Originally Posted by
Prospero
There are two big issues I have with SRB's endeavour I am still finding very difficult to comprehend.
Why go to all the expense of wet leasing aircraft and crews, as well as throwing untold funds into marketing new services which at best will return marginal profits (if any at all) when the EU imposed a condition on BA to open up its domestic feed to competitors. Is there a commercial advantage of running your own airline i'm missing here?
Also, looking at the Virgin Group's broader commercial interests, surely this new enterprise pays ruin to all ambitions Virgin rail had for the East coast mainline franchise (linking London with Aberdeen and Edinburgh)
Although I am always welcome to open competition, not least for keeping BA prices in check, for the reasons given I suspect that this is a bit of a half calculated vanity project.
I have read through a number of VS announcements and I am intrigued to know if VS believe that there are any other airlines other than BA/IAG, as BA/IAG is the only one they ever quote as being in competition with them. It is almost like an obsession with them. I wonder if they would have bothered setting up domestics if it was airline other than BA that was giving up slots?