The end for VA?
 

My friends in Australia have just potentially sold out Australian airlines. So how long until the Chinese off load their shareholding now that they don't need VA?

I've been dealing with China for many years, and until the Western world understands how ruthless China is, we will keep losing. This is not putting Australian airlines first.

At least now there will be even more commuting contracts available for Australian pilots. Now if the ME3 offer Australian bases...

http://australianaviation.com.au/2016/12/australia-signs-open-a-skies-agreement-with-china/

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"Make Aviation Great Again"

Come now Mr Trump! Rather than your wild assumption, does the article not suggest that in effect, Virgin may be very well placed to profit through it's Chinese partners?

Chinese passengers will be flying on Chinese airlines. This is as big a win for them as the EK/QF agreement was for Emirates.

The Australian based airlines will pick up a few crumbs.

It will only be an issue if the Australian Government does something really daft like grant 5th Freedom Rights or allows Chinese Airlines to fly domestically.

No restrictions on Domestic, the Chinese could operate if they wanted to. Think Tiger Airways Australia etc...

No Sydney slots available so not sure why anyone would bother.

The Australian government is clearly more interested in bringing in more Chinese tourists and their dollars, than protecting the interests of the Australian airline industry.
With SYD and other major airports already slot constrained expect to see lots more Chinese carriers popping up in places like Canberra, Cairns and Gold Coast soon

Australia has been hollowed out, Australia may have ANZUS but the current crop of 'politicians' are making the bed we as a nation will lay in. If it was only $1,700 for the Chinese to influence one little fella in the Senate, imagine what really goes on?

There is no way an Australian airline privatised and struggling can compete with the hordes of airlines heading south. Soft power is being pushed in our region from an authoritarian regime and no one in an elected capacity could care less..:(

Can you expand on this. (I'm no expert).

My understanding is that the Chinese interest in Virgin is access to the domestic Aus market through Virgin.

Maybe I've got it completely wrong but my interpretation was that the lifting of restrictions was a benefit for Virgin - more pax on carriage and potentially more to unlimited wide body slots.

As I said, Im no expert and happy to be corrected.

VA is planning on launching HKG flights mid 2017. Hong Kong is not affected by the liberalisation, and the HK end of the bilaterals are all taken up.

Its simple, no foreign restrictions on operating a domestic airline.
Anyone, from anywhere may try

International is a different story as it involves state treaties etc

Hmm in that case yes it could be the end.

Thorough consultation process yet again from the government.. NOT

Exactly unlimited wide body slots......Virgin International's earning potential just fell off a cliff.

Do you think the Chinese behemoths are going to sit back and let Virgin take all the gravy now its open slather?

Virgin are pretty good at denial but even for them this must be tough......Good luck going up against Air China,China Southern/Eastern and probably even their own sponsors....

The rules have changed with China and its going to get very interesting and expensive.

If that's the case, surely they'd already have announced their schedules? The travel industry requires a lot of lead time to set up packages etc etc. VA can always sell 'subject to Government approval"!

Might be good for some pilots. If you currently fly something that has the legs to get to China I imagine a Melbourne or Brissy home base might be on the cards with roster options commensurate with pay package.
The Chinese are becoming more and more progressive with their lifestyle options in an attempt to attract experienced pilots. One outfit is offering nine different roster options to get Captains to fly out of China. I can imagine a roster flying two returns a month for wages similar to what the big Aus carriers are paying for tougher rosters. This would allow the Chinese to keep their guys on the narrow bodies and reduce the massive wages they are paying to expats.

Next years slots for HKG were only released to the airlines a few weeks back (yes VA were allocated slots). Once the slots are released the airlines then have period where they can swap slots with each other, this is happening now. Once this period is complete VA will be in a position to release their schedule.

BPA,

Slots don't have to be resolved before schedules are released. Many airlines take bookings 12 months in advance, and long before slots are settled.

Actually the best terms for expats in China are on the A320, closely followed by the B787. The Airbus is a workhorse and you will be flogged to death but well paid. Worst pay is on the B777 as the local Pilots got promoted onto that fleet from the narrow bodies reducing the demand for foreigners.

There is NO interview for foreigners with Chinese airlines, if you pass the written, medical and checkride then you have a job.

That's what I meant Metro, reduce the massive wages they are paying to the expat narrow body guys.

Curious.

If this is for whom the bell tolls stuff for VA, why haven't we heard them complaining about it? Same can be said about QF, who it must be said regularly take umbrage at the mere suggestion of being disadvantaged?

Why do that?