Transport Minister maintains stance on Virgin- ...

[Lazie]

Transport Minister maintains stance on Virgin- Air Jamaica contract


Transport Minister Mike Henry is refusing to back down from his position on the Air Jamaica/Virgin Atlantic deal despite a meeting Wednesday with the head of the UK-based airline, Sir Richard Branson.

The Transport Minister says he still harbours concerns about the agreement which was brokered by the previous Government.

However, Mr. Henry has agreed to hold further discussions with Virgin Atlantic officials to reach an amicable settlement.

"We have begun some discussions, myself and Sir Richard Branson, and we are continuing the discussions to see how we can arrive at the way forward for everyone overall and assuring everyone that binding contracts are binding contracts but we always need to look at these in light of what is important for all of Jamaica as a whole," said Mr. Henry.

Mr. Henry has taken issue with what he says is Virgin Atlantic's antagonistic stance towards the Government's decision to review the sale of Air Jamaica's London slot.

He says because of Virgin Atlantic's actions, Air Jamaica has decided to decline its request to transfer the summer slots until it offers usable slots in exchange.

All other pending agreements have been put on hold.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/2600/26/

[Sickko]

Mike henry would best be advised to leave petulance to teen aged girls and start acting like a minister of government, who is advocating on behalf of the country

[Muadib]

???

Who where the Ministers who oversaw the sell-out acting for ?

[Karl]

Gatwick slots are 'junk', says Henry

Transport Minister maintains stance on Virgin- Air Jamaica contract


Transport Minister Mike Henry is refusing to back down from his position on the Air Jamaica/Virgin Atlantic deal despite a meeting Wednesday with the head of the UK-based airline, Sir Richard Branson.

The Transport Minister says he still harbours concerns about the agreement which was brokered by the previous Government.

However, Mr. Henry has agreed to hold further discussions with Virgin Atlantic officials to reach an amicable settlement.

"We have begun some discussions, myself and Sir Richard Branson, and we are continuing the discussions to see how we can arrive at the way forward for everyone overall and assuring everyone that binding contracts are binding contracts but we always need to look at these in light of what is important for all of Jamaica as a whole," said Mr. Henry.

Mr. Henry has taken issue with what he says is Virgin Atlantic's antagonistic stance towards the Government's decision to review the sale of Air Jamaica's London slot.

He says because of Virgin Atlantic's actions, Air Jamaica has decided to decline its request to transfer the summer slots until it offers usable slots in exchange.

All other pending agreements have been put on hold.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/2600/26/

Gatwick slots are 'junk', says Henry
published: Friday | November 2, 2007


Janet Silvera, Senior Tourism Writer

Mike Henry, Minister of Transport and Works, says Jamaica got a raw deal on the sale of the London route to Virgin Atlantic. - File


Minister of Transport and Works, Mike Henry, has vowed to press ahead with the review of the Virgin Atlantic contract, saying Air Jamaica and the country were given a raw deal with "junk" slots at Gatwick Airport, London.
He is now demanding three of the seven positions that Virgin now holds at the Heathrow International.

"We are not a Fifth-World country, we are developed," said Henry, following a meeting between Virgin chairman Sir Richard Branson and Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

Standing firm
Henry was not swayed even after attempts by Branson to charm him at a social event in St. Mary Wednesday.
The Transport Minister said he was looking to get out of the deal but would be doing an updated valuation of the slots.

Virgin paid Air Jamaica £5.1 million for its rights to the Kingston-London route.
"In the first place the Air Jamaica position should have been leased and not sold," he said.

Aspects of the contract are still to be signed off on to fully implement the code-share deal between Virgin and Air Jamaica, but the airline's director of corporate communications, Paul Charles, says Virgin is still not about to back down.

Branson said Tuesday that Virgin had invested US$200 million in the route, on which flights were inaugurated this week.

Charles said it was important that foreign businesses in Jamaica are given the confidence to trust the Government and Air Jamaica.
"Otherwise there will be question marks relating to the level of risk when a company invests in this country."

The Virgin Atlantic executive says it is unusual for Governments to undo agreements signed by their predecessors.

In response Henry's charge tagging the Gatwick slots as junk, Charles said that airport was a better connection to London than Heathrow for Jamaican.

The airline plans to increase its load factor with an additional five flights into Montego Bay from London, Gatwick bringing in 15,000 more passengers this holiday season, starting December 22.

"Jamaica has been a huge success since we launched the Montego Bay service last year," he said. An average 30,000 passengers flew into the island via Virgin within the period.

"As the economy improves and more hotels are developed, we hope to add extra permanent flights to the route," the senior vice president stated cautiously, adding that decisions regarding the Jamaican market were constantly under review."

He said that currently there was not enough demand to have a daily London flight.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com

[Willi]

Yada yada yada,

Why dem giving our slots to Barbados then??

Branson too lie...which US$200m he invested in the Jamaica service??? Steeeuuupps.

Virgin is not even sensible. They should have waited to smooth things over with the new GOJ before making the barbados announcement.

[Mosiah]

The Gleaner frontpage carries a big photo of Richard Branson planting a 747-size kiss on the cheek of a less-than-willing Mike Henry. Coming right after that textbook story in the Gleaner - hilarious!

[Willi]

LoL

[Karl]

Yada yada yada,

Branson too lie...which US$200m he invested in the Jamaica service??? Steeeuuupps.

Big joke by di bredda. Yuh cyan bet im seh hit wid im hand cross im face - LIAR!

[Mosiah]

Di plane cost $160M, so he may be right.

[Karl]

Di plane cost $160M, so he may be right.

I doubt very much that the new arrangements by and of itself led to the decision to purchase this 'new' plane?

[Willi]

Yeah,

and dat likely going to Barbados next year too.

Him tek big man fi eeediat!