Virgin recruiting?
 

I heard on the grape vine that Virgin are recruiting but nothing has appeared on the website - anyone got any inside gen to confirm or deny?

Virgin have had several rounds of recruitment in the last 18 months. They have a hold pool, and there is a steady trickle of guys being offered courses.

I have mates who have been offered courses in the next three months, things are definitively moving at VA.

With 9 A330's arriving this year and maybe some slots coming our way there is a very modest expansion at the moment.

Those 330s will look spartan on the new LHR-EDI route with Virgin..!

When are the first 787-900s expected to arrive (barring Boeing delays for the 900 series)? 2014? Will they basically replace the A330s or will they replace older A340s and maybe some 400s? What's the plan for the 787s (if a plan exists)? :confused:

I believe the 330's have been spotted in the paint shops recently with

"2 Engines for Shorthaul" stencilled down the side ....

;)

Its in the papers that virgin are wanting to bid for all 12 slots. Would they not be better just to hoover up bmi regional as these guys are already flying most of the affected routes.

Virgin does look like it wants to get its hands on some slots, but if anyone thinks its for shorthaul they must be deluded. Shorthaul is pretty much stuffed at LHR just look at the mess those idiots at bmi made of it !

12 LHR slot pairs
 

I do hope that this isn't more hot air from VS management. These slots must be used for UK domestic, specific European and Middle Eastern destinations. The only thing I think will fit with Virgin's current hardware and overall structure is the ME stuff. The majority of the routes attached to these slots were loss making (well they were for bmi) and I doubt Virgin are in a place to throw good money after bad. Only time will tell what their masterplan actually is.

I have nothing to do with VS management.

Actually they don't, these slots can be used for whatever anybody wants. If they end up being used on a route that BA is currently on then great, more competition.

BA isn't doing any of the old BMed routes and the only duplication in the ME between BA/bmi is the Saudi stuff.

If virgin get some slots they could quite easily compete on other more appropriate routes to N.America / S.America or the Far East.

Lets face it few in there right mind will take the slots on to do the same routes that bmi were doing. Look at what a great job they were doing of it.:ugh:

With Sir Dickie making a song and dance about the takeover it looks more than likely that there is some positioning going on here in order to pick up some slots and compete against BA on longhaul routes, none of the shorthaul crap bmi have been making a hash off.:ok:

That's not true. There are grandfathering rights after the slots have been used for a certain number of seasons but the usage of the slots is perfectly clear:

IAG - International Airlines Group - News Release

Virgin - Hot Air? Surely not.