Virgin America on the Cobert report.

[SaabStory]

Their certification should have immediately been pulled when he said that, and reinstated only upon another very exaustive review of their financing and control with an added stipulation that there will be no Virgin Atlantic codeshare or marketing partnership of any kind ever. Still want to play with airplanes over here "sir" richard?

Yeah...right. Gimmie a break. Fast Willie Parker was on ESPN awhile back & refered to the Steelers as "my team"..what the?? I heard the organization & the NFL are launching an investigation to see how much control & ownership he has managed to acquire...Dan Rooney is asking for a speedy conclusion to the probe in hopes of finding out when he lost ownership of his team.

 

[Yuppyguppy]

stupid Virgin America...hope they go under

 

[Dizel8]

what a moron.

And your point is???

 

[IronCityBlue]

Yeah...right. Gimmie a break. Fast Willie Parker was on ESPN awhile back & refered to the Steelers as "my team"..what the?? I heard the organization & the NFL are launching an investigation to see how much control & ownership he has managed to acquire...Dan Rooney is asking for a speedy conclusion to the probe in hopes of finding out when he lost ownership of his team.

Ok let's run with that analogy.

First of all, there is no law preventing Willie Parker in owning the Steelers. There is no law preventing him from owning a voting number of shares (assuming it was a publicly traded company). If he were to buy the team he wouldn't have to funnel money through fake holding companies and into the hands of his subserviant cronies and yes men who would then pretend to be in charge. Also worthy of note is the fact that there is no pressing legal question about the level of operational control and/or financing that Willie may or may not claim to have, nor does he legally have to justify the level of his crontrol, or lack thereof, to anyone.

The entier time they were begging for their illegal start up, VA said again and again that RB had virtually nothing to do with the airline or its operations or its financing. Fred Reid said on numerous occasions that RB had nothing to do with VAmer at all, and he only talked to RB a couple times a year over the phone, for a few minutes each time, tops! They said that garbage because they legally had to. Guess what, they still do. The moment RB starts shooting off his mouth about how this is his airline and how he controls it, and seamlessly integrates it into his other Virgin airlines he violates our laws.

Look, I admire some of the things RB has done, Virgin Atlantic in particular. He has a cool record store too. His cell phone service appears to be a little weak over here, but it doesn't bother me that he's trying. But like it or not (and I happen to like it a lot) foreigners and their companies are not permitted to play with airplanes in the good old US and A. Until and unless that changes, even the slightest admission to the contrary needs to be taken very seriouslly and VAmer's entire financing structure needs to be very thouroughly reviewed. If the slightest shread of proof exists, they need to have their certification pulled immediately, whatever it ends up costing him. Oh but wait, it couldn't cost him much because its not his money...yeah right.

Unless, of course, you're going to say that his admitting he violated them doesn't count. By that same logic, Vick should be allowed to continue playing. All he did was admit to it, but we all know that doesn't count! :laugh:

 

[SSDD]

It just emphasizes the old saying: Money talks and BS walks. Any FAA, SEC, polititian who pretends they don't know that Branson is the real owner of VA is so full of $hit.

 

[SaabStory]

...VAmer's entire financing structure needs to be very thouroughly reviewed. If the slightest shread of proof exists, they need to have their certification pulled immediately, ...

Iron City,
Thanks for the well thought out response. I was just having some fun with your (not really your, you know what I mean...) Steelers. My point is that what you've called for above has been conducted adnauseam, for over a year!. Very powerful interests on your (not really your, well... forget it) side of the issue filed legal brief after legal brief. CAL/DAL/AAL, etc. all spent considerable time, $$, & effort trying to convince the DOT that what you allege is/was in fact the case; They failed. They've all dropped it. The only entity refusing to give it a rest are the resident Flightinfo "Experts", not exactly the legal professionals that worked the case on behalf of the legacy carriers, but I suppose they know something those lawyers didn't. I'm just saying that because the guy says "my", "our", "your", or whatever, on Comedy Central, it hardly rates a DOT review. We've been down that road far enough, trust me, I lived it. It's legal, it's been reviewed, it meets US law; sorry that some feel the Gov't reached their decision in error, but that's the way it shook out.

As far as M Vick is concerned, don't get me started, with any luck we won't see him again. Now if a few other QB's would "depart the league" my Lions would have a shot.

 

[IronCityBlue]

What you're saying is true enough, but its important to add that VAmer's final aprooval was given in advance, based on them meeting a rather large set of criteria. Much of that criteria has to do (and will always have to do on an ongoing, daily basis) their unquestionable operational and financial independance from Virgin Atlantic, Richard Branson and any other foreign investor(s). To get aprooval, a bill of goods was sold to US lawmakers that RB was a quiet, benevolent little minority stakeholder, that's it. The instant that changes, it literaly becomes a big federal case, and VAmer's operations would then be subject to the same criteria they had to meet to get aprooved, to remain aprooved.

His arrogance for our laws and his desire for world domination for its own sake is the lose string hanging off a 300 dollar cashmere sweater. Maybe he'll clip it off before anyone notices. Or maybe it will catch and the whole thing will come unraveled.

As for Vick, good riddance to a punk thug POS. I liked him early on, and couldn't help but respect his natural ability and versitility as a player. Unfortunately as a person he crossed the line and will pay dearly with at least a large portion of his best years as a player. Personal foul, 10,000 yard penalty. The ruling on the field stands.

 

[SaabStory]

What you're saying is true enough, but its important to add that VAmer's final aprooval was given in advance, based on them meeting a rather large set of criteria. Much of that criteria has to do (and will always have to do on an ongoing, daily basis) their unquestionable operational and financial independance from Virgin Atlantic, Richard Branson and any other foreign investor(s)... .

You're right regarding the criteria that was placed upon them. I'm sure they understand the gravity of the situation & have no intention of failing to comply. I believe they have made/will continue to make the fundamental changes required. These were the rules established in granting the certificate, and as such, VA agreed to abide by them. Should they fail to "hit all the gates" someone who's watching closer than we are, will call them on it.

As far as Vick...I agree with you 100%. Take care, nice talking to you. I appreciate the "flame free" conversation!

 

[Victor120]

waterfight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkkzze0Mg7A

 

[Victor120]

Colbert throwing water on Branson (and vise-versa) was likely staged, go to wikipedia and look up 'viral video' - it's a very current marketing technique, and this skit is not remarkable.

meh

 

[AirplanesSuck]

Flightinfo is about the most Soviet board I've come across on the internet.

If you guys are so sure that US pilots are the best around and you work for good, strong American companies... let VA (or Branson, if he wants to pretend it's his) compete with you and quit whining about it.

Funny how the same sort of talk came about when a little company in Texas started a while back... now they're accepted as part of the "club."

VA will either tank, or will succeed and be accepted. Either way, quit whining and let the market work. And for God's sake, (on other VA threads) quit acting as if pilots who go there are traitors or fools. Just because some guys aren't socialists doesn't mean they're trying to harm you.

 

[Beetle007]

Let VA (or Branson, if he wants to pretend it's his) compete with you and quit whining about it.

When Branson claims that it is "his airline" he is openly admitting violating the laws of our country.

If pilots in the U.S.A are against Virgin they are free to vocalize their protest and take any actions (that are legal) against Virgin America. And Virgin is free to fight back. That is capitalism at its best.

 

[AirplanesSuck]

When Branson claims that it is "his airline" he is openly admitting violating the laws of our country.

If pilots in the U.S.A are against Virgin they are free to vocalize their protest and take any actions (that are legal) against Virgin America. And Virgin is free to fight back. That is capitalism at its best.

Touché.

I just think that people seem a little protectionist... I don't necessarily agree with the laws preventing foreigners from "playing with airplanes" in the US. If they obey the safety rules, I don't care.

 

[IronCityBlue]

Stephen Colbert is NOT afraid of bears. He merely recognizes them as a threat to hardworking citizens of the 'nation' everywhere. As such, they must be watched. Closely.

Bears are one of the main reasons why there is no place for women in the workforce. Women menstruate, and that attracts bears.