Wirraway
19th Nov 2004, 14:21
Sat "Weekend Australian"
Virgin's baby Blue grows
By Blair Speedy
November 20, 2004
VIRGIN Blue's international subsidiary, Pacific Blue, is to more than double the number of flights it makes each week to Fiji, just three months after beginning flights to the tropical holiday destination.
Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey told a Securities Institute of Australia lunch in Melbourne yesterday the airline had applied to the International Air Services Commission for allocation of extra capacity to enable Pacific Blue to fly to Fiji daily from Melbourne and Brisbane.
Pacific Blue began flying to Fiji in September and now operated three flights a week from each city.
The additional flights, which he hoped to have authorised in coming weeks, would require the allocation of more aircraft from the Virgin Blue fleet or the purchase of new planes for Pacific Blue, he said.
Pacific Blue, which also flies to New Zealand, was already breaking even after launching in January, ahead of company expectations by up to 18 months, he said.
Mr Godfrey was tight-lipped on negotiations to start a joint venture airline with an Asian partner to service the booming Chinese market but said he hoped to make an announcement within six months.
Restrictions on foreign ownership meant Virgin Blue would not have a controlling stake in any Asian venture, he said.
Virgin Blue has held talks with Hong Kong's Shun Tak Holdings, a conglomerate controlled by Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho, about running a discount airline from the former Portuguese colony.
Separately, the Qantas-backed budget carrier Jetstar Asia yesterday received its air operator's certificate from the Singapore Government, paving the way for the start of commercial flights next month.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said the certificate would allow Jetstar Asia to fly out of Changi Airport.
Jetstar Asia is 49.9 per cent owned by Qantas, with the rest held by the Singapore Government's Temasek Holdings and two prominent local businessmen.
Budget carriers Valuair and Tiger Airways began operations in Singapore this year.
Pioneering no-frills carrier AirAsia of Malaysia has also started flying between Bangkok and Singapore but it is not based in the city-state.
With AFP
The Australian
=========================================
Virgin's baby Blue grows
By Blair Speedy
November 20, 2004
VIRGIN Blue's international subsidiary, Pacific Blue, is to more than double the number of flights it makes each week to Fiji, just three months after beginning flights to the tropical holiday destination.
Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey told a Securities Institute of Australia lunch in Melbourne yesterday the airline had applied to the International Air Services Commission for allocation of extra capacity to enable Pacific Blue to fly to Fiji daily from Melbourne and Brisbane.
Pacific Blue began flying to Fiji in September and now operated three flights a week from each city.
The additional flights, which he hoped to have authorised in coming weeks, would require the allocation of more aircraft from the Virgin Blue fleet or the purchase of new planes for Pacific Blue, he said.
Pacific Blue, which also flies to New Zealand, was already breaking even after launching in January, ahead of company expectations by up to 18 months, he said.
Mr Godfrey was tight-lipped on negotiations to start a joint venture airline with an Asian partner to service the booming Chinese market but said he hoped to make an announcement within six months.
Restrictions on foreign ownership meant Virgin Blue would not have a controlling stake in any Asian venture, he said.
Virgin Blue has held talks with Hong Kong's Shun Tak Holdings, a conglomerate controlled by Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho, about running a discount airline from the former Portuguese colony.
Separately, the Qantas-backed budget carrier Jetstar Asia yesterday received its air operator's certificate from the Singapore Government, paving the way for the start of commercial flights next month.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said the certificate would allow Jetstar Asia to fly out of Changi Airport.
Jetstar Asia is 49.9 per cent owned by Qantas, with the rest held by the Singapore Government's Temasek Holdings and two prominent local businessmen.
Budget carriers Valuair and Tiger Airways began operations in Singapore this year.
Pioneering no-frills carrier AirAsia of Malaysia has also started flying between Bangkok and Singapore but it is not based in the city-state.
With AFP
The Australian
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