Sobelair : End of the line ?

Lien · Post by **Lien** » 15 Dec 2003, 19:31

I am pretty sure that Sobelair wil survice, I have full confidence in some people who will save Sobelair

Post by **sn26567** » 16 Dec 2003, 10:11

Today there will be a staff council at Sobelair. Staff will be asked a new salary reduction. The negotiation will be difficult, because the unions fear that staff will be the only persons to pay for saving Sobelair.

Meanwhile, it seems that a compromise with DSF for the lease of 2 B767s has been reached.

And the Arab investors have withdrawn their bid!

Good luck, Mr Vastapane!

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 16 Dec 2003, 10:18

sn26567 wrote: Good luck, Mr Vastapane!

Hello André,

I wouldn't worry too much about M. Vastapane, he's wealthy and wouldn't suffer much more than a blow to his ego if SLR went down...
He already made it clear a few months ago that he wanted out of SLR, now he's probably trying to limit his losses.

But about 400 families rely on Sobelair for their living...
They must have the worst Holiday Season and my thoughts go to them...

VFlies

icymichel · Post by **icymichel** » 16 Dec 2003, 10:44

Hi,

There are not only the 400 families of the SLR people but there will be also 80 SNT people who will loose there jobs if SLR went down.

Icymichel

Skystef · Post by **Skystef** » 16 Dec 2003, 17:18

A318 wrote:
Q707 wrote: Sorry to say, but the patient has terminal cancer
fftopic:
Q707, I apreciate it a lot if you use normal language here. Anouncements like this can hurt a lot of people that have to deal with this disease or someone close to them.

My comment concerned only my feelings towards company Sobelair and give an exact reflection of my thoughts.
So, apologises if i have offended anyone by using this metaphor.

SS

Lien · Post by **Lien** » 16 Dec 2003, 20:08

Why has Aldo Vastapane still not paid a dime(euro) of his promissed investment increase ?

Promisses are easy, but dooing it is something else.

I still believe in Sobelair

A318 · Post by **A318** » 16 Dec 2003, 22:30

Q707

Thanks apreciate it

Greetz,

Erwin

Post by **sn26567** » 17 Dec 2003, 09:09

Lien wrote:Why has Aldo Vastapane still not paid a dime(euro) of his promised investment increase ?

Lien,

Vastapane is the only person that dared to invest in Sobelair. He has done his part of the job. Now others should co-operate as well, and if they do, Vastapane will invest even more.

Flying-Belgian · Post by **Flying-Belgian** » 17 Dec 2003, 11:55

I still have one question:

How can a minority of pilots block the negociations for the sake of SLR's future ???

They are one of the best paid pilots in Europe according to reliable reports...

If they stick to this, they will fall and other workers also... a shame.

FB

gliding-glider · Post by **gliding-glider** » 17 Dec 2003, 19:08

8O Still wait and see

Their are several among us here who passed true this also (ex Sabena, Constellation, City Bird, ....). And I can assure, I share the feeling of the SLR employees now. Living in an uncertain situation ....

Hope for the best,

Greetz,

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 17 Dec 2003, 20:34

Why did the BRU-JNB not have the expected success?
See what I read today in the S-African Newspapers:
"We believe that it is more an issue of air lift than the stronger rand that is negatively affecting inbound tourism to South Africa at the moment ... The role of South African Airways to assist in tourism growth needs to be clarified, as there is no doubt that a strong national airline has a significant role to play."
South Africa's tourism industry is currently under pressure from a number of negative factors, the most significant of which is the lack of airline capacity, according to Helder Pereira, managing director of Southern Sun hotels.
Cape Town could have been higher on the list if it weren't for the policy of the tourism department, which controls air frequencies to South Africa and, through its bilateral negotiations, recently turned down applications for more flights to South Africa and to Cape Town in particular.
Understand who can?

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 18 Dec 2003, 12:59

Fons:

Try searching for flights to CPT (or even JNB) for ANY date during high season (until April) and you'll soon understand : those flights have to be among the most expansive...
And this with all airlines. I remember that the cheapest flights I could find once were either with Air Mauritius (Paris-Port Louis-Cape Town) or Varig (FRA-GRU-CPT)!!!!
And even busy routes like LON-South Africa (currently served by BA, VS, SAA and now Nationwide + a few charters) are fully booked months in advance...

IMHO, SLR didn't succeed there because it was not marketed properly. Their website was totally obsolete, they had no link with a major FF program and only offered a poor service (no real C/Cl).
Furthermore their connection possibilities were not the best either...

But it's really sad, I guess everybody had really high hopes for that flight... Now let's hope that SNba and SAA start a non stop code-share service in the future and let's re-create a link to one of the world's largest Belgian expat communities.

VFlies

L-1011 · Post by **L-1011** » 18 Dec 2003, 13:19

vflies wrote: Varig (FRA-GRU-CPT)!!!!

This doesn't seem to be a shortcut !

What's the adanbtage of that line?
There are enough european carriers that Fly to CPT or JNB, or am I wrong

ciao,
TriStar

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 18 Dec 2003, 13:38

L-1011 wrote:This doesn't seem to be a shortcut !
What's the adanbtage of that line?

Well it would have been cheaper to make that huge detour than fly direct... LOL But we finally chose to use A LOT of our miles to fly for free in C/Cl with AirFrance...

There are enough european carriers that Fly to CPT or JNB, or am I wrong?

As Fons's presscut also shows, the answer would have to be : no!
South Africa is still a very protected market and SAA enjoys nice favors from its government...
So most airlines can't satisfy the demand on routes between EU and SA and can ask fares that are much higher than on most other routes...
Let's hope for change!

VFlies

sab319 · Post by **sab319** » 19 Dec 2003, 14:28

I think Sobelair will go bankcrupt within a few days . Its main customers (Thomas Cook and TUI) have their own airline and are not interested in the futur of Sobelair

Post by **sn26567** » 19 Dec 2003, 16:32

Sab319,

You did not read the Luchtzak latest news. Sobelair has been granted a delay for presenting a business plan. They will fly at least until mid-January.

Post by **luchtzak** » 19 Dec 2003, 16:36

Sab319,

check this article and Sobelair topic

ciao,

Bart
:rock:

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 19 Dec 2003, 20:31

vflies wrote:SLR didn't succeed there because it was not marketed properly. Their website was totally obsolete, they had no link with a major FF program and only offered a poor service (no real C/Cl).
Furthermore their connection possibilities were not the best either...
But it's really sad, I guess everybody had really high hopes for that flight... Now let's hope that SNba and SAA start a non stop code-share service in the future and let's re-create a link to one of the world's largest Belgian expat communities. VFlies

That is a clear demonstration of what is called the lack of affinity of that airline with the passengers and the distribution. The Ivory Tower-Syndrom?.
Look what Singapore Airlines suggest to do with its senior staff. That might be a swell idea to get these ladies and gentlemen out of the ITS?

Furthermore their connection possibilities were not the best either...?
If people are prepared to go via GRU, they can be motivated to do other things? And why connect? If you have your 'home' market. Or were the schedules made in function of the 'operation' and ifof the market?

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 20 Dec 2003, 13:36

SN30952 wrote: Look what Singapore Airlines suggest to do with its senior staff. That might be a swell idea to get these ladies and gentlemen out of the ITS?

I'm not sure I know what you're referring to, Fons...

VFlies

vflies · Post by **vflies** » 20 Dec 2003, 13:41

SN30952 wrote:Furthermore their connection possibilities were not the best either...?

Well, I actually referred to SLR's arrangements with SNBA and Nationwide to provide them with feeder flights at both ends of their operations. But once again, those were not properly marketed or not given enough time...

Maybe they should have entered in a full code-share agreement or even a wet lease of their aircraft and crews to another carrier (SN?)
Leave the marketing and sales part to those who know how to do it...

VFlies

Aviation24.be

Sobelair : End of the line ?

Sobelair : How long will they survive ?

But about 400 families rely on Sobelair for their living

Why did the BRU-JNB not have the expected success?

ITS?

Re: ITS?