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GSS contract with BA terminated

The FedEx and UPS situation won't change. It's perfectly legal. Atlas will also struggle to find regular income from 3 -8F's too. I'm also curious how Qatar will be able to carry BAWC freight bearing in mind that's why GSS had to be formed in the first place?

Great point Icelanta. I forgot about Norwegian Long Haul 787 opening for the GSS crews. Perhaps closer to home if a 787 LGW pilot base is established at some point. The current NLH basing policy is still confusing.

Good luck to all GSS crews. Despite the low pay, I imagine the flying itself was interesting.

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Let us hope that the EU will finally ban the Cabotage done by Fedex and UPS very soon, as there are several courtcases and investigations running against it. ( and yes, it IS cabotage as they operate within one economic union, which is the basis of cabotage, and not political union)

I cannot find ANY definition of cabotage that supports your contention. In fact, I found more than one discussion/definition which addresses the EU, and they all address operations within a single member state:

http://www.aerolegalservices.com/Art...ircraft.shtml:

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European Union. Cabotage regulations in the European Union are more complex than in Canada. The difficulty results from the European Union’s definition of commercial transportation. In the U.S., the U.S. Customs service defines commercial transportation as transportation “for compensation or hire”. However, the European Union defines “commercial use” as “the use of means of transportation for the transport of persons or of goods for remuneration or in the framework of the economic activity of an enterprise”.

Unfortunately, the European Union definition means that a U.S. registered corporate aircraft operating within the European Union for corporate or other business purposes can be considered to be engaging in commercial use or transportation. As a result, if a corporate aircraft flies into a European Union country, picks up a citizen of that country and then travels on to another destination within that country, it is likely that the second flight would be in violation of the European Union cabotage regulations.

http://www.law-pedia.com/cabotage.htm:

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Definition of cabotage
n. Transport services provided in one member state of the EU by a carrier of another state. Article 71 (formerly 75) of the Treaty of Rome provides that the Council of the European Union may lay down proposals in relation to the conditions under which nonresident carriers may operate transport services within a member state.

C 21/2 Official Journal of the European Union (road haulage, but identical concept):

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Based on Article 71(1)(b) of the EC Treaty, the Community Regulations (2) give the following definition:
Any non-resident carrier who is a holder of the Community authorisation is entitled to operate, on a temporary basis and without quantitative restrictions, national road haulage services in another Member State, without having a registered office or other establishment in that State.

Also, if it is of such concern to the EU, why hasn't a EU company simply opened up shop and offered the services? Surely all those EU airlines and companies would jump over to another EU company... :confused:

GSS contract with BA terminated

What intruder said.....

Also the "airline that can't be named" in AUH is doing massive expansion in 2014! Approx 500 pilots required I heard! It's all on their website!

Such sad news - all the best for the future for such a great team of people.
PFR.

Deal with Qatar will work very easily around the EU/UK rules.

Qatar will commence a B777F schedule to the UK and BAWC/IAGC will buy block space on these flights. In a way, DOH will be BAWC/IAGC's cargo hub...!

Wouldn't be surprised if QR order -8s now...!

On a side note are these QR freighters going to fly into STN?

With Qatar joining 'one world alliance' it was a bit of a no brainer really with them investing in a cargo division with 777F and A330F . Think with just a change to 777F for HKG the fuel savings alone is a no-brainer.Probably as hig a proportion of UK jobs flying for them ! Havent seen any mention of the rest of the jobs going yet , didnt they have a maintrol etc at STN ?

GSS contract with BA terminated

While it's important to keep a customer happy part of the blame has to be with GSS Management for bowing down to BAWC over the years. Enquiries from other carriers had been made to fly their freight during unused maintenance slots in HKG but as soon as "permission" was sought from BAWC they would suddenly come up with a HKG-MAA-HKG carrying a packet of tissues one way and an empty ferry the other! Relationships could have been built with other potential customers over the years but sticking with one has finally bit them in the a**e.

Surely BA would be able to absorb the crew from GSS. There must be a recruitment need in the next 6 months, rumour a while back had a lot of retirements pending this year at BA. They have a trained and known commodity available. Why waste it.

Good luck to all involved it is horrible position to be in, to work hard for an employer just to be ditched at the stroke of bean counters pen.

For those that are familiar with GSS the gravity of this announcement is clear. However, I will make it clear for the others. GSS was established to fly this contract. It is their only contract. This story is being sold as a contract cancellation and GSS are looking for more work. I find it very hard to believe they will succeed in that endeavour before the end of April. This news is potentially the end of GSS and the end of employment for the entire workforce.

There is the hope of the mid-contract cancellation payment sustaining a GSS skeleton crew after the contract ends with the hope of finding more work. However, in a rented office with rented computers and desks, I can only be a realist.

In regards to Qatar; as far as I understand IAG cargo is merely buying space on the existing Qatar route network, albeit with Qatar taking the hit on adding extra rotations to suit IAG, therefore the entire contact has been cancelled and is not continuing. This means no hope of TUPE for the staff (small hope or consolation that it was anyway).

Good luck everyone.

GSS contract with BA terminated

If Qatar were to order -8......why not just take the GSS ones from Atlas ?

GSS contract with BA terminated

Why order the -8 when you have the 777? Although I guess BAWC will have to lose some of the oil drilling freight that used to move between IAH and DMM without a nose loading option.

GSS contract with BA terminated

And maybe some of the cars and military hardware too

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Will BALPA insist on BA F/O's being able to bid for Qatar 777F commands as they did with GSS (under the BA SCOPE agreement)?

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One would hope that BALPA had more pressing priorities with the impending job losses amongst GSS employees than the continued rights of BA pilots to help themselves to other people's commands.

No. Qatar Airways is a stand alone company and IAG are buying capacity on their freighters.

GSS only ever existed to operate BAWC services and was only formed as a UK subsidiary of Atlas when it was pointed out by the CAA that it was illegal for an N-reg company to carry out UK based work. I think BALPA were quite concerned about US pilots helping themselves to other people's commands. :oh:

My thoughts are with the GSS employees at what must be a very difficult time.

My thoughts are also with the GSS Pilots, I wish you all the best in securing future employment.

Piggy in the middle company always going nowhere

SIMPLE MINDED SYMPATHY!

You should look very closely to what I have posted.

I HAVE been there and done that.

My comment is truth.

PERHAPS I should also give sympathy to the AACS operation?

I do not believe you have any skin in the game nor ever will.

Step back from your ludicrous commentary and save others from a sensible career development in aviation or otherwise.

Good luck commentator. (Experienced Professional Pilot?)

I am a retired and have spent 37 years in the system that I post so why do you not listen closely for yourself and the benefit of others? Very very narrow minded.

My 747 (SP,100,200,300, 400, -8) exp alone is greater than 20,000 hrs.

Sympathy? Think about it?

Maybe I should have sympathy for the AACS pilots. Do you know anything about that?

Do you anything about Atlas founder Chowdery words: "This is the job you have chosen."? If no,t please STEP BACK and save the truly career minded from your BS!

My sympathies to you!

You want to help your peers than you should look very very closely to my posts!

CHEERS! Bloke!

Oh, and in any case, ANY aviation job is membership in a FLYING CLUB!

MINE WAS!

Good luck to all the Loadmasters if they are also looking for work

Mole Man:ok:

Mojo.

You are a tw@t.