Pacific Blue

[downwind]

PACIFIC BLUE NEW VIRGIN OFFSHOOT.

From the Sydney spotters page this morning;

""Hi All,

Speaking with Royal again this morning. He can confirm a few details of the Pacific Blue livery which he has spotted over the past few days:

"well, it is the real deal.
The plane is red, with a white tail. The stabilizer says "Pacific Blue" in a vertical format. The main body has large "Fly Pacific Blue" titles in blue and white lettering, similiar to the website titles on the Virgin Blue craft."

Well we were hoping for a Blue plane, but such is life. Looking forward to the first photos from Royal!""
:cool:

[apacau]

And there's a photo to prove it:

http://members.iinet.net.au/~leviatan/DSC_6058_VH-VOO.jpg

[vee1-rotate]

See for yourself:ok: :

VH-VOO (http://members.iinet.net.au/~leviatan/DSC_6058_VH-VOO.jpg)

[Colonel Blink]

In todays NZ Herald there was a short article stating that they intend to use CHC as their main base.

[hoss]

Storm clouds on the horizon, how appropriate;) .

[splatgothebugs]

Just tried to have a look at the website on the plane but it dosent exist, any ideas ??????

Splat

[Thump & Go]

Heard a rumour, that when they get round to hiring tech crew in NZ the salary will be: Capt - $90k F/O - $45k (NZ?) Buy your rating as usual etc etc.
Anyone know more?

[123567]

That sounds excellent.

Spend $88 K learning to be a pilot and on top of that another 30K or so to get a type rating for their shiny new aircraft. and then take a 20K paycut to sit in the LHS.

Makes sense :) :ok:

[Thump & Go]

Foohoo, you one of them real pilots 1234567;) $20k's most of my salary.

I do hear what you're saying though

[Yawn]

Obviously the painter is as suprised by the announcement of the Kiwi connection as VB's flight ops department. The flag has white stars for one.

[Thump & Go]

Serious? the flight ops doesn't know NZ operations are coming Yawn?
Next you'll say it's got an ozzie rego.;)

[Soulman]

I know it's a Virgin subsidary, but I thought they might have made it a little more distinguishable from a typical mother ship. You know, perhaps a different splash of colour here and there. Perhaps they're keeping it so plain just in case Pacific Blue goes bust, then they can just strip the titles and slap back on the old VB stickers! :p

Anyway, check it out here (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/419217/M/).

Cheers,

Souls.

[Wirraway]

ASIA PULSE

Virgin Blue to Receive 1ST Jets for NZ Service by Month-End

BRISBANE, Sept 10 Asia Pulse - Budget carrier Virgin Blue said the first aircraft destined to fly its planned trans-Tasman route are due to arrive in Australia before the end of the month.

Virgin Blue chief executive officer Brett Godfrey said the Boeing 737 aircraft would be used domestically in Australia until the New Zealand regulation process was completed.


The company has applied for an air operator's certificate in NZ, and slots to fly eight daily return services between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

A final decision on the routes, start-up timetable and number of planes has not been made but flights are expected by Christmas.

"Our first Pacific aircraft arrive towards the end of this month," Mr Godfrey told reporters in Brisbane today.

"They will probably go into domestic service in Australia because clearly we are not going to be flying the Tasman this month.

"Our plan is still subject to New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority regulations and we still have more discussions with them to take place before I give you a date as to when that will be.

"As we did in our first start-up, we are not going to step out the blocks without having everything in place."

Virgin Blue said yesterday its plans would not be deterred by the Australian competition watchdog's decision to deny approval for an alliance between Qantas and Air New Zealand.

Virgin Blue has already begun advertising for cabin crew to staff its proposed new NZ-based subsidiary and has enlisted the help of airline leasing and human resources consultant Rishworth Aviation to get its NZ operations off the ground.

ASIA PULSE

===========================================

[Colonel Blink]

How will they cope with the loss of revenue seats using the oceanic aircraft that'll have all the extras (like liferafts, etc) - or do DJ have these as standard anyway?

[Yawn]

Thump and Go: I've heard that the VBs Flight Ops found out about the NZ basing of Pacific Blue about the same time the email was sent to the crews on Friday. They were very surprised and some upset.

[Stealth]

"They were very surprised and some upset".

Why were they surprised? They brought it on themselves, now their medicine has a bitter aftertaste.

[Skyhawk XP]

Is the rumour true that all the international flying east of Aust is to be crewed by NZ based crew.

[Eurocap]

Skyhawk,

I'm not surprised, look at Qantas, they are now using Jet-Connect. There's nothing to stop VB trying the same thing. It keeps the pressure on the local yokels.
;) :p

[ur2]

Where on earth are they getting the crews from ? Surely there would be no NZ 'ers left to employ, they must all be with "Jit Connict" by now. And will they get anyone to go there under the proposed conditions. Let alone a whole airlines worth of crew.

[Pimp Daddy]

Are there any Aussies flying the Jet connect? Have heard that some have gone over, a couple in particular. Anyone know?

[Colonel Blink]

Jit Connict - that's not right, they are Jeet Conneect, don't ask for seat teen or a peen to fill in your log book. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of CPL's all low time, some with IR, most without, all looking for that job. I suppose they could trawl Air Nelson, Eagle, Origin Pacific, etc to get those closer to their requirements.

[ur2]

Sorry about the typo, but none of those cpl's would be able to be walkup Captains, and at least half would have to be, unless VB is totally mad.

[EPIRB]

I see in this mornings paper that Godfrey was sprouting off about Air NZ's low cost operation saying that they never lowered the pilots or flight attendants wages. Wonder if he knows that Southwest and Ryanair don't pay pilots wages on the cheap?