Chapter 348: Victorville, the aircraft graveyard!
Ahmed was stunned for a moment: "Mr. Xu Cang, I don't quite understand what you mean?"
"Mr. Ahmed, if I remember correctly, the world's first A380-800 will be delivered to you in a month. So far, has Airbus informed you privately that the delivery of the A380 will be delayed?"
Ahmed leaned back and looked at Xu Cang silently, as if he wanted to see through Xu Cang's inner thoughts.
I have to say that Xu Cang's question was too strange and a little too targeted.
"Mr. Xu Cang, if it's convenient, can you tell me why you ask this question?" Ahmed fumbled with his fingers: "You suddenly asked me this, which made me feel uneasy."
"Hahaha, that's not convenient to say." Xu Cang waved his hand and flatly rejected Amed's request: "If you can tell me, that would be the best. If you don't tell me, it's not a big deal. I still have some channels to know about this kind of thing, but if Mr. Amed is willing to tell me, it will save me some time."
Ahmed's beard twitched. Xu Cang was not lying. The A380 was such a big thing that attracted everyone's attention. Any changes could not be concealed. It was not particularly difficult for Xu Cang to understand the latest developments of the A380.
Ahmed paused for a moment and said, "So far, we have not received any notice of delayed delivery of the A380."
"Not yet?" This made Xu Cang extremely surprised. At this point in time, something should have happened to the A380.
"Yes, not yet." Ahmed noticed the flash of disappointment in Xu Cang's expression: "Mr. Xu Cang, your thoughts seem to be more complicated than the stars in the sky."
Xu Cang uncapped the golden pen: "These are just some small calculations, nothing to worry about."
As he spoke, Xu Cang wrote a number on the check and handed it back to Ahmed: "I accept your terms."
"Oh?" Ahmed took the check and his expression changed slightly, because in the number column, Xu Cang only wrote one, which means that Xu Cang only filled in one dollar.
"One dollar?" Ahmed tapped the check with his fingertips. "Your compensation requirement is... one dollar?"
Xu Cang smiled and closed the gold pen cap: "Why, you still don't understand the numbers?"
"But I don't understand." Ahmed was puzzled: "You should believe in our boss's generosity. You can fill in any number you think is appropriate. One dollar? This number is a bit... abrupt."
Xu Cang returned the gold pen to Ahmed: "I owe your boss's friend a favor, so this is my way of repaying him."
"Mr. Rosefield?"
"Yeah." Xu Cang held his forehead and said, "Okay, I'm a little tired. If there's nothing else, I want to go and rest."
Today, Xu Cangguang spent nearly four hours on the road and more than three hours flying in the sky . He was really tired, but he was not looking for an excuse to leave.
Seeing that Amade didn't say anything, Xu Cang yawned and stood up: "Mr. Amade, please help yourself."
However, just as Xu Cang was about to start, there was a burst of applause from outside the door, and a young man in a gray plaid suit walked in. He had deep eye sockets and a typical Middle Eastern look, and looked older than Xu Cang, but definitely not much older.
"Ross guessed correctly that you wouldn't ask for a high price for this, but I didn't expect you to only ask for one dollar." The young man bowed slightly: "Jahad, nice to meet you."
"Ross?" Xu Cang was a little surprised. This young man named Jahad seemed to have a good private relationship with Rosefield Capet, and their names were called by abbreviations.
After Jahad came in, Ahmed stood up immediately, gave up his seat consciously, and stepped back a step. This small action can express a lot of meaning.
Xu Cang naturally noticed Ahmed's actions. It seemed that Jahad's status was also terrifyingly high. However, since he had a close relationship with the Capet family, he must be no ordinary person, which was normal.
Jahad naturally sat in Ahmed's seat and pointed to Xu Cang's previous seat: "Sit down."
It sounded as if Jahad was the master here, and Xu Cang was just a guest. This was the aura, the innate aura.
Xu Cang pursed his lips. Jahad was not deliberately putting on airs in front of Xu Cang, but over time, it had become a habit for him to treat people in this way. It was like a person who had been in a high position for a long time, with a sense of dignity in his every move.
Xu Cang was not afraid of the stage. He sat down again and sat opposite Jahad.
"Amad told you just now that sometimes I want to go to some...strange places, and for my own safety, I naturally hope to have someone I can trust on the plane." Jahad chuckled and said, "You are Ross's friend, so you are naturally my friend. That check is a little gift from me. Since you don't want to accept it, I can exchange it for something else, but a check is a bit tacky. However, there is one thing I am curious about. As far as I know, it was you who saved Ross, so he should owe you a favor. How come you have to repay him?"
"I got what I wanted in the Alps, so he certainly doesn't owe me a favor. As for my repayment of his favor, he gave me a reminder not long ago, and that information is very important."
Jahad laughed. Unlike many Middle Eastern men, he did not grow a beard. When he laughed, he even had two dimples, which made his face look a bit like a baby.
"You have more private contact with Ross than I expected." Jahad seemed to admire Xu Cang: "Speaking of the Alps, there is something you might be interested in."
Xu Cang was stunned: "What?"
"The manor where the accident happened in the Alps is extremely famous even in the world. Many dignitaries stay there when they ski in the Alps. However, the owner of the manor has been having a headache recently." Jahad was gloating, or perhaps he was just looking for trouble: "After the trapped people in the manor were rescued, it was revealed that nearly 180 ordinary employees of the manor were deliberately ignored in the rescue plan. In terms of material distribution, it was only prepared for those rich people at first..."
Speaking of the latter part, Jahad also became interested and looked at Xu Cang with a smile: "Mr. Xu Cang was directly involved. I wonder if this happened."
Xu Cang looked at his nose with his eyes, and looked at his heart with his nose: "I'm just a pilot, what can I know?"
"Mr. Xu is still too cautious. It's not a big deal to talk about such an interesting thing. Let's just have fun." Jahad laughed.
The corner of Xu Cang's mouth twitched. Although Jahad looked aristocratic, he was actually a very funny person at heart.
"What happened to the manor?" Believe it or not, Xu Cang was actually aroused by his curiosity.
"It would be fine if the 180 employees died, but now they are all alive. This will make things difficult." Jahad chuckled and said, "Among the 180 people, there is a man named John Warwick. He has a background of some importance."
"John Warwick... Warwick..." Xu Cang immediately recalled what happened the night before the rescue. That night, he also heard the last name of Warwick: "What is his relationship with Byron Warwick?"
"You know." Jahad was slightly surprised: "John Warwick is Byron Warwick's younger brother."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Xu Cang finally remembered it completely. This Byron Warwick had come to him. Even the arrogant Airbus COO Ronnie Covein was quite polite to Byron Warwick: "I remember Byron Warwick is a lawyer?"
"Big... lawyer." Jahad deliberately dragged out the words: "He reported the matter directly to the European Council for Human Rights. With Byron Warwick's reputation, this matter will ferment very quickly. Those people in Europe are used to being hypocritical. Once the matter gets out of hand, it will be hard to fool them."
Xu Cang probably understood what was going on: "So, what's the situation now?"
"What's the situation? Of course I have to pay compensation... After all, life is priceless, hahaha..." Jahad laughed even more wildly. But after laughing for a while, perhaps realizing that he was a little too relaxed, he coughed twice and said, "Anyway, the owner of the manor will face a lot of lawsuits now, and he probably can't hold on any longer."
"That would be a bargain for the people who accept it." Xu Cang sighed.
Anyway, the manor occupies almost the largest independent platform in the Alps, and its geographical location is very advantageous. As long as we can take it over, it will definitely make money.
In the past, if you wanted to buy this manor, you would have to pay a huge price. But now, with the lawsuit, the manor owner is likely to sell it at a low price. Whoever takes over will get a great bargain.
"Take over?" Jahad curled his lips. "Whoever dares to take over the manor will face endless troubles. People have different classes, but no one can accept such naked display, let alone in Europe, which is famous for human rights. Whoever takes over the manor will not only have to accept a large number of compensation lawsuits, but also be criticized by public opinion. Who dares to take over?"
Xu Cang thought about it and realized that this was indeed the case.
It is obvious that the manor has become a hot potato and is difficult to deal with.
"What a pity to lose such a good asset." Xu Cang sighed casually.
Jahad glanced at Xu Cang meaningfully: "If there is anyone in this world who can take over the manor normally, it must be Mr. Xu Cang."
"Me?" Xu Cang was stunned. How did the casual chat at the beginning end up involving himself?
"Whoever takes over the manor will have to face the litigation team headed by Byron Warwick, as well as pressure from society and the European Human Rights Council. However, as the savior of those 180 people, if you take over the manor, then all problems will not exist. Aren't you the best solution?" Jahad said seriously, "If Mr. Xu is interested in this, I think you should meet ."
"Byron Warwick." Xu Cang chewed on the name. He had no idea what kind of person this famous lawyer in Europe was. To be honest, Xu Cang had no idea about dealing with such a person.
Moreover, if I were to take over the manor, I would feel like I was repaying a favour.
However, the manor is indeed quite tempting. If he can take it, it will be a very good source of income for him.
Jahad smacked his lips. “You don’t know Byron Warwick?”
"I don't know him." Xu Cang was honest.
"Then let Ross introduce him." Jahad said seriously, "If we want to take over that manor, we must first deal with Byron Warwick."
Xu Cang suddenly smiled and said, "Mr. Jahad, you seem to be particularly enthusiastic."
"I'm always very enthusiastic." Jahad stretched. "You wrote one dollar on the check, but I can't really give you one dollar. I did some research on your situation. If I'm not mistaken, you should be in great need of an airplane right now. The international airplane market is quite tight right now. Even if you have money, you may not be able to buy an airplane in time."
Xu Cang's smile disappeared instantly.
The manor mentioned above is still a fantasy after all, but the lack of aircraft capacity is real. Previously, due to the overheating of the European market caused by the issuance of the euro, Kingfisher Airlines, which originally had excess capacity, was now short of capacity and could not spare any aircraft.
Xu Cang has been very successful in other fields, but has made little progress in his main business, Spring Airlines, recently.
A good cook cannot cook without rice. Without planes, Xu Cang doesn’t even dare to expand his flight routes. How can he develop?
In the previous conversation, Xu Cang was able to remain calm, but when the plane was mentioned, Xu Cang became a little uneasy: "Mr. Jahad, what can I do for you?"
"Do you know Victorville?"
"Victorville? Passenger plane graveyard?" Xu Cang was a little uncertain.
"Yes, it's the airplane graveyard in the Victorville desert in southern California." Jahad's right index finger scratched the table, making a sharp sound. "We have eleven retired and sealed 737s there, including three 737-300s, three 737-400s, and the rest are all 800s. You can take someone to have a look. If nothing unexpected happens, those planes should still be usable."
When Xu Cang heard this, he was stunned.
"You mean... for me?"
"Of course, if Mr. Xu doesn't mind." Jahad said with a smile: "Of course, those planes are not scrapped. I will not use scrapped planes to humiliate Mr. Xu. Most of these retired and sealed planes are 70% new. You should know our style."
Scrap and decommission are two completely different concepts, Xu Cang certainly knows this. Qatar Airways has always been rich and powerful, and is very straightforward about the renewal of its fleet. It will not wait until the end of its service life to replace the aircraft. If it feels a little old, it will buy a new one.
It fully explains what a rich person is!
"But..." Jahad lowered his head and thought for a moment: "Mr. Xu, as an individual, I don't mind giving you those 737s. However, in order to prevent the board of directors from blaming me, for the aircraft you think is acceptable, I will charge you half the price of the international mainstream second-hand 737 as a transfer fee, is that okay?"
Yes, yes, that’s great!
Xu Cang was almost certain that Jahad was not talking nonsense when he said that those retired and sealed 737s were still 70% new. If that was true, purchasing these aircraft at half the price of mainstream second-hand aircraft would be a deal that could not be more profitable.
And, most importantly, these aircraft are ready-made and can be put into operation by Spring Airlines in the fastest way possible without any waiting.
If Xu Cang didn't want to appear too anxious, he would have drawn up an agreement right now.
"Then I still have to thank Mr. Jahad."
Jahad didn't seem to care. "It's just a small matter. It's Mr. Xu who was the first to show generosity, so I can't be stingy. But Mr. Xu, what you just promised should count, right?"
Xu Cang asked with a hint of curiosity: "Where are you going?"
"At the end of this year, I'm going to Scandinavia to see... the aurora." Jahad said, "However, at the end of this year, it happens to be the volcanic season there. Although the possibility is small, I need to consider my own safety. At that time, I hope Mr. Xu can take the time to send me there."
"Scandinavia?" Generally speaking, the higher the latitude, the easier it is to see the aurora. However, what Xu Cang found incomprehensible was that since he knew it was the volcanic season, couldn't he change the time?
"The volcanic season doesn't usually last too long, right? Wouldn't it be good to stagger the time a little bit?"
"No." Jahad shook his head: "That is a very important day for me."
"What..." Xu Cang subconsciously wanted to ask what day it was, but he swallowed the words back. It was better not to ask about such private matters.
To be honest, this shouldn't be considered a very dangerous thing.
Scandinavia does have many active volcanoes, and the period of collective activity of some volcanoes is called the volcanic season. However, if it is just a sporadic eruption, it is not a big problem as long as it is not too close to the airport.
Xu Cang didn't believe that his luck could always be so bad.
"Sure! But, Mr. Jahad, you'd better tell me the time in advance so that I can arrange it."
Jahad stood up and stretched. "Of course. Mr. Xu Cang, it's a pleasure to talk to you. Now that everything is settled, shall we meet at the end of the year?"
Xu Cang also stood up and wanted to see Jahad off. After all, this tycoon from the Middle East was really generous.
Just as Jahad walked to the door, he suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to face Xu Cang: "There is something I forgot to tell you just now."
Xu Cang was startled: "What?"
"Just fifteen minutes ago, I just received news that the first A380 scheduled for Airbus... has been postponed."
This time, not only Xu Cang, but even Amad was stunned.
However, after Xu Cang's initial surprise, a huge wave of emotion rose in his heart.
As expected, the A380 had an accident.
The time to reap Airbus has finally come!
…
After Jahad and the other man left, Xu Cang immediately took out his cell phone and called Xiao Lingyun.
Soon, the call was connected, and Xu Cang immediately said: "Sell all the Airbus shares in your hands."
Xiao Lingyun on the other end of the phone immediately understood what Xu Cang meant: "Is the Airbus going to explode?"
"It's almost there, it's almost there, throw it out quickly." Xu Cang instructed, "Be more discreet."
"Don't worry, this little thing will be handled beautifully. The stocks we borrowed from the brokerage firm before were a lot for us, but for the stock market, the total amount is not large. It is not difficult to handle and will not attract attention."
Now Xu Cang has sold the stocks borrowed from the brokerage firm. Later, when the Airbus stock price plummets, he will sell the low-priced stocks from the market and return them to the brokerage firm. In this way, Xu Cang can earn huge profits from the price difference.
"Oh, there's one more thing. We still have some money in Korean Air's shares. What does it say there?"
"Korean Air is going to explode too."
"What?" Xiao Lingyun asked in surprise, "So fast?"
"There are other things to do in Korea. It's time to show our cards."
"Earlier, Korean Air's stock price soared due to rumors of its acquisition of Asiana Airlines, and we made some pocket money from it. So why not try it again now that its stock price has plummeted?" Xiao Lingyun was eager to try. It was easy to make money from Korean Air, and Xiao Lingyun was very tempted.
"No need. The Korean financial market is not big. You'll easily attract attention by constantly cutting leeks from Korean Air. Just stop when it's time." Xu Cang was more cautious than Xiao Lingyun.
Hearing that Xu Cang did not plan to cut Korean Air again, Xiao Lingyun was a little disappointed: "Alas, although Korean Air is not as easy to cut as Airbus, it is easier to cut. It would be a pity to let it go."
"What a pity! There is nothing to regret." Xu Cang said solemnly: "After harvesting Airbus this time, the accumulated funds and the money from Europe will be put together. There will be a bigger battle to fight soon. It is definitely more exciting than a novice task like dealing with Korean Airlines."
Xiao Lingyun immediately became excited: "What?"
Xu Cang licked his lips: "We are going to buy the bottom of US stocks."
…
In the director's office of the CAAC headquarters in Hanjing, Li Jie stood in front of the window with his back to Wu Yue, who came to report on his work.
"The chairman of the ICAO Technical Standards Committee specifically requested to see Xu Cang. Director Li, this matter..."
Li Jie did not make any new moves, but just uttered a dull voice: "Why does he want to see Xu Cang?"
"We previously made a brief introduction to the CDFA technology mentioned by Xu Cang and submitted it to ICAO. The chairman of the technical committee came here just for this matter. Originally, he was not supposed to be in this inspection team."
"CDFA..." Li Jie turned slightly to the side, revealing a gloomy face: "Does ICAO value this technology?"
Wu Yue nodded seriously: "It is very important. Otherwise, the chairman of the Technical Standards Committee would not come here in person. In addition, in addition to the Technical Standards Committee, the chief engineers of EASA and FAA who came here also want to see Xu Cang."
Li Jie frowned, a trace of displeasure flashed across his face: "What do they want to do now?"
"The specific details are unknown, but..." Wu Yue's expression revealed a hint of strangeness: "They seem to be suggesting to ICAO headquarters that Xu Cang be appointed as the flight inspector for the Asia-Pacific region."
Unlike flight inspectors who only have supervisory powers, they still have to request cooperation with the local civil aviation administration when handling actual matters. Flight inspectors have supervisory powers granted by the International Civil Aviation Organization and can directly require an airline to make corrections without having to take into account the opinions of the local civil aviation administration.
The power has been greatly increased!
"Flight inspection." Li Jie sighed, "Let Xu Cang come over."
