Il futuro del Virgin Atlantic!?

[dreamliner]

March 31, 2011 Virgin Atlantic may need to merge with a rival or join an airline alliance to survive in the increasingly competitive world of aviation, which has been changed by the advent of cross-border super carriers.
After falling behind in European consolidation following Air France's merger with Dutch-based KLM, Lufthansa's recent tie-ups and last year's BA-Iberia merger, Virgin needs a partner or else could be left behind.
The airline, formed in 1984 by British billionaire Richard Branson, who still owns a 51 percent stake through his Virgin Group, has attracted admiring glances from a number of rivals.
Singapore Airlines is looking to sell its 49 percent stake in Virgin, which has hired Deutsche Bank to conduct a strategic review that could lead to a whole or partial sale or to Virgin joining an airline alliance.
Here are some scenarios for how events could unfold:
TAKEOVER
Virgin could face a takeover approach, with industry analysts seeing a bid as most likely to come from a combination of Air France-KLM -- Europe's largest airline by revenue -- and US carrier Delta Air Lines, which has been working with Goldman Sachs to identify possible targets for several months.
Air France-KLM and Delta would be keen to get hold of Virgin's 288 takeoff and landing slots at London's Heathrow airport -- 3 percent of the airport's total -- to help them add more services to the United States and Asia from Europe's busiest hub.
Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways has also expressed interest, though European Union (EU) rules state the region's carriers must be under European control, meaning any move for Virgin would have to involve an EU airline.
JOIN AN ALLIANCE
Virgin, the second-largest long-haul carrier at Heathrow, could also join a global alliance, a deal which would be attractive to Branson because it wouldn't end his control. It has a choice of the three: SkyTeam, Star Alliance and oneworld.
Air France and Delta's SkyTeam may be Virgin's most likely alliance as it does not have a UK partner and holds just 5 percent of the slots at Heathrow, compared with oneworld's 47 percent and Star Alliance's 25 percent.
Virgin, which has no agreements in place with oneworld or SkyTeam members, already has codeshare agreements with Star Alliance members, including Air China, bmi and US Airways. Star also includes Air New Zealand, Virgin's partner on trans-Tasman routes, and Singapore Airlines, its part owner.
Oneworld, which already has IAG-owned British Airways as a member, looks to be the least likely destination.
STAKE SALE
Virgin Group and Singapore are willing to sell at least part of their stakes, though Branson wants to retain an interest.
However, Singapore is keen to sell the entire stake it bought in 1999 for around GBP£600 million (USD$965.8 million), according to an aviation banker who wished to remain nameless.
"There's a book on it (Virgin Atlantic)... all (the stake) is worth is what they can sell it for because it's not making them any money," said the banker.
Ireland's Ryanair and Dubai's Emirates are also keen on buying a stake, according to UK press reports.
REVISIT LUFTHANSA DEAL
Another option for Virgin would be for it to get Lufthansa back to the table. Talks between the pair over the potential merger of Virgin with UK carrier bmi failed in 2009 with bmi being taken over by Lufthansa without Virgin's involvement.
A merger would have helped Virgin better compete with its main rival BA, allowing it to use bmi's short-haul network and slots at Heathrow to further international expansion.
(Reuters)

 

[vce145]

La domanda che mi sorge spontanea è: considerando che OW e SA hanno già buoni shares a LHR non ci dovrebbe/potrebbe essere un ban da parte della UE circa accordi con LH?
Per logica deduzione (ma sappiamo che in politica la logica non viene tenuta in considerazione) gli accordi meno lesivi (acquisto e/o alleanza) non sarebbero con ST?

 

[lo spaziale]

Un sacco di speculazioni, ma la verita' e' che al momento non c'e' nulla di fatto.

 

[AZ209]

Lo posto qui perchè inerente al futuro di VS ora che è sostenuta da Delta (magari modificare il titolo in "futuro di Virgin Atlantic"):

Virgin Atlantic on Offensive as Delta Deal Ends Wilderness Years

Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. will go on the offensive under new Chief Executive Officer Craig Kreeger as an equity deal with Delta Air Lines Inc. gives it the backing to take on bigger rivals, outgoing CEO Steve Ridgway said.

Kreeger, a 53-year-old American, was appointed to the top position on Jan. 8, four weeks after Delta agreed to pay Singapore Airlines Ltd. $360 million for a 49 percent stake in Virgin, which is majority owned by billionaire Richard Branson.

“There’s now a shareholder with a significant strategic interest in what Virgin Atlantic brings them,” Ridgway said in an interview. “We’ve been in fighting mode for the last four to five years. This should put us back on a growth trajectory.”

The first task for Kreeger, who took over on Feb. 1, will be to expedite the two-month old joint venture agreement with Delta, Ridgway said. The new CEO’s 27 years at AMR Corp., where he helped coordinate a joint venture between American Airlines and BA, should help him deliver on the new tie-up, he said.

“He brings a wealth of experience at American in dealing and working with British Airways,” Ridgway said yesterday in London. “That’s what we need because we’ve got to put together this North Atlantic joint venture now and there is a set of skills there that Virgin needs to have.”

Heathrow Strength

Delta and Virgin are seeking antitrust immunity that would let them coordinate schedules and pricing and share costs and sales from 31 joint-venture flights over the Atlantic regardless of whose plane operates the route. They also will offer reciprocal frequent-flier benefits and use of airport lounges.

The deal gives Delta a platform at London Heathrow airport, Europe’s busiest and the home base for British Airways, Virgin’s biggest rival and the top carrier in the world-leading North Atlantic corporate travel market.

The Atlanta-based-carrier “didn’t have the right presence in London, which you need to have if you’re going to be a corporate player, and we bring that,” Ridgway said.
Kreeger will also need to reinvigorate a business battered by the global economic downturn, rising fuel prices and fast- consolidating, better-connected rivals.

Virgin Atlantic had an 80.2 million-pound ($125.9 million) loss in the year through February and has delayed adding bigger planes while cutting unprofitable routes to destinations including Nairobi in Kenya, and Kingston, Jamaica.

“Let’s face it, it’s been brutal,” Ridgway said, adding that the global economy appears to be stabilizing. There’s “that bit of blue sky down the road,” he said.

bloomberg