Creating a new virtual airline from scratch, thinking air france but open to ideas!

[BaRBeR]

Hi all,

I am planning on opening a virtual airline and I am thinking of opening Air France Virtual but I am open to other people posting what they think and what virtual airlines you would like to see.

Thanks,

Jordan

[freshJet]

Something that ain't already a booming VA like BA or Delta. Something that hasn't previously been shut down by the real-world counterpart like Thomas Cook or easyJet. Something that will be popular and you are confident will offer an enjoyable experience to pilots in terms of fleet and routes. Or try something fictional. Or, don't bother at all

[Jon]

Air France are a real bugger when it comes to permissions, they changed their mind when I was about a year into the previous va I had running. I wouldn't suggest bothering, after all that work getting the virtual airline up with a solid pilot base, it just gets wasted.

Another lesson after running the va I also learnt was that you have to know the language that is spoken by the airline's country. I was lucky someone fluent in french was on my staff team!

Jon

[BaRBeR]

Well, I speak fluent Spanish, German and Italian so any recommendations of what airline from there?

[James142]

Well, I speak fluent Spanish, German and Italian so any recommendations of what airline from there?

Your fluent in 4 languages and you where born in 1996? Fair play..

[BaRBeR]

Your fluent in 4 languages and you where born in 1996? Fair play..

Was taught English and Spanish from being a baby so I knew both of them and I learnt Italian and German about 3 years ago.

[Sava]

Congratulations on that! Being fluent in many languages is very important.

I am only fluent in Serbian and English, but know a little bit of French, mostly speaking, not understanding what is being sad unfortunately.

//offtopic

Ontopic: My advice would be to join an existing VA, fly for them, make yourself stand out, and join the staff team. If after being staff member for some time you still want to start your own VA, you will see it is much more than appointing 10 staff members and letting them do all the work. It doesn't work like that and it would be good to understand that as soon as possible.

[BaRBeR]

Congratulations on that! Being fluent in many languages is very important.

I am only fluent in Serbian and English, but know a little bit of French, mostly speaking, not understanding what is being sad unfortunately.

//offtopic

Ontopic: My advice would be to join an existing VA, fly for them, make yourself stand out, and join the staff team. If after being staff member for some time you still want to start your own VA, you will see it is much more than appointing 10 staff members and letting them do all the work. It doesn't work like that and it would be good to understand that as soon as possible.

I have been a member of various va's and been a staff member on some va's as well and i still want to open my own tbh.

[Sava]

First of all, I don't want to sound rude or like a 'know-it-all' guy.

The part "being a staff member on some VAs" is what I am referring to. some = multiple. Why aren't you still on the position in any of them? I mean, you are free to start anything you want, I am just trying to be helpful.

It seems you haven't experienced what is the VA stuff all about. For example, I run a really small VA and I spend loads of time running it. Checking with pilots, helping them out with setting software up, updating routes and keeping them up to date with the newest AIRAC, fixing and updating the website, coordinating with people for creation of liveries, trying to get the forums running, finding new features to keep pilots flying, checking mails, answering questions, discussing stuff between staff, and loads of other stuff. Some of the things I listed should be done by other staff members but as everyone, they are often not available to dedicate a lot time so you have to pitch in etc.

I am not discouraging you, just giving you an idea on what to expect. I wish I knew all of this before I started my VA. No one wants to see a VA come and go. And with all the projects you are starting as I have seen on the forums (radio, virtual solutions etc etc.) I am not sure you would have time to run everything. If you are still eager to proceed, you have my best wishes and good luck!

Again, do not understand this the wrong way.

Always 3 green,

SM

[BaRBeR]

VA Solutions is done and the radio is just an idea wondered what people thought hence the poll. Thank you for your help an I know your not trying to sound rude at all and i won't take it that way.

[Sava]

[Jeff]

The best advise which I can give you, is to take your time.

Do not start construction on a VA, throw a couple of schedules, add a 777 and open up for business.

This is a hobby. You will soon find out that you need tons of patience and free time to start your VA. Don't use free hosting, as you might not see it in the beginning, but you will definitely run into problems in the long run if you do.

If you start a VA for a real airline counterpart, get your permissions before starting so that you don't waste time building it, then getting shut down.

Do your homework on what you would like to offer your pilots. If you only offer a few things, they probably won't stick around too long.

[Sava]

That is some very good and crucial advice Jeff!

[freshJet]

If you are fluent in Spanish then maybe an Iberia Virtual or Air Europa Virtual would prove successful. I'm sure neither have good VAs. Italy... well... Alitalia I guess but there is a half decent one already. Air Italy is alright too and there is a Blue Panorama out there too. And for France there isn't much except Air France.

[MBrown]

Theres already a well established Iberia Virtual here in the Spanish community, Air Europa aswell (Although the management at Air Europa are a bit funny). Air Italy is a good suggestion from Iain, there is one but it's not very good at all complete waste of time (not to mention ripping Simpilot off). That could be a great one, they have a wide scheduled services network and very interesting charter relations aswell. Thomson tend to contract them a lot. Another suggestion would be Orbest Orizonia (Antes conocido como "Iberworld" es una aerolinea con muchas rutas de linea regular y también de chárter, flota de Airbus). That hasn't been done yet The sky is your limit!

[BaRBeR]

Good idea (buena idea podría pensar en hacer que una). Well thanks for all the idea's guys will certainly take them all into consideration! Thanks!

[mischka]

I had the idea some time ago to start virtual Aircess. Aircess was the airline of Viktor Bout that he founded for trafficking all kinds of dodgy stuff into warzones in africa etc, sometimes supplying both sides of the same conflict. You could do some really interesting stuff there, like incorporating random payment of bribes to local authorities etc. I'd do it myself if I hadn't just started my own airline.

Since Viktor Bout is in jail for the next 2 decades or so, I don't think your VA would be shut down

For that same reason, any bankrupt airline is a good start cause they won't bother sueing you. Just google for bankrupt airlines.

[Kyle]

For that same reason, any bankrupt airline is a good start cause they won't bother sueing you. Just google for bankrupt airlines.

I don't really think that's really true. Logo Designers who ever made the airline logos, can still catch on people. (That's what I think)

[mischka]

I don't really think that's really true. Logo Designers who ever made the airline logos, can still catch on people. (That's what I think)

I dont think so: the airline itself would have the rights to their logo, not the company who designed it: the design bureau got paid to do the logo and therefore the ownership of the logo is with the airline.

Anyway the logo designers wont care if their client, who is now bankrupt anyway, has a virtual sister organisation in the web.

afaik the bankrupt hungarian airline malev even has two virtual airlines named after it

[joeri]

its not true i had an bancktrupt airline that went down somwhere in 2005 but to date the logo off that airline is still copyright protected and registerd

you realy think the are going to let the logo go i dont think so

[mischka]

its not true i had an bancktrupt airline that went down somwhere in 2005 but to date the logo off that airline is still copyright protected and registerd

you realy think the are going to let the logo go i dont think so

And where you think a bankrupt airline gets the funds to sue you? Dont you think they have something else on their mind?

Think about it though, what a sad world we live in, if you read the above... a bankrupt airline sueing a virtual one for using their logo... epic fail!

[joeri]

its not the airline that will hold the copyright registration for this airline that i had it was a lawfirm from belgium and they still make the anual payment to keep it registerd .

so not logo's will be copyrighted but i just say they can

[EjDj99]

Maybe air austrailia

[freshJet]

Doesn't sound like it'd be too popular. Pick well-known brands like Qantas or Virgin Australia (already out there by the way). If you do want an Australian VA you could try JetStar because that would definitely be popular, but something tells me they won't allow it hence the reason there ain't already a good one.

[Strider]

Iain there is already a jetstar VA out there, and it is fairly big as from what I gather. I think they may have even tried to sue the real airline when it started due to the name being the same.

[Sava]

Yeap. I read somewhere that it existed before the real JetStar so they made an agreement with them. For once, the airline was breaching some copyright lol.

[LuxuryCEO]

Jordan sure your a member of Luxury Virtual Airways http://www.flyluxva.co.uk

theres loads of flight schedules to be flowen and weekend sessions aswell

[Sava]

How does your post fit into this topic?

[freshJet]

Oh yeah I forgot all about that. They sued Qantas for it.

[CXA001]

It seems you haven't experienced what is the VA stuff all about. For example, I run a really small VA and I spend loads of time running it. Checking with pilots, helping them out with setting software up, updating routes and keeping them up to date with the newest AIRAC, fixing and updating the website, coordinating with people for creation of liveries, trying to get the forums running, finding new features to keep pilots flying, checking mails, answering questions, discussing stuff between staff, and loads of other stuff. Some of the things I listed should be done by other staff members but as everyone, they are often not available to dedicate a lot time so you have to pitch in etc.

Very well put. I don't think I could have said it better myself.