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Our main sponsor in the news this morning.
http://www.homeoff1.com/news/item.aspx?id=11649'I saw the start of (the Barcelona race),' he told Queensland's Courier Mail newspaper, 'and (Stoddart's) two Minardi cars were stillborn on the starting line.'
Corrigan dryly smiled: 'It ... was a little prophetic for me.'
Comments
Pussys.
So they wont sponsor 'dangerous' activities, yet Branson is one of the world's biggest 'risk takers' (both in business and personal pursuits)...... hmmm :rolleyes:
Virgin Minardi F1
Only problem is they would paint our car red!!!!
If the sheets are red in the morning then the woman is no longer a virgin !!!!!:P
To the point, and it really should be on the other board, but there you go.
Virgin Blue is no longer under the control of Richard Branson. It could therefore be said that it will no longer follow the off-the-wall evolutionary service philosophy of the other Virgin brands.
Second. I've now had a chance to read a great deal about OzJet's operations and intentions. It would seem that writing them off would be a very foolish thing. Stoddart intends using aircraft that he owns and that are fully depreciated. This changes the pricing dynamics considerably.
Usually, a start-up airline will try to score a good leasing deal and attack the pricing thresholds with a view to achieving very high load factors and through that, high customer loyalty. All this has to be achieved before the grubstake runs out. It rarely does and the landscape is littered with the detritus of the fallen (that's a pun).
OzJet's chief executive is on record as saying that their break-even loads are "south of 50%". That means that they have to fill only 30 seats to pay for the flight. Given that for the same fare as most business travellers pay, OzJet will give them business class service, Club-style departure gates, and peak-period schedules, it is hard to see how they won't be able to make money.
The big factor is the rewards schemes. Business travellers love their points. Hell, I've just booked a return ticket for my eldest daughter to Belgium thanks to points; I've recently had a return trip to Brisbane in Business class, thanks to points; and I've still got enough for another return fare to Europe. It's a pretty strong pull, particularly if your airline is in the Oneworld, or Star Alliance groups.
OzJet doesn't have a rewards scheme. I have discovered however, that another start-up airline may come into play. A new venture called Backpacker Express is in the throes of preparing to launch. This group is targeted at Backpackers on the Kangaroo Route. They will offer all-economy seating, hire DVDs, pizzas to order (and pay on board), and a pub where the first class section used to be. Prices will be cheaper than current airline fares and the folks on board will among their own kind. No doubt this will lead to cheaper rates at backpacker hotels at their destination as the courting process can now be done before they get to the drinking establishments at their destination.
And where do you think that BE is getting their airplanes? Who guessed European Aviation?
Actually, there are rumours that EU may merge with BE rather than just leasing them a couple of 747-200s. If that were the case then OzJet may indeed have an instrument through which it could offer a limited rewards scheme.
Another small point. I met with a customer recently who is a minor Minardi sponsor who left me with the impression that Stoddart was well pleased (in a commercial sense) with the press attention in Melbourne.
One can but wonder whether the talk of challenging the FIA over the V10s is but an early set-up for a repeat performance.