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Post by Humberside on Feb 10, 2010 13:20:57 GMT
Briefly posted about this in the Linksair thread, but maybe worth its own thread now Varsity initially annnounced a week daily Oxford-Edinburgh service, with the aircraft sitting in Edinburgh all day. Today it was announced the aircraft will return to Oxford during the day, operating via Newcastle Varsity is also apparently close to adding a second aircraft. Their original announcement said Linksair were operating for them on an ACMI deal but today's announcement says Varsity are using their own crew, with the aircraft remaining on Linksair's AOC www.flyvarsity.com/0003.htm
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Post by Esbjerger on Feb 11, 2010 16:36:09 GMT
How can Varsity Express fly on Linksair's AOC when the flight is to all intents and purposes now operated by Varsity - albeit with a J31 leased from Linksair? This no longer looks like a regular ACMI wet lease, if Varsity are now evidently providing cockpit crew and cabin crew. Surely the CAA rules with respect to AOCs cannot allow this?
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Post by richardtaylor on Mar 8, 2010 19:38:59 GMT
Martin faiIs AGAIN...!
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Post by Humberside on Mar 9, 2010 11:13:36 GMT
Dispute with Linksair. Looking for an alternative AOC holder to enable flights to resume
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pug
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Post by pug on Mar 9, 2010 11:31:12 GMT
It would appear from another forum that Linksair have not been paid. Im afraid to say its looking like a non-starter. I question this guys intentions anyway. I believe he was intending to keep it afloat by charging way over the odds for a type rating on the J31..
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Post by richardtaylor on Mar 11, 2010 7:12:37 GMT
Baby Branson...NOT. Stick to Airfix, son.
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Post by kidlington on Mar 11, 2010 20:32:39 GMT
But I thought this time round Martin Halstead's operation was well funded. He talked to the media about how he had sufficient in the bank to fly for six months, even if no-one bought any tickets to fly with Varsity. And he boasted of having 20 employees even before they launched on 1 March. What a pity that his second venture ends with tears thus. Just like Alpha One. I hope he pays back every last penny that is owed to Linksair, to those 20 staff, to the two airports and to the handling agents, not to mention the passengers.
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Post by Humberside on Mar 11, 2010 21:01:40 GMT
The passengers should get a refund as apparently all money from uncompleted flights is in an Escrow account and can be refunded. Though obviously that doesnt cover the cost of replacement flights if they are more expensive
Hopefully as you say everyone else will get their money back too
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Post by Humberside on Mar 14, 2010 9:58:58 GMT
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Post by expressflight on Mar 14, 2010 11:11:27 GMT
Actually it's "very sad" that it actually got as far as it did before being revealed for what it was. Quite why the stench of rodents was not picked up by the CAA and why Linksair didn't properly investigate the propriety of Varsity Express is rather beyond my comprehension - after all this man has form. I can well understand young pilots' enthusiasm getting the better of them, but aviation professionals should have had more sense. The sooner Mr Halstead is dealt with by the authorities, as now seems likely, the better. Episodes such as this just serve to make it more difficult for real entrepreneurs to enter the industry; and it was difficult enough before.
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Post by richardtaylor on Mar 14, 2010 16:17:29 GMT
Why does the name "Walter Mitty" come to mind in relation to this guy?
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