SEEMS in bold and underline for the quick readers out there.

Then there would be no one to fly the airyplanes in oztralia...

Go and pull your skirt down Meeb. You're embarrassing yourself.