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Virgin Moose?
From today's Sunday Times...
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2"> Branson wants Canadian airline David Parsley SIR RICHARD BRANSON is working on plans to launch a domestic airline in Canada, following on from Virgin Blue in Australia. Branson met Canadian government officials three weeks ago to discuss deregulating the domestic market to allow Virgin to set up the airline. Canadian law does not allow foreign ownership of domestic airlines, but Branson is confident of persuading the government to alter the rules to allow his operation to begin within two years. A spokesman for Branson said: "Richard travelled to Canada last month and negotiated adding Toronto as a destination for Virgin Atlantic. At the same time he pointed to the problems created for passengers by the Air Canada and Canadian Airlines' merger earlier this year, which has seen domestic travel prices increase." Two Virgin directors have met David Collenette, the Canadian transport minister, in London and the talks are said to have gone well. Virgin Atlantic will begin flights to Toronto next year and expects it to take four or five years before the route becomes profitable. "The Canadian government came to us to take on the route to Toronto after price hikes by British Airways and the merged Canadian airlines," said Branson's spokesman. </font> |
Seems Tricky Dicky wants global domination - aw well, it might make up for not having the lottery.
BTW, to what extent has the Hatfield/Railtrack events contributed to increasing the work of many of Richard's 'chums' (e.g. BA) - does owning a failing rail service play into the hands of BA??? |
Perhaps Dick should worry about his other companies first...
VEX - on verge of bankruptcy VEI - closing in January - no buyer Virgin Blue -not doing very well due competition Virgin Sun - on the way out as well And away from the airline side Virgin Cola Virgin Vie Virgin Finance Virgin Vodka Virgin Cars Virgin Wines Virgin Cinemas The majority of them are hurting financially! The only company performing well in Atlantic, and there are some skeletons in that closet as well! |
"does owning a failing rail service play into the hands of BA???....."
I wouldnt say that. He has invested millions in new trains that are due in service very soon and is doing pretty well so i hear......Quite the opposite in fact.. ------------------ Its not the fall that kills you...Its the sudden stop..... |
I heard that Virgin Blue is doing rather well - carrying very good loads, good even for Christmas, and it looks like it is grinding Impulse - the other startup carrier dunnunda into the ground.
I hear that one of the major investors in Impulse has pulled the pin and run away - that was according to the oz ABC news. |
The Impulse/Virgin competition is interesting. If I were backing one, it would be tough. However, Virgin are competing with QF and AN on 5 non-stop routes. Impulse on 3.
Virgin have I think 6 or 7 planes. Impulse 8. Early in it seems Virgin is doing a slower Compass in expansion too quickly. Also, they have 1 investor and 165 seaters. Impulse I think has about 8 investors and 115 seaters. On the SYDBNE market everyone is hurting and I think the ones that have the bigger narrow-body planes are hurting most as they may get 100 passengers in a 165 seater. If Impulse got 100 passengers, it would be abou 85% load factor. Also the business plan of Impulse is very geared towards the business traveller. Virgin is relying on holiday makers. Tough times for all but even a reporter and advisor in the aviation market recently predicted Virgin will go. Who knows. Maybe it will be Ansett. ALl you need to do is look at Canada and see that Canadian is now no longer. Maybe Ansett will be slimmed up dramatically? |
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