Rumours whirl around Virgin
 

Fri "Sydney Morning Herald"

Rumours whirl around Virgin
December 3, 2004

Brave Sir Richard better have his skates on when he touches down next week.

The Virgin Blue rumour mill was creaking louder yesterday as talk intensified about the possibility of Patrick Corp buying Sir Richard Branson's 25 per cent stake in the airline.

While Patrick gave a "no comment", the market will want to hear from Sir Richard when he touches down on Virgin Atlantic's first flight into Sydney next Wednesday.

While Sir Richard might not be cracking champagne bottles for what will also be the first anniversary of Virgin Blue's listing on the sharemarket, the Patrick rumour aside, there are also the rumours about RyanAir buying Virgin Blue and even Virgin buying the regional airline Rex.

The poo-pooing of the rumours by analysts has not stopped Virgin's share price heading back over the $2 mark. And then too there's the adage about smoke and fire.

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Yep this is real news. Thanks Wirraway. Keep em coming........

:rolleyes:

See reply to your other useless post.

Wirraway

Ryanair buying VB would be the end :ooh: :uhoh:

Press story about aviation? = Check.
Concerning Australian airlines? = Check.
Possible relation to peoples livelihood? = Check.
Contains information that not all in the industry would be aware of? = Check.
Some form of rumour involved? = Check.
Professional Pilots may find it interesting? = Check.

Seems okay to me.:confused:

Thanks Wirraway. Keep em coming.......:ok:

First of all I agree 100% with Buster, and appreciate Wirraway's efforts.

Secondly it backs up rumours I have heard (from inside VB) that (very sadly) the end of Virgin Blue is indeed near. :(

Planemad..... Are you high?
You'll be watching VB planes for a long time from your fence.

bbbzzzzzzzzzzzzbzbbzbbzbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I sincerely hope you are right, I mean about VB, not about me. ;)

I have absolutely no connection with VB, but want them to continue, if only to keep the prices of tickets reasonably low.

However, I am just passing on what I was told recently by someone I trust and have known for many years, who currently works for VB.

He told me many people have left there recently, and many others including him are looking for other emplyment, because they can see the end is near. :(

"planemad2" ............I suggest that you and your friend stop smoking the magic mushroom !

A company that didnt exist 4 years ago, that now has 50 odd A/C, has the name and capital of virgin behind it, is in the black and indeed on track to make a $165 million dollar profit and more importantly a floated comany that is majority owned by Patrick I guarentee will not be gone any time soon.

A very good wind up though! (did you hear qantas is going to stop flying to LA because they think SINGAPORE will do a better job) ........lol oops I have been smoking your stuff ! :ok:

I say again, I hope it is not true.

If you like I will pretend he didn't tell me? :rolleyes:

I know it sounds odd, but if you had of said four years ago, that Ansett which had been around for over 50 years would suddenly fold, nobody would have believed that either.

Let's wait and see.

If VB are making that much profit i'd have thought it more likely they would be buying someone else, rather than a reverse takeover by a non profit making airline.

This story really doesn't stack up against the rumour I recently heard, that DJ is to soon be in the market for up to 20 Embraer twin-jets, possibly the 195. These are mooted as being in opposition to QF Link, as well as competing with QF for the mining companies' business in WA.

Anyone see this as possible?

Kind regards,

TheNightOwl.:hmm:

TheNightOwl,

It's common knowledge that DJ have been looking at the Embraer 170/190 for some time.

On the thin routes, it looks like a winner to me....time will tell. Would be a great aircraft for WA runs IMHO.

AA

Rumours have been circulating for some time now, that SRB has conducted a feasibility study into introducing a Prestige Class on some routes in the Australian network (East Coast).

Unless he is under some political pressure to divest himself of VB, I can't imagine why he would, as it still has a LOT of potential for future growing, imo.

Kaptin M

I find it hard to believe that SRB would be looking at anything to do withg DJ at all, aside from watching his share value. Don't forget that he has significantly sold down his original holding (i.e. cashed in) & is looking at bigger fish to fry - Virgin America & also Virgin routes in Nigeria...:confused:

So where do you know stand on the issue of DJ facing the same problems that were going to have Qantas' back against the wall - namely that it has now become the 'hybrid carrier' with Jetsatr taking the lcc route, and Qantas squeezing it from the premium end of the market.... surely not where they want to be?:confused:

It will be interesting to see how Godfrey moves to try & solve his current predicament - it might be a bit harder than simply ripping off someone else's idea this time...:{

MMM... Lets see. Just because Branson is selling and Patricks might be buying... How do you get from there to VB going under? As far as I know they are still making money, the're still doing every thing on the cheap, arn't they? so what's the concern?

Please tell me, is there more to this. I mean it's not like Ansett, that was fairly predictable. They were losing money big time.

I like the buyout theory better. It makes sense that people in the money are buying up shares in anticipation of a nice offer from Patrick.
SRB definitely needs his cash for his start up in the states.
Also if VB is bought out by Patrick they could possibly change the name, which would mean that VB would not be around in name.
Lastly perhaps the friends of friends are leaving VB before they get retrenched/sacked by a new Patrick lineup.

Gotta love the grassy knoll theories.

:ok:

It isn't normal to change a brand name of a sucessful product. Why take out of the market window something which the consumer identifies with success? If the business was failing then i could see the logic in a name change to freshen up the image and try to start again.

On the EMB170/190 thing, NJS have done extensive research on the little jet over the past couple of years and whilst I do not know all the details, it is far from being " a great a/c " for the WA routes, hot/high performance and tyre pressures being 2 of the more major hurdles.
The 717 is also a far cry from ideal but I think they are cheap(ish) and QF might be tied to them for a while, also they are probably working on the fact that its a 115 seat a/c that will be carrying 60-80 pax alot of the time. ( slightly off topic but relevant to the VB EMB rumour )

Branson to bungee over Bondi
From Sydney Confidential
December 6, 2004

BILLIONAIRE entrepreneur Richard Branson is renowned for the publicity stunts he pulls off to launch new enterprises - and he's set to follow suit this week for the Sydney launch of his new Virgin Atlantic airline venture.

But the stunt Branson will perform is markedly similar to one he executed in Sydney back in 2000 for the launch of Virgin Mobile.

Branson is due to arrive in Sydney on Wednesday accompanied by 200 British journalists.

The following day he plans to bungee jump from a helicopter over Bondi Beach prior to hosting a barbecue for the journos, Confidential can exclusively reveal.

The stunt is similar in style to his flying into Darling Harbour in 2000 attached to a helicopter by a rope.

"Weather permitting, he will arrive by helicopter and he will be bungee jumping from the helicopter," a source close to the Branson camp revealed.

"As I understand it he'll do it over the water in case they get the elasticity wrong."

Should he survive, Branson will host a Virgin Atlantic launch party at Wharf 3 in Millers Point.

The Daily Telegraph

Lets hope he doesn't.