Oh the shock of it..
Police called in as UK start-up Excelsis disintegrates
David Kaminski-Morrow, London (13Oct09, 15:20 GMT, 231 words)Proposed UK start-up carrier Excelsis Airways appears to have collapsed at the planning stage, after its management team resigned.
Sources familiar with the situation had indicated to ATI last month that chief executive Andreas Blass was planning to leave the airline, only weeks after being appointed.
But Excelsis admits today that the entire management team has stepped down after expressing strong concerns about the financing of the carrier, and reported the activities of its backer, Victor Bassey, to local police.
Excelsis had promoted itself as a regional operator with plans to link Durham Tees Valley Airport in the northern UK with London City.
But a spokesman for the company says: “Despite constant assurances and guarantees from the owner Victor Bassey about capital funding for the company, stretching back over the last three months, no money has been forthcoming.
“Throughout that time, and still to this day, no member of the Excelsis team has been paid a single penny, and no funds have been made available to meet the demands of an ever-increasing number of creditors.”
Bassey could not be reached for comment. But Excelsis says that police in Cleveland as well as corporate regulatory authorities have both started inquiries.
In addition to Blass, who had previously served with Spain’s Binter Canarias, the airline’s management team had included chief commercial officer Keith Watson and flight operations director Andrew Bray.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
By: cloud_9 - 24th December 2010 at 01:49
Marketing man Peter Troy was initially supportive of Bassey’s plans but later became more sceptical, especially as business meetings took place in McDonalds in Middlesbrough town centre.
I wonder if they were trying to organise an in-flight catering deal…:D:diablo:
You could say that was one Bassey that WASN’T a Goldfinger. :diablo:
LOL.:D
And he certainly didnt have “the Midas touch”, but he “beckons you to enter his web of sin”…and despite being warned “don’t go in!”, some people still did…:D:p:rolleyes:
By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd December 2010 at 12:14
Howcome there is no UK start up airlines in past few years the early 90’s was booming with them.
Possibly because it was slightly easier to start up an airline then with the more favourable economic conditions from 1995 on.
By: Richard Taylor - 22nd December 2010 at 18:20
You could say that was one Bassey that WASN’T a Goldfinger. :diablo:
By: swerve - 22nd December 2010 at 14:05
A bit different. That bloke had set up several other businesses very successfully & made huge amounts of money out of them. He had a lot of capital to back him up, & a large organisation.
Bassey was a con-man. The whole thing was a scam.
Some other start-ups are honest, but unrealistic (under-capitalised, hopelessly optimistic business plans, mistaken views of the market niche they’re aimed at, etc.), yet others are realistic in principle but poorly-run, often by people who know about aircraft but not business.
A capable businessman who knows all about marketing & administration & pays others to look after the aircraft side, e.g. by wet-leasing to start, is always more likely to succeed than the enthusiastic pilot or whatever who’s never run a business.
By: Cking - 21st December 2010 at 23:07
I remember an airline that started in the eighties flying second hand 747’s. The guy who started it was the head of a record company. He had no experience of running an airline and always looked scruffy, with his beard and jumpers. I wonder what ever became of that start up airline?
Rgds Cking
By: Newforest - 21st December 2010 at 22:36
Must have been cleverer than Victor as he never got charged eh?!;)
By: Richard Taylor - 21st December 2010 at 21:57
Reading that story reminds me of someone else, whose name I’ve forgotten. Young alpha male though, I’m sure. Wonder what he’s up to these days…
By: tommyinyork - 21st December 2010 at 20:09
Howcome there is no UK start up airlines in past few years the early 90’s was booming with them.
By: ianatkin - 21st December 2010 at 14:57
Sorry to dredge up an old thread but I thought you might be interested in how this sorry tale ended…
BBC: Middlesbrough airline fraudster’s web of lies
Ian
By: T5 - 23rd October 2009 at 01:20
It could well have been, yes.
One has to admire the spirit of the people who launch these start-ups, but as viable entities, the odds have got to be stacked against them.
That said, a flight in an old B747 would be rather fun, except for the extra fuel stops. There can’t be too many left flying now.
An extra fuel stop is not the end of the world, is it? I am pretty sure that Phuket Air’s 747-200/-300 flights between London Gatwick and Bangkok stopped only on the eastbound flight, and that was in Sharjah. The westbound flight was non-stop. Comparing the cost of a flight with Phuket Air to Thailand’s national airline, Thai Airways International, the ‘inconvenience’ of a fuel stop really wasn’t that inconvenient as a substantial saving could be made.
By: steve wilson - 22nd October 2009 at 21:18
I think you’re thinking of Orion Air who I believe did a season from MAN/LGW for Thomas Cook and every flight was half a day late at best!
Barry
Orion were a well established charter carrier who flew reliably for many a year with 737 200s and 300s. Towards the end when they were merged with Britannia they flew A300s.
Are you maybe thinking of the ludicrous ‘Peach Air’ who flew clapped out Tristars from Manchester for one summer season.
By: allanmac - 22nd October 2009 at 21:08
What happened to the daft named Cardiff based Fly for Beans? Never heard anything more about them!
By: black kettle - 22nd October 2009 at 12:22
I think you’re thinking of Orion Air who I believe did a season from MAN/LGW for Thomas Cook and every flight was half a day late at best!
Barry
By: zoot horn rollo - 22nd October 2009 at 11:33
Yes, that’s it.
The other example I mentioned was the one which flew an old B747. It was a 200 Series, so had to make extra refuelling stops.
I wish I could remember what it was called.
How about Highland Express Airways…?
By: swerve - 22nd October 2009 at 11:10
…One has to admire the spirit of the people who launch these start-ups, ….
Not this latest one. He appears to be a serial scammer with delusions of grandeur. Except, perhaps, his audacity, I see nothing admirable in the whole affair.
By: Arabella-Cox - 22nd October 2009 at 10:30
not Phuket Air is it ??
It could well have been, yes.
One has to admire the spirit of the people who launch these start-ups, but as viable entities, the odds have got to be stacked against them.
That said, a flight in an old B747 would be rather fun, except for the extra fuel stops. There can’t be too many left flying now.
By: Manston Airport - 22nd October 2009 at 00:10
Yes, that’s it.
The other example I mentioned was the one which flew an old B747. It was a 200 Series, so had to make extra refuelling stops.
I wish I could remember what it was called.
not Phuket Air is it ??
By: Arabella-Cox - 21st October 2009 at 17:35
Silverjet, who flew 767’s to Newark and Dubai?
Yes, that’s it.
The other example I mentioned was the one which flew an old B747. It was a 200 Series, so had to make extra refuelling stops.
I wish I could remember what it was called.
By: zoot horn rollo - 21st October 2009 at 14:17
One of my former colleagues left our organisation back in the early 1990s to work for a startup which folded before it started because of financial irregularities and the fact that one of the prime movers had been arrested by the police for some indelicate issues.
Wonder if the same individuals were involved…
By: Rlangham - 21st October 2009 at 11:58
Silverjet, who flew 767’s to Newark and Dubai?
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October 13, 2009 at 4:32 pm