DAT/Virgin Express merger in doubt.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Belgium
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I have heard the following:
-) Thanks to the revised contracts (-37%!), the DAT Avro's cost only about half as much as the VEX B737s.
-) Unlike the owners of DAT's Avro fleet, the leasing companies owning the VEX B737s do not want to reduce their leasing terms substancially as they think current market value of a B737 has not reduced that much. (I believe the maximum offered was -10%)
-) Right now DAT can lease some of the ex-Sabena A319s for 30% less then the average VEX B737!
-) The Sabena A319s are brandnew, whereas the VEX B737s are older and more used.
-) The Sabena A319s are more comfortable then the B737-300/-400 and unlike the VEX B737-300/-400 they have the much needed full business class configuration (seats can be configured to a 2/2, 2/3 or 3/3 seating configuration).
-) The A319 consumes less fuel then the B737.
-) DAT plans to fly to Africa and needs long haul planes for that. In a first phase they will probably start with 2 wetleased B767s, but if the aim is to have an independant operation, then the A330 is the preferred plane (for almost the same reasons the A319 is preferred to the B737). Note that there is cross qualification possible on A319/A330, something not possible with B737/A330 or B737/B767. Cross qualification on A319/A330 has also been formally introduced in the new DAT labour agreements.
In short, I think that a merger between the companies might also include a change of plane...
-) Thanks to the revised contracts (-37%!), the DAT Avro's cost only about half as much as the VEX B737s.
-) Unlike the owners of DAT's Avro fleet, the leasing companies owning the VEX B737s do not want to reduce their leasing terms substancially as they think current market value of a B737 has not reduced that much. (I believe the maximum offered was -10%)
-) Right now DAT can lease some of the ex-Sabena A319s for 30% less then the average VEX B737!
-) The Sabena A319s are brandnew, whereas the VEX B737s are older and more used.
-) The Sabena A319s are more comfortable then the B737-300/-400 and unlike the VEX B737-300/-400 they have the much needed full business class configuration (seats can be configured to a 2/2, 2/3 or 3/3 seating configuration).
-) The A319 consumes less fuel then the B737.
-) DAT plans to fly to Africa and needs long haul planes for that. In a first phase they will probably start with 2 wetleased B767s, but if the aim is to have an independant operation, then the A330 is the preferred plane (for almost the same reasons the A319 is preferred to the B737). Note that there is cross qualification possible on A319/A330, something not possible with B737/A330 or B737/B767. Cross qualification on A319/A330 has also been formally introduced in the new DAT labour agreements.
In short, I think that a merger between the companies might also include a change of plane...
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: UK
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mirifly.... there are no contract workers with Airlines in Belgium at all well..there are still pilots on a contract ,which of course is called Arbeidsovereenkomst voor Uitzendarbeid, and they are supplied by an employement agency based on a contract with the Airline. You may of course call this not a contract because you will call it an Overeenkomst and the Airline you will call Gebruiker and the pilot is a Werknemer.... .It all does not change the fact that some of these contracts still exist.
Almost forgot...the pilots serving these contracts have no reason at all to read and understand the Staatsblaad as they are employed with the contract agency, not the airline.
Almost forgot...the pilots serving these contracts have no reason at all to read and understand the Staatsblaad as they are employed with the contract agency, not the airline.
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Los Angeles
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SabenaPilot,
If I correctly understand your information it seems like things dont look to good for VEX pilots as it is more economically viable to use Airbus.. .I personally prefer the A319 over the 737...
If I correctly understand your information it seems like things dont look to good for VEX pilots as it is more economically viable to use Airbus.. .I personally prefer the A319 over the 737...
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Belgium
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I don't know, but that's what I have heard other people say about it...
The least you can say is it all sounds logic...
Anyway, time will tell!
I sure hope the best for my friends at Sabena/dat so that they are as lucky as I was in finding a new job quickly!
The least you can say is it all sounds logic...
Anyway, time will tell!
I sure hope the best for my friends at Sabena/dat so that they are as lucky as I was in finding a new job quickly!
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: outatown
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Hey ,there are Contract Pilots at Vex just now beeing phased out,or maybe not.The merged Airline has to be profitable by end 2003 .Guess who is doing it ?Ex-Sabena pilots on Strike with half sized trucks or the workhorse of the industrie.Stop dreaming!
