VLM Airlines news 2016

[Xavi]

Official press release (translated from German):

ANTWERP, June 22, 2016 - The Supervisory Board of VLM Airlines NV withdrew the WCO bankruptcy protection this morning at the Commercial Court of Antwerp and filed for bankruptcy. The flight mode is set immediately. The workforce of VLM was informed immediately.

Even after granted Belgian WCO method for creditor protection for six months was not sufficient time to reduce the further disposal of pilots and raise enough financial resources to ensure the operations of the restructuring team. In addition, charter flights have been canceled unexpectedly. The planned leaseback which owned by the VLM located ming aircraft or a recapitalization would have taken the opinion of management at least another 2-3 months to complete.

Hamish Davidson, Chief Executive Officer of VLM Airlines: "VLM deeply regrets having to draw these consequences. Ultimately, however, we came inevitably to the conclusion that the restructuring efforts came too late, since January 2016 in order to restructure the airline can permanently. The uncertainty after the surprising freezing bank accounts has led to numerous dismissals of pilots and important charter customers have no longer dared, medium and long term to book flights. The two-week period between the application of the method of Creditor Protection until its authorization also led to a massive temporary intrusion of bookings on scheduled air operation, which the cash flow also adversely affected. "

Hamish Davidson adds: "Just the VLM-route network from Friedrichshafen was an essential element of corporate restructuring. We are convinced that it is possible the three routes from Friedrichshafen to Dusseldorf, Berlin and Hamburg operate profitably. For VLM but this opportunity came too late, even though the average revenue per flight has more than doubled from and to Friedrichshafen from January to June 2016. ".

Customers have booked www.flyvlm.com on the VLM website the tickets should be back to book their payment by the credit card provider. Customers who have booked a VLM flight ticket through a travel agency will be asked to get a refund through their travel agent.

[CTBke]

Cityjet will use their Canadair 900 and RJ85 to operate the LCY-ANR route

[sn26567]

... as of tomorrow! Quick and efficient reaction by Cityjet.

[CTBke]

the CR9 is in SAS scheme so bit confusing for the pax

[koninckske]

Indeed in the booking engine some flights indicated as CRJ900, but I don't think it is certified to land in LCY. So I expect it to be RJ85 only for now.

[CTBke]

most probably they'll use the RJ85 as their CR9 is still flying for SAS

[DIBO]

Indeed CR9 not LCY certified, afaik.

If CityJet takes over the ANR-LCY route on a permanent basis, then 'VLM Next' looses a potential good/stable income source...

[CTBke]

VLM already lost this route with the takeover by Air France/CItyjet

[PttU]

The last VLM-flights to FDH seem to be diverted to Memmingen, any reason why?

So, where are the aircraft?
OO-VLF FDH/FMM?
OO-VLI ANR
OO-VLJ ANR?
OO-VLL FMM
OO-VLM FMM
OO-VLN ANR
OO-VLO ??
OO-VLP RTM after the last flight from Manchester for Flybe
OO-VLQ ANR
OO-VLS ??
OO-VLZ ANR

[Avnu]

That flight didn't actually divert, it just one of those small mistakes FR24 sometimes makes. As far as the location of the planes: 3 of them are in FDH (F, L and M) while 5 are on the ground in Antwerp and one is in RTM.

OO-VLO has been in storage for a while in ANR - according to most accounts it has been largely striupped for spare parts - while OO-VLS is stranded in Saarbrucken. It flew there in April for repairs but hadn't been released yet as VLM couldn't pay the bill.

[saratoga]

Sad news today although i expected this to happen. Wondering what is going to happen in the future. I don't really believe in a relaunch, not with these F50 again. A copy of the last version is doomed to fail again, my opinion. VLM should be another project,with another vision and other tools.

Anyway too much speculation for me.

I wish all the VLM personnel all the best in their endeavours in finding a new job, hopefuly in aviation.

Good luck!!

[Shengenzone]

Freddy van Gaever gave an interview to Deurne TV.
Today he will start negotiations with the curator to buy some of the planes and the operations of VLM however he will not buy the company and it's debt.
You can watch the interview in dutch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7_xTtF ... freload=10
(starts at 1:10min.)

[tangolima]

Hello

CityJet Avro EIRJE is doing the LCY flights today

Greetings,

[CTBke]

and for tomorrow the AR8 is in the system as well .. looks like this is their solution for the ANR-LCY-ANR route

[Boeing767copilot]

http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/video ... =1.2693310

[sn26567]

The VLM internet account has been suspended.... The End !

[CTBke]

that's quickly .. their Facebook account is still online

[Passenger]

It's baffling that SN haven't even taken a look at VG.

They have. For sure, they have. But the books were that terrible, that any negociation was useless. Your remark is yet another proof that you are totally utterly unaware of anything that happens in the branch that isn't yours.

Given the annual account for 2014 (published) and 2015 (not published), it would be extremely utterly stupid for anyone airline to take over VLM before bankruptcy. Even for 1 Euro.

Ow and whoever criticised me for warning against mr. White's reckless 'management' decisions, ...

If it was just "reckless management", there would be some hope. But it's a lot more. And it's not only White.

... I told you so.

You are even surpassing Nostradamus. You send out ten fatal warnings every day, and a few times each year, one of them indeed realizes. And this one was an easy one. How about your prediction that Brussels Airlines will go bankrupt: any news on that Flanker?

[Shengenzone]

From what i heard at the curator meeting:
9 million euros debt
1 plane confiscated in saarbrucken since it needed a repair which they never paied
1 plane cannibalised in antwerp as they where not allowed by management to buy any spare parts for the last year and a half
4 planes go to the owner after sale and lease back from some time ago.
1 aircraft left the fleet a year ago and went to an operator in South africa
So then not much is left to pay this debt... And the name VLM has become worthless because of the bad reputation.

If they find somebody to take it over, he will take the remaining planes, rehire some of the staff via the details the curator collected and that is it.
There where 4 interested parties, one you all now is van Gaever, the other 3 preferred to be anonymous.

[sn26567]

There where 4 interested parties, one you all now is van Gaever, the other 3 preferred to be anonymous.

Is Carl Legein, CEO of The Aviation Factory, no longer interested, for the two planes painted in Vizion Air colours?