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skidsy
Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 550 Location: Wirral.
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="guypettigrew"] | Zeus wrote: |
They only have one plane at the moment and intend buying one more,that still makes them one plane short.I think I am correct in saying they also fly to other destinations.
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All the XL planes are going spare |
Or, to put it another way, how long do you wait (not just you, Zeus, this is nothing personal!) before deciding what to buy?
Guy |
The XL planes might be going spare but I bet they aren't going cheap either.
A one plane airline of the kind which I suggest nervous flyers do not research too deeply about before they go to the airport... |
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guypettigrew Boomerang Club - President
Joined: 02 May 2007 Posts: 435 Location: Surrey, just 5 minutes from Gatwick. How lucky am I?!!!!!
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:32 am Post subject: |
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Probably good advice, Skidsy.
My guess is Viking have taken all the XL routes in the hope they'll get enough bookings to convince someone to advance them a large enough loan to lease the planes to fly the routes.
Slightly knife edge strategy, and I bet there's a few senior Viking staff not sleeping well while they try to put it all together!
On the other hand, of course, Viking may be cash rich, invited in by the XL administrator to use the XL assets, and all will be well.
We will just have to wait and see.
Guy _________________ Know what's important, and go for it. |
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Zeus
Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 45 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 6:41 am Post subject: |
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Hope you are right and Viking get their act together before the season starts which will soon come around. As far as the Xl planes going spare it seems according to what I have read that they were all leased and are now back with the leasing companies or in some other parts of the world.
I suppose it makes sense to lease a very expensive plane rather than shell out millions.
http://www.cabincrew.com/ccnetwork/forum
No doubt that is what Viking will be thinking of doing and I hope also some other airline gives Skiathos a thought to providing seats only flights.
I have been to Skiathos in winter via Athens -Aghios Konstantinos which was okay even the coach ride which took about 3 hours was pleasant.It stopped for about 1/2 hour at a watering hole which gave you time to stretch your legs.
It would be a good if you could catch a fast Cat from Thessaloniki to Skiathos , ferry being too long. As far as I know this route may not exist for the Cats but correct me if I am wrong, wonder how long this trip would take, too long I expect. I think for me a day in Thessaloniki looking at the Roman Triumphal Arch of Galerius and museums would be a must for the future. |
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Shadowfax

Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 247 Location: Blackburn, Lancashire
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:14 am Post subject: |
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It's one of those dodgy Douglas MD-83's, I think the plane is older than me!! You can only get the parts from Taiwan or form a guy in a rain mac in my local pub, no questions asked though!!!  |
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Shadowfax

Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 247 Location: Blackburn, Lancashire
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:27 am Post subject: |
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For those of you that have already booked, you might want to start studying this in more detail!!!  |
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Zeus
Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 45 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:13 am Post subject: |
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The Douglas MD -83 is definitely not older than me I think I was around even before it got on the drawing board.
. Who cares, I would hang off the ceiling or go in the hand luggage locker as long as it got me to Skiathos .
Has the Douglas MD-83 got anything to do with Douglas Bader
To be sure the Viking airline are no mugs having been associated with XL & Kosmar to Skiathos they can see the potential,they know the fights will be fully booked.
Then you have to consider not just the traveller who books a flight and his own accommodation but companies like Greek island Club who flew in 2008 to 11 Greek islands and to 191 different villas ,10 of which are in Skiathos.This company used XL for all their flights and will also be looking for a flights only carrier for 2009 ,Viking could well fit their bill and I am sure Viking`s also.
Great potential for Viking.
I have just finished my book that I got from Portobello in Papadiamanti Street and my wifey refuses to let me go back to Skiathos to exchange it, bit off me thinks.I would go there and come straight back to UK , unless of course I happen to loose my passport  |
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adrianxw Forum Administrator & Forum Moderator

Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 1130 Location: Denmark
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:37 am Post subject: |
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Nothing wrong with MD8x's. We've flown to/from Skiathos several times with them, Scandinavian Airlines, (and their affiliates who are SAS but with a different name of course!), have a whole flock of them.
It is a shame the MD dropped out of the commercial market, they build good planes. _________________ Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.
Last edited by adrianxw on Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:35 am; edited 1 time in total |
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HayleyJB
Joined: 13 Jul 2007 Posts: 169 Location: Cleckheaton West Yorkshire
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Was it an MD 83 that crashed in Madrid the other month? |
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porsche
Joined: 07 Feb 2008 Posts: 5
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:51 pm Post subject: vicking air |
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| have booked flights for 2009 thru travel republic info came thru as kiss flights this is a company set up by xl director there was something about it in the times travel section |
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guypettigrew Boomerang Club - President
Joined: 02 May 2007 Posts: 435 Location: Surrey, just 5 minutes from Gatwick. How lucky am I?!!!!!
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject: Re: vicking air |
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| porsche wrote: | | have booked flights for 2009 thru travel republic info came thru as kiss flights this is a company set up by xl director there was something about it in the times travel section |
Very interesting.
The plot thickens!
Perhaps Viking will become XL risen from the ashes.
Guy _________________ Know what's important, and go for it. |
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Ian Forum Administrator & Forum Moderator

Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 2837 Location: London - Now topped the tanks with fresh supplies of Olive oil from Kechria ...
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adrianxw Forum Administrator & Forum Moderator

Joined: 01 Jan 2006 Posts: 1130 Location: Denmark
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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:34 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Was it an MD 83 that crashed in Madrid the other month? |
An MD82 actually, operated by Spanair which is one of the numerous subsidiary companies under Scandinavian Airlines. Very similar to an 83. Roughly 1200 MD8x series planes are in service.
The general concensus on that crash seems to be that the pilots had not extended the wing flaps for take off. This explains the very long take-off run, (wing generates less lift and has to be faster to get into the air), then a deep stall while trying to climb, resulting in a tail first plunge into the ground.
Doesn't matter how good a plane is if it is not flown correctly.
The MD80 series were a development of the older DC9 planes, of which there are many still flying, and was the forerunner of the later MD90 series. When MD dropped out of the commercial market, the type and tooling was sold to Boeing who continued to market it as the 717. Production ceased a couple of years ago. _________________ Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream. |
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Lyn & Laura
Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 64 Location: Durham
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:44 am Post subject: |
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so do we think its safe so go ahead and book with viking???? _________________ *** Lyn & Laura*** |
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