Another One Bites The Dust...MALEV

[Garry Russell]

Ceased operations

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16866872

[ianhind]

At least 11 of their Boeing 737s have moved to Shannon tonight to return to ILFC.

[VEGAS]

Thats a shame. Going back a few years, I used to see their 154's on the odd occassion operating in and out of EGCC.

[TSR2]

My reading of it is that the EU ruled that the Hungarian government subsidies were ileagal as they were anti competitive. This does my head in, a government can't support its national airline. So because of an EU rule 2000 people loose their jobs, nuts. Its long overdue this EU nonsense was finished.

[Garry Russell]

The EU do this sort of thing all the time

I still can't work out where or why the Common Market became the European Union.

The Common Market was agreed to but the EU has been created by small increases in power over a long time going unchecked to the point where businesses and individuals that were supposed to be protected by the Common Market get into even bigger strife caused by the EU.

[cstorey]

It is going to lead to yet another European War. That strange fat and dumpy woman with the moustache and the slicked down hair is horribly reminiscent of another german politician

[Filonian]

My reading of it is that the EU ruled that the Hungarian government subsidies were ileagal as they were anti competitive. This does my head in, a government can't support its national airline. So because of an EU rule 2000 people loose their jobs, nuts. Its long overdue this EU nonsense was finished.

'Bout time they were told to "get stuffethed" Ben.


Graham

[speedbird591]

Steady on guys! Of course Government subsidies are illegal and uncompetitive and the EU is right to outlaw them. We went through all this years ago when BA was privatised and had to become viable without using the taxpayer's money. And it became the most efficient and profitable airline in the world at one time.

But most of the competition in those days was from Government subsidised airlines that didn't have to make a profit or from US airlines flying under bankruptcy protection. If they wanted to put a commercial enterprise out of business all they had to do was drop their prices below cost and ask their taxpayers for more money. BA couldn't do that as it had to stand on it's own feet and we very nearly went under in the 80s against that sort of competition.

But now that the EU are finally enforcing the rule Olympic, Alitalia and others - and now Malev - are quite rightly being folded up as the basket cases they were. It's a pity that we can't make the US and other international countries abide by the same rules.

Emirates and Etihad don't have to make a profit, either. They're heavily subsidised by their governments and are given wads of dosh to buy fleets of brand new aircraft. The international market place is already skewed against British businesses and we should be grateful that our companies have managed to outlive these inefficient dinosaurs purely by excellent management and efficiencies.

Good riddance!

Ian

[TSR2]

A government first responsibility is to its own citezens, not the EU (IMHO) So now the easy yets and Ryanairs of this world will pick over whats left of Spainair and Malev. So much for competition.

[Garry Russell]

BA..especially BEA used to serve destinations that could not make money because the service was needed for the community

That all went with the privatisation, but as state owned they could have been more efficient

All it needed were people to do the jobs they were paid to do as well as they could do them...but management doesn't work that way unless there are ridiculous extra bonus if they do the job they are paid to do.

State airlines making money should be an aim and achieved it at all possible...but the real function is to provide the service at the correct price, if that needs a subsidy then so be it.