Virgin launches to Newman and Karratha
sure this will cause some discussion
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WHAT A PEARLER!!! VIRGIN BLUE ANNOUNCES MAJOR WA EXPANSION
TWO BRAND NEW INTRA-WA ROUTES TO NEWMAN AND KARRATHA AND ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS TO BROOME
Tuesday 26 August 2008: Virgin Blue Airlines announced today it would expand its presence in Western Australia with the launch of two new ports and the doubling of flights to and from Broome.
From 21 October 2008, Virgin Blue will launch direct daily flights from Perth to two brand new Virgin Blue ports, Karratha and Newman¶ with its new executive style EMBRAER jet aircraft, bringing in new competition and Virgin Blue’s award winning service style to the mining market.
From 15 October 2008, Virgin Blue will also double flights between Perth and Broome providing a more convenient schedule, additional capacity and more competitive fares to one of Australia’s most unique “must see” tourist destinations.
Virgin Blue Chief Executive, Brett Godfrey, said, “This is a significant investment for the Virgin Blue Group in WA which demonstrates our confidence in the potential of the WA market. Karratha and Newman are both key mining destinations where we believe we can bring some great advantages in terms of schedule reliability and competitive fares. We will be working closely with the mining sector and those companies that provide support services to the mining industry in these regions and are eager to demonstrate our commitment to providing a viable travel option tailored to their needs.”
He continued, “At the same time, our soon-to-be launched services will also mean a new choice of airline for those wanting to travel between Perth and Karratha or Newman to visit family and friends or for a weekend in the city or the country. It’s not just about servicing the fly-in, fly-out mining industry needs, it’s about bringing tangible benefits to the general community through making travel a more affordable option.”
The expansion is Virgin Blue’s second and largest foray into intra-WA services following the successful introduction of Broome-Perth flights in September 2004.
From Wednesday 15 October 2008, Virgin Blue will increase its Perth-Broome flights with an a new early morning flight which will complement the existing evening service, giving travellers more choice and flexibility. Virgin Blue already operates a direct weekly flight between Adelaide and Broome.
The new services will also be operated by Virgin Blue's executive style EMBRAER E-190 jet aircraft and will add a further 1456 seats per week to the market. The E-190 is the larger of the two EMBRAER Jets with 104 seats, compared to the E-170 with 78 seats.
Virgin Blue Chief Executive, Brett Godfrey, said, "Broome’s popularity and unique cultural and environmental attractions make it a long term viable option for growth. The second daily flight is a big commitment for Virgin Blue but given the desirability of Broome as a destination, we are hopeful there will be ongoing demand for a twice daily flight and time will tell.
Virgin Blue will continue to work with local operators and tourism organisations on joint marketing campaigns and recently co-hosted travel media to the region with the newly refurbished Mercure Hotel as part of Virgin Blue's ongoing travel familiarisation program to lure more visitors to the destination. Journalists experienced some of Broome's finest delights from whale watching to historic pearl lugging to locally brewed ginger beer, mango products and the Cable Beach sunset.
As a result of Virgin Blue’s WA flight expansions, Perth Airport is poised to become an even bigger part of the airline’s network.
Brett Godfrey added, “Perth is a key focus for Virgin Blue’s future plans. We have a solid foundation to build on through Virgin Blue’s comprehensive schedule from Perth to the East Coast, serviced by the 737-800 aircraft. The new E-JET is ideally suited to smaller regional routes like Karratha and Newman and both aircraft will hub in Perth to provide convenient connections between the west and east coasts and WA regional destinations.”
Virgin Blue is Australia’s second largest airline and continues to introduce a range of business friendly travel initiatives to suit its growing corporate traveller base. The airline is considering further travel enhancements for WA, including the possible launch of “The Lounge” facility at Perth Airport and other intra-WA ports.
Meanwhile, Virgin Blue will offer special launch fares to celebrate the announcement of the new WA regional routes.
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