British Airways to buy Colgan

[Seggy]

One of my First Officers had Willie Walsh (British Airways CEO) flying on his BOS to ALB flights the other day.

British Airways is trying to get into the United States market and their analysts have decided the best way to do so is buy an operating certificate from an airline already in business. As Pinnacle Corp, is going to charge hundreds of millions for our operating certificate, that would take years of flying to make, it looks like they are going to let us go and we are going to be part of British Airways PLC!

Discuss.

[I_Money]

It makes sense - would be far cheaper to fly big planes into 10 big cities multiple times per day and have connectioins to the small ones, than all the flying they are currently doing.

[kellwolf]

Just tell them to buy 49% of PCL Holdings. On the road to cabotage, but I'm not sure if that's worse then the Lorenzo-esque management practices we've got now.....

Besides, maybe we'll get BA travel benes.

[BobDDuck]

Could make sense. Congress is rolling back cabatoge laws left and right. With Open Skies in place, BA could very well get their foot in the market using the Colgan Certificate. Those Captain America Saabs would just need the flag changed on the tail and they would be good to go. Would they call it "BA America" to compete with Branson?

and yes, this is complete baloney

[kellwolf]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

Could make sense. Congress is rolling back cabatoge laws left and right. With Open Skies in place, BA could very well get their foot in the market using the Colgan Certificate. Those Captain America Saabs would just need the flag changed on the tail and they would be good to go. Would they call it "BA America" to compete with Branson?

and yes, this is complete baloney

Eh, I don't know. PCL could sell off Colgan, then use the money to settle the pilot contract. Ah, who am I kidding? If they sold it, the money would go into management's pockets.....

[Seggy]

I doubt BA would buy Colgan to have us doing EAS runs from PQI to BOS. They could use us a platform to compete against Virgin America.

The more and more I think about this, the more and more I am convinced that down the road, I will be saying 'Speedbird' on my radio calls!

[kellwolf]

Originally Posted by Seggy

I doubt BA would buy Colgan to have us doing EAS runs from PQI to BOS. They could use us a platform to compete against Virgin America.

The more and more I think about this, the more and more I am convinced that down the road, I will be saying 'Speedbird' on my radio calls!

Eh, by the time the deal goes through you'll either be elsewhere or beating your FOs to death out of frustration.

"I said GEAR UP! God, I hate my life!" SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

[OldTownPilot]

BA connect would the be the biggest thing to happen to Maine and West Virginia aviation in decades!!!

The union jack would look killer on the tail of the beech

[Seggy]

Dude I'm going to stay here for the rest of my career. I will be flying for British Airways America!

[Seggy]

What are saabs could look like.

[dingo222]

wow, this has got to be one of the craziest rumors i've ever heard. speedbuuurrrrrddddd

[chris]

I heard Colgan will change the callsign from "speedbird" to "speedturd."

[jtrain609]

System bid came out today, what'll you think I can hold?

[BobDDuck]

Heathrow 777 lav cleaner?

[MattB]

Does this mean colgan pilots will be getting paid something reasonable?

[v1valarob]

Originally Posted by MattB

Does this mean colgan pilots will be getting paid something reasonable?

20,000 pounds a year, so about $40k.

LoganAir flies the Saab for British Airways, nice looking plane.

-Rob

[bike21]

You guys are soooooo silly

[HercDriver130]

I know its "5 O'clock SOMEWHERE"...but you guys really need to lay off the sauce...

[Brand X]

You could bid for the Concorde.

[athomeinthesky]

Yeah if this was even true (highly unlikely) I am sure the companies first act as the owners would be to raise the salaries of its Colgan pilots.

Walsh in not liked in Ireland, and the unions over there hate him. So even if he was to buy Colgan I wouldn't be too happy.

Why would Walsh be on a Colgan plane to Albany? and why would he tell a first officer some insider info like that? weird

[beechpilot]

Originally Posted by Seggy

What are saabs could look like.

I heard that PQI-BOS would be done in the 777.

[Maximillian_Jenius]

...man, we really need that new industry gossip sub forum!

On a side note, I heard that Eastern might restart out of Florida with A319's!

Seriously, I read that on the net!

[OldTownPilot]

Originally Posted by Maximillian_Jenius

...man, we really need that new industry gossip sub forum!

On a side note, I heard that Eastern might restart out of Florida with A319's!

Seriously, I read that on the net!

Jeez, Eastern + florida sounds like it has the chance to be a "gulfstream mainline" company.




Back to the Colgan/BA thing. I just heard the PQI eas service is going to be changed to LHR on a 777 routed LHR-PQI-BOS-PQI-LHR. All passengers will clear customs in PQI, so that the plane does not use a prime time terminal E gate. This is all going to be subsidized by Massport as well.