WELCOME

WELCOME ABOARD THIS VLM AIRLINES FLIGHT. LET ME TAKE THIS opportunity to thank all of you who contributed to our yearly survey. The results, comments and suggestions that we receive as feedback from our customers will be used as a vital working tool throughout the company over the coming months. It has always been our goal to offer our passengers the most convenient mode of transport and we remain committed to providing a high quality service for all your fl ights with our airline.

I’m also particularly proud to say that we have announced another year of profits in 2007, making it our 10th consecutive profitable year. This is a great achievement considering the growing competition, especially from the heavily subsidised rail operators. Looking ahead, our recent change of ownership will bring a wide range of benefits both to us and to our passengers, whilst maintaining the entrepreneurship and fl exibility of a regional business airline.

The route Amsterdam – London City has been growing steadily since it was first launched three years ago. Now offering 12 fl ights every weekday, Amsterdam has become a major airport in our network so we’re all the more proud to have been awarded the Passenger Airline Award 2007 in March from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. This award proves that a regional airline such as ours can actually make a difference for business travellers, and we’re very proud to have received such acknowledgement from one of the world’s greatest airports. It’s not the first time we have been praised on the route, as the UK Civil Aviation Authority also found that VLM Airlines was the most punctual airline from Amsterdam to London in 2007, surpassing all other airlines fl ying to the various airports in London.

We will be celebrating our 15th anniversary throughout May and we have planned a selection of events at London City Airport in the middle of the month, so keep your eyes open for the Antwerp diamond that will be making an appearance at the airport.

Many of our customers have commented on the facilities at London City Airport, and those of you travelling through the airport on a regular basis will have seen that construction works are taking place. There’s more information on the expansion of London City Airport and the new terminal at Luxembourg Airport starting on page 40 of this issue, so take a look if you’d like to know more. Elsewhere in the issue, we spend a day with Manchester City’s chief executive, investigate the rapid growth of private banking and take a look ahead at the future of the luxury industry.

I wish you a pleasant journey and happy reading,

Johan Vanneste
Managing Director