Virgin tries to buy BA Concordes - BA won't sell...

[Tabs 2,790]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ays_virgin_dc_1Interesting...

[Christopher Low 5,353]

You know, British Airways are starting to #### me off with there "you're not having it, so there" childish antics when it comes to Concorde. Does anyone know where I could send an e-mail regarding this ? It's about time that someone high up in the BA hierarchy got a ******* good kick up the arse.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Guest AndrewW]

Mr. Branson just wants to get his nose into all the publicity. He hasn't a clue how to operate such a fleet. He would have to take onboard all of the current workers on the fleet with BA: crew, mechanics, etc. The only way that Branson could get his hands on one of these aircraft is if BA were to lease them. People appear to have the impression that it's British Airways who cannot continue to support the fleet, when in fact they had already made preparations to extend a number of aircrafts flying time by a few years (2007). The reason that the aircraft cannot continue flying a commercial service is because Air France pulled out. If you want to point the finger at anyone, point it at them! They couldn't get rid of their fleet quick enough - for reasons I imagine, will be published in the foreseeable future.I'm not at all surprised BA won't sell them! Branson would fly them for a matter of weeks (if that) before retiring the fleet to museums in Virgin Atlantic livery. If Airbus turn around and say "Ok, we'll allow one airline to support the fleet" - don't you think it should be BA who operates them?!

[Christopher Low 5,353]

.........but BA don't want to operate them ! I couldn't care less what livery the planes are draped in when they are finally retired to museums. What annoys me is that BA won't even let Virgin try.To be honest, I cannot understand why you are so against it. What is wrong with giving Richard Branson the opportunity to at least try ? Are you such a BA a really excited user that you cannot accept a Concorde in Virgin Atlantic livery ? Yes, you might be right about spares and servicing. Yes, you might be right about "taking on all of the workers and mechanics on the Concorde fleet". So what ? Don't you think that Branson hasn't thought of that ?Your comments annoy me simply because you don't seem to care. Where the hell would the world be right now if nobody cared about anything ?I think that Richard Branson should be given the opportunity to try and keep the Concorde fleet flying. Despite what BA may think, Concorde is not just a plane for British Airways. It is a triumph of design and development skill, and it doesn't deserve to be thrown onto the scrapheap just because BA don't like the idea of Virgin flying them.The entire situation is pathetic.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Guest]

Hello Chris,It is not a case that BA do not want to operate them, as Andy has pointed out BA wanted to operate them until at least 2007. Its the fact that Air France pulled out and Airbus will not continue to construct concorde parts for just one airline.It doesnt matter if Virgin bought them for

[Christopher Low 5,353]

Well, I guess that we will never know then, eh ?Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Guest SKYGOD]

well he has went from 10 euros to 1.5 million euros for buying the aircraft. Lets see what will happen :)

[Guest AndrewW]

>...but BA don't want to operate them !If the manufacturer will not support the type certificate and the CAA won't issue an AOC, then that is that for BA, AF, VS or any other wannabees. Air France pulled out, and Airbus will no longer support this type of aircraft. BA have put millions into this fleet over the years. They could have stopped after Paris 2000 - but decided to continue. Plans were made to put the aircraft through S checks, and in fact 4 aircraft on the fleet had new and expensive security door modifications only a short time before the announcement was made. So don't tell me that the airline does not want to continue to operate them !> I couldn't care less what livery the planes are draped in when they ?are finally retired to museums. What annoys me is that BA won't>even let Virgin try.Why should they! The airline has put 27 years into this fleet - just to let VS buy them and put them in museums in their livery? Erm, no! :-roll>To be honest, I cannot understand why you are so against it.>What is wrong with giving Richard Branson the opportunity to>at least try ? Again: Airbus Will not support Concorde after October. Branson will not be able to do anything with them - so what's the point? >Yes, you might be right about>"taking on all of the workers and mechanics on the Concorde>fleet". So what ? Don't you think that Branson hasn't thought>of that ?BA have written off

[Christopher Low 5,353]

OK, I understand now that it would be all but impossible for Virgin to operate Concorde. It seems a real shame though, and more than a little confusing that Virgin would even consider this. I find it hard to accept that this has been done entirely for publicity, since I remember Branson wanting to buy a Concorde from BA in the past.Let's just hope that they don't all get dumped in museums. Keeping a couple airworthy for special occasions would seem to be a sensible thing to do. We don't want a repeat of the Avro Vulcan fiasco, whereby serious amounts of cash have to be raised just to get ONE plane back in the air.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[brucek 38]

Why can't Virgin buy the Air France aircraft and re-register them as British aircraft (or wet lease them from AF with Virgin livery)? While I am a great supporter of Branson's airline, wanting to purchase BA's aircraft is like United phasing out the B747-400 and leasing/selling them to Delta. You never sell an asset to another entity that can use it in competition against you, high school business 101. My example above is similar in that Delta has no simulator or experience in the B744.Bruce.

[Christopher Low 5,353]

Bruce,There is a difference here though. If British Airways and Air France cease operating Concorde, then Virgin would not be competing against anyone.Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[brucek 38]

Hi Chris,I think we're both right and it depends on how you view "competition". I use the word in regards to trans-Atlantic air travel (be it sub-sonic or super-sonic, and more narrowly defined as UK-USA travel), and were I the CEO of BA I would be acting in the same way that they are currently- for those business principle reasons I mentioned before- never give your competition the edge!However- I must add that I see Branson as a great figure in the airline industry, and am quite an avid supporter of his business culture (even if we in the US don't know that much about him). The "out" would be to use an ex-Air France Concorde for UK-USA travel, which doesn't impact AF, but would take BA head-to-head on the super-sonic issue.Just my thoughts,Bruce.

[Guest Motormouse]

>If the manufacturer will not support the type certificate and>the CAA won't issue an AOC, then that is that for BA, AF, VS>or any other wannabees. Air France pulled out, and Airbus>will no longer support this type of aircraft. >er,shouldn't that be C of A, the withdrawal of type from operators'AOC follows later>Again: Airbus Will not support Concorde after October.>>To sum up the situation in a sentence: >>AF have grounded Concorde. As a direct>result of that, Airbus are withdrawing support and so BA is>being forced to cease operations.[/font color][/font size]Which is why even if one is kept flying,on a 'Permit to Fly' it will not carry passengers,no C of A.:-wavePete