VLM Airlines news 2016

[AAI]

sorry , i meant Aviation Factory charters

and to MBX, i think it will be rather charters on a regular base

[jan_olieslagers]

ah, ok, thanks.

[sn26567]

According to this (http://trends.knack.be/economie/bedrijv ... 64299.html) (Dutch) article, the 'new' VLM wants to fly to... China.

Confirmation in ch-aviation:

The new owners of the defunct VLM plan to relaunch the airline with flights between Belgium and China according to the Trends weekly.

Acquired by SHS Antwerp Aviation (Antwerp), which is backed by Chinese investors, the new owners intend for the carrier to operate services from Ostend to secondary Chinese cities with wide-body equipment, as well as to a number of regional points in Europe with Fokker 50s. Furthermore, Antwerp would continue to play an important role in the airline's network.

VLM filed for bankruptcy this June after accumulating debt. Prior to its demise, it operated eleven Fokker 50s on passenger charter and scheduled passenger flights between Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

As previously reported, start-up Air Belgium also plans to launch scheduled charter services between Belgium and Asia. Flights are expected to begin during the second quarter of 2017. The airline has yet to select an operating base.

[Avnu]

The ch-aviation article isn't necessarily a confirmation as they refer to/translate the Trends article. That being said, from what I hear, the story is basically true - except some shall we say 'operational details'.

[saratoga]

And what is then so flemish about it? No need to call it again VLM.

[sn26567]

And what is then so flemish about it? No need to call it again VLM.

What about CLM with a C for Chinees?

[Boavida]

And what is then so flemish about it? No need to call it again VLM.

So? KLM is French property now while it's still called KLM. Don't see any problem with keeping a historical name.

Anyway, looking forward to seeing a Boeing 777 of VLM next to a Boeing 777 of Air Belgium taxiing towards 25R for takeoff to China

[cathay belgium]

Hi,

VLM and Air Belgium swimming in the same small pool !
Good luck
If they go airborne book fast because it won' t last long ,...
If it really is such a market there would be already flown by others,...
Why would you fly vlm or so ween if money matters you can fly UIA, AirAsia,Norwegian... if not fly LH or BA ,...
I booked my GVA flight by VLM and never arrived why would you take a risk now by booking an even more risky business !
guess they share some Utopia ideas
Hope not but I hoped also for VLM old style, Maastricht Airlines,..
Going from LGG didn't work out and now OST!
The utmost corner of Belgium without the catchment area of the rhur area !
Connections by F50 ! To fill a wide body in OST
Please post some positive reactions here to prove I'm wrong idon'tsee it !
Sound more like an old '80s Gaston N Leo act to me !
OMG !

CXB

[ostair]

Hi,

VLM and Air Belgium swimming in the same small pool !
Good luck
If they go airborne book fast because it won' t last long ,...
If it really is such a market there would be already flown by others,...
Why would you fly vlm or so ween if money matters you can fly UIA, AirAsia,Norwegian... if not fly LH or BA ,...
I booked my GVA flight by VLM and never arrived why would you take a risk now by booking an even more risky business !
guess they share some Utopia ideas
Hope not but I hoped also for VLM old style, Maastricht Airlines,..
Going from LGG didn't work out and now OST!
The utmost corner of Belgium without the catchment area of the rhur area !
Connections by F50 ! To fill a wide body in OST
Please post some positive reactions here to prove I'm wrong idon'tsee it !
Sound more like an old '80s Gaston N Leo act to me !
OMG !

CXB

Lets all wait and see if VLM newco will get their AOC.
Any further discussion in this topic is useless.

As for the catchment area of OST/EBOS we can discuss this in the OST/EBOS topic.
This as a fan of G&L

[Stij]

Going from LGG didn't work out and now OST!
The utmost corner of Belgium without the catchment area of the rhur area !

If the targeted pax are Chinese, it's correct as they pass by Bruges whatsoever...

Apart from that... I don;t buy it either...

Stij

[Avnu]

I'm having trouble seeing how all this will work as well. But I do reserve my full judgement for later as there's so much we don't know yet.

Referring back to the old VLM doesn't make sense to me either as this is a completely different company that all other remarks aside is clearly not going to follow the same business model. So what if the flights out of LGG failed? That's entirely unrelated to the plans SHS has for both ANR and OST. In fact: it's because they failed that VLM ended up with the Chinese in the first place.

So while I'm highly skeptical, I will give them the benefit of the doubt. As for what their business model is going to be: clearly they won't base more than half a dozen regional jets in OST if their focus was solely on Bruges.

[saratoga]

What i really don't get is, if you want to set up this kind of operations, why not starting from scratch? Why talking with the "curator" about the whole ex-vlm structure? What advantage does one have?

All very strange.

Let's wait and see.

[flightlover]

What i really don't get is, if you want to set up this kind of operations, why not starting from scratch? Why talking with the "curator" about the whole ex-vlm structure? What advantage does one have?

All very strange.

Let's wait and see.

Some existing business and the AOC that are in place. Though they will have to be re-activated. I.e.: All criteria have to be met, but they will not have to apply for an AOC from scratch.

[A318]

They have to apply for a whole new AOC since VLM was declared bankrupt which means no AOC anymore at all.
Did anybody think about the possibility that Air Belgium and VLM Newco will end up as Air Belgium in total?
Two "new" airlines, both in the hands of Chinese investors, both with the business plan to fly from Belgium to Asia?
I think this would be a big coincidence, I think both "new" Airlines will actually be one.
Air Belgium will fly wide bodies and VLM Newco will fly the F50's which will be replaced by smaller jets in the near future.
Maybe I am too optimistic but I see a, smart, plan here

[saratoga]

All very quiet now, very quiet!

Denim air seems to be interested in some F50's

Apart from that....still waiting for real good news.

[Avnu]

Not that quiet actually Here's what SHS has announced themselves three weeks ago:

- VLM Airlines will start with 6 Fokker 50 aircraft.
- Within a year the company plans to introduce the A320/A330 for medium and long haul destinations.
- Within 9 to 12 months the Fokker 50 aircraft will begin being swapped for jet aircraft (Fokker 70 size).
- The network comprises a planned total of 6 destinations in Europe.

[tangolima]

Hello

PHDMT (Ex OOVLF) is planned to be delivered begin next week to Denim Air.

Greetings,

[koninckske]

Their Facebook page has become active again. New website online soon...

[sn26567]

We have received some clarifications from Yves Panneels, spokesman for the new VLM investor SHS Antwerp Aviation NV, and have amended our article of 9 September 2016 as follows;

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/vlm-air ... ent-group/

[tangolima]

Hello

Just read this on the official LinkedIn page of VLM Airlines.

VLM Airlines is looking for crews for several aircraft types (F50, F70, A320, A330)

Greetings,