Jackbauer, well put mate. It's called pass the hot potato

That a:mad:le the head of the bored lot needs first of all to learn that by law no IPO can go ahead without two consecutive years of profits. But heck what on earth is he expected to know about economics, finance and business in general.

If ever GF shares went on sale before the required 2 years of profitability, GF will collapse like a card castle.

Anyone who thinks that the current team is going to achieve anything by pacifying the 3ajm and the bahrams, is mistaken.

GF will remain yes, but corruption and despotism will contiinue as they ever have.

They want to offload as much as they can because the can't or are unwilling to foot the $350 million they lose per year!! Split four ways, as in the past, or two ways was OK for them since Bahrain received the vast majority of the benefit. Today, no way. Thats a lot of money by anyones standard and Bahrain may be wealthy but they are not stupid.

There have been NO changes in cost of GF and they last a bundle the last few years. In fact, if anything cost have gone up as they sit airplanes and play catch up. The last pilot raise is being paid by Mumtelekat and not on GF's books. When that moves over the loss increases again.

The rush to go private or partially private is a signal that the government wants little to do with financing the company any longer.

I agree that GF will likely always struggle along. But for the average FO, imo, it is better to leave and upgrade elsewhere. There is lots of talk about new airpanes and growth - but I'll believe it when I see it!!

Hi Guys

Just been told that Prince W.T is going to buy 33% of Gulf Air :)
Do you know what it mean !!!!
The Prince is knowen to buy companies approching chapter 7 (you all know C.7) and turn them to a profitable companies.
Just wait and see by your own eyes.
Enjoy your new pay slip guys .
FADAC

What a colourful post. Problem is I alredy spent my payslip!!

It could be true about Prince W bin T coz I remember him being interested in buying shares in GF about 9 or so years ago but he got shot down by some politics here. Let's hope he gets involved with GF.

He has a knack of spotting companies ready to be flushed down the proverbial W.C. (Not really a good sign for GF though :\).

It didn't work too well with his TWA (you know TWA?) investment though.:rolleyes:

If Prince W T does buy 35 % of Gulf Air with the intention of turning it into profit then Bahraini's pack your bags :eek:

There can be no doubt whatsoever that the only way to get GF back into profitability is to remove hundreds of Bahraini's and replace them with tens of expats. Same amount of work done :}

Oh, and the board will need to go as well.

Now I wonder if Bahrain is really ready to let all that happen? :ugh::ugh:

On On

Well slpa my arse Suzan, this is starting to make some sense, for once.


It makes sense, and the money they can save from employing useless bahrainis can be spent in buying armored personnel carriers. They will neeed them, particularly in the Sanabis area, the shia stronghold of Bahrain where most of the Bahraini (useles) families are from.

Prince W. is no fool and will not suffer the fools gladly as the board and Bjorf nan does, all sweetie honey we look after you and this your airline crap. Fire the suckers.

Anyway expats or not they are incompetent and incapable.

What's for lunch today in the canteen, can I have some chips please?

the ideal outcome is to keep the locals AND operate profitably (for the (new) shareholders), or at least break even (as IB57 mentioned here and previous posts, for national pride, boosting the economy etc).

by keeping the locals at work, the government is relieved of having to sustain them. on the same token, every employee, local or expat, must have some sort of 'output' monitor.

on a sour note, the old hardware we still fly desperately need replacing. at least 40% of my flights are delayed due technical with passengers waiting on board for sometimes up to 90 minutes, missing transfers, loved ones waiting at the other end etc. this DAMAGES gfs reputation and we are losing customers by the day.

the much touted 'airline of choice' is becoming the 'wrong choice' considering the competition surrounding us with their new machines, far more expansive networks, destinations, right (and useful) alliances, and on time departures that at worst, would still better than our best.

If GF wants to be profitable - or more realistically - lower losses, they will not be growing! They may replace airplanes but thats it.

bewildered how u do ur math
 

alfakhem,,,

dont know what areas u r talking about..

though, the value adding expacts have all my respect but I have much more respect for the locals with high caliber, who by the way have proved to be a precious asset for top management jobs in jet airways(albusaeedi), air arabia (a ali), plus the second line executives in gf, sv, ey, qr, etc.

its only the white skin, blue eyes syndrome that a big % of us 'the expacts' r hiding behind

gf & w.b.t
 

fadac,

u seem to have much more info than we captains usually share in conversations with f1 coffee rounds over a soduku paper :hmm:

w.b.t have long shown interest in gf and its a/c, rememebr the 767 time!

however, from an investor point of view, i would be suspecious that he will allow such info to leak out in a an early stage for stake buy, knowing his style of conducting business either in citi group, movenpick, four seasons, etc unless ur so close to decesion makers from board:rolleyes:

sirwa69, I have already started packing my bags.

From "are we buying planes" to "who's gonna buy us". Nice diversion guys. I hope none of you are in a decision making position.:}

That is the problem- there is no one on site that has any decision making authority. How foolish are they, the ones that stick around waiting for the next BIG news. Kindergarten promises. Just wait Just wait. How about Just Deliver Just deliver. That is my suggestion for a new Motto. Again I reiterate....This could only happen in Bahrain. So Sad.

Navigator,

Indeed locals have been instrumental in ensuring GF canteen operation is sustainable.

As to Al Busaidi, history tells me otherwise, and if it was not for the shared agreements between GF and Jet ( Al Siyabi days) he would not be where he is today, sustaining the "shared" profits between different sales managers GF and jet's own chief.

Adel Ali indeed has a great oiperation, but can you name me another local on his team? One and a stock holder at that! And this should say enough!

Yes there is the expat blue eyed syndrome, but there is also the saturnism syndrome which seems to be acutely endemic to the Island and the GF culture.

Don't be surprised when Bjorf nan's children to be, look like relatives of the chariman, narrow eyebrows and wide Dumbo like ears, albeit without the glasses at such an early age! But perhaps the only way for the tradition to create perrenity for itself.

Say Grace and pass me the glue please!

Just curious how we all seem to have the inside to what is going on but as far as i know none of us are on the board. And p.s all the companies in ME are losing money. GF is not different the airline losses but the country and the group makes a lot!!!

You say none of us are on the board and thus, know nothing... yet you claim to have knowledge of all ME airlines bottom lines...wow...you sure are something...:p

never said you know nothing. said we do not have the inside as we are not members of the board.

and does not take a rocket scientist to figure out many of the airlines are losing as they have ANNOUNCED this in the papers. ie quatar and etihad have openly stated their losing money.