[JordanD]

Am not close to the dates, but if I’m correct isn’t that 2yrs+ on the Aberdeen & Edinburgh slots, which would mean that they wouldn’t be subject to Virgin having to hand them back to BA?

If so, unsurprisingly clever from Branson et al – exit the short haul market and keep the slots ot use for long haul expansion (including via Delta).

[insider]

as has been mentioned many times before, these slots are only available for use on limited routes (Europe plus Cairo and Moscow) I believe so even if Virgin had used them long enough to keep them, they would still be pretty useless for longhaul expansion

[cityprofessional]

According to EC ruling on commitments, clause 1.1.3:

“As a general rule, the slots obtained by a prospective entrant must be operated on the city pair(s) for which they have been requested from IAG and cannot be used on another city pair unless the prospective entrant has operated them during at least six full consecutive IATA seasons (“the Utilisation Period”).272 The prospective entrant would be deemed to have grandfathering rights for the slots once appropriate use of the slots has been made on the city pairs at issue, for the Utilisation Period. Once the Utilisation Period has elapsed, the prospective entrant would be entitled to use the slots obtained on the basis of the Commitments exclusively to operate services on any route connecting London with any other part of Europe (including Aberdeen and Edinburgh), or on London-Moscow, London-Cairo and London-Riyadh”

I make it not quite 6 seasons, as Little Red launched in SS13

In any case, VS would have to use those slots for Europe, Cairo or Riyadh…. and I can’t see an illustrious return to Maastrict or Athens on the cards (anyone old enough to remember those routes?!)

So, it looks like they’ll have to cede them back to IAG, unless the BT team can verify otherwise

http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/decisions/m6447_20120330_20212_2452290_EN.pdf

[Tim2soza]

It has just been announced. Little Red to cease operations.

[JordanD]

Thank you cityprofessional was mistaken in my belief – back to IAG the slots go then …

[MrMichael]

I certainly think Easyjet will take a look, the LoCo,s are already at LHR with Veuling. However, as Little Red could not make a go of it could Easyjet, not convinced. Fees are higher at LHR and turnarounds slower than Easyjets business model commands.

How about this for a plan, not sure if they can do it or not. BA can use the slots freed up and move a few short haul existing routes in to those slots. Then the slots freed up they can use to expand Long Haul, perhaps something to East Coast South America and some more Chinese destinations. Is that possible?

[canucklad]

Very sad that it hasn’t worked out; surprised that it failed ….Not in the least.
Why….Just because the bearded wonder turning up in a tea towel of a kilt promising “stiff competition” to BA doesn’t mean that we’re all going to suddenly change allegiances

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2305921/Is-tackiest-PR-stunt-Richard-Branson-lifts-kilt-promote-Virgin-s-expansion-Scotland.html

The best way to describe “Wee Red’s” attempts to woo travellers onto their planes, can be described, to put it bluntly in metaphoric terms …”PANTS” …ironically, exactly were he made his promise.
Can I remember a memorable advertising campaign to market a brand that is not well known in Scotland……ehmmmm NO…..still flying very much under the radar. There was probably a lot of people yesterday surprised at the news because they didn’t even realise VS was an option.
Did Virgin try and create a USP to differentiate them from BA……ehmmm NO
Did they try and create codeshares with airlines other than Delta & VS…….Doesn’t seem so.,but I’m not in the travel business. Skyteam will be the rock that VS perishes on, I’m afraid.

So, in hindsight I have to agree with those on the forum who originally accused Virgin of slot sitting, that’s exactly what’s come to pass. It’s becoming all to predictable and is sadly turning me into a cynic.
If I was going to predict a future competitor on the UK’s Blue Riband route I’d go for EI not Easyjet. Why fly from EDI to LHR on Easyjet to DXB when I can head down the M8 to GLA and do it direct. But for EI to work they need to work at capturing market share, as VS has found out, it’s not a field of dreams, just because you build it doesn’t necessarily mean they will come. I
Sadly BA wins again , and we consumers lose…again.

[AMcWhirter]

This morning, analysis from routesonline.com suggests that a mere five per cent of Little Red’s Scottish passengers were transferring to Virgin Atlantic flights at LHR.

[LuganoPirate]

I don’t think it’s a case of BA winning Canucklad, I don’t think they were even in the race. All they had to do was sit back, like all of us, and watch it go down. It was inevitable

[VKsNemesis]

Humiliation for “Beardie”!
Maybe he should stop trying to build space ships and focus on matters closer to Earth!

[LuganoPirate]

Now wait for old beardie to blame everyone and his uncle for the failure and to seek to extract compensation from BA who will of course be the subject of most of his vitriol!

If he wants to attribute blame, he need look no further than the mirror!

[SimonS1]

Why would anyone want to go through the ordeal of changing terminals at LHR to go from one flight to another.

With limited frequencies and destinations it really was a non runner and, frankly, a waste of capacity at Heathrow.

[AMcWhirter]

Well the news broke a couple of hours ago that Ryanair announced it will capitalise on the future demise of Little Red by boosting air service between Edinburgh and London Stansted.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/100936/ryanair-to-expand-edinburgh-stansted-in-2015

[cityprofessional]

Really? Will people who were paying a (relative) premium to fly Little Red to Heathrow really defect to Ryanair at Stansted? I get that it’s great PR, but, really?

As an aside, does the VS Flying Club status match still apply to BA status holders flying Little Red? It might be the quickest/cheapest way to get lounge access on SQ/NZ/DL and the like…

[andystock]

There is another loco at LHR – Germanwings from T2

[Author]

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