livethedream
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2006
- Posts
- 53
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Virgin America fights to keep CEO Reid
Thursday April 12, 2007
Virgin America this week asked the US Dept. of Transportation to reconsider its ruling that CEO Fred Reid must have his employment with the airline terminated within 90 days of receipt of its certification.
When tentatively approving Virgin America last month, DOT took the company up on its January offer to remove Reid from the board or the company "if absolutely necessary." In March, DOT said Reid has "longstanding association with foreign investors [that] raised concerns about who would control the new carrier" (ATWOnline, March 21). It permitted him to act as a "follow-on" consultant for 180 days after removal.
Virgin America argued in a heavily redacted filing that it has made structural changes sufficiently profound as to render Reid's association with Virgin Group irrelevant. "The far-reaching changes offered by [the airline] and its investors in this filing, as well as the agreement by these parties to comply with new DOT conditions, constitute a fundamental and significant change in the totality of circumstances," Virgin's attorneys wrote.
The carrier agreed to remove one of three Virgin Group designees on the board, remove a "multitude" of Virgin Group veto or consent rights, amend the franchise agreement to allow the new airline to exist separately from the Virgin brand, place Virgin Group's voting equity interests under a DOT-approved trustee and add a further $30 million at-risk investment by US investors, among other concessions.
It asked DOT to "eliminate the requirement to remove the CEO, or, alternatively, if that is not possible, extend the tenure of the CEO to ensure the airline's successful launch and ramp-up in the face of what is expected to be a heavy competitive response from legacy airlines."
Aside from the new CEO, what else is happening over there with FlexJet? Hiring? Airplanes? Bases? Pay?