RE: British Charter

The situation of the aviation is Spain is rather dramatic and stagnant, with Iberia swallowing everything. In the 1992 after the liberalization of European skies there were a lot of starts ups, but due that all collapsed, there´s an excesive prudence when creating new airlines. You mention VIVA, closed down by Iberia Pilot´s because they refused to hand them destinations. It was a great thing having a low cost, but Iberia as a previous statal airline, never had a racional idea. Now they want to purchase GO (what for?). And you mention Palma as home base of many charter airlines. As you know Spaniards don´t travel as much as other nationalities and this doesn´t allow the spanish charter to be dependant on the national market (which essential concentrate on flights to the Caribbean, Balearics and Canary Islands, and right now to Zamzibar) so the airlines which survive are the ones which are able to flight international passangers and have links with foreign tour operators. The British market is to protective to allow Spanish charters to carry British and only Futura (as part of AerLingus,
LTE as part of LTU and Spanair closely linked to the scandinavian market) the rest have dissapeared. And on the other way as you ask, Palma is a small place where everybody know everybody. One start up is made by people coming from another airline. Cenntenial (incorrect management desitions), was then BCM, them ERA and previously Universair. I hope I had answer your question.

RE: British Charter

Well, I am pleasantly suprised you know such a lot about charter in Spain. As far as Spanair is concerned, you are quite right they have really “monkey class” configurations with planes crampted with seats. Some MD-83 have 170 vs IB MD-88 with 150.
MD-87 with 137 vs IB´s with 109 and A321 with Chinese class 218 pax with no bulkheads, galleys of toilets in the middle. The reason is that they have to share two philosofies: charter (high configuration) and schedule (higher pitchs). They have commited a huge mistake, for regional they have created a subsidiary called Spanair Link but instead of using small regional they are using B717 with 112 seats and most of their regional flights are having big losses, so right now they are giving schedule flights to Spanair Links to reduce costs. And Spanair bellongs to SAS in a 49% per cent. The rest, private Spanish investors.
Oasis was “killed” by Delta at JFK. The American airline had rented a A310 to Oasis. They operated to NY and Delta started flying from MAD as well using the same aircraft, so as Oasis had a debt with Delta, one day Delta empoyees (having sued them) removed one piece of the Oasis plane for it wasn´t able to take off and getting Osais passangers to their flight. Then it collapsed. Most of the employees are now in Iberworld.

RE: British Charter

Well, as far as financial performance is quite difficult to know. I agree that Air Europe was quite surprising, the same thing is going on here in Spain where we are hearing all the time thar Air Europa will be over soon. Now there are mor than speculations with the possible merger with IB, which as far as competence is concerned should be terrible for passangers, since Spanair is not doing it quite well and I think it will be with Lufhansa and Star soon. Let´s concentrate on B Charters. It seems that all are offering the same thing in terms of service.
Any stands out?. And in terms of bad service?. I have heard many times that Airtours service is particularly bad. Any possible merger?.