Virgin Blue to operate NZ Domestic
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Virgin Blue to operate NZ Domestic
Well Pacific Blue actually.
Announced today by Brett Godfrey with the finacial results.
Announced today by Brett Godfrey with the finacial results.
The next 12 months will be a period of steady expansion for Virgin Blue Airlines as the three airline group enters the New Zealand domestic market for the first time, expands its Australian domestic network, continues product development and launches a fourth airline, V Australia to undertake long haul international operations.
Virgin Blue has signalled its intention to engineer a significant capacity increase over the next 18 months to accommodate growth combined with increased operational efficiency achievable by a mixed Embraer/Boeing fleet.
Virgin Blue has signalled its intention to engineer a significant capacity increase over the next 18 months to accommodate growth combined with increased operational efficiency achievable by a mixed Embraer/Boeing fleet.
Finally confirmation! Embraer jets in NZ! Cant wait! Any route annoucements yet? Will they go head to head with AirNZ and Kiwijet?
NZ population a little over 4 million. About the size of Melbourne I guess. The country is small enough to drive most places so it is only the inter island that makes driving less of an option. The only high density routes are AKL-WLG,AKL-CHC. Qantas already cherry pick on these routes and avoid the others that don't have sufficient traffic. How another airline is justified beats me. Airfares are not out of reach of the general populace if you are organized so this won't start a drift to a new airline. Best of luck to them but one of the smaller ones won't survive.
Finally confirmation! Embraer jets in NZ! Cant wait! Any route annoucements yet? Will they go head to head with AirNZ and Kiwijet?
Will they go head to head with Air NZ and Kiwijet. Well, it would seem obvious to me that they will be head to head with Air NZ unless they have discovered some obscure routes that need a jet service not already covered by Air NZ.
As for Kiwijet, it's doubtful they will go head to head with anyone.
I think billyt summed it up very well.
Hopefully they fly into Dunedin.
DUD has i think the best terminal in New Zealand and theres only one airline flying out of it NZ/SJ.
Also the prices NZ charge out of DUD can be horrendous so there is a need of competition especially on DUD-CHC and a couple more flights to AKL wouldnt hurt.
DUD has i think the best terminal in New Zealand and theres only one airline flying out of it NZ/SJ.
Also the prices NZ charge out of DUD can be horrendous so there is a need of competition especially on DUD-CHC and a couple more flights to AKL wouldnt hurt.
What else would they use if they didnt use the E-Jets?
The 737's are too big for a new comer into the NZ market and wouldnt be profitable. And cant get into and out of alot of airports in NZ where as the E-jets can.
If DJ really want to suceed they need to take NZ head on the monoply routes which isnt the triangle its the regional routes where people would prefer to drive because it costs so bloody much! The triangle is profitable but there are other airports in NZ which can make money.
The 737's are too big for a new comer into the NZ market and wouldnt be profitable. And cant get into and out of alot of airports in NZ where as the E-jets can.
If DJ really want to suceed they need to take NZ head on the monoply routes which isnt the triangle its the regional routes where people would prefer to drive because it costs so bloody much! The triangle is profitable but there are other airports in NZ which can make money.
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DJ into Domestic NZ
Has this got anything to do with a certain GM from Mt Cook Airline who has defected to DJ in Aus, taking the Air NZ intellectual property of the domestic market, the same person who i believe did a study on e-jets for Air NZ and the same person that did six trips to Brizzy in his last year with the old firm? It may be that this will come back to bite Asymmetric Pete in the a....re when Mt Cook actually get the e-jet shortly.............bring on the competition i say, DJ is welcome to the said person..........
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Virgin Blue continues to examine business models for an ultra low cost carrier.
Can't see the E-jet in NZ. More likely some triangulation of the existing Tasmans with the B738.
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Mt Cook jets
MCA crews lost the prospect of jets when ZEAL was created - combining NZ/SJ A320 drivers. There are some peed off senior guys @ MCA, a-la one GM! 
SJ only exisits because they used Mount Cook Groups AOC! Part of that was that if jets came domesitcally for the regions MCA would drive them.
@
The ERJ-145 - mooted by KiwiJet - was discussed in another forum here. They need LOTS of runway. The ERJ-170 however is way better.
This from Embraers site:
Take Off Field Length, ISA, SL, MTOW 1,644m
Take Off Field Length, ISA, SL, TOW for 500nm 1,147m
Landing Field Length, SL, MLW 1,273m
Which means most all of the regional airports can take it!
Wonder if the announcement will spur ANZ to quicken the 733 replacement?? Guess who's just returned from another trip to France to "look over the Airbus facilities". A319 anyone?
Though Capt. XX has also just come back from the States! Oshkosh visit my left one! There's a photo of you @ Boeing!
Cud it be a 737NG (-600/700)??
SJ only exisits because they used Mount Cook Groups AOC! Part of that was that if jets came domesitcally for the regions MCA would drive them.
@
The ERJ-145 - mooted by KiwiJet - was discussed in another forum here. They need LOTS of runway. The ERJ-170 however is way better.
This from Embraers site:
Take Off Field Length, ISA, SL, MTOW 1,644m
Take Off Field Length, ISA, SL, TOW for 500nm 1,147m
Landing Field Length, SL, MLW 1,273m
Which means most all of the regional airports can take it!
Wonder if the announcement will spur ANZ to quicken the 733 replacement?? Guess who's just returned from another trip to France to "look over the Airbus facilities". A319 anyone?
Though Capt. XX has also just come back from the States! Oshkosh visit my left one! There's a photo of you @ Boeing!
Cud it be a 737NG (-600/700)??
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From the SMH website yesterday:
August 21, 2007 - 1:49PM
Australian airline Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd said it will make an announcement on Thursday regarding the launch of a New Zealand domestic airline.
Virgin Blue subsidiary Pacific Blue, which flies to New Zealand, will give details about launch routes, fares and the airline's long term strategy.
New Zealand's domestic air services are dominated by Air New Zealand, with Qantas flying a smaller number of services.
A United States investor plans to launch low-cost domestic airline, Kiwijet, late next year.
Virgin Blue is Australia's second-largest airline behind Qantas and majority owned by Toll Holdings, which operates transport services in New Zealand including rail and inter-island ferries.
Travel agent Flight Centre said the announcement was a welcome surprise.
"Increased competition can only be a good thing for New Zealand travellers, who have been demanding more flight availability," Flight Centre general manager Rick Hamilton said.
Air New Zealand, on the other hand, said it was not surprised to learn of the launch of a low-cost domestic airline.
"Since Air New Zealand announced several months ago that it had a significant review of its domestic operations under way that were expected to yield the next evolution in the travel experience within New Zealand, we have heard murmurings of competitors bringing forward their launch plans," Air NZ executive Norm Thompson said.
Mr Thompson said Air New Zealand consistently benchmarked itself against airlines around the globe, including airlines in Australia, and was confident in its ability to perform and compete.
Virgin Blue said on Tuesday it had nearly doubled full-year earnings after attracting more corporate travellers, helping offset rising fuel bills.
Virgin Blue said it expected further revenue growth this year but also higher costs as it sets up new services in New Zealand and to the United States.
Net profit for the year to June 30 was $A216 million compared with $A112 million a year earlier. Net profit before one-off items was $A232 million.
This compared with analyst expectations of $A204.4 million, according to the mean of 9 forecasts on Reuters Estimates.
Shares in Air New Zealand were down 2.6 per cent, or 6c, at $2.29 early Tuesday afternoon.
August 21, 2007 - 1:49PM
Australian airline Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd said it will make an announcement on Thursday regarding the launch of a New Zealand domestic airline.
Virgin Blue subsidiary Pacific Blue, which flies to New Zealand, will give details about launch routes, fares and the airline's long term strategy.
New Zealand's domestic air services are dominated by Air New Zealand, with Qantas flying a smaller number of services.
A United States investor plans to launch low-cost domestic airline, Kiwijet, late next year.
Virgin Blue is Australia's second-largest airline behind Qantas and majority owned by Toll Holdings, which operates transport services in New Zealand including rail and inter-island ferries.
Travel agent Flight Centre said the announcement was a welcome surprise.
"Increased competition can only be a good thing for New Zealand travellers, who have been demanding more flight availability," Flight Centre general manager Rick Hamilton said.
Air New Zealand, on the other hand, said it was not surprised to learn of the launch of a low-cost domestic airline.
"Since Air New Zealand announced several months ago that it had a significant review of its domestic operations under way that were expected to yield the next evolution in the travel experience within New Zealand, we have heard murmurings of competitors bringing forward their launch plans," Air NZ executive Norm Thompson said.
Mr Thompson said Air New Zealand consistently benchmarked itself against airlines around the globe, including airlines in Australia, and was confident in its ability to perform and compete.
Virgin Blue said on Tuesday it had nearly doubled full-year earnings after attracting more corporate travellers, helping offset rising fuel bills.
Virgin Blue said it expected further revenue growth this year but also higher costs as it sets up new services in New Zealand and to the United States.
Net profit for the year to June 30 was $A216 million compared with $A112 million a year earlier. Net profit before one-off items was $A232 million.
This compared with analyst expectations of $A204.4 million, according to the mean of 9 forecasts on Reuters Estimates.
Shares in Air New Zealand were down 2.6 per cent, or 6c, at $2.29 early Tuesday afternoon.
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I think the embraer MIGHT be on the cards but not in the short term. VB have there hands full at the moment sorting out there own e-jet introduction and working on the 777 program. My feeling is we gonna be flying a combo of existing 800's and some hand me down 700's from VB's fleet to get things started.
I agree that the e-jet is probably the way to go in NZ but will take time to happen.
Get ready for the AIR NZ rhetoric bull**** to start on how much they care about making air travel affordable for the average kiwi.
Let the domestic battle commence
I agree that the e-jet is probably the way to go in NZ but will take time to happen.
Get ready for the AIR NZ rhetoric bull**** to start on how much they care about making air travel affordable for the average kiwi.
Let the domestic battle commence
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With Air New Zealand doing all of the Heavy Maintenance on the Virgin Blue fleet, and also all of the Line Maintenance for the Pacific Blue fleet, it will be interesting to see just how much they continue to support Virgin if this gets dirty.
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Announcement to be made at 10:00 am Kiwi time Thursday. Local papers already reporting that it will be Emb Jets. Wouldn't be like the Press to go off half cocked and get it wrong would it?
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Air NZ people saying that there airfares are about as cheap as they will get and that a new carrier wont drive the prices down 
Television news today stated that VB will start with the "major" routes, so maybe this is an indication that they might start with 737's?
I like compitition
Television news today stated that VB will start with the "major" routes, so maybe this is an indication that they might start with 737's?
I like compitition