McKay speaks out: "There was No cost cutting"

Media Wales

By Katie Sands


Agent Willie McKay speaks out in national TV interview as revelations cast doubt over lawfulness of Emiliano Sala flight

Willie McKay says the flight was not arranged on a cost-sharing basis

Fresh doubt has been cast over the lawfulness of the flight carrying Emiliano Sala after football agent Willie McKay confirmed in a national TV interview that the flight was not arranged on the basis of "cost-sharing".

McKay has previously spoken out about arranging the flight for the new Cardiff City signing, but said he had no part in selecting the plane or pilot. You can read his full statement on that here .


An official report from the UK Air Accident Investigation Branch was published this week, where investigators confirmed that the light aircraft could not be used for commercial operations without prior permission.

At the time of writing their report, released on Monday, they said there was no evidence that such permission had been sought or granted.

Mr Ibbotson, who remains unaccounted for, held a private pilot's licence, which "does not allow a pilot to carry passengers for reward; to do so requires a commercial licence".

In terms of the status of the flight, the report said: "The basis on which the passenger was being carried on N264DB has not yet been established but, previously, the pilot had carried passengers on the basis of ‘cost sharing’.

"Cost sharing allows a private pilot to carry passengers and for those passengers to contribute towards the actual cost of the flight."

Speaking to the BBC, McKay Senior said: "It was a bit embarrassing in Cardiff's situation, because they buy a player that's 17million euros and then leave him in a hotel trying to go on the computer and look for a flight from Cardiff to Nantes, and then back again.

"Of course I think they could have done more.

"The AAIB came up and interviewed ourselves, and they told us that the plane was more than capable of doing that flight, they told us also that the pilot, David Ibbotson, had done his medical and was also okay to fly the plane.

"When you phone a taxi and a taxi comes, you don't ask 'do you have your driving licence?', 'is your car MOT-ed?'

"It's just things you don't even think about. I was just thinking about getting the boy back home, which he wanted."

Cardiff City chiefs have previously spoken about how offers were made for Sala to fly commercially via Paris, but say they were told by the player he had alternative arrangements.

Asked about the subject of cost-sharing, McKay said: "It wasn't a cost-sharing arrangement because Emi was not paying anything, so it wasn't cost sharing."

Asked if he was going to pay the full amount, McKay replied: "Yeah".

A higher level of regulatory burden applies to commercial flights, compared with private flights (such as more stringent medical, licencing and airworthiness requirements), and while UK, EU and US regulatory authorities allow cost sharing, they do apply restrictions to it.

According to the AAIB report, the Federal Aviation Administration issued legal guidance on cost-sharing back in 2009 and 2014, making clear - among several things - that a pilot must not pay less than the pro rata share for the flight if they are cost sharing.

Of the legal guidance, the interim report from the AAIB said: "If the flight involves the pilot and one passenger, then the pilot must pay half the operating expenses.

"The ruling also made clear that the pilot must have a bona fide purpose (also known as common purpose) for making the flight and must dictate when the flight is to go. The flight must not be made for the purpose of merely transporting the passenger".

Hours after the report was made public, Cardiff City expressed their "grave concerns" over the validity of the trip, welcoming further investigation. You can read their full statement on that here .

The Bluebirds and Sala's former club Nantes are currently involved in a dispute over the payment of the first instalment of the £15m transfer fee, with Nantes referring the matter to FIFA as the instalment is yet to be paid.

McKay said his son Mark, who helped broker the transfer, is owed £1.5m from Nantes for the deal.

McKay added: "I don't care if Cardiff pay or don't pay. I don't care if Nantes pay us.

"What we've been through is total hell."

Responding to McKay's comments, a club statement read: "Cardiff City FC strongly rejects the claim that it neglected to provide Mr Sala with travel arrangements.


"Our club was in the process of organising a commercial flight for Mr Sala until this offer was declined owing to separate arrangements being made – the planning and specifics of which Cardiff was not privy to.

"Cardiff has serious concerns over the potential unlawfulness of the journey following information that has been released. Clearly more answers as to the details surrounding this terrible tragedy are required."


https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/agent-willie-mckay-speaks-out-15904160

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Reading this article McKay is trying to hang Ibbotson out to dry and Cardiff City, too

Anything to try and get the heat off of them

Blaming everyone else but himself..
First class knob

Using a small plane with a pilot who couldn't be paid smacks of cost cutting ?

Is McKay comparing driving a taxi to flying a shitty plane

There ends the initial claim that this was a private flight. If it was commercial flight anywhere in the chain then I think its a commercial flight full stop. Don't be surprised if McKay goes onto to claim that he wasn't doing it for free and that he did have an agreement for Sala to pay him - probably verbally. They're trying to separate the arrangements for the flight from the contract. Easier to do that if a separate contract existed. He has nothing to lose and if Henderson ends up in more shit then its no skin off his nose.

That interview yesterday just shows what a load of nonsense the bankruptcy laws are in this country. Is the son really controlling that business or fronting it for dad whose pulling all the strings in the background. Amazing how they keep their assets at arms length from the creditors.

Squirming like the worm that he is,for all intents and purposes,he is still an agent,masquerading behind his son's name ,them leaked WhatsApp messages,clearly state from Emiliano, that he had spoken to Willie McKay, and he had arranged a flight for him and he had the cheek to attend the funeral Dirty feckin money grabbing waste of flesh n bone

Back of the hands jobs !!!