Empty Planes - MSE opportunity??????

*MF*

Extracts from The Times today:

Britain’s third-largest airline, bmi, will fly near-empty aircraft from this autumn to preserve multimillion-pound take-off and landing slots, The Times has learnt.

Flybe, an Exeter-based airline, has already advertised for actors to fly between Norwich and Dublin to boost passenger numbers. The airline came up with the idea when faced with the prospect of losing £280,000 because it had not met a passenger target imposed by Norwich international airport as part of a commercial deal.

The rise in fuel prices and an expected slump in passenger numbers after the summer mean that many airlines will have to cancel flights, but bmi does not want to lose its coveted slots at Heathrow, which are valued at £770 million.

Full article here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article4340518.ece

Read that and could not help but speculate that it might present an opportunity for MSE members - are there enough of us to offer the airlines occupants on their "near empty" flights on a deal of some kind?

Don't know - maybe just blue sky thinking - but I thought it worthwhile floating the idea to see if it would fly.

Is this an MSE opportunity? Thoughts welcome.


EDIT - Chose to post this here and not in the travel thread - eg:, 1) maybe the Up Your Income participants can apply as "substitute actors" and get paid. 2) have often seen members arranging "meets" - howsabout a "day away" filling a plane or two? 3) Maybe those on the Charities thread could negotiate a deal (for free seats) and offer those seats as prizes in a raffle?

jd87

You have to look at it this way. There are empty seats on all kinds of public transport everyday. Why don't they just let people take the seats for a tiny fare? Well if they started doing that, then nobody would ever pay the full price, they would just hold out for the free seats, then the airline/train/bus company would never make any money.

*MF*

Understood ... and your comment fully appreciated - but the "tipping point" in this seems to be the loss of landing rights, which seem to have a very high value, and it is on that fulcrum that I think a deal may be negotiated.

Anyways, having floated the idea, and on a "nothing ventured, nothing gained" basis, I have sent an e-mail to one of the airlines mentioned - using the charity aspect as the main criteria. Personally, I can think of many good causes that could make use of empty seats, and in many different ways.

I'll report back if I get a reply. Who knows - stranger things have happened, lol?

Fools and :A etc.