[AMcWhirter]

Theis article in the German aviation media (German language) covers an interview with CityJet’s new MD.

He talks about needing newer, more modern planes in order to cope with the competition at LCY.

http://www.aero.de/news-20148/Cityjet-erhaelt-neue-Flotte-fuer-Wettbewerb-in-London-City.html

[AMcWhirter]

Cityjet says it will axe its two routes ex-Cambridge which were started only four months ago.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/100914/cityjet-cuts-cambridge-services

The carrier used to operate several routes between LCY and Germany. Today there is only one route remaining and that is to Dresden.

[dutchyankee]

i read yesterday that Intro Aviation, the new owners of City Jet have agreed the sale of City Jet subsidiary VLM to VLM management. Does anyone have any update or information regarding this. As a part time resident of Antwerp, and a user of VLM/City Jet from Antwerp to LCY I am interested if VLM will somehow be resurrected as a scheduled carrier, or only as a charter operation. When AF/KL bought VLM and merged it into their City Jet operation, VLM`s slots in LCY of course went to City Jet, and I am curious if with this sale now making VLM independent again, do they retain their original LCY slots? I would really like to know how this will all pan out.

[SealinkBF]

Press release here:

http://www.vlmairlines.com/vlm-airlines-bought-by-management/

“scheduled services planned”

[dutchyankee]

Thanks SealinkBF, I had read this, but what I am curious about is when this takes place, and how this will impact CityJet, as the Fokker 50`s revert to VLM? Do the LCY slots also revert back to VLM? As they state they will plan scheduled services, will this be their old historic routes as one of the main players at LCY prior to their take over, or does CityJet get to keep their slots? I hope VLM makes a go of it again as they were a very successful niche carrier, and could easily code share with BA now as the AF/KL tie is over, and give some high end feeder traffic to the BA JFK route.

[MarcusGB]

Actually, I have been off travelling on Business in far East and now in Australia, and i contribute where i wish and when i think something to say. As in the review of Business and First on Etihad Europe to Australia, and the other (thank you BT), prize winning reviews in a month last year, ironically about Citjet and BA and a couple of long haul. Wonderful Business travel luggage set, for such accuracy and details tips, best of the month.
There is also another Etihad review posted a few days ago from Abu Dhabi.

Alex agreed s others, that Cityjet had declined, as a Dutch oil owner of his own Company, who i sat next to on a KLM flight a few weeks ago. He laughes and stated he had got so fed up, he took samples from one window and the table, took then into his Company. What was found were high levels of bacteria, saliva and mucus on the windows, as well as some forms of mould!!!

I actually made an email complaint to Cityjet at the time, and one of their Managers checked the aircraft in Dublin, and actually wrote and agreed! Memos went out to improve this but nothing changed. KLM and AF in the Holland, France and the UK, had “over 120 complaints about cleanliness of the aircraft in two months”, a KLM Manager discussed with me by phone.
Shareholders, have been aware and raised it with the Executive team, and as you know they were sold off. So many felt, observed witnessed the same.

The smudge, is not plastic, dirt is dirt, scratches are scratches, i fly too often with some of the best Airlines, and very well know the difference, in Europe, as well as First and Business long haul.
The “Bashing ” of others has always been a feature on here, pathetic in nature, and cowardly, but often get removed. Working in psychiatry, i just view it as rather sad but a choice of behaviour, usually these personality types do not go down well in their occupations, tending to hook on to one person to vent their frustrations, reflections of themselves.I do not know anyone in Business or a professional occupation, who would be able to behave in such a way at work without getting moved on.

I flew Cityjet to Rotterdam a few weeks ago one way and BA back.
It was booked through KLM, Owned by VLM (so they still exists), operated by CityJet, and still then KLM codeshared. Yes, they still have not changed the livery. As experienced weekly, and several of us over 3 years at various times, weekly, the planes or service was no better.

Ba was far better, Embraer 75 so new, clean, windows were not scratched smudged of coated in extra levels of what was found above, service just basic, also on time, Cityjet was delayed with one Paris flight by 3 hrs, then cancelled after the next one already departed!

Seems like they are making a garb to keep their Dublin route going, as they need the aircraft to come into LCY to go on elsewhere. Then BA doubled their flights to EDO, when cityjet pulled out and these flights are running with higher loads, so somewhere CJ, is not preferred over BA when the same route is occupied by a different Airline.

Used to be very happy with them, but they did decline as i know Dutch and english, at least 40 people have shared with me, and others on here. Six new route for Flybe out of LCY also, just the routes that Cityjet gave up due to poor loads! People would not fly with them as they used too.

Interesting that the Company VLM still exists, in some form?

[AMcWhirter]

Some information on the VLM sale in today’s Irish Times. But no definite information yet on future routes and so on.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/transport-and-tourism/cityjet-parent-company-sells-regional-carrier-vlm-1.1979902

[SimonS1]

Let’s see what happens as the whole thing seems to be in a sate of flux.

I don’t think dirty planes are anything new. Travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg last week the seat pocket on SAA was stuffed full of detritus from a previous flight(s) and the plane was a looking a bit grubby.

If Cityjet offers the right product it will be able to compete with BA and Flybe on the LCY route. If not they won’t.

As for VLM, an interesting move, their route network is pretty negligible but they were at one stage a successful and profitable airline so maybe those days will return. The only challenge is the steadily ageing Fokker 50 fleet which won’t last for ever.

[AMcWhirter]

Latest news re VLM, just posted on flightglobal.com, is that VLM is set to become the first European airline to operate the Sukhoi Superjet … assuming ir receives approval for its route planes.

These envisage a network of routes which will start from its Antwerp base beginning in April 2015.

Looks as though the Superjet will replace its ageing Fokker 50s.

But will passengers approve of flying in a Russian-made aircraft ?

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/vlm-set-to-become-first-european-superjet-operator-405339/

[dutchyankee]

VLM was a very successful niche carrier, and at one time I believe it was one of the largest operators into LCY in its own right. Of course the confines of Antwerp Airport limit the type of aircraft they can operate, and a decision by the city regarding the lengthening of the runway continues to hit roadblocks, literally, as they would need to build a tunnel for road traffic to stretch the runway. I would fly the Superjet but would have preferred they go with the Embraer family of jets.

[AMcWhirter]

dutchyankee – Quite correct. VLM with its F-50s was once the biggest user of LCY.

The Sukhoi Superjet is a stange choice but the same aircraft was being considered by the new owner of Cityjet at one stage.

The reason given at the time, was that Sukhoi could offer an earlier delivery date for new aircraft. If it were to buy Embraer it would mean a longer wait.

I guess though, that Sukhoi would have offered VLM an attractive deal seeing as it would be its first European customer.

[MarcusGB]

Any Airline to introduce new Aircraft at LCY will quickly gain good business i think. there are a fair few old Avro jets, with LH, swiss, and some props like LuxAir.

On the same route, for me it would be common sense to choose the best aircraft if the prices are all roughly the same. As BA Pounced in with the demise of CityJet, their Embraer fleet really are very pleasant to fly on, and fuel efficient for the Airline. Limited choices at LCY for Aircraft, so it would be good to see some Bombardier or Sukhoi coming in there which have 70 or 90 seat versions, so quite similar to the Embraer family.

Alex, i recall the KLM F50’s into LCY also years ago, as well as VLM.
So is VLM an actual operating Company, or do they merely hold slots, as they have no actual planes with their own logos, as they were incorporated into Air France then. My KLM ticket listed them as operated by VLM, so Alex what exactly is VLM now?

[AMcWhirter]

Marcus – Yes I too remember the time when KLM operated F-50s between LCY and AMS.

Initially VLM will lease these Superjets for a period of 12 years. It is also keeping a couple of F-50s in its fleet.

No routes have yet been announced. But VLM has ordered the longer range version of the Superjet so one might presume we would see routes both within and outside the EU.

[AMcWhirter]

Financial reslts released in Dublin today reveal that Cityjet lost Euros 23.1 million last year … although it expects to return to profit in 2016.

And it’s bad news for those of you who were hoping that Cityjet would soon be acquiring new aircraft.

According to independent.ie Cityjet’s CEO says that a decision on buying new planes will not be made until summer 2015.

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/cityjet-predicts-profit-by-2016-despite-231m-loss-30749281.html

[SealinkBF]

A loss of EUR23 isn’t that bad in the big scheme of things – not like the way bmi haemorraged cash in its’ final years.

That said, I checked flights to Amsterdam from London Cityi in December. Hand luggage only.

FlyBE – £148 rtn
BA – £149 rtn
Cityjet – £316 rtn.

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