It seems that once again we are catching a cold from rumours circulating about our plans, and as ever, I feel the best way to deal with this is to update you via this site.
If these rumours are to be believed we are not starting now until April 2005, although here at HQ we are unaware of this plan!
However, as many visitors to this site know, we have always been unhappy about letting people down and we are keen to be understood as being very customer focussed. This kind of rumouring doesnt help to build confidence and so to ensure that no-one else is let down, we will NOT be registering any further requests for seats and will NOT be announcing any further start dates until we are actually just weeks away from that start.
As we have a great many people signed up for some key dates we are trying to make provision for the October half term (but this still needs to be confirmed), AND we will do the key Christmas dates, but as for the other months (Nov, Jan and Feb), the economics of this period look too bleak to operate.
One forum accurately declares that to launch fully into the winter season would lose us around £3m which we prefer not to do. Such a loss would seriously jeopardise our chances of success. Alternately, by biting the bullet and waiting to start until the profitable season begins, we will greatly increase our chances of being available to passengers for years to come rather than just for weeks to come.
Aviation economics are fragile at the best of times. We have long been aware of the risk and loss that goes with the winter start but we have clung to the plan because people have banked on us. In the event, we have ended up with another bite on our backside instead, hence our new position regarding bookings and registrations.
This means that anyone planning to fly with us is advised to look for alternate routes or seats. We have always tried to make it clear to people that their registration is NOT a guaranteed booking and that is why no money has been taken. However, despite this, people have regarded the registration as a committed booking so I understand why people will be angry about this.
Nonetheless, the only way we can secure trust and confidence in people is to shut our system until we are fully ready for 'the off'. We can give little back beyond an assurance that the product we will roll out will be sufficiently unique that you will forgive us our trespasses once you do get to fly blu. Any registered customer will receive a flight discount voucher for use against future dates and this will be forwarded to you shortly.
Once again I apologise to those adversely affected by this news and can only hope you will allow us a chance once you see us actually in the air.
Aden Murcutt
If these rumours are to be believed we are not starting now until April 2005, although here at HQ we are unaware of this plan!
However, as many visitors to this site know, we have always been unhappy about letting people down and we are keen to be understood as being very customer focussed. This kind of rumouring doesnt help to build confidence and so to ensure that no-one else is let down, we will NOT be registering any further requests for seats and will NOT be announcing any further start dates until we are actually just weeks away from that start.
As we have a great many people signed up for some key dates we are trying to make provision for the October half term (but this still needs to be confirmed), AND we will do the key Christmas dates, but as for the other months (Nov, Jan and Feb), the economics of this period look too bleak to operate.
One forum accurately declares that to launch fully into the winter season would lose us around £3m which we prefer not to do. Such a loss would seriously jeopardise our chances of success. Alternately, by biting the bullet and waiting to start until the profitable season begins, we will greatly increase our chances of being available to passengers for years to come rather than just for weeks to come.
Aviation economics are fragile at the best of times. We have long been aware of the risk and loss that goes with the winter start but we have clung to the plan because people have banked on us. In the event, we have ended up with another bite on our backside instead, hence our new position regarding bookings and registrations.
This means that anyone planning to fly with us is advised to look for alternate routes or seats. We have always tried to make it clear to people that their registration is NOT a guaranteed booking and that is why no money has been taken. However, despite this, people have regarded the registration as a committed booking so I understand why people will be angry about this.
Nonetheless, the only way we can secure trust and confidence in people is to shut our system until we are fully ready for 'the off'. We can give little back beyond an assurance that the product we will roll out will be sufficiently unique that you will forgive us our trespasses once you do get to fly blu. Any registered customer will receive a flight discount voucher for use against future dates and this will be forwarded to you shortly.
Once again I apologise to those adversely affected by this news and can only hope you will allow us a chance once you see us actually in the air.
Aden Murcutt
