VLM Airlines news 2016

[convair]

Why would LH or Swiss want to codeshare with VLM? They have their own flights to BRU!

VLM should copy BMI and Flybe and try to get a few feeder connections for SN.

[koninckske]

LH had a codeshare on the bmi flights from LGG to MUC ... so why not from ANR?

Maybe now even more than before to give their passengers an option to avoid the mess in BRU.

VLM is already doing the same as bmi or Flybe: they fly for Cityjet and Flybe, but not yet SN...

[Xavi]

Interview with Claus Fischer (Vice President Commercial Development) in a local newspaper of Friedrichshafen:
- VLM is satisfied with the load factor (about 60%)
- Online-Check-In is used by about 50% in FDH
- Training of new pilots and co-pilots as well as promotion of co-pilots to pilots
- Staff shortage end of March/ beginning of April due to dismissals and sickness --> due to this they had to combine some flights, for example flights to DUS and HAM
- After trainings completed up to 14 pilots at FDH

http://www.schwaebische.de/region_artik ... d,310.html

[AAI]

there was a survey of VLM to find out new connections out of ANR
as they fly already from FDH to TXL
and Jetairfly will stop the connection as from 01 july
it's evident VLM will start this connection as from sep 1 th!

[Shengenzone]

Statement of Waterford airport:

Waterford Airport is disappointed at the decision of VLM Airlines to discontinue the Waterford-Birmingham route from early next month. The route is due to cease on Monday, May 2nd next.

However, VLM Airlines will continue to operate a seven days a week daily service that connects Waterford and London Luton.

[koninckske]

VLM seems to do very well in FDH: extra flights to HAM and looking for more slots in TXL. LF over 60% on all 3 routes now.
http://www.schwaebische.de/region_artik ... d,310.html

[Shengenzone]

Wath was VLM fokker 50 doing at Brussels airport last night?

[Hue]

Wath was VLM fokker 50 doing at Brussels airport last night?

Monthly charters Strassbourg - Brussels. Transfer Europarliamant.

[Shengenzone]

Ok thanks for the info.
Ps new article in the newspaper about VLM and possible cutting of the last routes from antwerp.
http://m.gva.be/cnt/dmf20160415_0223855 ... ven-deurne

[Xavi]

Wouldn't be good at all. Can't imagine that they cut all routs from Antwerp, that would be a shame. At least the Hamburg route is doing better or not? Maybe the brand VLM was getting more popular in the last weeks as there were more flights in Antwerp due to the close of Zaventem.

On the other hand there are also good news, that they improved their load factor from about 38% in October to about 50% in March and the amount of passengers also increased by about 60% from 8.800 in October to 14.000 in March.

[Avnu]

April came and went but I for one haven't heard anything about routes being cut (or added for that matter).

In the meantime, it does seem VLM has trouble finding pilots left and right. As Shengenzone reported in another topic, CityJet had to send their own plane down from Amsterdam last week to operate the ANR-LCY flight. This 'crew shortage' was apparently so unexpected that the Avro only left Schiphol some 20 minutes after the VLM bird was supposed to LEAVE from Antwerp, making for an almost 90 minute delay.

And it looks like the same thing happened in Waterford this week where OO-VLJ arrived - I'm assuming safe and sound - on Saturday night yet Monday's flights and today's morning flight had to operated 'for VLM Airlines' by a plane from WDL Aviation that positioned in from Cologne.

[Avnu]

Seems VLM soon won't have to worry anymore about cutting routes, paying off their debt or finding/keeping staff. At least not the company as we know it now. Expect more official news (all too) soon.

[tangolima]

Seems VLM soon won't have to worry anymore about cutting routes, paying off their debt or finding/keeping staff. At least not the company as we know it now. Expect more official news (all too) soon.

Hello

Heard this news too. So for the people saying it's only a rumour, 99% not. Hopefully this 1% comes true but i fear.....

Greetings,

[b.lufthansa]

Seems VLM soon won't have to worry anymore about cutting routes, paying off their debt or finding/keeping staff. At least not the company as we know it now. Expect more official news (all too) soon.

A guess: VLM Airlines will be taken over by Brussels Airlines ?

[AAI]

no, i think it will be KLM, than they have to paint only 1 letter!

[koninckske]

Air France - KLM just sold them two year ago ... don't see them buying them.

They would be a good fit for Flybe: many planes on order, not enough pilots and looking for bases in Europe...

[tangolima]

Hello

Seems VLM soon won't have to worry anymore about cutting routes, paying off their debt or finding/keeping staff. At least not the company as we know it now. Expect more official news (all too) soon.

If you are bankrupt you also don't need to worry about all these things anymore.....

Greetings,

[Avnu]

The news came to the surface quite a bit sooner than I thought. Basically:

- VLM Airlines has run out of money, they have some 6 million euro in debts.
- The company has requested protection against its creditors.
- 3 million euro of that debt is towards KBC who have now blocked their accounts
- There's a (still?) unpaid bill for 100.000 euro to Antwerp Airport. Moreover, the relationship between VLM and EGIS seems - rightfully - sour after a previous overdue bill of almost 1 million and a switch toward 2-weekly billing (instead of monthly). EGIS is discussing internally how to deal with all this.
- Someone is looking to pick up the scraps should the company go bankrupt and continue (some of the) operations.

More at http://www.tijd.be/ondernemen/luchtvaar ... 6-3085.art

[Shengenzone]

VRT also picked it up.
http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.engli ... /1.2654640

[Passenger]

VRT also picked it up.
http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.engli ... /1.2654640

Copy/paste of the above:

VLM Airlines has started a procedure to ask for protection against its creditors. The airline suffered heavy losses last year and is running out of cash. The news does not come as a surprise, but it remains to be seen whether the court will honour the request. VLM employs some 170 staff. VLM has filed for protection from its creditors for a period of 6 months at the Antwerp commercial court. The move should make it possible to continue the present flight services, and to introduce a "thorough" restructuring operation. If magistrates give it thumbs up, the present 170 jobs can be saved, claims CEO Hamish P. Davidson. The Deurne-based airliner (near Antwerp) offers flights to Southampton and Hamburg, and also operates between London and Irish city of Waterford. According to De Tijd, several bills haven't been paid lately, with VLM receiving a visit from various bailiffs. Olivier Coenen of the liberal trades union told the VRT that "in the past year many commercial decisions turned out the wrong way. (...) Now a deficit has been created, a gap that can't be bridged." Coenen says that many decisions were unfortunate, and should have been thought over much better. He blames the management for making the wrong choices: "We had 6 or 7 new initiatives. Only 1 was more or less successful, while the others had to be dumped again."

- - - - - -

I think one can indeed blame management for their adventure in LGG, but not for trying Antwerp-Geneva.

Anyway, we'll soon know what KBC and Antwerp Airport will do. Accept the trade court verdict, or go into appeal.

Regional newspaper Gazet Van Antwerpen:
http://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20160513_02287 ... lopig-door