Virgin fuels fare war between U.S. airlines

[JetFumes]

Go SWA!

 

[UALjan15]

Low fare pilots enjoy descent compensation

Nice Freudian slip!!

 

[BigMeat]

If you folks VA is the same as Airtran Southwest even ********************ty Skybus you are sorely wrong. When Branson finally gets his web of airlines to connect around the world (thats the dream) you will see an affect on everyone everywhere international and domestic. Virgin Atlantic will fly people in and out international connecting to Virgin America. Add this along with European Skies Agreement, plus Virgins sister company in places like Australia and Africa. You have found a loophole in our cabatoge laws. Dont be stupid. Why do you think he wants to grow so fast in our slowly recovering market. There is a reason why all the airlines are throwing down so much money to combat them. Not only this but they are willing to fly for RJ pay. This is at a time when most of our contracts are coming up. They will not only be averaged in but management will use they excuse that they will need more money for competition. VA should be an illegall foriegn owned company. I hated Bush (cabotage lover) before but I really hate him now.

 

[LeonPhelps]

Don't know for sure, but can only imagine that Virgin is not hedged on fuel very deeply, if at all...so, I suspect that even though they are paying their crews RJ pay, that they might not want to go to far with a fare war in the short term, because they have to cover fuel prices that a lot of other airlines aren't having to pay as much for. But, I'm just gonna sit back with my bottle of courvossier and watch this thing unfold. Cheers!

 

[sluggo]

Virgin is in business to take over market share from Southwest and UAL. Virgin is going to cripple them...

 

[Andy]

Virgin is in business to take over market share from Southwest and UAL. Virgin is going to cripple them...

Virgin has the resources to hang in for a very long time. They'll be a problem for a very long time. And not just for a few US airlines; it'll be a problem for every US airline.
Hopefully, they'll kill off skybus.

 

[BigMeat]

Skybus is the last of our problems compared to VA. The problem is that VA will be subsidized by the rest of Bransons companies. Companies like T-mobile, Virgin records, Virgin Atlantic etc.

 

[bpapaDC8]

How can I get approval for my new low cost airline? I'll have Chinese and Indian Nationals as pilots flying for one tenth what we make here and they will be happy about it. Round up some young illegal flight attendants from the Far East. I can change them over when they reach age 25. A great travel experience for all involved!!

All seats free every flight. Just pay for the cushion...

 

[Hutchman]

Skybus is the last of our problems compared to VA. The problem is that VA will be subsidized by the rest of Bransons companies. Companies like T-mobile, Virgin records, Virgin Atlantic etc.

Branson sold Virgin records to keep his airline running a while back, that is what made him a billionaire.

 

[Andy]

Skybus is the last of our problems compared to VA. The problem is that VA will be subsidized by the rest of Bransons companies. Companies like T-mobile, Virgin records, Virgin Atlantic etc.

You're preaching to the choir there.

Skybus had around $175 mil in financing, so they'll last for a few years.
It'll be interesting to see how long it takes the traveling public to get sick of being jammed on a 319 (150 seats!) and having to layover in Columbus, OH overnight because they've missed their single daily connection. Ah, who am I kidding? They'll be able to find plenty of people who don't want to pay more than $50 to fly transcon.
Get ready for more airline paycuts to compete.

 

[FlyinFife]

How about this?

Well folks, greedy management and regulation are the root cause of our problems. I honestly think we need to be keeping an eye on UAVs. I read a magazine article recently (WIRED Magazine, I think) that discussed the possiblility of using un-manned aircraft to fly freight to and from the more remote locations.

Don't just think "That could never happen". Give it a serious thought. Once it's been proven that UAVs can safely and efficiently operate in a civilian setting, you know darn well management is going to be chomping at the bit.

What about the passengers? Obviously at first, they will not be very warm to the idea. After a few years of positive operations in a cargo environment, they would start to warm to the idea - especially if they could get from point A to point B at a cheeper rate.

Yeah, I know this is over the top, a little doomsday-ish, and my post probably doesn't make much sense; I still think it's something we need to seriously consider and protect ourselves from.

I'll shut up now and go to bed.

 

[SplitBar]

A fare war. Wonderful. Just what this industry needs.

Hey Virgin America pilots: thanks for undercutting the rest of us so VA can slash fares. :uzi:

PCL_128 is a former Gulfstream PFTer.

nuff said

 

[PCL_128]

PCL_128 is a former Gulfstream PFTer.

nuff said

Yes, keep dwelling on something that I did 8 years ago; meanwhile VA and Skybus will continue to put downward pressure on this profession. Way to set those priorities!

 

[SplitBar]

Yes, keep dwelling on something that I did 8 years ago; meanwhile VA and Skybus will continue to put downward pressure on this profession. Way to set those priorities!

PCL_128

I have no beef with Gulfstream PFTers and I although I don't agree with it, I have no qualms with pilots who elect to go that route. What puzzles me is that you have some major agend in degrading everyone with whom you think is "selling out the industry" or "dragging the industry down" and as a former Gulfstream PFTer you don't have ANY credibility whatsoever in preeching about "dragging the industry down". I could care less about what you did 8 years ago and I don't hold that against you but at the same time you should get off your high horse and stop being flight info's biggest hypocrite.

Respectfully, Splitbar

 

[PCL_128]

PCL_128

I have no beef with Gulfstream PFTers and I although I don't agree with it, I have no qualms with pilots who elect to go that route. What puzzles me is that you have some major agend in degrading everyone with whom you think is "selling out the industry" or "dragging the industry down" and as a former Gulfstream PFTer you don't have ANY credibility whatsoever in preeching about "dragging the industry down". I could care less about what you did 8 years ago and I don't hold that against you but at the same time you should get off your high horse and stop being flight info's biggest hypocrite.

Respectfully, Splitbar

Splitbar, I've been over this a million times, so I hesitate to do it again, but what the hell.

I readily admit that PFTing at GIA was a huge mistake, and I was just an idiot newbie that didn't know what the hell I was doing at the time. PFT harms the profession. The difference between PFT and carriers like Skybus, however, is that the guys going to Skybus aren't newbies that don't know any better like the guys going to GIA. I expect someone that has enough experience to get a job at Skybus or Virgin America to have enough industry knowledge not to make such a stupid decision. I can't expect the same thing from a kid right out of college that makes the mistake of going to GIA simply because he doesn't know how the industry works.

 

[B190Captain]

Didn't this guy go to GIA? Now he is barking about bringing the industry down?

Oh yeah a tiny airline flying 1900's brought the industry down. Do us all a favor and STFU!

FYI, I flew for GIA but not PFT.

 

[say again]

I could care less about what you did 8 years ago and I don't hold that against you but at the same time you should get off your high horse and stop being flight info's biggest hypocrite.

Respectfully, Splitbar

I wouldn't consider him a hypocrite, but someone who actually cares and wants to help the industry.

As for his decision to go to GIA, it was a naive, pathetic one.

 

[Contract]

Hypocrit

I readily admit that PFTing at GIA was a huge mistake, and I was just an idiot newbie that didn't know what the hell I was doing at the time. PFT harms the profession. The difference between PFT and carriers like Skybus, however, is that the guys going to Skybus aren't newbies that don't know any better like the guys going to GIA. I expect someone that has enough experience to get a job at Skybus or Virgin America to have enough industry knowledge not to make such a stupid decision. I can't expect the same thing from a kid right out of college that makes the mistake of going to GIA simply because he doesn't know how the industry works.

This self proclaimed "Idiot" really believes its all about him. Its ok for him to drag down the profession as a rookie but how dare some experienced idiot drag down the same profession. Its really time to start that side business I've been thinking about. This entire industry continues to implode with the expansion of free world trade. How bad can it be when one idiot is calling another idiot a jerk for doing the same basic thing with a different twist.

 

[Andy]

This self proclaimed "Idiot" really believes its all about him. Its ok for him to drag down the profession as a rookie but how dare some experienced idiot drag down the same profession. Its really time to start that side business I've been thinking about. This entire industry continues to implode with the expansion of free world trade. How bad can it be when one idiot is calling another idiot a jerk for doing the same basic thing with a different twist.

We've all done stupid stuff during our lives. He admits that he screwed up in his youth. What do you propose as sufficient punishment to allow him to redeem himself?

The difference here is that those experienced pilots know EXACTLY what they're doing to the profession.


After being furloughed from United, I walked away from flying rather than take a J4J (jets for jobs) at a United regional and keep dragging down the payscales. I was unemployed for about a year of my 5 year furlough.
The difference between my decision to remain unemployed and these guys is that they've made a conscious decision to lower the pilot compensation bar. PCL_128 was wet behind the ears when he did PFT and didn't fully realize the negative impact on regional pilots due to his decision.

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

Pinnacle CRJ pay and work rules are hardly "average". There crap.... and just like you PCL 128 I support ALPA, but calling PCL pay and work rules average is a little off.