Virgin Ire.
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Meeting with both DFO's (Ireland and Belguim) took place at LGW yesterday.
DC said that there should have been an anouncement on Tuesday after the banks closed, but a last minute query has postponed this. The plan is for the new Irish airline to operate 4 aeroplanes then a further 2 before the end of the first year. A start date for operations wasn't known, it could be some months after the end of the present schedule. This is due to the time required to find aircraft, have them painted and new interiors put in. The investors have agreed to keep the guys on the payrole while this is going on.
What the flying was going to be was a bit sketchy, LGW was mentioned as a destination but the pilot base would be only SNN.
DC came across well and seemed confident on a new SNN airline, however like everything there's nothing signed yet and he made it clear that guy's were free to leave during the notice period, if they felt they'd better prospects elsewhere.
Alan Blake the new DFO of the OO also cmae over, he was looking to recruit pilots for LHR. The OO are short of pilots in London and are losing two FO's due to resignations, two Captains due to forced retirement and one promotion opening up a right hand seat position.
Alan came across very well, as a genuine guy with a problem to solve, however during a discussion after the main meeting, the problems the non-belgians have had to deal with are still alive and kicking, even though due to the companies financial problems the Union is not as powerfull than two years ago.
I think unless a significant effort is made to solve the problems of working out of LHR, then there will be few takers.
The only other thing mentioned was that the that the UK pilots have to work out their notice till the start of June. There is a possibilty of farming out to the OO to solve the problem of crewing the summer programe without Irish aircraft.
Good luck to every one and I hope this helps.
DC said that there should have been an anouncement on Tuesday after the banks closed, but a last minute query has postponed this. The plan is for the new Irish airline to operate 4 aeroplanes then a further 2 before the end of the first year. A start date for operations wasn't known, it could be some months after the end of the present schedule. This is due to the time required to find aircraft, have them painted and new interiors put in. The investors have agreed to keep the guys on the payrole while this is going on.
What the flying was going to be was a bit sketchy, LGW was mentioned as a destination but the pilot base would be only SNN.
DC came across well and seemed confident on a new SNN airline, however like everything there's nothing signed yet and he made it clear that guy's were free to leave during the notice period, if they felt they'd better prospects elsewhere.
Alan Blake the new DFO of the OO also cmae over, he was looking to recruit pilots for LHR. The OO are short of pilots in London and are losing two FO's due to resignations, two Captains due to forced retirement and one promotion opening up a right hand seat position.
Alan came across very well, as a genuine guy with a problem to solve, however during a discussion after the main meeting, the problems the non-belgians have had to deal with are still alive and kicking, even though due to the companies financial problems the Union is not as powerfull than two years ago.
I think unless a significant effort is made to solve the problems of working out of LHR, then there will be few takers.
The only other thing mentioned was that the that the UK pilots have to work out their notice till the start of June. There is a possibilty of farming out to the OO to solve the problem of crewing the summer programe without Irish aircraft.
Good luck to every one and I hope this helps.
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Aeroflot was mentioned as a possible senario, but only because the media had made a connection already.
On a seperate note, BBC newsnight had an item on the Irish economy yesterday evening. The EU told the Irish government to increase taxation to cool the economy, which is one of the fastest growing in the world at present.
The fast growth is leading to high inflation due to the spending of Irish consumers. The Irish government was not happy about being told what tax levels to set. But it would appear that the tax breaks that companies are getting, are being looked at by Brussels. This is all to do with intergration of the common currency.
Interesting
[This message has been edited by Billy the Kid (edited 10 February 2001).]
On a seperate note, BBC newsnight had an item on the Irish economy yesterday evening. The EU told the Irish government to increase taxation to cool the economy, which is one of the fastest growing in the world at present.
The fast growth is leading to high inflation due to the spending of Irish consumers. The Irish government was not happy about being told what tax levels to set. But it would appear that the tax breaks that companies are getting, are being looked at by Brussels. This is all to do with intergration of the common currency.
Interesting
[This message has been edited by Billy the Kid (edited 10 February 2001).]
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So.. the new owners start flying in October 2000, and have a bleak winter ahead of them..
Who in their right minds would start a leisure airline in Winter?
Rather than using the summer peak to fill some seats they have winter to fly around empty!
Chances are that by summer all start-up captal will have dried up.
Who in their right minds would start a leisure airline in Winter?
Rather than using the summer peak to fill some seats they have winter to fly around empty!
Chances are that by summer all start-up captal will have dried up.
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Billy TK
Good description of yesterdays events at LGW and well put over on this forum.
Agree with you that AB has his work cut out and I also do not think there will be to many takers for the OOs especially with the present situation at SN. Can't see VEX surviving too long should SN go despite what AB said about the slots.
Good description of yesterdays events at LGW and well put over on this forum.
Agree with you that AB has his work cut out and I also do not think there will be to many takers for the OOs especially with the present situation at SN. Can't see VEX surviving too long should SN go despite what AB said about the slots.
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Billy The Kid,
Just wondering how you guys knew that there was a meeting being held. I would have liked to attend.
It appears that we are recieving contradicting information from managment, I wonder if their plans for the UK based staff is diferent to that of other staff? hence not informing all of the meeting.
Just wondering how you guys knew that there was a meeting being held. I would have liked to attend.
It appears that we are recieving contradicting information from managment, I wonder if their plans for the UK based staff is diferent to that of other staff? hence not informing all of the meeting.
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The meeting was initialy an informal event to be attended by any UK based pilots who wanted to catch up on rumours, news etc. This got a bit more interesting when Alan Blake agreed to meet us to discuss the actual possition regarding 'OO' jobs.
More suprisingly DC agreed to come over and give us actual info regarding the redundancy process and the possability of 'EI' jobs.
It wasnt meant to be a big meeting for the invited only just an informal one which grew.
I think the lads are attempting a bit of a gathering at the awkward on the 3rd March. Maybe we know more by then.. All welcome and the more the merrier.
More suprisingly DC agreed to come over and give us actual info regarding the redundancy process and the possability of 'EI' jobs.
It wasnt meant to be a big meeting for the invited only just an informal one which grew.
I think the lads are attempting a bit of a gathering at the awkward on the 3rd March. Maybe we know more by then.. All welcome and the more the merrier.