ST Reporting VS has gained PM Contract from BA

The Sunday Times has a little piece here saying that VS has won the contract to fly the PM around the globe from BA. Some thoughts:

- great to see VS branding in this way - bet the marketing folk are popping champagne
- can't see them 'refitting' a 747 to have a conference room permanently
- with a stretched fleet, and now planes grounded long term, what happens when something goes tech. and the only spare plane is flying the PM around, I bet it'll go something like this:

VS Ops 'bugger, we're a plane down and the PM needs to go to Washington with that fancy conference table'
Marketing 'shame that, but think of the publicity'
Ops 'yes, stuff the pax, we'll send them on BA' [}:)]

Having flown with several different PM's on a few long haul BA flights, I think that calling what they do 'refitting... to include a conference area' is a bit of an exaggeration! - It's more like move a few seats around and lose a couple of rows.
(The novelty of flying with less than 50 people on a private 747 without any need for timetables, customs, immigration or baggage reclaim is one that never goes away - even beats UC!!!)

[Nottingham Nick]

I agree with Slinky's concerns. I can't help but wonder if the obvious publicity VS will get is worth the price they will have to pay?

BA has on the ground infrasturcture in place in so many different destinations due to their extensive flight network. BA fly to over 600 places. VS fly to about 30. [:w]

I know HMG will make a lot of the arrangements, but it does seem a little strange. Style over substance again, maybe?

Nick

[mitchja]

I just wonder if the PM has had something to do with this, as I remember reading somewhere that the PM has always preferred VS over BA.

Didn't he choose to fly VS rather than BA last year to IAD for some meetings?

Regards

It all comes down to and if VS offered the better deal with all other considersations (security etc) being equal then the cheapest tender has to win.

I doubt the Pm would have even been told about this contract. It would have been dealt with by civil servants.

[RichardMannion]

Indeed, all business is not good business. Looks like VS severely undercut BA, so one has to wonder what margin they really are making esp. when you factor in the good points the others have already identified.

I am surprised here, didnt actually think there was a tender process. Just assumed BA always got the major government and royal flights, i am sure somewhere there will money to be made as PM trips are very rarely last minute. I presume from a PR stand point than anyhing. I agree with people's concerns on the fleet, but hopefully it will help VS. Be nice to see the next state visits by her majesty using VS!

Well see.. only time will tell

Alex

Before all the negative voices start getting too concerned about the additional strain this contract will put on the VS fleet, do you know how many PM flights a year we're talking about? This may well be a loss leading publicity motivated contract, but are you saying that VS have undertaken to do this without regard to the reliability of their existing services?

I wouldn't mind 'mulling a few things over' with him at the bar on my next flight [}:)]

Bet he moves back to BA once he hears the clubhouse is closing at Gatwick. It'll be too much of a strain for him to sit with all the chav's in shell suit's and tattoos in the v-room !!!
(like some of the members on here [:w])

[buns]

It is my understanding that Government contracts have been up for renewal recently and this been subject to some very fierce competition.

Whilst VS have captured some routes BA have put in some keen prices

buns

You know, I deliberately said PM to depoliticize this, esp. since it is probably that within a year it'll be a different PM.

I'd like to mull a few things over at the bar with Mr Cameron too.

I wonder how many times the contract will be enacted:

- G8 / G20
- Kyoto successors
- UN
- our 'special' alliance friends over the pond
- Commonwealth games next year

Could be a few?

[Darren Wheeler]

Didn't he get an op-up when flying off on his honeymoon?

Reregister G-VGOA to G-VGOV, sorted. Any suggestions for a new name??

[Scrooge]

This is going end n tears, it's great PR, but simply do not have the flexibility to really do this, the good thing is maybe the soft product will get upgraded.

Guess it will make a nice change to be referred to as 'mate' rather than Prime Minister.

quote:Originally posted by buns
It is my understanding that Government contracts have been up for renewal recently and this been subject to some very fierce competition.

Whilst VS have captured some routes BA have put in some keen prices

buns


I know that Aer Lingus won the NI civil service account from bmi between Belfast and Heathrow... this happened about a month ago.

A conference area! I dont think so! Maybe they could have chat by the toilets at the back?

With the amount of crap Brown talks, they'll need to fit extra toilets !!!

quote:Originally posted by Capt.Pag
With the amount of crap Brown talks, they'll need to fit extra toilets !!!


Look, can we keep the political crap out of this. By the time Cameron is flying them, VS will have to double the size of loos!

Separately, why exactly is VS doing this? By all accounts BA's pricing for similar contracts was very thin on the margin, and if VS really has undercut by 30% then it must be making a loss, amplified hugely by the taking out of service of planes for days or weeks?

[The Moderators]

Can we keep all political 'commentary' in the 'off topic' forum, please?

Personal insults (even towards politicians) are not allowed on V-Flyer.

I am suprized more people are not pleased for VA, seems like a good
thing to me. Well done VA.

Personally whoever is in or out of the big house I still feel we should be proud of it.

Would rather see the Royal Princes hopping down some VA steps than a BA one too.

Mmmmm. I'm not sure this is such a good move on the part of VS. Apart from the publicity (which we all know SRB loves) what will actually be gained? IMHO the fleet isn't big enough (which is a problem BA don't have).I'm not sure the corporate image fits either.
That said, perhaps some of the fleet will get a bit of a spruce up /decent clean.
DL

[Darren Wheeler]

Perhaps we'Ll get a PM TR?

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
Separately, why exactly is VS doing this? By all accounts BA's pricing for similar contracts was very thin on the margin, and if VS really has undercut by 30% then it must be making a loss, amplified hugely by the taking out of service of planes for days or weeks?

[Problem] - I fear you cannot answer the above without discussing the 'political crap' as you put it - as the reasons for wanting such a contract may well be politically motivated. Taking what 'The Moderators' have said above, we'd have to move this 'off topic' to discuss further.

[Politics removed] The concern seems to be that VS have knowingly entered into a loss making contract which was also likely to badly effect the service to fee-paying customers? (or, they don't know how to run their business, or, have no concern for fee-paying passengers) So clearly we must assume that there is some sort of PR advantage to this deal. It can't simply be the kudos of flying the PM around because the reputation and standing (of all) politicians is so bad (in the toilet). I'm not sure that any 'get-ahead' modern company in the UK would want to presently be associated with any politicians as it'll possibly bring more negative PR than good!

So either VS don't know what they are doing or there's another reason which we can't discuss on here!

I have just seen on the news Mr Brown boarding Lady Penelope earlier today for his inaugral PM flight on Virgin Atlantic to New York.

Wonder if he will do a TR ?

HG