Australian Govt OKs Virgin Blue NZ, S Pacific Flights

[Wirraway]

Dow Jones Friday July 11, 14:13 PM AEST

Australian Govt OKs Virgin Blue NZ, S Pacific Flights

SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--The International Air Services Commission, an Australian government aviation group, said Friday it approved Virgin Blues seat capacity application for flights to New Zealand and South Pacific destinations from October.

The no-frills carriers request last month for unlimited capacity to operate services to New Zealand for five years has been granted by the commission.

The airlines keenly anticipated expansion to New Zealand depends on a satisfactory outcome to Qantas Airways Ltd.s proposal to buy a 22.5% stake in Air New Zealand Ltd. for NZ$550 million.

Virgin Blue, which is jointly owned by U.K. businessman Richard Branson and Australian transport group Patrick Corp. also requested to be allowed to operate 1,260 seats a week to Fiji and 720 seats a week to Vanuatu. This has also been approved.

"The Commission notes that Virgin Blue proposes to commence services on all three routes from October 2003 and, in the case of Fiji and Vanuatu, to fully utilize the capacity by October 2004," IASC said in a report.

Virgin Blue plans to operate the international services under a different brand name, which will be announced at a later date. It will use Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 planes for the flights, which have respective seat capacities of 144 and 180.

Virgin Blue wasn't immediately available to comment on IASCs decision.

Separately, the commission has also given Qantas permission to code share on Australian Airlines services on the Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan routes. Code sharing on the Japan route is for cargo sales only.

Australian Airlines is a single-class international airline that was launched by Qantas on Oct. 27 in a bid to capture a bigger share of the Asian tourism market.

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[1000fps]

Qantas Domestic Operations able to be undercut by a Foreign based company.

Qantas International Operations able to be undercut by a domestic based company.

One Aviation Market between Australia and New Zealand.
Open skies agreements with Singapore, China and the US.

Qantas begging to become Foreign owned.

Australian based employment sent overseas.
Foreign salary scales imported from overseas.

Is this the Transport Policy of the Federal Government for Australia?


A question to your Member of Parliament would be in order.

[Three Bars]

Yes, but the punters get cheaper seats, and that's all anyone seems to care about in the aviation industry.

Something might change if the "Buy Australian Made" campaign ever becomes successful.

:( :suspect:

[Put me down sick]

See you at the Party!!!!:D

[Capt. Erebus]

From the NZ herald;



Virgin Blue wins access to NZ, Fiji and Vanuatu

11.07.2003 4.26 pm

Australian airline Virgin Blue has won approval to start flying into New Zealand, Fiji and Vanuatu.

The airline, which has long talked of flying the Tasman, was today cleared by the International Air Services Commission to operate unlimited services to New Zealand.

The commission also allowed 1260 seats a week to Fiji and 720 seats a week to Vanuatu.

It stipulated that Virgin Blue had to be operating to Fiji and Vanuatu by November 2004 but gave no time-limit for flights to NZ, although the decision is only effective for five years.

Today's permission was a regulatory hurdle that had to be cleared before services began. The commission noted that Virgin Blue intended to commence services on all three routes by October.

Virgin Blue was not immediately available for comment but told the Herald last month that its future flights to NZ would depend on the outcome of the Air NZ-Qantas application.

Virgin Blue has asked regulators to require Air New Zealand to sell its low-cost Freedom Air brand as part of an alliance deal.

The New Zealand Commerce Commission is due to make a decision on the Air NZ-Qantas deal by late September. The deadline for the latest round of submission is Friday July 18.

[AA717driver]

I hope your "buy Australian" campaign is more successful than the "be American, buy American"we've been hearing for the past 10 years as our jobs go south of the border...

This is an uphill battle. Your MP and other gov't officials won't be to eager to help--if it's anything like the U.S., they're conspirators. The U.S. government is now coming out of the closet and being straightforward about the need to "globalize" and "streamline" business in America. That is code for lower pay and benefits.

Good luck.TC

[ER2nd.]

Extract fm the NZ Herald article above;
"......Virgin Blue wasn't immediately available to comment ......" Gee, that's a first. Is she away on hols in Norway or something at the moment?