VLM Airlines news 2014-2015

[b720]

I agree, it is alright for a short hop.. but 2 or more hours on a F50 is not very appealing.. Even the ANR - GVA takes 1h30 min.. on SN from BRU just 1 hour, sometimes less.. add to that VLM is virtually unknown in Liege and the area.

[Acid-drop]

it is a problem ... if you know about it.
Most people don't have a clue until they walk next to the plane "hey wait a minute, this one is a propeller ????"
the main reason of the failure seems to be the lack of good marketing, to the end customer but also to the TO/agencies and the lack of a good booking system.
If air corsica made it, VLM could have done it.

[b720]

also true, and their booking engine does not accept all major credit cards.. no Amex for instance..

[crew1990]

Most people don't have a clue until they walk next to the plane "hey wait a minute, this one is a propeller ????"

yes indeed, people don't have clue... unless "brainy" people at VLM decide to put a wonderful picture of their old Fokker 50 in the marketing campaign and decide to put their publicity in all the train station in Brussels and Namur.

It wasn't very clever, but I wasn't expecting a lot from this company anyway.

[CTBke]

hopefully they'll take over the WX ANR-LCY route very soon cause they have a very good on board product which makes the travelling on those so called 'old' fokkers comfortable

[JAF737]

Most people don't have a clue until they walk next to the plane "hey wait a minute, this one is a propeller ????"

yes indeed, people don't have clue... unless "brainy" people at VLM decide to put a wonderful picture of their old Fokker 50 in the marketing campaign and decide to put their publicity in all the train station in Brussels and Namur.

It wasn't very clever, but I wasn't expecting a lot from this company anyway.

Have you ever flown with them?

[crew1990]

Yes between LUX and LCY during the Cityjet era, why?

[CTBke]

so actually you haven't ... as cityjet is not VLM and WX standards are far more basic than the VLM ones during the VLM era they never had plastic cups, only real glassware and china in a single class cabin. The importance was put on the different ticket flexibility as it was a real business airline. At least they had 2 cabin crew and fresh products throughout the day. The routes they did from Liege were maybe not a success as VLM isn't known outside Antwerp as it is a business airline but at least they tried ... like JAF tries to fly from Antwerp.

And what kind of picture should they have put in the marketing campaign .. they fly with the F50 ... so it would be quiet stupid to put a picture of the Sukhoi in the campaign as it's not clear yet when it will arrive (if it will arrive some day)

[airazurxtror]

I feel that every aviation enthusiast should support VLM and its F50, by buying at least one trip with them. One can find a Geneva or a Hamburg day return at around 100 euros, a bit more or a bit less; for about 3h flight time in a F50, that is a bargain !

[crew1990]

so actually you haven't ... as cityjet is not VLM and WX standards are far more basic than the VLM ones during the VLM era they never had plastic cups, only real glassware and china in a single class cabin. The importance was put on the different ticket flexibility as it was a real business airline. At least they had 2 cabin crew and fresh products throughout the day. The routes they did from Liege were maybe not a success as VLM isn't known outside Antwerp as it is a business airline but at least they tried ... like JAF tries to fly from Antwerp.

And what kind of picture should they have put in the marketing campaign .. they fly with the F50 ... so it would be quiet stupid to put a picture of the Sukhoi in the campaign as it's not clear yet when it will arrive (if it will arrive some day)

I don't judge VLM about their service or something, I judge them because those people in their way to manage this company.

And about the publicity campain they could simply put a pilot, a map or whatever, but not a propeller aircraft that people not in the aviation will consider as "old" and "not reliable", I insist on the term people which are not in the aviation.

[CTBke]

true but they are trying a bit of everything at the moment to fill up their planes as a stand alone company ... and they use the F50 in the campaigns as its has been the trademark of the company over the years

[VLM_Antwerp]

I fly VLM and cityjet several times a year. And to be honnest their planes/Seats are a lot more comfortable than the high density configurations of jetairfly, Ryanair, easyJet,...
Oh yeah and i'm 1m90 tall so that means the biggest part of travellers have plenty of space in the so called "Old" fokkers!

[Bruspotter]

Hi

yeah them F50's are getting old lady's indeed, but they do the job fairly well enough I think
Even though they need a bit more maintenace due to their age, they are still doing amazingly well in reliability.
It's only made to make short hops, and for that, even after 20+ years it does the job still fine with only little extra time then the current jets and reasonably good comfort for a 1,5h max flight. As told ... seating pitch is AT LEAST (but probably better) then the low cost carriers nowadays flying with lot bigger Airbusses. Maybe the seats themselves are a bit more 'basic' but then again there is just less room for super 'fluffy' luxury seats inside.

Flights are maybe not the very cheapest, but you get a nice personal service in a very friendly experience and swift hassle free flights. And if you search around some and play with trip travel dates you will definatly find some good prizes for certain flights, some even bargains as previously said here.
Even more interesting, for much lower prices then any other aircraft comparable in the Belgian market, you can actually charter a Fokker 50 for personal/professional group travels. I am not exactly sure about the exact cost price, but for a flight with return the same day and within 1h flighttime single trip, if you get the plane full, you might be able to achieve price pp for ticket between 150-250 EUR return ... again these are not exact figures but that's what I one heard ... contact VLM charter department for more info if you are interested I would say.

It seems VLM has it's fans and also some opposing ... but then again I think even anyone would agree that it deserves respect for an airline in Belgium still existing after well over 22 years and still existing withoug going throug major changes or name change ... ok with the same planes ... but that is a result over some previous rulers and owners always postphoning the date for fleet renewal untill a time (now) when it is just impossible to deal with it straight away ... VLM needs to become again well profitable before they can actually consider (in a safe way) fleet renewal. So F50's, they now what they cost very well so .. it just seems the safe and logical option for the time being.

Greets, Yannick

[Homo Aeroportus]

Memorabilia, ...

Not sure about the value though, still plenty in the boxes

H.A.

[sn26567]

According to provisional statistics reported by Raphael Cockx, VLM Airlines flew just 34(!) passengers between Antwerp and Southampton in the month of May. Ouch !

[crew1990]

This mean that if they had all those pax on one Antwerp-Southampton-Antwerp flight, they would have a load factor of 17% of this flight and empty flight in all the other one. That's a great performance for "Vlaamse Luchtvartmaatschapij"

[saratoga]

Indeed......ouch!! Never thought it was that bad. I've the feeling that the management is loosing its pedals and just trying. Lets hope that the future of this company is not at stake. I have the idea now that their target people ( business people) wanting to take off out of ebaw, and going to ebaw is very limited.

[koninckske]

CAA statistics claim 34 pax to ANR and 175 to HAM, so 209 total. Leading to an average of 6,15 pax on every flight (17 return trips in May), or 12,3% loadfactor.

Yes this is low, but only VLM knows the forward bookings. They did not see any potential in Liege, it is up to them to decide about this route. Time will tell...

To give some positive stats:

Waterford to Luton: 2708 pax, 104 flights (52,08% loadfactor)
Waterford to Birmingham: 801 pax, 36 flights (44,50% loadfactor)

These routes doing not bad and showing some potential for the future.

If you launch 8 new routes in a few months you know some will fail and others will work. Same for every company, Jetairfly starting 6 new routes in ANR. Most doing very well: BCN 71%, PMI 76%, ALC 86%, AGP 88% in May acording to AENA (have no info about TXL and MXP), but MXP seems to end after October.

[Acid-drop]

we know now that 12% load factor in LGG wasn't enough and that 17% is enough.
uh ?
jetair has a big diff : a big network and good marketing. Exactly what was missing in LGG...

[b720]

one still can not use all major credit cards on their booking engine,
and it is impossible to book VLM flights (GVA-ANR) on Expedia for instance..