Altria

[Fokkerflyer]

Anyone hear of Altria selling their planes @ HPN?

 

[G4G5]

A few months back I heard that they were looking to upgrade equipment. The word is PM is pissed at NYC and has decided to move the corporate headquaters out of Manhattan.

 

[Gumby]

Altria...

Anyone hear of Altria selling their planes @ HPN?

Looks like it true!! Just chatted with a buddy of mine that's up there, and April should be the end of it! Too bad..

 

[Daddy]

Does that mean they will do more flying out of Richmond since that is where the new corporate HQ is or will be at?

 

[Gumby]

Does that mean they will do more flying out of Richmond since that is where the new corporate HQ is or will be at?

From what he is telling me, the KRIC operation is either no more, or will be soon! The shuttle deal that they had down there, went away a few months ago, and the HPN deal will go away by spring, and what is left of the operation, will go to Chicago.

 

[PMVULB AvMgr]

Moving the airplanes to the Midwest might explain why they've applied to the FAA for new registrations all ending with "KF", which would stand for Kraft Foods, based in Chicago!

However, they have a very sizable hangar at MKE, in which their midwest fleet is based. So will the deadheads to PWK continue to pick up/drop off Kraft folks, or will they go back to PWK and base there? That previous base was closed about 7 or 8 years ago when the entire midwest fleet (PWK, MSN & MKE) was consolidated at MKE.

 

[sydeseet]

They are going to scrap the entire KRIC fleet even though PM is based there? How are they going to move the exec.'s around if the airplanes are all based at MKE? They have a HUGE plant and a sizable upper management presence in Richmond so I would think they'd keep something open there, especially with that fancy hanger/office complex.

The rumors are starting to sound like rumors.

 

[PMVULB AvMgr]

OK, guys here's the latest, and is confirmed by Altria Flt Dept member - One G-300, the DO-328Jet and the SK-76B are being sold. Period, end of story!!!! The Dornier was bought a few years ago for shuttle duty between RIC & TEB. The tobacco side of the company was moving execs & people between the two, when tobacco HQ was situated in NYC. It ain't no more! All tobacco execs were moved to RIC, negating the need for the 328. The aircraft was moved to operate a shuttle between PWK/ORD and MMU/HPN. This didn't make sense either, as the airline fares were cheaper than the cost of the shuttle flight. So, shuttle closed, aircraft for sale, and Sikorsky, which was transferring lots of people in the NY area from/to the shuttle, becoming superfluous. Also, one G-300 from the midwest is going along for the sale. There are still 3 G-550's on order, they haven't been canceled.

Sure is amazing how a small aircraft sale becomes the death of a flight department. Incredible, some people just have nothing better to do than speculate on this type of garbage, then spreading their made up rumours to the world.

 

[sydeseet]

Finally a voice of reason!!!!

 

[Gumby]

OK, guys here's the latest, and is confirmed by Altria Flt Dept member - One G-300, the DO-328Jet and the SK-76B are being sold. Period, end of story!!!! The Dornier was bought a few years ago for shuttle duty between RIC & TEB. The tobacco side of the company was moving execs & people between the two, when tobacco HQ was situated in NYC. It ain't no more! All tobacco execs were moved to RIC, negating the need for the 328. The aircraft was moved to operate a shuttle between PWK/ORD and MMU/HPN. This didn't make sense either, as the airline fares were cheaper than the cost of the shuttle flight. So, shuttle closed, aircraft for sale, and Sikorsky, which was transferring lots of people in the NY area from/to the shuttle, becoming superfluous. Also, one G-300 from the midwest is going along for the sale. There are still 3 G-550's on order, they haven't been canceled.

Sure is amazing how a small aircraft sale becomes the death of a flight department. Incredible, some people just have nothing better to do than speculate on this type of garbage, then spreading their made up rumours to the world.

I know that I didn't mention the "Death" of the PM flight department....My info was passed to me by a HPN crewmember...So, don't blame me!!