VLM Airlines news 2014-2015

[AAI]

the ANR GVA VLM/SN stopped in 2002 due to the failure of SN
but at that time they took skipax on their flights
and in 2015 we will see a lot more tourists at ANR!

[Koendc]

Now we're talking about skipax, I think this is a group of passengers that needs to be considered.

Let me first say that I'm not informed about possible demand for such routes and neither a specialist in this market, but I know that there isn't such a concept of wintersport charters organised on a large scale in Belgium yet. What do I mean with "large scale"? Well, for example a VLM or a Jetairfly like caarier that organises flights for more than let's say 50 passengers (this allows me to distinguish these operations from an ASL initiative for example).

By offering (scheduled) flights in the winter season out of ANR or any other airport in Belgium this would mean a quite profitable niche market. I'm looking at people who like skiing a lot but don't have so much time because of work or other issues, or because they just want to get the most out of their ski trip. There is for sure a group of higher middle class people who are willing to pay more, for 2 days of extra skiing. Indeed, If you introduce flights from ANR to for example GVA or INN, you will make it possible for people to skip an 8-12 hour drive to these ski areas (moreover, when they arrive they are not tired and can directly start skiing). Also, these two airports are close to a lot of decent ski areas within a 1 maximum 2 hour car or train ride.

Maybe my analysis holds more for INN, because there are already flights offered out of BRU with SN and U2 to GVA. But as far as I'm concerned there are no direct links to "ski area airports". If you want to reach INN you have to go via FRA or VIE. On the contrary we see that Transavia already performs a lot of flights to INN out of several airports in the Netherlands, even smaller ones.

I know I'm maybe foccusing to much on a specific market (and INN), but I still think this is an improvement that could be made in Belgian aviation. Do you have an opinion on this?

[Stij]

Yes,

I'm convinced a Thursday and Sunday evening (short ski)+ a Saturday and Sunday midday rotation (normal 1 week holidays) on Sion could work: the Valais is crowded with Belgians that own an apartment or chalet there! Other candidates: INN, SZG, BZO and CMF could work as well, but I don't know if there are many Belgian home owners (= rich people, who have the money to fly at premium prices) there.

Cheers,

Stij

[b720]

I wonder whether SN will code share on the GVA flight, the way Sabena did on the VLM GVA flights back in 2000-2002.
SION will definitely work. GVA should do well, it is a premium destination from BRU, and the pricing from GVA is always much higher.. It is in the interest of VLM to attract GVA based PAX. for a week end in Antwerp.

[airazurxtror]

Geneva is very popular indeed, as also easyJet fly BRU-GVA (twice daily).

[saratoga]

They did GVA already in the past, and they must have quit it with a reason. Why should it work now?? And who is their target, business or travel people? How is the "new VLM" going to profile themself towards the public? A lot of questions but i'm pretty sceptical about this.

[RoMax]

No doubt they point at a high yield business and possibly also leisure public that prefers to enjoy the ease of flying from ANR instead of going to BRU. Based on their plans also for the SSJ interior, they really want to focus on the higher end of the market.

And yes they operated it before and quit it again. But that doesn't mean it can work at a later time. Markets evolve, strategies evolve, etc. If it is going to work has to be seen of course, but the argument "it didn't work before, so it will not work now" is not worth that much.

[AAI]

the reason they stopped in 2002, was the failure of SN
but they regretted it afterwards!

[jan_olieslagers]

Sion has been done before, too. But indeed that is no reason why it couldn't work now.

[AAI]

sorry, but i can't remember flights to Sion
maybe once a charter

[Boavida]

I suppose VLM is working on a new website now? (much needed)

[sn26567]

In an interview to Routes Online, CEO White expects that, by the end of 2015, up to seven city pairs could be served, four using three or four Fokker 50s transferred from its charter fleet and three others dedicated to the Superjets.

[RoMax]

Interjet has given the SSJ100 another vote of confidence. With 11 aircraft in service and 9 more on order, they converted an additional 10 options in firm orders.

http://www.ato.ru/content/meksikanskaya ... ov-ssj-100

[sn26567]

Tickets for ANR-GVA are on sale since yesterday. Prices start at €83.36 return. Interesting, if you know that parking at ANR is free!

http://flyvlm.com/

[Inquirer]

Heard an unconfirmed rumour that they plan to operate scheduled flights from GVA with their new jet: no idea if it is true at all, but it could explain why they've opted for a cabin lay out focussed so much on the business class section: with such an uncommon cabin lay out, they are fairly limited in the number of places from which they can make good commercial use of the plane.
No idea if it is worth spreading an unconfirmed rumour about which routes it would be they are said to have in mind? But again, if there's any truth in it, it would shed more light on the interesting odd choice of plane and hint at the origin of the financing behind this recent management buy out.

[sn26567]

New promotional 30-second video for the new ANR-GVA route of VLM, with a little stone in the garden of Brussels Airport:

https://vid.me/Uxef

[FLYAIR10]

New promotional 30-second video for the new ANR-GVA route of VLM, with a little stone in the garden of Brussels Airport:

It seems VLM communication towards the public and their website remain solely in English.
In case of ANR-GVA flights their potential customers are mostly Dutch and/or French speaking.
IMHO this is a weakness in their marketing strategy. Talk the language of your customer whenever possible! (even though most of them probably speak sufficiently English to understand the message )
Grtz

[Established02]

To attract this ski traffic, it would surely help if VLM would also offer a Sunday evening rotation.

VLM offers a good schedule, however on MON-FRI only.

[jan_olieslagers]

@Passenger: what's this doing in a thread about VLM? And, your source has, err, a less than universal reputation... Better have a separate thread about the SSJ100?

@FLYAIR10: agree 100%. Especially in the diamond trade - which has always had a major share of their sales - not everybody likes to use English (though they all have a working knowledge) especially if not flying to London.

[AAI]

To attract ski traffic, a saturday morning flight is necessary too!