Flybe/BA Connect buyout
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BA Connect & Flybe
Flybe are buying BA Connect according to Radio 4 news interview with Walsh... I hope ba crews will keep jobs, also hope flybe keep recruiting..
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EGHI
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BA Connect is definitely to be sold - to Flybe. From BA's own website:
What effect this will have on recruiting is unknown, but I would be surprised if recruiting isn't suspended until plans for the merged company are made clear.
Scroggs
Edit: Flybe's announcement. I see they intend to phase out the entire current BACon fleet 'as soon as possible'.
British Airways has announced that it has reached agreement in principle to sell the regional operation of its subsidiary airline BA Connect to Flybe.
BA Connect also operates from London City Airport and between Manchester and New York. These services will not form part of the proposed sale nor will the regional ground handling business, British Airways Regional Ltd.
Willie Walsh, British Airways chief executive said: “Point to point regional operations are not a strategic part of our business and we believe that such activities are better undertaken by a regional low cost airline.
“Despite the best efforts of the entire team at BA Connect, we do not see any prospect of profitability in its current form.
“The proposed sale to Flybe provides the best opportunity to secure the long-term future for the many dedicated staff in BA Connect. British Airways will have a 15 percent investment in Flybe on completion of the disposal.
“London City services complement our mainline business at Heathrow. For this reason they are not included in the proposed sale.”
It is envisaged that once the sale of the regional business of BA Connect to Flybe is completed, there will be a transition period until the start of the summer schedule on 25 March, 2007 while the handover of responsibilities is undertaken.
To view questions and answers on the proposed sale, please click here.
BA Connect also operates from London City Airport and between Manchester and New York. These services will not form part of the proposed sale nor will the regional ground handling business, British Airways Regional Ltd.
Willie Walsh, British Airways chief executive said: “Point to point regional operations are not a strategic part of our business and we believe that such activities are better undertaken by a regional low cost airline.
“Despite the best efforts of the entire team at BA Connect, we do not see any prospect of profitability in its current form.
“The proposed sale to Flybe provides the best opportunity to secure the long-term future for the many dedicated staff in BA Connect. British Airways will have a 15 percent investment in Flybe on completion of the disposal.
“London City services complement our mainline business at Heathrow. For this reason they are not included in the proposed sale.”
It is envisaged that once the sale of the regional business of BA Connect to Flybe is completed, there will be a transition period until the start of the summer schedule on 25 March, 2007 while the handover of responsibilities is undertaken.
To view questions and answers on the proposed sale, please click here.
Scroggs
Edit: Flybe's announcement. I see they intend to phase out the entire current BACon fleet 'as soon as possible'.
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Flybe are indeed buying BA Connect. The BA announcement is here. This will undoubtedly have an effect on recruiting in the short term as Flybe decides its fleet and manning requirements for the combined company. While this is good news for Flybe as a company, it's not necessarily good news for the pilot communities of the two airlines and, at least in the short term, it is probably bad news for wannabes. I have yet to see an airline buyout/merger* that didn't result in a reduction in fleet numbers, types and manning - after all, Flybe is not going to maintain BACon schedules that compete with its own.
I imagine that new recruiting will be placed on hold for now. It is possible that there may be some job losses among BACon pilots, in which case union agreements will probably demand that no new recruiting takes place until those laid off have been offered their old jobs back. That could take some time - by which I mean a year or more after the merger takes effect.
Interesting further info here and here - particularly the part about all BACon's current fleet to be phased out. And here's the reaction on Pprune Rumours and News.
I would be very interested to hear what those in the hold pool for both companies are being told. I would be surprised if it's not something along the lines of, "The merger with Flybe/BACon has introduced uncertainties into our manning forecasts which will take time to resolve. Accordingly, while we will endeavour to place you on a course of training as soon as possible, we would encourage you to continue your search for positions with alternative employers in the short term." Or something like that.
Good luck, all!
Scroggs
* delete depending on your company's perspective!
I imagine that new recruiting will be placed on hold for now. It is possible that there may be some job losses among BACon pilots, in which case union agreements will probably demand that no new recruiting takes place until those laid off have been offered their old jobs back. That could take some time - by which I mean a year or more after the merger takes effect.
Interesting further info here and here - particularly the part about all BACon's current fleet to be phased out. And here's the reaction on Pprune Rumours and News.
I would be very interested to hear what those in the hold pool for both companies are being told. I would be surprised if it's not something along the lines of, "The merger with Flybe/BACon has introduced uncertainties into our manning forecasts which will take time to resolve. Accordingly, while we will endeavour to place you on a course of training as soon as possible, we would encourage you to continue your search for positions with alternative employers in the short term." Or something like that.
Good luck, all!
Scroggs
* delete depending on your company's perspective!
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The take over probably means Flybe has solved most of their shortage of experienced crew for the foreseeable. Dash 8 BACX to Q400 and 146/RJ crews to EMB 195 seems likely. How BA's 15% stake in the company will afffect further floatation in 2007 remains to be seen.
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Gentlemen (and ladies), your heads have been buried deeper in the sand than those who chose to stick with BACON and are now probably regretting it bitterly. If you have not taken a blind bit of notice of the innumerable threads describing the shambles that BACON had become, the mismanagement, the lies and deceit that ran throughout the company, then you are more naive than many of your postings suggest. Look elsewhere while there is still time but forget BACON - and flyBe. BACON have nearly 500 pilots to find homes for.
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Surely the reasons for leaving the likes of FlyBE and BACon (for those on the Dash) will remain? FlyBE have, as I’ve read, had a substantial turnover of crews in the last year and I can’t see how this, yet to be confirmed merger, will solve any of that.
Also, FlyBE still have a number of confirmed Q400’s, with options on more E195’s, which I would assume will have to be reviewed with perhaps further order’s being placed?
FlyBE appear to have quite aggressive expansion plans, this will only accelerate their intensions without getting in to a pricing war with competitors.
Also, FlyBE still have a number of confirmed Q400’s, with options on more E195’s, which I would assume will have to be reviewed with perhaps further order’s being placed?
FlyBE appear to have quite aggressive expansion plans, this will only accelerate their intensions without getting in to a pricing war with competitors.
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Actually, for Flybe to find homes for - and I'm sure they will find homes for the vast majority of them. However, that process will take some time, and new pilots are unlikely to be considered until the dust has settled completely.
Scroggs
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So no flotation for now.
Scroggs
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Near miss or hit?
Jeeeez.
Turned down very short notice request to commence type rating having been held in connect pool for some time. Commitments I could not break forced refusal. Intense disappointment
- followed, 1 week later, by this news.
So, should I post my address here so you can all pop round and give me a good kicking - or have I avoided a possibly spectacular career catastrophy??
PS - Scroggs
Rather than putting words in their mouth which amount to "hard luck, keep looking elsewhere", would'nt "PPrune (members) will be observing with some interest the behaviour of this growing LCO in terms of its commitment to existing BAConnect crews, ground and support staff(and hold poolers!!!)" have sounded better?
Turned down very short notice request to commence type rating having been held in connect pool for some time. Commitments I could not break forced refusal. Intense disappointment
- followed, 1 week later, by this news.So, should I post my address here so you can all pop round and give me a good kicking - or have I avoided a possibly spectacular career catastrophy??
PS - Scroggs
Rather than putting words in their mouth which amount to "hard luck, keep looking elsewhere", would'nt "PPrune (members) will be observing with some interest the behaviour of this growing LCO in terms of its commitment to existing BAConnect crews, ground and support staff(and hold poolers!!!)" have sounded better?
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I really feel for all of you in the hold pool, you have been been given the 
shaft, but who knows what might happen tomorrow. Perhpas Flybe will be happy to take you on. Good luck and best wishes to all.
shaft, but who knows what might happen tomorrow. Perhpas Flybe will be happy to take you on. Good luck and best wishes to all.
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Rather than putting words in their mouth which amount to "hard luck, keep looking elsewhere", would'nt "PPrune (members) will be observing with some interest the behaviour of this growing LCO in terms of its commitment to existing BAConnect crews, ground and support staff(and hold poolers!!!)" have sounded better?
Scroggs
Bad news for Wannabes. Both these companies have been recruiting in recent years and this winter would have been no exception. Now I doubt they will recruit a single pilot.
darkbarly you have my deep sympathy. Its been said time and time again - never ever pass up on a job offer/course/conversion/promotion. You simply do not know what is around the corner. I missed by 26th birthday party in New York with my mates (they went without me) because of a sim ride assessment slot became available. Suffice to say had I delayed by a couple of months as was possible then Sept11th would have hit me very very hard.
Always take the first opportunity as soon as it is presented and never ever pass.
Cheers
WWW
darkbarly you have my deep sympathy. Its been said time and time again - never ever pass up on a job offer/course/conversion/promotion. You simply do not know what is around the corner. I missed by 26th birthday party in New York with my mates (they went without me) because of a sim ride assessment slot became available. Suffice to say had I delayed by a couple of months as was possible then Sept11th would have hit me very very hard.
Always take the first opportunity as soon as it is presented and never ever pass.
Cheers
WWW
Gender Faculty Specialist
angelorange
I really hope Flybe management aren't that stupid! If they are then they will have a lot more trouble on their hands than just integrating another airline into the company.
146/RJ crews to EMB 195 seems likely
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I know a lad, had his interview late last month, sim check a few days ago and he starts this month!
Never say never
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From what i understand there are quite a few in the hold pool from ocotber 2005. Unlucky to you all. But seems like they want the low cost pilot option, straight from training straight in the door on reduced wages.
