I, for one, welcome our new sino overlords...

Why don't they contact the gentleman from Nigeria who has millions to give away?

New entrants might be more interested now, in that QLD offered $200m to Virgin, however, when questioned by reporters, she said, if Virgin fails, then the $200m will go to a new startup.

$200m is quite a big help for a new startup. $200m + Vacant Terminal Space, Slots, and with a large skilled workforce available, a very attractive option.

Any one planning to start up an airline in this environment would be certifiably insane

Absolutely correct. Unlike the AN collapse there is currently no massive void to fill. Even if the all clear was given tomorrow by Scotty from Marketing to return the world to normal operations there would be less domestic and international travel happening for considerable time. Businesses have gone broke, most people don’t have jobs and hardly anyone can afford a holiday. Then there is the unseen damage - people afraid to fly incasee they catch COVID, people not wanting to book with VA incasse they go tits up and you lose your money. Lots of hidden factors.

Virgin has in place all the LEGO blocks to be an airline. The best thing is for it to be possibly rebranded, start again with one aircraft type operating the gravy routes and build up from there. Piss Branson off and stop giving him money for the tails and logo’s. Call themselves V2 Airlines or whatever it takes. Have the Federal or State Government tip in some cash and then get a seat on the Board. But make the airline lean like in the early days. For too many years they have tried to operate in a third tier, somewhere in between JQ and QF. It doesn’t work!!! You are either a JQ which is lean, cheap and nasty or you are QF with a premium business service (well it used to be). But whatever happens, the airline industry will return as a much different industry after the COVID crisis subsides.

Where and when was this “said to reporters”, haven’t heard that one. Can’t imagine it actually.

It’s in the, dare I say, MSM. Mrs Piggy has put the offer on the table. But it’s obviously not enough and is probably most likely to be a bit of a stage show as she goes to the polls in a few months. Treasurer Trad is also completely on the nose. I wouldn’t trust her with $100 worth of $0.05 cent pieces to invest.

Could be wrong but I think the rumoured Chinese investors that are apparently ‘circling’ is absolute nonsense and purely designed to add pressure on the government to bail them out. A nice bit of fear mongering when the worlds against China and their ambitions to ‘take over’ Australia and our critical infrastructure.

On a seperate note, just can’t believe that Elizabeth Bryan who oversaw the JB era and JB himself will just walk off and into their next board position once this is all over like nothing ever happened. Would love a public inquiry into the depth of the mismanagement, ludicrous decision making and systemic failure of governance which will lead to thousands of jobless Australians and the mental health issues that arise as a result.

They need this long to get the COBTs sorted.

News Corp asked the question

He already has!

https://australianaviation.com.au/20...airport-board/

And the mental health issues were already arising when he was still there!

Unfortunately she will pop up again on a Board somewhere because supposedly she has skill and experience. Plus when you mix in those circles you get to know other incompetents in similar roles and you make connections. Plus she has done a Directors course and has the easily obtainable certification which apparently makes you immortal, so she will definitely end up elsewhere. To be honest, Houston doesn’t have much better qualifications other than slippery pole slider in the armed services and he was he on the Board of ASA. He too leaves a trail of wreckage behind him everwhyere and then lands a plum role on another Board. He bailed the Air Force after the Collins Class submarine fiasco and the sexual abuse investigations into the armed Forces. Then there was ASA with the billion dollar OneSky debacle. Again, when the going got tough the gutless got going. Then he slipped his way into VA. What a joke. No wonder the place never stood a chance.

Wonder if she’ll take Stewie and co with her or they’ll stay and slide up the VA mk 2 pole.

Needs to be a clean start. Keep Scurrah as he has only been there 12 months. Not a lot of time to make huge changes, but he had started to make slow progress. Any other Executive Manager that has been there prior to Scurrah is likely to be part of the problem, including Board members. Time for a cleanout. As for Stu, sorry, he has been there from start to collapse, 20 years. He is part of the furniture and it’s time to go.

He did not "bail" from the ADF as a result of either of those things (or at all), his tenure in that posting was over and he retired as there isn't a further rung up the ladder to go, as is standard practice. If you're going to attack someone at least make sure what you're writing is accurate.

Conflict of interest
 

It’s also ironic that the Queensland Government is courting Virgin with a $200m tease considering Paul Scurrah is holding his hand out for a taxpayer bailout after he hosted State Labor Ministers Jackie Trad and Shannon Fentiman free of charge at his $7.2 million ski lodge in Whistler. Perhaps Mrs Piggy and Trad are hoping to go to Whistler together once the COVID restrictions are lifted?

My comment is accurate. He left a trail behind him in both organisations. Now he is on the VAH Board where another trail of destruction is being left behind.

I’m sure the new owners will turn to an anonymous forum for guidance on matters like this.

Why would they do that? This is merely a’rumour network’ and very few on here are setting out a business recovery strategy for the airline, people are merely postulating and articulating thoughts. Then again, considering the current woes at VA maybe they will turn to anonymous forums for guidance as they can’t do any worse than they already have.

Well played. Too true VAH probably could have hired JT on the basis of advice on this forum.