Category Archives: Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia-Singapore relationship is approved by the CCS

V Australia (Virgin Blue International Airlines) Boeing 777-3ZG ER VH-VOZ (msn 35302) SYD (John Adlard), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Virgin Australia Airlines (Brisbane) and Singapore Airlines (Singapore) have received the final approval from the Singapore government for their proposed alliance. Virgin Australia issued the following statement:

“Virgin Australia group of airlines (ASX: VBA) welcomed the Competition Commission of Singapore’s (CCS’s) approval of its proposed alliance with Singapore Airlines.

The proposed alliance will enable the two airlines to provide guests with an expanded network of destinations, seamless connections, a more convenient flight schedule and more opportunities to earn frequent flyer points and access lounges.

Approval of the alliance is key to the company’s strategy of building an international network with global coverage to complement Virgin Australia’s core domestic business.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced draft approval of the proposed alliance on October 13, 2011 and the airlines await its final decision.”

Virgin Australia Slide Show: CLICK HERE

V Australia Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Skywest Airlines starts flying for Virgin Australia Airlines

Virgin Australia Airlines (Skywest Airlines) ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-500) VH-FVI (msn 955) BNE (Peter Gates), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Skywest Airlines (Perth) yesterday (October 17) began operating for Virgin Australia Airlines (Bribane) with the new ATR 72-500s dressed in Virgin Australia’s brand. The first flight, flight DJ 1711, departed Brisbane to Gladstone followed by Brisbane to Port Macquarie. ATR 72 services between Canberra and Sydney start on October 19, 2011, bringing the total number of flights between the two cities to 60 each week.

Air New Zealand increases its shareholding in Virgin Australia to 19.99%

Air New Zealand Boeing 777-319 ER ZK-OKM (msn 38405) LAX (James Helbock), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Air New Zealand (Auckland) has taken advantage of Virgin Australia’s weak stock price and increased its share of the Australian carrier from 14.99 percent to 19.99 percent.

Read the full report from nzherald.co.nz: CLICK HERE

Air New Zealand Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Delta and Virgin Australia to launch the trans-Pacific codeshare in November

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-432 ER N845MH (msn 29719) (Force for Global Good-The Breast Cancer Research Foundation) ATL (Michael B. Ing), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) and Virgin Australia Airlines (Brisbane) announced two major milestones of their recently approved joint venture: an expanded codesharing agreement on flights between the United States and Australia, and an enhanced customer experience in Los Angeles.

Codeshare service will be available for sale beginning on September 19, 2011 for travel effective on November 6, 2011.

Under the agreement, Delta will add its code to all flights between Los Angeles and the Australian cities Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, operated by V Australia, Virgin Australia’s long-haul international carrier. V Australia will add its code to Delta’s service between Los Angeles and Sydney.

For customers, the expanded codesharing means more options when booking trans-Pacific travel on Delta or V Australia, as well as benefits such as accrual of frequent flier miles and premium lounge access regardless of which airline operates the flight.

To further improve the customer experience, from November, flights operated by V Australia will arrive at Delta’s Terminal 5 at Los Angeles International Airport. This will allow for easier and faster connections within the same terminal to the rest of Delta’s network, as well as access to new customs and immigration facilities in Terminal 5.

Delta Slide Show: CLICK HERE

V Australia Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Virgin Australia reports a yearly loss, introduces a new frequent flyer program

Virgin Australia Airlines Boeing 737-8FE WL VH-YFF (msn 40994) PAE (Nick Dean), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Virgin Australia Airlines (Brisbane) reported a full fiscal year loss of A$67.8 million as the company struggled against rising fuel costs and natural disasters in its main Australian market.

The company also launched the first stage of its new Velocity frequent flyer program. According to the airline, the new program is now “offering Australians global coverage, exciting new partners and Australia’s best flight rewards and benefits.”

Using months of research and feedback from frequent flyers, Virgin Australia has re-built Velocity from the ground up to create a program that now offers:

1. Global flight coverage with over 600 services1 around the world.

2. Enhanced flight rewards, with more options to redeem Points for seats
Improved Points earn rates and status earning methods.

3. Transformed status privileges and unique benefits for travellers and their families.

4. A new Platinum level of membership with exclusive benefits.

5. Over 380 program partners including credit cards and retail partners.

Skywest Airlines to operate 18 ATR 72-500s for Virgin Australia

11 juillet 2011 – VIRGIN AUSTRALIA ATR 72-500 F-WWEH 955 – LFBO – TLS, originally uploaded by gimbellet.

Skywest Airlines (Perth) is getting ready to take delivery of its first ATR 72-500. Skywest has a total of 18 ATR 72-212As (ATR 72-500s) turboprops on order. The ATRs will be painted in the Virgin Australia livery and will be operated for Virgin Australia under a wet lease agreement on its regional routes. Virgin Australia Airlines (Brisbane) is expanding its regional network in Australia.

Virgin Australia Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Gimbellet. The pictured ATR 72-212A with the test registration of F-WWEH (msn 955) at Toulouse on July 11, 2011 is the second ATR 72 for Skywest.

Virgin Australia partners to develop unique Australian eucalypt tree biofuel

Virgin Australia Airlines Boeing 737-81D WL VH-YFC (msn 39413) SYD (John Adlard) (formerly Virgin Blue Airlines), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Virgin Australia (formerly Virgin Blue Airlines) (Brisbane) has announced that it has partnered with Renewable Oil Corporation (ROC), Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation (DYMTF) and Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centre (FFI CRC) to develop a sustainable aviation biofuel that also has benefits for the Australian farming community and the environment.

In a world first, the consortium plans to use innovative fast pyrolysis technology developed by Dynamotive to process mallees, a eucalypt tree that can be grown sustainably in many parts of Australia.

The partnership brings together companies with special expertise in growing, harvesting and processing feedstock into aviation fuel to support the development of a full scale commercial plant in Western Australia.

Dynamotive has invested in excess of A$100 million and more than 10 years of work in developing its fast pyrolysis technology from bench-scale through to commercial-scale plants in Canada. The plants are equipped to make pyrolysis oil for fuels and also produce biochar, for soil improvement and carbon sequestration.

Leading the commercialisation of mallees is the Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centre (FFI CRC), a national R&D joint venture with experts in breeding, growing and harvesting these trees.

Already more than 1,000 farmers have planted mallees in belts on their farms, mainly in Western Australia. Later this year the FFI CRC partnership will bring the prototype, world’s first hardwood biomass harvester to Western Australia for wide-scale demonstrations.

Renewable Oil Corporation (ROC), which identified the mallee tree as a promising biofuel feedstock, is Dynamotive’s Australian partner and develops biofuel projects in Australia.

The consortium is currently finalizing plans for a demonstration unit that will make bio-fuels for testing, certification and public trials. The demonstration unit is intended to be operational in 2012, followed by the construction of a commercial-scale plant, which could be operational as early as 2014.

Delta and Virgin Australia Airlines received DOT approval for their trans-Pacific joint venture

Virgin Australia Airlines Boeing 737-8FE WL VH-YFF (msn 40994) PAE (Nick Dean), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) and Virgin Australia Airlines (formerly Virgin Blue Airlines) (Brisbane) have received DOT approval to begin their trans-Pacific joint venture.

Delta and Virgin Australia Airlines receive proposed grant of antitrust immunity for their alliance

Virgin Australia Airlines Airbus A330-243 VH-XFB (msn 372) SYD (Morris Biondi), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) and Virgin Australia Airlines (Brisbane) are supporting the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) proposed grant of antitrust immunity to their alliance, which will allow the airlines to implement their joint venture, expanding their reach between the U.S., Australia and the South Pacific region.

Antitrust immunity will enable Delta and Virgin Australia Airlines to provide a seamless product to customers and more options for travel between the U.S. and South Pacific. The airlines will collaborate through codesharing, coordinating route and product planning and extending frequent flyer program benefits and lounge access to customers of both carriers.

The alliance will create a comprehensive, fully integrated network able to serve thousands of city-pairs in North America and the South Pacific. Delta alone serves a single point in Australia, Sydney, and Virgin Australia’s international airline, V Australia, flies only to Los Angeles. The antitrust immunized alliance will allow the airlines to fully cooperate on network planning and distribution to deliver a more attractive and competitive service for customers. A detailed econometric study conducted by Compass Lexecon estimated annual consumer benefits of up to $54 million would be produced by the joint venture.

The alliance with Delta is a centerpiece of Virgin Australia Airlines’ (formerly Virgin Blue Airlines) product development and international expansion strategy, led by CEO John Borghetti. Under Borghetti’s leadership, Virgin Australia Airlines has developed a market-leading international airline, V Australia, which offers direct flights between Los Angeles and Australia. Virgin Australia also operates an extensive network throughout Australia and the South Pacific. Through its alliance with Delta, V Australia has created a network with the scope and breadth to take on larger rivals serving the U.S. – South Pacific marketplace.

Antitrust immunity is the latest step in an enhanced alliance between Delta and Virgin Australia Airlines, which began with their first codesharing flights in January 2010. On May 21, the codesharing arrangement will be expanded to add five new destinations in Australia and New Zealand to Delta’s network. Delta customers will be able to connect in Sydney on Virgin Australia Airlines flights to Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra in Australia, and on Pacific Blue (Virgin Australia’s Pacific airline) to Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand. V Australia customers will be able to connect in Los Angeles to Delta flights to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Detroit, New York-JFK and Orlando, Fla.

The DOT’s Show Cause Order proposes to grant antitrust immunity to the alliance and allows for a further period of public comment, after which the DOT will issue a final determination.

In other news, Delta will drop the New York (JFK)-Kiev on June 17.

Virgin Blue Airlines becomes Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia Boeing 737-81D WL VH-YFC (msn 39413) SYD (John Adlard) (formerly Virgin Blue Airlines), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Virgin Blue Airlines (Brisbane) as planned became Virgin Australia today (May 4) with a ceremony in Sydney. The airline took the opportunity to introduce this new brand and level of service.

New Virgin Australia Video: