The number of slots is finite, so the allocation of flying should probably not be predicated on any growth. This may be a story about shifting assets, where VA perhaps shifts flying away from their East and South, to feed the Transatlantic operation. In this context, there could be a way that VA frees enough slots for the TA flying, in which we would share. You're still playing musical chairs with the VA part of the flying, which equates to some reductions. Then again, they're bleeding cash, and they also have to take appropriate action. I'm not suggesting that we're simply going to waltz in and do all the flying, but I am suggesting we shouldn't fund the solution to VA's structural problems.
Another way to look at it is that our company DID buy 49% of theirs, and this merits some consideration. Since there is no LHR growth on the horizon, that should translate into flying now. This LOA, and the notion of appropriate production balances MUST rest on the present. It cannot be crafted like the VAustralia deal, which grandfathers current (lobsided) ratios AND some extra growth by our partner.
Let's not forget about our existing TA JV with AF/KLM/Alitalia. I don't know how it's written, but it cannot be that any VA JV flying is assessed to our side of those ratios. That is European flying, so I think it's going to feel a little murky. So far, I don't see anything about VA joining Skyteam, so perhaps this deal exists completely outside of the TA JV?
My first objective is to get more info, with a clear focus on getting a proper amount of existing flying (not merely growth), not fund solutions to VA's position at our expense, and not yield anything on the TA JV. I think Bar had some good ideas in terms of tightening compliance standards on that front.
The areas that I'm looking at, when talking to my reps will be:
1) Improve or maintain current ratios with AF/KLM/Alitalia,
2) Not allow bypass of our own Africa/Middle East flying (i.e. we must maintain service levels there). The AF/KLM/Alitalia is going to far in removing point-to-point flrying, and we must learn from that.
3) Not allow bypass of our own UK flying, (i.e. we must maintain service levels there). The AF/KLM/Alitalia is going to far in removing point-to-point flrying, and we must learn from that,
4) Enhance our access to LHR flying NOW, not under some unlikely growth scenario,
5) Collaborate with VA pilots, but let them fund their company's structural problems, as we funded ours (and did we ever!).
Last edited by Sink r8; 12-11-2012 at 07:30 AM.
Reason: Trying to clarify my rambling. How am I doing?