Virgin America-ExUAL Chief Will Help Fund

[storminpilot]

http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/story.jsp?story=544743

Virgin America gains backing of former UA chief

By Rachel Stevenson



26 July 2004

Virgin America, Sir Richard Branson's low-cost US air carrier, looks set to go ahead with the financial backing of a former chief executive of United Airlines.

Sir Richard is understood to have secured the backing of Greenbriar Equity Group, a New York-based investment company that specialises in transport deals. One of Greenbriar's founders is Gerald Greenwald, a former chairman and chief executive of United. Proceeds from the float of Virgin Mobile in the UK last week are also going towards building up the airline in the United States, as will those from floating the Virgin Blue airline in Australia last year.

US law prevents more than 49 per cent of the equity and 25 per cent of the voting rights of an airline being held in foreign hands. Sir Richard's team in the US has been seeking investment from external partners and it is understood that Greenbriar got approval last week to head a consortium of investors that will take a 51 per cent stake.

Virgin America plans to start domestic flights in the US early next year.

The company is close to placing a $5bn (£3bn) order for about 30 new aircraft for the Virgin Atlantic business, which Airbus looks set to win after a bitter competition with Boeing. Virgin America has 33 Airbus aircraft on order, with options for a further 72.

 

[BLUE BAYOU]

For all those guys/gals who were upset by the JBLU 190 pay, wait till you see what they're going to be paying airbus pilots at Virgin USA...

 

[sandman2122]

"Blue Bayou"

Why are you happy about that? Pretty gutsy for someone who's working without any job protections or contract.

Sleep well tonight........

 

[jbucpt]

"Blue Bayou"

Why are you happy about that? Pretty gutsy for someone who's working without any job protections or contract.

Sleep well tonight........

we will, maybe one day we can get a "no furlough clause" in our next contract........

---------------------

a great ALPA STATESMAN once said: "We don't want to kill the golden goose; we just want to choke it by the neck until it gives us every last egg it has."

 

[jetblue320]

"Blue Bayou"

Why are you happy about that? Pretty gutsy for someone who's working without any job protections or contract.

Sleep well tonight........

You don't know jack Sandman. He has plenty of protections, and history to prove it. You guys are always predicting doomsday for us and JB, along with SWA and AK were among the only that didn't furlough after 9/11. Oh, and maybe that other big one in MEM.

And I am sure he will sleep well tonight and for many nights to come unless he lives in MEM!!!

C yaaaa

 

[EAP]

For all those guys/gals who were upset by the JBLU 190 pay, wait till you see what they're going to be paying airbus pilots at Virgin USA...

Yeah, probably pretty similar to what Jet Blue paid when they started out. Don't forget where you came from.

 

[PHXFLYR]

Lemme see...


JetBlue,JetBlue....isn't that the, uh ..."'airline" that wanted to get a duty day waiver from the Fed's so they could do JFK-LGB turns and have more days off ?
Nah....couldn't be, must be someone else.


PHXFLYR

 

[Dizel8]

Not a duty day waiver, a flight time waiver, so if you are trying to flame, at least do it correctly.

However, cooler heads prevailed and we came to realize, that flying 4-7 legs a day or night, while being on duty 16 hours is much safer than two legs in 13 hours during mostly daytime.

 

[EAP]

However, cooler heads prevailed and we came to realize, that flying 4-7 legs a day or night, while being on duty 16 hours is much safer than two legs in 13 hours during mostly daytime.

Yes.... cooler heads did prevail in this instance to be sure. Not for the "pie in the sky" two legs in 13 hours scenario, but for what the waiver would have been used to do in a real kind of world.

BTW, isn't this thread about Virgin America??

 

[Dizel8]

Not sure, ask phx!

 

[B-atch]

Marc my words and note the date stamp..... Virgin America will put JetBlue OUT-OF-BUSINESS..It's pretty easy to compete against the LEGACY carriers and turn a proffit....Anyone can do that. When JB meets in the fighting ring with VA, it will taste its own MEDICINE............

 

[Dizel8]

well, if jb will be put "OUT-OF-BUSINESS" by VUSA, then I guess the legacies might as well take their ball and go home After all, Virgin Express destroyed all the european airlines and Virgin Atlantic killed British Airways.

"It's pretty easy to compete against the LEGACY carriers and turn a proffit....Anyone can do that." Is there something you want to tell the hundreds of upstarts who has failed, after all, most never made it past the two year mark.

Geez louise, I guess jb really is the devil reincarnated! To imagine one tiny little airline could threaten destruction on the entire industry, simply quite amazing!

 

[Isla Mujeres]

Virgin didn't kill BA. Virgin Express didn't kill squat either....

Later

 

[Freddie Spencer]

Virgin Blue killed Ansett. BTW, what are the payscales at VA?

 

[Swann757]

For all those guys/gals who were upset by the JBLU 190 pay, wait till you see what they're going to be paying airbus pilots at Virgin USA...

Where did you see the payscale, or where can I find it?

 

[Cpt. Underpants]

I shudder to think that some of you boobs command aircraft - big ones at that.

Rather keep quiet and let people assume that you are stupid than to open your mouths and remove any doubt.