VLM Airlines news 2016

[Avnu]

Amongst all adjustments the new CEO Hamish Davidson has to do, to get rid of that Sukhoi contract is probably the most important one. The SSJ cannot operate at Antwerp and it's not certified yet for London City.

Agreed. I personally don't believe the SSJ will be operated by VLM any time soon and that an alternative is already being investigated or even decided upon. IMHO, the deal with Jetstream includes an agreement on the lease of turboprop planes to replace the F50's.

[crew1990]

Why did they order some aircraft wich are not even able to fly from their base? I knew the management from this airlines wasn'y brainy, but I wasn't expecting such a lack of logical even from them!

[Avnu]

The SSJ *is* "able to fly" from Antwerp, but it would most likely be weight restricted. Just like the A318 is from LCY or I imagine JAF's new route from Antwerp to Nador will be.

In these and other cases, it's a matter of making commercial choices, not a matter of misreading the specifications of the airplane you own/have ordered. I'm not saying the SSJ was an obvious choice for Antwerp, but it's rather unfair to say it can't work at all.

[sn26567]

The SSJ100 might not yet be certified for LCY, but no doubt it will be: CityJet has ordered the same aircraft and its main base is LCY. If the SSJ100 would by any chance not be certified for LCY in the future, Sukhoi has a BIG problem.

[b720]

I hope they will review axing GVA .. I have flown the route several times last year, and booked many clients on it from GVA.. Excellent service, excellent product. By far superior to that of SN. Prices were not cheap, but offset by the convenience. They had several issues though. Few people knew about the route, and their booking engine does not accept AMEX!!! That is an issue, as many companies (mine included) use AMEX as a company credit card. Could not expense the tickets.. I e mailed customer services numerous times, never got a response! Good luck to them in FDH!!! If they could not get ANR-GVA to work I really do not know how they will manage FDH. I hope I am wrong.. wish them the best..

[sn26567]

It looks now that, with two turnaround specialists on board in addition to the new CEO, they might really operate a little more professionally.

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines_press_r ... -airlines/

[koninckske]

The SSJ100 is able to operate from ANR with and without restrictions depending on destination.

As far as I know the deal for the SSJ100 was never finished. It is still in the stage of 'Letter of Intend'. Sukhoi itself stated not too long ago that they expeted VLM to return to the table soon to firm up the contract. Sukhoi itself have a deal now with Cityjet so they have no urgency to find a European buyer for their planes.

Best (jet) options for ANR are the Cseries and the E190E2. Both very good performance from short runways. But is VLM in the position at the moment to add some jets? There are more important things to sort out first I think.

[Passenger]

As far as I know the deal for the SSJ100 was never finished. It is still in the stage of 'Letter of Intend'. Sukhoi itself stated not too long ago that they expeted VLM to return to the table soon to firm up the contract. Sukhoi itself have a deal now with Cityjet so they have no urgency to find a European buyer for their planes.

The Letter of Intent was signed on 29th October 2014. A Letter of Intent is not just a promise the airline may keep or may be brake: it contents the details and conditions to be fulfilled before the purchase is final.

On 2nd March 2015, Sukhoi published this press release that shows that the order was final meanwhile (= under the conditions of the Letter of Intent of 29th Oct 2014):

http://www.sukhoi.org/eng/news/company/?id=5647

"...Moscow, March 2 (2015). Following consultations between Ilyushin Finance Co, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company and Belgian airline VLM Airlines, under the previously signed Letter of Intent, the parties agreed to postpone for the third quarter of 2016 deliveries of Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft due to the need of certification of the aircraft additional specifications, expanding its capabilities.

By the end of 2015 Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, the designer of the Sukhoi Superjet 100, plans to certify the long range version of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft, requested by VLM Airlines, in EASA. EASA certification is required for the launch of operations of this SSJ100 modification by the airline with an airworthiness certificate issued by the Belgian aviation authorities.

In addition, the designer of the SSJ100 will continue to work on the implementation and certification of the technical solutions for the aircraft, meeting the customer needs. It is expected that a set of measures to enhance the SSJ100 aircraft can be implemented in 2016..."

[Passenger]

but who is now flying to FDH, with a population of 58.000!
Intersky couldn't survive, why VLM would!
they have now a fare ANR FDH via HAM
there is even a connection FDH HAM ANR SOU possible, but no fare for the moment
i forecast that FDH ( after the LGG debacle ) won't be a success
and advise them to concentrate on ANR with connections to GVA, MAN, NCE...

22nd December 2015 : announcement "we'll open Friedrichshaven"
11th January 2016 : bookings are open
15th January 2016 : "we'll position three aircraft there"
15th February 2016: first flights

VLM's Sales Department gets just one month to fill 50 seats on each flight. I agree with you: it will be another debackle like LGG.

http://www.suedkurier.de/region/bodense ... 74,8427864

http://www.zakenreisnieuws.nl/nieuws/ca ... richshafen

[saratoga]

So if i understand well, they sold some aircraft and then leasing them back????
But why are they leasing them back? Especially now since they can not fill them completely. It is all costing money like hell!

Why not leasing, let's say 1 airbus 318 or 1 Bombardier Cs, instead of leasing 2 or 3 F50???

[Flanker2]

Because the lessors probably wouldn't have bought them unless VLM was going to lease them back for a certain period. That's how sale and leaseback works.

Most airlines do this. They buy new airplanes at a steep discount, sell them to a smaller lessor for a higher price, then lease them back at retail lease prices. This way the smaller lessor doesn't have to take the risk of ordering aircraft he can't place, airlines get financing without taking any of the financial risk and reduce the cost of that lease by making a margin on the sale price.

But IMO you wouldn't need to do this on aircraft that have little to no residual value and that have been paid off.

It's good that they brought in new management. I hope that they call off the Friedrichshafen operations and start solliciting SN, Jetair and others for feeding jobs in BRU. There is a market for regional flights in BRU because there is a hub there.
Also, the SSJ are very attractive at the current oil prices and cheap Rubble. They are perfect for SN's Avro RJ replacement where the A32F is too big. The F50's are perfect to open very short feeding routes to/from Lille, Luxembourg, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Dusseldorf, and a whole bunch of routes in the U.K. etc...

Once they have an established base in BRU, they can grow again independently in ANR if they wish to.

[koninckske]

According to VLM in German newspapers 1450 or 1750 tickets sold for flights from FDH in the first 5 days (different numbers in newspapers). Most tickets for flights to TXL and HAM, just few to DUS due to business profile of passengers of this destination. They will also start weekly charter flights from FDH to Balaton from April

http://www.swr.de/landesschau-aktuell/b ... index.html

http://www.suedkurier.de/region/bodense ... 36,8449821

[Xavi]

Beside the charter flights from FDH to Heviz-Balaton (22x), VLM also fly this summer 10x from SXF (Berlin-Schönefeld), 11x from HAM and 22x from DUS to Heviz-Balaton.

[sn26567]

Beside the charter flights from FDH to Heviz-Balaton (22x), VLM also fly this summer 10x from SXF (Berlin-Schönefeld), 11x from HAM and 22x from DUS to Heviz-Balaton.

Thanks for this information and welcome to Luchtzak, Xavi!

[Avnu]

Beside the charter flights from FDH to Heviz-Balaton (22x), VLM also fly this summer 10x from SXF (Berlin-Schönefeld), 11x from HAM and 22x from DUS to Heviz-Balaton.

Interesting. Are these direct flights or will they just link up SXF, HAM and DUS with Hungary through FDH? And will these be sold purely as charter flights or will you be able to book tickets on the VLM site as well?

[Xavi]

The flights from SXF, HAM and DUS are also charter flights for MUTSCH Reisen and are operated directly to Heviz-Balaton:
http://www.mutsch-reisen.de/web/anreise/direktflug.html

[Xavi]

VLM will also fly from Airport St.Gallen-Altenrhein (Switzerland) to Pula (Croatia) from May to October (every Sunday). This route was operated by Intersky in the last years.

[CRJ 900]

Looks like VLM was on a promotion trip around the Bodensee
I really hope they will succeed.
Rgds
CRJ 900

[Xavi]

Another VLM Fokker for Vizion Air:
http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/nieuws/c ... -737-erbij

Will see what will change in the next weeks/months with the new management.

[AAI]

i am afraid it will be less in ANR
and more in FDH and surroundings