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Wirraway
13th Feb 2003, 03:40
www.virginblue.com.au

ZOOM TO BROOME - VIRGIN BLUE ANNOUNCES NEW FLIGHT
DIRECT ADELAIDE-BROOME SERVICE FROM APRIL 12

Australia’s low fare airline Virgin Blue will launch a seasonal weekly flight between Adelaide and Broome from April 12, incorporating regional WA into its expanding route network for the first time and providing yet another direct destination option to and from Adelaide.

It follows hot on the heels of this week’s announcement that Virgin Blue will introduce services direct from Sydney to the Whitsunday Coast Airport (Proserpine).

The weekend Broome flight is expected to appeal to the many tourists who travel to the Kimberley Gateway to
relax and unwind for a week, whether it be casual strolls through Chinatown, a camel ride on Cable Beach or sipping cocktails while watching the spectacular sunset.

It will also benefit those visitors who fly to Broome to begin their backpacking adventure, heading towards Darwin through the Bungle Bungle National Park or down the Great Northern Highway to Perth via Dampier Archipelago and the wonders of Ningaloo Reef.

Virgin Blue is offering a special “wow” launch fare of $249* one-way on the net, on sale from today until February 20, for travel between April 12 and June 29.

Everyday low fares will start from $320* one-way on the net, with the Fully Flexible fare of $620* one-way on the net, 34% lower than the Qantas equivalent fare of $936 one-way.

The Saturday evening flight DJ539 will depart Adelaide at 10.10pm, arriving in to Broome at 12.45am before turning around and going back to Adelaide as flight DJ540 for a 6.05am arrival.

Virgin Blue Chief Executive Brett Godfrey said, “We’ve been looking at Broome very closely for some time now and we are delighted to be in a position to launch services to our first WA regional destination and to be developing new routes that have previously been ignored by high cost carriers.”

The announcement comes following lengthy negotiations with local tourism authorities who have thrown their support behind the low fare carrier, with visitor numbers expected to increase thanks to affordable air access.

The ability to operate the only direct service between Adelaide and Broome using Virgin Blue's modern Boeing 737-700 aircraft has become a reality only after the lengthening and strengthening of the Broome International Airport runway in the second half of last year.

The decision by the airport owners to invest in this work will open up further opportunities for more direct services in the future depending on demand and support for the initial flight.

While tourists and tourism operators will reap the benefits of Virgin Blue’s low fares, it will also allow the people of the Kimberley region affordable flights for a visit to South Australia and the option to take advantage of convenient connections to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

High Altitude
13th Feb 2003, 03:53
:D Brilliant news, openening up Northern Australia even more!

Now Broome - Darwin would be nice...
BRM - DN - AD, only a short diversion...
:p

But will the FHM Virgin Babes get to overnight in Broome, caressing the beautiful white sands of cable beach? Well it would make another reason to go to Broome.

After all theres nothing better than wandering down Cable Beach with a coupla model looking Diva's in tow...

If only I could figure out how to put a photie here you would see what I mean...

HA:p

Willie Nelson
13th Feb 2003, 04:13
It's all good......

I am excited to hear that DJ is coming up this way, just a question for someone who might understand the management mind a little better than myself:

Why Adelaide?

I am sure that BG and company have done their sums, it just seems strange as I would have thought Sydney or Melbourne would have more self loading freight available for uplift.

Having had discussions with some people in the Broome area in the know, I do remember hearing that Melbourne was previously on the cards, does anyone know if that is still likely. If so it will be great to see a low cost operator going out and creating their own market rather than just playing push and shove with the major.

All you aspiring pilots, you could do worse than jump on a DJ 738 and head up this way to start the search for work, a lot of operators up this way don't usually get guys from the East Coast coming over this far as most of them either don't get past Kununurra or Darwin without geting a job or giving up. Hence we usually end up with a lot of the chaff from Perth........just joking! :ok:

I love V/virgins, go for it!

Willie

I'm with stupid
13th Feb 2003, 05:52
Perth to Broome via Adelaide, now thats a flight I'd like to take:=

topend3
13th Feb 2003, 06:43
Virgin's lack of spare aircraft quite possibly prevents them from doing more with broome and other destinations for now. This service will be operated by an aircraft which would otherwise sit on the ground in ADL overnight.

sure services from other cities into BME are on the cards when more airframes are delivered, qf are starting direct MEL-BME services also from April using 738's.

BME-DRW-ADL, would be bloody fantastic, fingers crossed, would give airnorth a bit of a scare that's for sure...

:D :D

Capn Bloggs
13th Feb 2003, 12:30
0045 ETA: Hmm, fog for sure!

Kanga767
16th Feb 2003, 06:26
......I did say north or west....


H.A. , You could always catch the braz to BME, enjoy a few beers then hop on the 737 to ADL........

...just can't seem to get away from despatching flights to Broome....:cool:

longjohn
16th Feb 2003, 19:42
Good point Bloggs.

Often unforecast too.

Woomera
17th Feb 2003, 00:05
Capt Bloggs

Interesting point that, what's the escape route from Broome nowadays, when said fog arrives unnanounced there and usually Derby as well.
There was, in living memory, an F28 with a full load of dirty washing that arrived "unnanounced" at Fitzroy one calm clear night out of fuel and ideas after being caught out at both places.

Is Curtin now "available" in this case??

hoss
17th Feb 2003, 01:07
Good old Captain Harold Rowell. An aviation legend, still talked about in this generation and hopefully many more.

Are the VB aircraft and crew able to conduct GPSNPA's? Not that they will help when YBRM fogs in, just a general question.:D

YCIN is far enough inland (approx. 20nm) and isn't too affected by the fog, having said that .......;)

Safe flying, hoss

dodgybrothers
17th Feb 2003, 06:02
Hoss, Curtin can be used however it has no PAL (and VB are flying in at night) and the caretaker for the RAAF is not the operator for the old responsible person thing.

My limited resources also tell me the ADL is being used due to f and d limits so as to save the crew O/N in Broome for a week!! ouch that would hurt.


Good news though for all concerned.

Hoss FYI:
I have copy of HR's own memoirs regarding the FTZ incident and how MMA tried to stitch him up afterwards. Great load of thanks for saving the lives of 60 odd people.

give me a call.

topend3
17th Feb 2003, 08:12
kanga 767,

ok so i see what you meant by west, then how about north and when will that happen???


:confused:

gaunty
17th Feb 2003, 13:08
They don't kow how lucky they were.

A nursing mate of mrs gauntys was on night duty at the hospital that night.
The phone was routinely night-switched from the PO manual exchange to the other end of the hospital for emergency calls out in case they needed to get the RFDS in and was not routinely monitored for inwards calls.

It was only because she was down that end of the hospital getting some equipment that she heard it. Otherwise.???

Having said that, I suspect Harold would have found the airport anyway.

What was kept fairly quiet was, that as a cost saving exercise the Port Hedland Met office had been closed and forecasting moved to Perth:rolleyes:, with the only 'observers' being at PD and Derby FSU. And in those days we didn't have the satellite piccys we have today.
Needless to say there was a fairly quick review.
Rowell left PD with legal fuel on the forecast for BME, but the early F28s were real light on fuel with a full load of pax and bax.

Yup if Harold hadn't have had the local knowledge, having grown up in the area and pedalled a DC3 round about there, it would have been a nasty accident.

MoFo
17th Feb 2003, 22:59
QF are commencing MEL direct BRM service on 30 March I hear.
Direct service in a 800 series departs MEL at the gentlemans hour of 0950.
Is there any other way to travel to BRM from civilisation I ask.

oldhasbeen
18th Feb 2003, 05:56
Depends whether or not you consider Melbourne civilised!

Kanga767
20th Feb 2003, 07:22
topend3 - still waiting for that. I Badly need a fishing trip too!!!