When was the last time...

[forfun]

When was the last time someone succesfully start an airline, Branson?

Cos i keep wondering where these airlines come from, who starts them and stuff like that, howdoes someone get the money to purchase or lease some planes to start off.

[Hagar]

My question would be why rather than how. After working in the industry all my life I've never been able to figure out how anyone can possibly run an airline at a profit. They obviously do or nobody would waste their time trying.

It also depends what you mean by airline. Virgin Atlantic started life as British Atlantic Airways in 1984. It started in a small way, its first regular transatlantic service (Gatwick/Newark) with a single aircraft in June 1984 gradually expanding into the international airline it is today. Richard Branson sold off his other interests including his Virgin Records empire to help finance it. http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/allaboutus/ourstory/history.jsp

Many airlines of all sizes have sprung up since then all over the world. Some have fallen by the wayside while others have succeeded. One example is easyJet, which was again started (in 1995) by a wealthy entrepreneur as a small operation with only one or two aircraft. It was originally run from a small office at Luton Airport. http://www.easyjet.com/EN/About/Information/infopack_keyevents.html

I've lost touch with it all now & don't know the present state of the industry or which new airlines have appeared over the last few years.

[C]

You can bet the new Iraqi Airlines may well end up being quite successful...

Charlie

[ozzy72]

Just been on the news here that Malev (Hungarian State Airline) is liable to be sold to the Chinese
Probably get renamed Sweet 'n Sour Goulash Air or something

[Craig.]

You can bet the new Iraqi Airlines may well end up being quite successful...

Charlie

as long as the nutjobs dont try bringing down the planes. But i do agree it will be very sucessful, many business people see iraq as a goldmine when it becomes safe enough

[Felix/FFDS]

Just been on the news here that Malev (Hungarian State Airline) is liable to be sold to the Chinese
Probably get renamed Sweet 'n Sour Goulash Air or something

Why not?  IBM's PC Division just got sold to the Chinese.

[forfun]

All IBM's stuff is made in china anyways

[Hagar]

Just been on the news here that Malev (Hungarian State Airline) is liable to be sold to the Chinese

You might or might not have read about this:

Chinese set to bale out Britain's ailing MG Rover car maker

LONDON (AFP) - Chinese company Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. may be ready to step in to save ailing British car manufacturer MG Rover, a media report said.

According to British daily The Independent, Shanghai Automotive is ready to inject one billion pounds (1.8 billion dollars, 1.4 billion euros) into Britain's sole remaining car maker as part of a new joint venture.

The deal, which would involve a 70 percent holding in the new company for Shanghai Automotive and 30 percent for MG Rover, was greeted by MG Rover head of international media Stewart McKee as a "tremendous opportunity" for both sides.

However, the company said details of the deal would only be made public when the project has received the go-ahead from the Chinese authorities, which is expected at the beginning of next year.