VLM denies takeover talks with Air France-KLM

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 19 Jun 2007, 14:33

VLM denies in takeover talks with Air France-KLM

De Telegraaf:
Air France-KLM aast op Belgische VLM Airlines

an-148 · Post by **an-148** » 19 Jun 2007, 14:39

continue alone: it's much better so !

good luck, VLM
(and see you one day in LGG

)

ostend_airport · Post by **ostend_airport** » 19 Jun 2007, 14:48

I always named the airline HLM 'Hollandse luchtvaartmaatschappij' because you see them more in the Netherlands then in Belgium. However, it would be a shame to sell the company to Air France-KLM
Maybe they are thinking 'If you can't beat them, join them'

greetz
yves

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 19 Jun 2007, 15:10

ostend_airport wrote:Maybe they are thinking 'If you can't beat them, join them' greetz yves

'If you can't beat them, join them'

'If you can't beat them, buy them'

'If you can't beat them, kill them'
Cheesy, it smells like a Swiss story, ain't it?

spotter1102 · Post by **spotter1102** » 19 Jun 2007, 16:14

an-148 wrote:

continue alone: it's much better so !

good luck, VLM
(and see you one day in LGG )

I agree !

I love the current VLM livery and the Fokker 50 too

jan_olieslagers · Post by **jan_olieslagers** » 19 Jun 2007, 16:19

SN30952 wrote:Cheesy, it smells like a Swiss story, ain't it? :?

Fons, for this once I am happy to agree with you!

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 19 Jun 2007, 17:05

jan_olieslagers wrote:
SN30952 wrote:Cheesy, it smells like a Swiss story, ain't it?
Fons, for this once I am happy to agree with you!

But not happy with the situation, I presume?
Who owns VLM, btw.
What if Rekkof gets a huge order?

an-148 · Post by **an-148** » 19 Jun 2007, 17:12

SN30952 wrote:
jan_olieslagers wrote:
SN30952 wrote:Cheesy, it smells like a Swiss story, ain't it?
Fons, for this once I am happy to agree with you!
But not happy with the situation, I presume?
Who owns VLM, btw.
What if Rekkof gets a huge order?

could be that this "Swiss smelt" a secondary Rekkof smelt as an accompaining shadow houses !!!!!!!!!!!

hopefully not!

jan_olieslagers · Post by **jan_olieslagers** » 19 Jun 2007, 18:22

SN30952 wrote:But not happy with the situation, I presume?
Who owns VLM, btw.
What if Rekkof gets a huge order?

Bah, the situation doesn't look that bad to me... Vague rumours about an offer from AF/KLM, this can only add to the value of the VLM shares, isn't that a good thing? The VLM management staunchly denying, well I'm less impressed there, such rumours are always denied in a first stage, we'll have to wait and see. I certainly believe AF/KLM are not the sole candidates for the LCY slots! So at the very least VLM management will not enter upon the present offer without considering others - up to now they have clearly shown themselves no fools. For the same reason I am not much concerned with a possible big Rekkof order, surely the Rekkof project and the operation of Denim/VLM will be kept strictly separate? The more so that this big Rekkof order seems highly mythical to me, but of course we can always hope.

vc-10 · Post by **vc-10** » 19 Jun 2007, 20:57

I hope VLM don't get bought..... they're a great little airline. And very popular, too!

jan_olieslagers · Post by **jan_olieslagers** » 19 Jun 2007, 21:26

vc-10 wrote:I hope VLM don't get bought..... they're a great little airline. And very popular, too! :D

Dear VC10,

Even if I realise this is a squibble on words, you have touched me in my deepest feelings. VLM may be termed "small" or even "smallish" but to hear them belittled is more than I can bear!

And no, I'd not even call them popular. For telly series like "life as it is", they are not a prime actor or theatre! But surely they have a true and solid clientele, I trust that was what you meant.

HorsePower · Post by **HorsePower** » 19 Jun 2007, 22:10

I'm not aware about talks between them, but I remember AF once tried to take-over Fly BE, which was formelly named British European, and was an AF franchise partner. But the price asked for was too high, and AF didn't went further. When the franchise agreement expired, it hasn't been renewed. Instead, AF focused on Cityjet's network expension.

So to speak : yes, AF-KLM could be interrested by acquiring VLM, but no, Mr Rosen Jacobson doesn't have the need to sell his airlines, since it is profitable.

spotter1102 wrote:I love the current VLM livery and the Fokker 50 too

Agree. The BAe livery is really a piece of art, I really like it ! By many aspects, I have a lot of respect for this airlines: nice livery, good network, making money, etc...

SN30952 wrote:Who owns VLM, btw.

Jaap Rosen Jacobson is VLM's sole owner. He owns Denim Air and Rekkof too. On a side note, he presides Amnesty International's council since september 2004.

SN30952 wrote:What if Rekkof gets a huge order?

What if they don't... ?

jan_olieslagers · Post by **jan_olieslagers** » 19 Jun 2007, 22:23

HorsePower wrote:Mr Rosen Jacobson doesn't have the need to sell his airlines, since it is profitable.

This is touching the point. Who likes what paint scheme and which plane and what routes might they open next are secondary discussions, at best. Let us all just hope Mr. Jacobson keeps up the bright spirit he has shown all this while, I have every confidence!

an-148 · Post by **an-148** » 19 Jun 2007, 22:34

Let us all just hope Mr. Jacobson keeps up the bright spirit he has shown all this while, I have every confidence!

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 20 Jun 2007, 00:19

Let me imagine a scenario of Q's:
What is and will be more lucrative than an airline in the coming months and years?
What is the most expensive asset of the airline?
What is it KLM-AF would want in VLM?
What if the owner got the capital and the order?
And KLM-AF got what they want?
Why would the owner not sell?
Why was it denied that there were talks with British Airways?
Didn't BA expect its revamped BA CityFlyer operation from London City Airport to become profitable in the second year of operation?

KLM always had a foot in the Antwerp door. Soon it will have the HST-feed. Why could VLM be a target?

di 19/06/07 - De luchtvaartgroep Air France-KLM praat met het Belgische VLM Airlines. Dat heeft een woordvoerder van KLM bevestigd.

Naar verluidt zou Air France-KLM VLM Airlines willen samenvoegen met KLM City Hopper en Air France Regional. Zo zou een van de grootste regionale luchtvaartmaatschappijen in Europa ontstaan.
Reports say that Air France wants to fold VLM into KLM City Hopper and Air France Regional to create Europe's biggest regional airline.

HorsePower · Post by **HorsePower** » 20 Jun 2007, 21:50

jan_olieslagers wrote:Vague rumours about an offer from AF/KLM, this can only add to the value of the VLM shares, isn't that a good thing?

VLM is not a listed company, so VLM shares aren't market traded. It would only pay-off if another buyer comes into the picture with an even higher price.

SN30952 wrote:What is and will be more lucrative than an airline in the coming months and years?

I know what you are thinking about, but it's not a good idea. Rekkof project is a non-starter.

SN30952 wrote:What is it KLM-AF would want in VLM?

LCY slots, clearly (but you know that!).

SN30952 wrote:Didn't BA expect its revamped BA CityFlyer operation from London City Airport to become profitable in the second year of operation?

And Cityjet recently dramatically increased operations from LCY too... Under the agreement of Cityexpress sale to FlyBE, I expect that the latter won't enter into direct competition with BA Cityflyer. moreover, BA now owns 15% of FlyBE.

SN30952 wrote:Why could VLM be a target?

UK market has long been in mind for both KLM and AF. Remember Buzz, KLM UK, KLM Cityhopper UK (wich still exists on the paper, AFAIK), Cityjet, FlyBE and now Scot Airways as a franchise partner.

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 20 Jun 2007, 23:42

There is a rule, dear HorsePower, that says: Never ask questions, you do not know the answers.
You can ask jan_olieslagers, he can confirm that. 8)

HorsePower · Post by **HorsePower** » 21 Jun 2007, 21:11

SN30952 wrote:There is a rule, dear HorsePower, that says: Never ask questions, you do not know the answers.

Just want to make things clear for readers...

Aviation24.be

VLM denies takeover talks with Air France-KLM

VLM denies takeover talks with Air France-KLM

Many Q's