Passengers flock to Virgin Blue
ABC News Online
Passengers flock to Virgin Blue
Virgin Blue has released passenger figures revealing the Brisbane-based budget airline has experienced soaring growth in the past year.
Company spokesman David Huttner says patronage in December grew 52 per cent over the previous year.
He says the trend is due to a number of factors, including the introduction of more destinations and increased flight frequency.
Mr Huttner is confident growth will continue, with the 40-plane fleet set to expand and start new routes later in the year.
"We think that Newcastle-Brisbane, for example, will be a strong route in both directions as there are a lot of people from the Hunter region who want to come up and take a holiday in south-east Queensland," Mr Huttner said.
Mr Huttner says the growth, which is partly due to the company's increasing grip on the corporate market, was greater than anticipated.
"I think it's fair to say the airline, over the past few years, exceeded not only our business projections but our personal expectations," he said.
Mr Huttner says Qantas's plans for a rival discount service prove there is a strong market for economy flights.
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