Branson on VS year ahead

http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esm ... 80294.html

Interesting little read from the evening standard.... New sleep suits in upper ( no mention of ditching the UCDS) new PE and Y offerings ? Is this a Branson PR pickle I wonder

Thanks

Well I like Branson a lot and I do sincerely hope VS stay independent and DON'T DON'T DON'T under ANY circumstances become an extremely boring no frills American airline.
I love VS for many reasons including their fantastic CC
And am hoping they get back their Brandon like sparkle

[buns]

Thanks for the link y) y)

SRB may be starting to take a back seat and handing over the reins to Holly, but he has not lost his sense of wryly talking up the Virgin Brand

I sincerely hope that things have turned the corner (but appreciate that if this is the case and more business eople start flying, then deals may be a thing of the past)

buns

"BA has dragged itself into the modern era with spiffy new planes and staff who actually want ‘to fly. To serve’."

'To fly, too surly" more like ! And that is assuming that you can navigate through T5 security in under a week.

New sleep suits in upper ( no mention of ditching the UCDS) new PE and Y offerings ?

It says new UC sleep suites not suits. So there is hope when the Dreamliners arrive. I think (well, at least hope) they've learned their lesson from the UCDS. I fear we're stuck with them on the A333s though - it would be very expensive to scrap them.

He also talks about an ambition for Little Red to serve Glasgow which would be a popular move.

Yes I had a few to many on the train home, never a good idea! So the 787 is going to be a whole new PAX experience, I hope it delivers back the wow factor.

Thanks

Let's hope we need to have a whip round for a box to protect Willie Walshs' assets!

[Darren Wheeler]

I seem to recall an article saying the UCDS was being dropped for the 789 following the closing of Threesixty Aerospace (allegedly SR owned a big share...)

Maybe SRB has seen the preliminary financial?

I think 'whole new passenger experience' can go either way with the 787-9's.

IMO, 9 abreast in Y is a certainty. I think every 787 operator bar JAL have gone with 9 across rather than Boeings recommended 8.

The PE product really isn't broken as it is, so I'm a little nervous about possible 'enhancements' in the negative sense of the word.

Never flown the UCDS but I think that even the original UCS could do with a bit of a refresh.

He's saying new suites in Upper, new PE and new economy, i.e. front to back ... that is on the 787s. Interesting comment that they're replacing the Heathrow 747s too if that is right, it'll be a shame to lose the nose zone.

But there are factual errors in the article, so that always leaves me unsure of the whole content.

..and there will be a few surprises, some of which even I have not been told about yet. It will be a game-changer for our business....

maybe:

1. pay for booze outside normal meal service in Y
2. pay to view some "exclusive" movies
3. pay/ pre order some food offering outside the default offering in Y
4. Be allowed to bring a small family car on as hand luggage, aka Delta/ US carriers.
5. Remove amenity kits and kids packs..(oops already done that)

These surprises don't always have a positive spin....

5. Remove amenity kits and kids packs..(oops already done that)

These surprises don't always have a positive spin....

Still have kids packs and still have amenity kits in J on all sectors and in Y/W on overnight flights when used the most.

I dont't think it was Srb who trousered the 220 million surely it was SIA.

Little Red to Glasgow... oooh! (If LHR gets more slots though(

Virgin are definitely getting a new UCDS in line with the delivery of the Dreamliner. The current UCDS on the 333s are already undergoing enhancements and there are a few aircraft that are already completed. I've had this told to me on several flights over the last 2 months.

Good start with Sydney being pulled!

The current UCDS on the 333s are already undergoing enhancements and there are a few aircraft that are already completed. I've had this told to me on several flights over the last 2 months.

Interesting... what sort of enhancements? Any idea?

[preiffer]

Worrying... "Enhancements" at VS *usually* mean smaller, tackier, more expensive or deleted...

On the surface I do start to worry – however reading a few of the things SRB said it’s easy to have confidence and faith back in VS...

The point that sticks out for me is that although VS has been through some rough times – SRB still has a 51% share and can easily bail out the airline with his own personal wealth. To him its a passion and almost as much a part of his life as his family. Why would he let it go to the wall whilst he is still a massive share holder or indeed able to influence people..? Along with many of his projects keeping VS alive, different, vibrant and independent against all the odds is the David vs. Goliath task he thrives on. Also, to kick another person in the bollocks after he made a stupid bet is worth a few quid and some sleepless nights.

With Delta taking over they can use VS as a test bed – something many airlines would love. If there is a ‘wacky or zany’ idea out there to offer that can become a point of difference they can test it at VS and not on their own customers and brand. If it works it’s another triumph, if not then it’s those crazy guys at VS being silly again..! Personally, I can see VS dropping a few dogs that it has in terms of routes and then becoming a very strong airline again. Perhaps the thorn in BA’s side that it has been for 35 years now will become 40...

.....Delta - ‘wacky or zany’ idea out there to offer that can become a point of difference they can test it at VS and not on their own customers and brand. If it works it’s another triumph.....

Delta doing something wacky/ silly.... highly unlikely, more likely the Delta bean counters have run a model and the asset stripping starts from here. Strip back/ make books good and sell on.
I'm with Preiffer. Delta doesn't buy VS for passion, they buy it to make money and raping an acquisition is age old US practice.

Dig this post out in 12 months.... :w

.....Delta - ‘wacky or zany’ idea out there to offer that can become a point of difference they can test it at VS and not on their own customers and brand. If it works it’s another triumph.....

Delta doing something wacky/ silly.... highly unlikely, more likely the Delta bean counters have run a model and the asset stripping starts from here. Strip back/ make books good and sell on.
I'm with Preiffer. Delta doesn't buy VS for passion, they buy it to make money and raping an acquisition is age old US practice. (and although SRB still "owns" the stake, he's not got where he is running loss leaders...)

Dig this post out in 12 months.... :w

.....Delta - ‘wacky or zany’ idea out there to offer that can become a point of difference they can test it at VS and not on their own customers and brand. If it works it’s another triumph.....

Delta doing something wacky/ silly.... highly unlikely, more likely the Delta bean counters have run a model and the asset stripping starts from here. Strip back/ make books good and sell on.
I'm with Preiffer. Delta doesn't buy VS for passion, they buy it to make money and raping an acquisition is age old US practice.

Dig this post out in 12 months.... :w

I was more trying to say that they can use a smaller Airline to try new ideas out without too much impact upon core business.

Now, Americans buying and asset stripping is very true - its their meat and gravey! Perhaps Willie was onto something with his 5 Year Theory. however, until I see them really making changes I will remain optimistic.

Honestly, I think the world would be worse off without VS around to change ideas and try new things out. I fly with them because they are different - without them to be honest it would become much of a muchness out there. I guess BA would take a lot of the UK customers on - but would be a real shame!

I don't buy the idea that Delta is out to asset-strip Virgin Atlantic.

Delta buying a stake in Virgin gives it a foothold in the relatively lucrative London Heathrow transatlantic market supported by the Virgin brand that has profile and brand equity in the UK that Delta could never have on its own.

Where I suspect the approach of Delta differs from the Virgin Atlantic of the past is Delta's approach to financial discipline.

Delta is known for targeting a high return on capital on everything it does and I suspect they have little tolerance for under-performing routes.

Also, I suspect Delta has relatively little interest in destinations east of Heathrow as it has these covered through SkyTeam.

Arguably, a combination of a disinterested shareholder that had long written off its investment and the remoteness of SRB has not served Virgin at all well over the past few years.

Given the relative scale of losses over the past two years when other airlines have reported healthy profits, Virgin has been guilty of not really grasping the nettle and, as they say, "go with the dough not the show".