Wirraway
9th Dec 2004, 04:44
Thurs "The Standard" (Hong Kong)
Virgin Blue bides its time
Danny Chung
09-12-04
Virgin Blue, the low-cost Australian affiliate of Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airways, has held talks with a number of Asian airlines about a tie-up that would give it entree to the Southeast Asian market, but no deal is imminent, Virgin Atlantic officials said.
"Virgin Blue are in discussions with a number of different airlines about broadening their horizons, maybe taking a stake in some other Far Eastern airlines,'' Virgin Atlantic chairman Branson said. Yet "it could be awhile before we know anything further'', Virgin Blue head of strategy and communication David Huttner said.
After China and Macau signed an aviation accord that will allow a second Macau-based carrier to serve the mainland market, there had been widespread speculation that Virgin would move quickly to seize the opportunity.
Virgin officials stressed that while the gambling mecca is clearly an interesting option, they are not exclusively focused on it.
"We're looking at different opportunities in Asia,'' Huttner said. "One of those opportunities is certainly in Macau but it is not the only thing we're looking at in Asia.''
He said a variety of issues concerned with launching a new carrier needed to be ironed out first, including choosing destinations and airports and picking suppliers of planes and equipment.
"We'll only finalise and make an announcement when all the right things come into place,'' Huttner said. "We're getting there slowly but you never know for sure if it is going to get there.''
"If you look at what Jetstar did, Jetstar announced an airline before they had all the critical elements in place and I don't think we want to take that same strategy,'' he added.
Jetstar, which is 49 per cent owned by Virgin Blue's main competitor Qantas, is offering discounted service in the region.
9 December 2004
===========================================
Virgin Blue bides its time
Danny Chung
09-12-04
Virgin Blue, the low-cost Australian affiliate of Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airways, has held talks with a number of Asian airlines about a tie-up that would give it entree to the Southeast Asian market, but no deal is imminent, Virgin Atlantic officials said.
"Virgin Blue are in discussions with a number of different airlines about broadening their horizons, maybe taking a stake in some other Far Eastern airlines,'' Virgin Atlantic chairman Branson said. Yet "it could be awhile before we know anything further'', Virgin Blue head of strategy and communication David Huttner said.
After China and Macau signed an aviation accord that will allow a second Macau-based carrier to serve the mainland market, there had been widespread speculation that Virgin would move quickly to seize the opportunity.
Virgin officials stressed that while the gambling mecca is clearly an interesting option, they are not exclusively focused on it.
"We're looking at different opportunities in Asia,'' Huttner said. "One of those opportunities is certainly in Macau but it is not the only thing we're looking at in Asia.''
He said a variety of issues concerned with launching a new carrier needed to be ironed out first, including choosing destinations and airports and picking suppliers of planes and equipment.
"We'll only finalise and make an announcement when all the right things come into place,'' Huttner said. "We're getting there slowly but you never know for sure if it is going to get there.''
"If you look at what Jetstar did, Jetstar announced an airline before they had all the critical elements in place and I don't think we want to take that same strategy,'' he added.
Jetstar, which is 49 per cent owned by Virgin Blue's main competitor Qantas, is offering discounted service in the region.
9 December 2004
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