Passengers flock to Virgin Blue

[Wirraway]

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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[The Enema Bandit]

My god! I can't believe it. No whinging!

[ReadMyACARS]

Not only no whinging, but it wasn't somebody elses fault either.

[Bugsmasha]

Informative post you two. Get out more you guys.:uhoh:

[The Enema Bandit]

We love competition but it isn't fair that Qantas gave us more competition on the Brisbane Adelaide run, it isn't fair that Sydney airport want to charge us so much, it isn't fair that there's no space for us in Auckland, it isn't fair that there was competition on the Mt. Isa run. Boo hoo. Boo hoo.

[HGW]

You would cry like a little girl too if the airport wanted to charge you exactly three times what they were charging your opposition.

Or, if you are the opposition you would have a quiet word with your very own government Minister.

They have no choice but to use the public forum. It's only whinging if you don't agree with what's being said.

[Z Force]

Well I guess that's business. Now if my memory serves me correctly, hasn't the QLD government given Virgin an exemption from paying payroll tax? I never heard Dicko whinging about that.

[HGW]

Same as Victoria has given to Jetstar. Same as every state govt gives to any business to set in their state.

VB has to employ a pre-determined amount of staff in QLD within a certain time frame to receive the benefits. They haven't got them yet.

[Keg]

Saw an interesting line in Inside Sport today by the Indian coach I think. Something along the lines that 'what statistics say is interesting but it's what they don't say that is the crux of the matter'.

DJ has got 52% more pax this December than last but how has capacity gone up in the same time frame? Not having a shot, genuinely interested.

Also, the 'Pax flock to DJ' line is from a company press release I bet. Rare to see a reporter without an agenda (maybe DJ shares that they'd like to see increase?) come up with a heading like that without prompting.

Interesting times.

[Agent Mulder]

And forever the people who do the do every day will convince themselves that their VB, Jetstar, Qantas dick is bigger than the others and behave in a manner becoming sheep.

The management of these organisations take very large bonuses off the backs of the employees every year because you all engage in my dick's bigger than your dick arguments. Childish schoolyard banter is costing you all the chance to progress your lifestyles and provide more for your families (not managements).

Do you really think that Godfrey and Dixon behave in this manner? No, they work out more ways with their parrots Oldmeadow and Huttner to keep the flocks at each other

Wake up you fools and work together or suffer the consequences.

management laugh at you.

[The Enema Bandit]

You knocked the nail on the head Agent. They're all a pack of *****.