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MK Airlines banned from movements Filton

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Old 5th Mar 2010, 08:40
  #141 (permalink)  
 
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Some MK "Trivia"

MrBernouili ever heard of GOOGLE?
M in MK stands for Mussemelli (of Ghana) (as the say in french in Congo) “le président fondateur” See MK Airlines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mike Kruger (not to be confused with a very famous German comic/singer) is a former Air Force of Rhodesia helicopter and Canberra pilot and the nephew of legendary Captain Jack Malloch who founded Affretair (known for its UN sanctions-busting operations during the UDI) MK Airlines B747 crash at Halifax - Page 26 - PPRuNe Forums

And now for some more trivia. I finally found who is managing MK and the capital behind. It’s all on the website of www.belfairsgroup.com. Although be it a somewhat “home-build” very brief website (registered by mr Loay Jolag who is also the current general manager of MK Airlnes Ltd UK) you’ll find they operate through the “Belfairs Management Ltd” company at 39 Curzon Street, London, W1J 7TZ. A view of the front door of the office can be seen on 39, Curzon Street, W1J 7TZ (next to the house with the boarded windows). Belfairs Management has Saudi national mr. Abdulal Jabal Al Anizi as sole share holder with 1 share worth 1$ (one dollar). The company is so small it is exempt of giving insight into accounts and was even “dormant” in 2007. What can we learn from the UK companies registry? Not a lot apparently. Is MK officially run by a small (UK) cover-up company? The address of Transatlantic Aviation Ltd, the company that’s really behind MK, is not given! Nor are financial reports or real transparency. Hallelujah.
Poor people pay taxes, or work for nothing… the happy few…
Where are the unions in all this? Non existing in aviation?
P.s.: MKA is on the Belfairsgroup website with a full page, it's an all "good news" show.
TAA's Bolivean adventure: 1

Last edited by hydroplane; 5th Mar 2010 at 10:31.
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Old 5th Mar 2010, 09:31
  #142 (permalink)  
 
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CR2,

Safety culture has nothing to do with maintenance? Strange conclusion!
Under the Ghana AOC MK aircraft flying long and hard, there was just time enough for cosmetic maintenance. Hence the Ghanaian MK crashes (Aviation Safety Network > ASN Aviation Safety Database > Operator index > Ghana > MK Airlines).

However, my point is that MK’s present-day dodgy financial background undoubtedly puts safety procedures at risk.

Besides, it seems to me that all MK defenders have “from the inside” a monopoly of correctly informed opinions, while unpleasant information has automatically to be interpreted as boloney… “from the outside”.
Is this what I shall stand up for?
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Old 5th Mar 2010, 10:34
  #143 (permalink)  
 
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The above website only lists three crashes for MK, there have infact been four. The first one in 1992 is not listed.

Accident Database: Airline Crash Details > MK Airlines

With the companys past record, and current financial state, I doubt the CAA will be taking any chances or giving the benefit of the doubt.

Perhaps their business model has run its course and is no longer suitable for Europe. How much longer can they keep going without substantial new investment in modern fuel efficient aircraft ?

I feel sorry for the staff, having been in their situation before. I saw the writing on the wall and moved on to a better opportunity.

Some more trivia. Pilot involved in the first crash was also involved in the third.
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Old 5th Mar 2010, 16:13
  #144 (permalink)  
 
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charter man
wally worked for african international in joburg untill just befor the operation finnished.







gs
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Old 6th Mar 2010, 10:53
  #145 (permalink)  
 
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Reminds me of the last months of Laker.Some great people there as well but unless the lessors and the banks play ball there will be little investment for more fuel efficient aircraft.
The 747 100/200 frieghters have unfortunatly had their day.
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Old 6th Mar 2010, 15:13
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The address of Transatlantic Aviation Ltd
i know exactly who they are, have done for some 4/5 years.
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Old 6th Mar 2010, 15:37
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Bruce,
the fact it is not readily available and that you have obviously been sworn to secrecy not to reveal it tells it own story
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Old 6th Mar 2010, 16:07
  #148 (permalink)  
 
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Not exactly a mystery TAA is part of the Belfairs Group based in London, try searching Transatlantic aviation ltd on google,
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Old 6th Mar 2010, 23:47
  #149 (permalink)  
 
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Well looks like at least someone was having fun at MK!



YouTube - Balleka's Channel
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Old 7th Mar 2010, 04:39
  #150 (permalink)  
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snarfel: you referred to crappy maintenance with your link. However that was the Halifax "affair". Now.... as "unfortunate" that YHZ was, I don't think anyone here, even the "insiders" would secretly blame MM.
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Old 7th Mar 2010, 08:13
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Massey1: what has this (A380) got to do with the thread, please take it away and make publicity for your blog somewhere else!
Exup: again, words, words ... try to give data or arguments & facts... otherwise abstain, anyone can say anything in your manner.
Same for Bruce, TAA came in 18 months ago... so must we concluded your a nearly lifelong friend of the doc?
Those kind of posts are a waste of bits, please give some (officially) controllable financial facts on TAA/Belfairs and what the real purpose/intention (is)was in their overtaking of MK. For Flamingo Flowers (Evans) it was very clear. For the doc it is very obscure!

Last edited by hydroplane; 7th Mar 2010 at 08:25.
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Old 7th Mar 2010, 08:50
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Hydro Please explaain yourself, just because I dont give a negative veiw all the time as alot of people on this forum do does not mean I do not no what is happening. It is so easy for people like you armchair airline directors to sit at home & pick holes in everything with out taking any risk yourself, I will not abstain this is an open forum if you do not Like my comments do not read them or choose to ignore them your choice. This forum has had Mk going out of buisness one day to purchasing 747-8 the next surley even you can see how ridiculous that swing is. You seem to spend all your time digging up obscure facts & trivia about MK all of which is irrelevant, get a life & go out more. Love or hate MK the truth is a lot of people depend on them for their livelyhood so lets hope that in this current economic climate they survive for their sakes( and that includes people in Ost)
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Old 7th Mar 2010, 10:28
  #153 (permalink)  
 
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More 'trivia'

Another company "MK Airlines Property Ltd" (UK) (for the leasing of some frames) was nearly struck of the registrar end '09, and saved by the bell just a month ago. As of Feb '10 same TAA-people at the rudder, and the new share holder now is...TAA... and again no address given...
Exup I don't care if something is neg. or pos. , just for opinions based on facts or verifiable arguments. If we want to know if people are going to be paid, we need to know solvability, liquidity, etc. and we need an audited financial report! (W'll have to wait stil longer for the latter?) (I haven't fond much reassuring)
Why is the address of MK's shareholder so secret? (for what reasons?).

Last edited by hydroplane; 7th Mar 2010 at 10:43.
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Old 7th Mar 2010, 14:17
  #154 (permalink)  
 
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The address of the Belfairs Group is:

Belfairs Management Ltd
39 Curzon Street, London, W1J 7TZ

Tel: 44 (0)207 629 9090
Fax: 44 (0)207 629 9566
e-mail: [email protected]

Took 2 secs to find with Google
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Old 7th Mar 2010, 16:08
  #155 (permalink)  
 
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Massey1: what has this (A380) got to do with the thread, please take it away and make publicity for your blog somewhere else!
That's not my 'blog', but it shows a MK aircraft.

Just curious, what makes you think that you'll be able to obtain a financial report by just talking about it here? MK is obviously structured to conceal their financial position and their new shareholders, and nothing but a full CAA audit will reveal the truth. (I would assume that CAA would pay some attention to MK when they got their British AOC but who knows)

From what i'm seeing here it looks like we got some shady people who invested enough money to keep MK barely afloat but not enough to turn it around. I wouldn't be surprised if those investors suddenly decide to vanish if MK stops being 'useful' to them.
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Old 7th Mar 2010, 18:08
  #156 (permalink)  
 
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Exup,
It took me 1 sec
Its at the top of the page
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Old 8th Mar 2010, 18:06
  #157 (permalink)  
 
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YouTube - The FE's Lament 2010 HD
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Old 9th Mar 2010, 11:11
  #158 (permalink)  
 
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is there anyone left..? hear that staff have not been paid, I wish them well...

Let's start a new thread about what an amazing job MK has done to survive this long, and praise the efforts of the guys at the sharp end of the operation fixing, planning, loading, pushing, flying the Aircraft. It looks like there's a whole bunch of life left in the old dog yet, so let's get behind the guys and wish them luck
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Old 9th Mar 2010, 11:40
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Well Dash2 I must admit that on the first time I didn’t watch the video more then 2 sec and with the same intensity as EXUP is watching the BELFAIRS website. Reason: the film seemed far of the intention of this thread being… solvability MK, credibility MK, people not being paid by MK… etc. It also didn’t start at the intro of the film and I saw A380 somewhere in a frame so stopped watching, thinking it was just another virtual FS screen capture.
If it’s genuine, maybe the CAA might have a closer look at it? I remember not being allowed to attach the smallest nut on to a frame without a license in 6-fold, let alone attaching objects to the noise gear! What if it drops of on TO. What about insurance in case…? Are these guys not taking a lot of risks!!? Looking at their other (well made & very funny) films it looks to me flying must be a very boring job with not much to do on long trips? Or are they looking for new jobs and preparing for solicitations in HOLYWOOD? What shall we see next? The FO's 12 yr old son taking of the plane?

EXUP, I was looking for the official legal address of TAA. Btw. the Belfairsgroup (no trace of it at the UK registrar) looks to me as only a label of the official tiny UK company: “Belfairs Managment Ltd” (UK) with 1$ (one) in shares. But then again even the UK registry, let alone good-news-show-websites, give much insight. The real big guys in this world, not the politicians but those who control the flow of capital, can hide for ever on there shady tax havens, enjoying fortunes while the rest of us… works for a (few) dollar(s) a day or waits for months on its wages? Lets concentrate on the latter in this thread, have people been paid? Is MK living to its obligations?

Last edited by hydroplane; 9th Mar 2010 at 22:08.
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Old 9th Mar 2010, 11:47
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This is in the trade press this week:

MK Airlines has dismissed speculation it is close to bankruptcy, but acknowledged it has been struggling to pay some staff.

Sources in the industry expressed concern about the cargo airline’s future following the departure of senior executives in recent weeks and the reduction of its operational fleet to just two freighters, compared with eight aircraft three years ago.

IFW also understands that some staff were told last week not to expect wages to be paid for seven or eight weeks.

An MK Airlines spokesman told IFW: “There has been a delay to some payments to some staff, which is regrettable.

“But the staff are very loyal and dedicated, and we have been keeping them informed of the situation.
As the operation and the market improve, this should not be a problem that will be repeated.”

He said MK had now re-introduced a third B747-200 freighter back into operation, but acknowledged it had been mainly been using just two freighters since its emergence from administration under new ownership last June.

“Two other aircraft are undergoing C-checks – heavy maintenance – and a further two are in storage,” the spokesman added. “Those two that are in C-checks will go back in to service as soon as the market is there.

“Since coming out of administration, there has been a good degree of restructuring of the business and that has taken a while, but it is done now.

“MK has been a leaner operation than it was several years ago, because of the [tough] market conditions over the last 18 months, but we are seeing some positive signs in the market now and because of that we have got some confidence in the future, and the organisation is very much preparing for an upsurge.

“The reintroduction of the third freighter reflects that.”

MK said it had lost just two of its senior commercial managers in recent weeks – including head of commercial Ross Wilson – but described this as “natural turnover”. Chief operating officer Pat Pearse also left at the start of the year.

The spokesman said: “Other than that, the commercial team is strong and stable, and has been added to with new blood to draw on the rebounding market.”

He said MD and co-founder Mike Kruger remained “totally committed to the airline and its new owner”, dismissing a suggestion from one source as “totally untrue” that Kruger may be preparing to leave the company.

However, industry sources questioned whether MK could survive in the medium-term unless it was able to invest in new, more fuel-efficient aircraft.

One said: “The B747-200 burns much more fuel than a -400 and carries 15 tonnes less cargo, and there are now more -400s available in the market, so I cannot see how, at today’s fuel price levels, -200s can compete.”

However, a source at MK responded: “The lease cost of a -200 is 30% of that of a -400, and at the current fuel prices it is still a viable aircraft on legs of around five or six hours.”

However, MK was unable to confirm whether it still planned to try to raise sufficient capital to upgrade its fleet – as was its intention when entering administration in June 2008.
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