Combine BMI and Virgin and you still get an airline that’s maybe a 3rd of the size of BA. Why should the competition authorities trip?

If UA goes under, which they won’t, there’s no way AA joins Star. Given their existing partnerships, it just doesn’t make sense. Unless of course, they were to sever all ties with BA, QF, etc. I don’t even want to think about that, however, what I do like to think about, is this whole Virgin/BMI deal. I’ve been saying for a while now that it would be in both their best interest if they joined forces against BA. The best case scenario here, is perhaps a takeover of a certain amount of shares by Virgin, but yet allowing BMI to keep their identity, livery etc. Them having a loss in 2002 after profitable in 2001, doesn’t make them volatile, from an economic sense. Everybody lost in 2002, which few exceptions. This would then hopefully open the door for Virgin to join the Star Alliance, which I’ve been saying makes total sense for years now. Branson has made it clear that he doesn’t want to join an alliance, but he would benefit from it. As it is, SIA owns 49% of them, and they are a leading member of Star. It makes sense on many fronts.

I wish I kept track of all my flights, unfortunately, I don’t. Even though, I have all the boarding passes lying around both mine and my mom’s house somewhere. This year, so far, I’ve flown a tad over 27,000 miles. I’ve flown 50,000 plus each of the last 2 years, 42,000 and change in 2000, and roughly 25,000 in ’99.

Whilst I was in SYD, I purchased an SIA MD-11 1/200 plastic PPC model. Interesting as they had them on order but cancelled, never having taken delivery of the type, yet there is a model.

No prob, Adrian. In July 2001, I flew LHR-ORD on a UA 744, not a 777. They still make an occassional cameo in LHR, depending on the season. What’s that BA plane doing there!! Virgin still might have an example or 2 with the old scheme. I think I saw one, not too long ago.

Thank you Comet, thank you Michael.

Yes, that is indeed the Singapore scheme, but in these last 2 posts, we’re talking about the S. African Olympic scheme.