WOW Air Ongoing Developments Discussion Thread

juliuswong · Mon Apr 01, 2019 2:49 am

lavalampluva wrote:
I don’t know if this have been addressed, but it’s obvious that WW might be able to get the aircraft out. What’s the next step? Do the lessors bring in flight crews? I’m sure those aircraft would be transferred to other airlines.

It depends on how the Iceland bankruptcy laws works. I'm in opinion all creditors are now having meeting with Skuli and his management to discuss how to sort out the mess. Who gets what, how and when. Good things is most of those those leased aircraft are not in Iceland, so the Iceland government can't seize them to pay off local creditors (yet).

Usually the lessor will bring in their third party ferrying crew to fly their aircraft out to usually desert or Shannon (usual transit point) for storage or preparation for next customer.

n7371f · Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:34 am

Frontier, the original, did the same thing on the eve of it's shutdown (which was not initially a Ch 11 filing). Flights to Canada & Mexico were canceled the evening before its shutdown. In Frontier's case, all INTL flights were tag-ons of domestic routes (DEN-GEG-YVR) so the aircraft flew their US legs but remained in the states. That was done to prevent any issues when the order was given at 4:00am the next morning the airline was shutting down and all outstation aircraft were to ferry back to DEN.

B727skyguy wrote:
When Braniff International Airways (BN) shut down in May 1982, they quietly started cancelling their international flights and brought those planes back to the US. At the time, no one was sure why the flights were being cancelled. There's an interesting book called "Splash of Colors" by John Nance. It's an excellent read. I'm surprised WW didn't do something similar. I suppose the lessor will have to repossess the planes and have their own pilots ferry them out.

lavalampluva · Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:56 am

juliuswong wrote:
lavalampluva wrote:
I don’t know if this have been addressed, but it’s obvious that WW might be able to get the aircraft out. What’s the next step? Do the lessors bring in flight crews? I’m sure those aircraft would be transferred to other airlines.

It depends on how the Iceland bankruptcy laws works. I'm in opinion all creditors are now having meeting with Skuli and his management to discuss how to sort out the mess. Who gets what, how and when. Good things is most of those those leased aircraft are not in Iceland, so the Iceland government can't seize them to pay off local creditors (yet).

Usually the lessor will bring in their third party ferrying crew to fly their aircraft out to usually desert or Shannon (usual transit point) for storage or preparation for next customer.

We’ll see how this plays out. If there’s any corporate corruption going on Skuli is in a world of hurt. Iceland is pretty strict when it comes to corporate shannigans.

OB1504 · Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:09 am

Gulfstream500 wrote:
SoCalFlyer wrote:
What’s the latest on WOW Air’s planes? Has any other airlines stepped in to acquire them? Also, how will they get out of other places back to the owner? Does the owners send pilots to reposes them?

No sales reported on flightaware yet. One aircraft (tf-now) is currently in Cuba, probably a charter. Another aircraft is in Slovenia (tf-neo). That may have been a sale.

TF-NOW has been parked at a remote stand at MIA ever since it was repossessed about a week ago.

Wayfarer515 · Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:19 am

Wow, just wow, wow.

klm617 · Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:12 pm

This is an April fools joke right. Please don't tell me WOW Air has shut down. That would be very sad god please let this be an April fools joke.

mooseofspruce · Mon Apr 01, 2019 9:15 pm

juliuswong wrote:
Read the online. https://www.icelandreview.com/news/gove ... ankruptcy/

WOW air’s bankruptcy last Thursday has already led to some 1,500 layoffs so far, the largest mass layoff in Icelandic history.

The vast majority of those left unemployed, or around 1,100, were employees of WOW.
Another 315 were laid off by Airport Associates, which provides air terminal service at Keflavík Airport.

A large construction company in the Keflavík area has let go of 40 employees, while tour bus company Reykjavík Excursions has laid off 59.

Keflavík airport’s Duty Free stores have also laid off six employees, citing that around 30% of passenger traffic at the airport was due to WOW air’s flights.

Hope those left unemployed after WW's demise will find a job soon.

While I was in Iceland I was recommended this article on how a number of FAs at WW were registered nurses, and were looking to work at hospitals in the wake of the shutdown. Articles claim that there's a shortage of nurses in Iceland and that hospitals are happy to give them a job–though it's not in aviation they can at least continue working.

hvusslax · Mon Apr 01, 2019 9:29 pm

mooseofspruce wrote:
juliuswong wrote:
Read the online. https://www.icelandreview.com/news/gove ... ankruptcy/

WOW air’s bankruptcy last Thursday has already led to some 1,500 layoffs so far, the largest mass layoff in Icelandic history.

The vast majority of those left unemployed, or around 1,100, were employees of WOW.
Another 315 were laid off by Airport Associates, which provides air terminal service at Keflavík Airport.

A large construction company in the Keflavík area has let go of 40 employees, while tour bus company Reykjavík Excursions has laid off 59.

Keflavík airport’s Duty Free stores have also laid off six employees, citing that around 30% of passenger traffic at the airport was due to WOW air’s flights.

Hope those left unemployed after WW's demise will find a job soon.

While I was in Iceland I was recommended this article on how a number of FAs at WW were registered nurses, and were looking to work at hospitals in the wake of the shutdown. Articles claim that there's a shortage of nurses in Iceland and that hospitals are happy to give them a job–though it's not in aviation they can at least continue working.

Yes, a lot of nurses, teachers and cops were employed by WOW. All of those can easily find work immediately in their respective fields in Iceland.

mjoelnir · Tue Apr 02, 2019 12:02 am

Just to mention it here. Airlines are reacting to the demise of WOW.

Transavia is announcing AMS-KEF-AMS: https://www.mbl.is/vidskipti/frettir/20 ... eflavikur/
Other airlines are re checking their flight plans, Airport Associates, that did the check inn, ramp and cargo for WOW, is rehiring 205 from 315 fired last week, they are expecting other customers. Icelandair is adding 3 767-300ER and will redo the summer plans: https://www.mbl.is/vidskipti/frettir/20 ... lugferdum/

It seems that always a competitor drops out, others will fill the hole.

juliuswong · Wed Apr 03, 2019 1:35 am

Found this on the internet. https://kjarninn.overcastcdn.com/docume ... esound.pdf

Last year's Board Meeting presentation. An interesting read, especially those relating to financials.

kyrone · Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:24 pm

Round deux?

http://www.ruv.is/frett/wow-air-20

juliuswong · Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:33 pm

Deja Vu... Skuli, let it go....

Blueknows · Thu Apr 04, 2019 4:12 pm

Can’t wait for B6 to Kef

SRQKEF · Thu Apr 04, 2019 4:35 pm

Blueknows wrote:
Can’t wait for B6 to Kef

Don't see it happening TBH, they already codeshare with FI from BOS/JFK/MCO/TPA along with B6 FFs earning miles when flying FI and vice versa. B6 itself couldn't connect to FI's European banks unless it sat on the ground in KEF for 8+ hours, which obviously is a non-starter. I think both airlines are satisfied with the status quo.

VS4ever · Thu Apr 04, 2019 4:45 pm

Just arrived at BOS for a DL flight and saw the WW 321 sitting there at North Cargo, so no movement yet.

hvusslax · Thu Apr 04, 2019 4:54 pm

kyrone wrote:
Round deux?

http://www.ruv.is/frett/wow-air-20

As an Icelandic consumer who remembers a time before there was a second Icelandic airline I can't help rooting for Skúli in this, although I know it's a longshot. Icelandair is a good airline but they absolutely need competition on the home front.

klm617 · Thu Apr 04, 2019 5:18 pm

kyrone wrote:
Round deux?

http://www.ruv.is/frett/wow-air-20

Hopefully he can put WOW Air back in the skies again. Would love to see the purple plane back at DTW just hope that DTW is one of the 13. Interestingly the WOW flight numbers out of DTW were 13T and 13Y

kyrone · Thu Apr 04, 2019 5:23 pm

klm617 wrote:
kyrone wrote:
Round deux?

http://www.ruv.is/frett/wow-air-20

Hopefully he can put WOW Air back in the skies again. Would love to see the purple plane back at DTW just hope that DTW is one of the 13. Interestingly the WOW flight numbers out of DTW were 13T and 13Y

It’s listed as BOS, BWI, and New York in another article. I think they are looking at 4-5 planes the first year. I would guess a couple years before DTW was back in their network.

kyrone · Thu Apr 04, 2019 5:25 pm

Apparently the investors presentation is public (or leaked) I can’t seem to find it though. Anyone have any luck finding it in Icelandic news?

wexfordflyer · Thu Apr 04, 2019 5:36 pm

Will investors really be rushing to invest here? Given the WOW business model and financials didn't work first time around. What will be different with the same man at the helm, following a similar business model?

SRQKEF · Thu Apr 04, 2019 5:48 pm

wexfordflyer wrote:
Will investors really be rushing to invest here? Given the WOW business model and financials didn't work first time around. What will be different with the same man at the helm, following a similar business model?

I don't think he can pull this off, given that as you say most inventors will be very sceptical towards him due to recent history. However, I hope he somehow pulls this off as more choice is never bad for the customer. Plus, if he stays in his lane this time as a ULCC with rational growth than I think WOW and FI could very well co-exist in a friendly and profitable manner.

arcticcruiser · Thu Apr 04, 2019 6:32 pm

SRQKEF wrote:
wexfordflyer wrote:
Will investors really be rushing to invest here? Given the WOW business model and financials didn't work first time around. What will be different with the same man at the helm, following a similar business model?

I don't think he can pull this off, given that as you say most inventors will be very sceptical towards him due to recent history. However, I hope he somehow pulls this off as more choice is never bad for the customer. Plus, if he stays in his lane this time as a ULCC with rational growth than I think WOW and FI could very well co-exist in a friendly and profitable manner.

You mean if the guy who said he lost everything suddenly pulls $40-50M out of a hat? Not sure he would even get an AOC.

longhauler · Thu Apr 04, 2019 10:09 pm

hvusslax wrote:
As an Icelandic consumer who remembers a time before there was a second Icelandic airline I can't help rooting for Skúli in this, although I know it's a longshot. Icelandair is a good airline but they absolutely need competition on the home front.

An interesting point, but one of the biggest developments in the last 10 years or so, in my opinion, would be the number of airlines that now fly from their home turf to KEF. Add that to the number of airlines that offer cheap North America to Europe fares, with who Icelandair is competing in that market, makes me think that they don't really have much of a monopoly with the loss of WOW.

It is certainly very different from the era where Icelandic carriers were almost the only game in town getting to Iceland.

airdoctor · Thu Apr 04, 2019 11:43 pm

It is said in the Icelandic media that they plan to get their AOC by flying for a "significant" european airline for the first few months.

I wonder if Icelandair could be the 49% owner that they suggest in the news and will use this to solve their max problem?

airdoctor · Thu Apr 04, 2019 11:51 pm

airdoctor wrote:
It is said in the Icelandic media that they plan to get their AOC by flying for a "significant" european airline for the first few months.

I wonder if Icelandair could be the 49% owner that they suggest in the news and will use this to solve their max problem?

Or could it be Wizz?

strangeplanes · Fri Apr 05, 2019 12:12 am

airdoctor wrote:
It is said in the Icelandic media that they plan to get their AOC by flying for a "significant" european airline for the first few months.

I wonder if Icelandair could be the 49% owner that they suggest in the news and will use this to solve their max problem?

Very unlikely. Icelandair already cut routes and leased the planes to make this summer work. Hiring WOW provides FI a small/moderate at most short term benefit with the potential for a huge long term hurt.

juliuswong · Fri Apr 05, 2019 1:36 am

SurfandSnow wrote:
juliuswong wrote:
Read the online. https://www.icelandreview.com/news/gove ... ankruptcy/

WOW air’s bankruptcy last Thursday has already led to some 1,500 layoffs so far, the largest mass layoff in Icelandic history.

The vast majority of those left unemployed, or around 1,100, were employees of WOW.
Another 315 were laid off by Airport Associates, which provides air terminal service at Keflavík Airport.

A large construction company in the Keflavík area has let go of 40 employees, while tour bus company Reykjavík Excursions has laid off 59.

Keflavík airport’s Duty Free stores have also laid off six employees, citing that around 30% of passenger traffic at the airport was due to WOW air’s flights.

Hope those left unemployed after WW's demise will find a job soon.

The loss of WOW air should be no problem for a nation that demonstrated remarkable resiliency to the world after the 2008-2011 Icelandic financial crisis. If nothing else, the reckless expansion of WW attracted carriers like AA, AC, DL and UA to KEF - major airlines that weren't flying tourists to Iceland before.

@SurrfandSnow, yes I agree with you. Icelandic people has so much resilient in them, for this I admire them. As mentioned by lavalampluva, most can go back to their previous work as nurses, teachers and cops. This is remarkable how employable the locals are. Hands up!

Thanks for the info. With AA, AC, DL and UA now flying into KEF, I am glad there are competition to keep to FI in check.

dtw9 · Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:36 pm

The A321 that’s been stored at DTW left this afternoon for YUL

F9trvlr · Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:25 pm

airdoctor wrote:
airdoctor wrote:
Or could it be Wizz?

Might be on to something here.

Absimilliard · Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:31 pm

dtw9 wrote:
The A321 that’s been stored at DTW left this afternoon for YUL

Interesting news, YUL already had two A321's stored from WOW. TF-PRO, the seized aircraft that started the whole mess was moved to a general aviation ramp, Starlink. The other A321 was last seen stored inside an Air Canada hangar as of two days ago. Is AC kicking the tires on more A321's in addition to the four they already purchased or is this a tech stop on the way back to Europe?

dtw9 · Fri Apr 05, 2019 9:33 pm

Apparently it landed at CYMX

bdepalo · Fri Apr 05, 2019 10:23 pm

Just flew out of BWI and there was one WOW A321 sitting on the ramp outside terminal E. Wonder what will come of it

royalswazi · Fri Apr 05, 2019 11:06 pm

Good riddance

Boeing727 · Fri Apr 05, 2019 11:30 pm

bdepalo wrote:
Just flew out of BWI and there was one WOW A321 sitting on the ramp outside terminal E. Wonder what will come of it

Saw TF-CAT this morning @ EWR...

Cunard · Fri Apr 05, 2019 11:39 pm

airdoctor wrote:
It is said in the Icelandic media that they plan to get their AOC by flying for a "significant" european airline for the first few months.

I wonder if Icelandair could be the 49% owner that they suggest in the news and will use this to solve their max problem?

Icelandair won't be getting involved in any possible resurrection of WOW and why would they!

The Icelandair Group have just sold 11.7% of the company to Par Capital Management a Boston, USA based privately owned hedge fund.

The Icelandair Group have their own airline to run, they won't be getting involved with anything concerning WOW and they are right in not doing so.

dtw9 · Sat Apr 06, 2019 12:25 am

Rumor has it that Spirit is taking two

ltbewr · Sat Apr 06, 2019 3:27 am

Boeing727 wrote:
bdepalo wrote:
Just flew out of BWI and there was one WOW A321 sitting on the ramp outside terminal E. Wonder what will come of it

Saw TF-CAT this morning @ EWR...

Here is a NJ newspaper website article on the one at EWR:
https://www.nj.com/news/2019/04/theres- ... npike.html

dampfnudel · Sat Apr 06, 2019 4:44 am

Boeing727 wrote:
bdepalo wrote:
Just flew out of BWI and there was one WOW A321 sitting on the ramp outside terminal E. Wonder what will come of it

Saw TF-CAT this morning @ EWR...

Yeah, I saw her last night. Anyone driving south on the NJ Turnpike will get a great view of her since she’s parked right next to the highway.

juliuswong · Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:47 am

Update 11th April 2019:

A320-200
TF-BRO MSN 4305 -Stored at SNN https://www.flickr.com/photos/shanair/3 ... A1N-iVZQH8
TF-SIS MSN 4270- Assigned to Spirit as N698NK https://www.flickr.com/photos/shanair/40584638423
TF-NEO MSN 7560- Stored at LJU https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/9276250

A321 fleet
TF-CAT MSN 8104- Stored at EWR
TF-DOG MSN 8232- Stored at BOS
TF-GPA MSN 7273- Stored at KEF
TF-JOY MSN 7433- Stored at YUL
TF-NOW MSN 7715- Stored at MIA
TF-PRO MSN 7680- Stored at YUL
TF-SKY MSN 7694- Stored at LJU
TF-DAD MSN 6232- Active with Air Canada Rouge C-GHQI
TF-MOM MSN 6210- Active with Air Canada Rouge C-GHQG
TF-KID MSN 5681- Active with Air Canada Rouge C-GHPD
TF-SON MSN 5733- Active with Air Canada Rouge C-GHPJ
TF-DTR MSN 8085- Stored at YMX
TF-WIN MSN 7650- Stored at YMX
TF-GMA MSN 7127- Stored at OSR

Source: https://www.skyliner-aviation.de/regdb. ... av4&page=2
Planespotters.net

Updates from Skyliner:
Airbus A320 -232 4305 D-AAAF ? Wow Air cs, seen regd at SNN 04apr19 ex TF-BRO
Airbus A321 -211 7127 TF-GMA Air Lease Corp Wow Air cs, ferried 08-09apr19 YYZ-SNN-OSR ex D-AVXE
Airbus A321 -211 7650 TF-WIN (Wow Air) ferried 05apr19 DTW-YMX (+ ‑253N 8085 TF-DTR BWI-YMX) ex D-AVYJ

juliuswong · Mon Apr 15, 2019 12:43 am

juliuswong wrote:
Update 11th April 2019:
A321 fleet
TF-PRO MSN 7680- Stored at YUL

Update 15th April 2019:
A321 -211 7680 TF-PRO (Wow Air) ferried 12-13apr19 YUL-SNN-TLS-LFBF ex D-AYAI
Source: https://www.skyliner-aviation.de/regdb. ... av4&page=2

danipawa · Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:27 am

Raildriver :
Meanwhile across the pond, we had TF-WIN (rumored to be WOW's last airborne flight) at DTW from late March to early April before it was ferried to YMX for repainting into NK colors. I'm confused why it didn't go to Shannon but whatever.

aemoreira1981 · Mon Apr 15, 2019 3:52 am

danipawa wrote:
Raildriver :
Meanwhile across the pond, we had TF-WIN (rumored to be WOW's last airborne flight) at DTW from late March to early April before it was ferried to YMX for repainting into NK colors. I'm confused why it didn't go to Shannon but whatever.

Why would NK take that plane? Their entire A321 fleet is IAE V2500 while that is a CFM56 frame. It would make more sense for an airline like DL to take the frame on a lease-to-own deal (they are taking delivery of CFM-powered A321ceo frames).

As for LATAM, are they interested in finally taking GMA/GPA/JOY? (All 3 were LATAM NTU frames.)

kyrone · Mon Apr 15, 2019 1:39 pm

It looks like they (although its apparently not clear who is running the fund raising web page) are trying to raise funds by getting the public to invest:

https://www.frettabladid.is/markadurinn ... og-felaga/

SQ789 · Mon Apr 15, 2019 3:58 pm

dtw9 wrote:
Rumor has it that Spirit is taking two

Ex TF-BRO and TF-SIS is the reported registration for Spirit

spinkid · Mon Apr 15, 2019 4:10 pm

airdoctor wrote:
It is said in the Icelandic media that they plan to get their AOC by flying for a "significant" european airline for the first few months.

I wonder if Icelandair could be the 49% owner that they suggest in the news and will use this to solve their max problem?

More likely Norwegian as they are down a large number of AC with the Max not operating, they have had to suspend tons of their single aisle operations across the atlantic, but WOW would need to get going fast in order to provide wet lease operations for them.

smokeybandit · Mon Apr 15, 2019 4:25 pm

kyrone wrote:
It looks like they (although its apparently not clear who is running the fund raising web page) are trying to raise funds by getting the public to invest:

https://www.frettabladid.is/markadurinn ... og-felaga/

Crowdsourcing an airline. That's a new one.

len90 · Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:55 am

Any additional updates on the stranded planes. Seems like the 320s make sense at Spirit. Makes me wonder if Delta or Frontier will want to jump on any and if Air Canada is interested in picking up a few more for their update or expand321 fleet.

TF-CAT still at EWR.

juliuswong · Mon Apr 22, 2019 2:44 am

Updates 22 April 2019:
Airbus A321 -211 6232 C-GHQI Air Canada rouge ferried 15apr18 LCQ-TPA after paint ex TF-DAD
Airbus A321 -253N 7694 TF-SKY Air Lease Corp ferried 18apr19 LJU-MLA for paint into? ex D-AZAA
Airbus A321 -253N 8085 TF-DTR Air Lease Corp Wow Air cs, ferried 19apr19 YMX-SNN ex D-AVYW
Source: https://www.skyliner-aviation.de/regdb. ... av4&page=2

SQ789 · Mon Apr 22, 2019 3:47 am

juliuswong wrote:
Updates 22 April 2019:
Airbus A321 -211 6232 C-GHQI Air Canada rouge ferried 15apr18 LCQ-TPA after paint ex TF-DAD
Airbus A321 -253N 7694 TF-SKY Air Lease Corp ferried 18apr19 LJU-MLA for paint into? ex D-AZAA
Airbus A321 -253N 8085 TF-DTR Air Lease Corp Wow Air cs, ferried 19apr19 YMX-SNN ex D-AVYW
Source: https://www.skyliner-aviation.de/regdb. ... av4&page=2

I wonder if the A321neo is going for Bamboo Airways of Vietnam.

VS4ever · Mon Apr 22, 2019 4:29 am

TF-DOG still stored at BOS on Thursday morning way in the corner of North Cargo and hasn’t moved from there in a while. I am there again on Wednesday morning so will have another look

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