Very interesting SRB interview (August '10)

[Nottingham Nick]

SRB was interviewed recently at the National Business Travel Association and talked about Virgin, alliances and AA (American Airlines )

Link to aviationblog.com

Fighting talk, methinks. y)


Nick

[Scrooge]

He's looking into starting service on the Dallas/Fort Worth-London Heathrow.

Yeah that will work well, go after AA at their home airport, VS with one flight a day, AA will just load up and do a flight an hour.

In talking about VX he says

We've just ordered another 60 planes - 40 firm, 20 options, but I'm sure we'll use all of them. On key routes, we'll be starting to build an alternative to American.

Great, "we've", really, couldn't he just say they have ordered so AS doesn't file another complaint.

Here is the sad reality, VS should of bought BD when they had the chance, sure it would of cost SRB a chunk of his money, sure he would of had to smile at SMB, but he would of had enough slots at LHR to fight AA/BA, now he is pretty much stuck playing second fiddle.

Thanks Nick for posting. SRB would waste time and money appealing against AA/BA/IB ATI, I agree with Scrooge, he should have grown a pair and gone for BD properly. Though I disagree with Scrooge about DFW to LAX/SFO and other VX destinations, I think that will work really well and VX will do it with 3/4/5 flights a day ...

The key strategy for Virgin, for me, has to be to create a compelling global airline operation uniting all the parts properly. That means realigning flight times for connections, interlining all routes, offering a more consistent product, properly creating a global FF scheme with industry par points earning and reciprocal recognition. This is was business and frequent fliers want, and is the key to success. Things are moving, but not fast enough.

Other SRB throwaway comments about Europe et al are probably just that.

IMHO there was never any real option to buy BD. Yes we all harp on about it but SMB was never interested in selling to VS (well SRB).

The sad thing is that really BE would have been a great option for VS, however the new AF deal means that will never happen either.

Yes, I know I'm being anal put please guys it's:

Would HAVE, not would OF!

[honey lamb]

Yes, I know I'm being anal put please guys it's:

Would HAVE, not would OF!

Thank you, francesco. I'm tired of beating that drum and am glad that someone else has taken up that cause. Apart from writing it I'm now hearing people saying it and I want to weep!!

...Though I disagree with Scrooge about DFW to LAX/SFO and other VX destinations, I think that will work really well and VX will do it with 3/4/5 flights a day ...

The key strategy for Virgin, for me, has to be to create a compelling global airline operation uniting all the parts properly. That means realigning flight times for connections, interlining all routes, offering a more consistent product, properly creating a global FF scheme with industry par points earning and reciprocal recognition. This is was business and frequent fliers want, and is the key to success. Things are moving, but not fast enough...

The ORD perspective to this.