HullCitySpotter From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2012, 49 posts, RR: 0 Posted (9 months 3 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 3184 times:
Just looking on FlightRadar24 to see an A319 regd SP-IBA performing a Thomas Cook UK flight. FlightRadar seems to have got the wrong destinations (MAN - SNU and a return leg from ABZ - REU which makes NO sense) but both are TCX flights, so an OLT Express plane is still in service, just apparently leased to TCX. but I thought the airline had just gone bankrupt and had ceased all flights?
SyeaphanR From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2006, 70 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (9 months 3 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3070 times:
Apparently the charter business, formerly Yes Air Poland, is still flying, apparently operating separately on its own licence and YAP codes...As a going concern, for sale?
Neither of the former threads are enlightening on this, but I hope it continues, maybe with the Yes name revived...They were omnipresent on past trips through Katowice!
Thomas_Jaeger From Switzerland, joined Apr 2002, 2266 posts, RR: 31 Reply 2, posted (9 months 3 weeks 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 2982 times:
There were two companies in Poland:
OLT Express Regional (former Jet Air) with some ATRs and the company that was selling the scheduled flights to the public even though a lot of them were operated by OLT Express Poland. Bankrupt now.
OLT Express Poland (former Yes Airways) with the A320 family fleet and the company that was operating a lot of OLT Express Regional flights and with the tour operator contracts. Still flying ...
If they were smart enough to separate the businesses properly, then that might even be legal that way although it will certainly not make their image any better than it already was (pretty bad).
Swiss aviation news junkie living all over the place
Delta777Jet From Germany, joined Jun 2000, 1130 posts, RR: 3 Reply 3, posted (9 months 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 2832 times:
I think they were able to separate the business. They were branding as OLT Express, but in fact looks like the now bancrupt OLT Express Regional took all the obligations towards Eurocontrol, Airports, Passengers etc. and the OLT Express Poland was just a wet-lease operator for them ?
What is a little suspect is the fact that on the day of cancellation of all flights was already a charter flight from Kazachstan to Norway performed, now they fly for other airlines in Europe.
For me it looks like they knew exactly what will happen soon and they already looked out for new contracts to jump on even before the public was informed. This could have been also some sort of fraud, because many people bought their tickets when they already knew the end is coming.
Today if I read the Polish News correctly the CEO of OLT Regional announced that even Lufthansa is/was interested to purchase the company for a symbolic amount.
Delta777Jet From Germany, joined Jun 2000, 1130 posts, RR: 3 Reply 9, posted (9 months 3 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 2242 times:
Wow, I doubt, that all the gaps can be filled at such short notice by the tour operators. Probably this will result in some tour operators in Poland getting into financial difficulties to arrange replacement aircraft.
Thomas_Jaeger From Switzerland, joined Apr 2002, 2266 posts, RR: 31 Reply 10, posted (9 months 3 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 2217 times:
Quoting MEA-707 (Reply 8): And is the German outfit still surviving? I noticed they just had some Saab 2000s and Fokker 100s repainted in their new colours.
Yes, as of now, they are still operating and keep telling the press they are not affected while talking to potential new investors. I however do not have the feeling that they are in a very comfortable financial position to just finance their big growth plans themselves and unless they find a new investor soon that is willing to finance their losses (my assumption, no public figures available, but OLT was a loss making business with the exception of the Airbus contract prior to Amber Gold showing up and I do not think this got any better by now), they will undoubtedly have a financial problem soon with Amber Gold not giving them any more funds. From what I heard today, the German civil aviation authority is watching their financial situation closely as well.
They have previously shut down regional carriers they considered financially unfit to finance their operations. Some years ago Dauair filed for bankruptcy because the CAA had told them they will withdraw their operating license due to a lack of financing.
Swiss aviation news junkie living all over the place
Delta777Jet From Germany, joined Jun 2000, 1130 posts, RR: 3 Reply 11, posted (9 months 3 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 2186 times:
Probably the takeover of Contact Air may now seal the end ? I could imagine the regional network alone could survive with a good management in Germany. In my opinion this is not such a mess like they had in Poland with two loss making airlines, very low fares etc.
May be the business in Poland was just to wash money and looking on it, it seems they did not pay leasing, fuel, airports etc. it is questionable what they did actually pay ?
Flying-Tiger From Germany, joined Aug 1999, 4111 posts, RR: 39 Reply 12, posted (9 months 3 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 2026 times:
Quoting Delta777Jet (Reply 11): Probably the takeover of Contact Air may now seal the end ? I could imagine the regional network alone could survive with a good management in Germany. In my opinion this is not such a mess like they had in Poland with two loss making airlines, very low fares etc.
Change of ownership clauses will probably prevent the execution of the deal anyway, at least I would assume that the OLT/Contact Air deal has this type of clauses in.
IMO OLT (Germany) has chances to survive, but they should immediately focus just on Bremen and on Dresden and try to expand their hybrid "code-share-and-on-own-account-flying" such as BRE-ZRH, DRS-ZRH with Swiss to BRE-VIE, DRS-VIE wit OS. That should actually work.
r2rho From Germany, joined Feb 2007, 2245 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (9 months 3 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 1878 times:
Quoting Flying-Tiger (Reply 12): IMO OLT (Germany) has chances to survive, but they should immediately focus just on Bremen and on Dresden and try to expand their hybrid "code-share-and-on-own-account-flying" such as BRE-ZRH, DRS-ZRH with Swiss to BRE-VIE, DRS-VIE wit OS. That should actually work.
I agree. Provided they can find an investor, and manage it well, they could survive as a niche regional carrier. Losing the Airbus shuttle contract was a big blow but there are still some viable routes out there to fly.
Thomas_Jaeger From Switzerland, joined Apr 2002, 2266 posts, RR: 31 Reply 15, posted (9 months 3 weeks 15 hours ago) and read 1726 times:
Quoting dcaviation (Reply 13): There will be no takeover of Contact Air.
OLT Express Poland and OLT Express Germany are technically separate entities. So OLT Express Germany can generally go ahead with the acquisition of Contact Air and as of now, it still looks like they plan to do so (given Fokker 100s are getting repainted), but whether this is smart or in fact sustainable even in the very short run is an entirely different question.
Swiss aviation news junkie living all over the place
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