VAustralia New Routes
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As price monitor.....
PAX have been happy to pay the $2500-$3000 fares on this route, then it makes sense to stay with these fares to maximise revenue, people must love fares in that range.
QF have been doing this for decades and came out showing profit estimates in the 100's of millions - even at the worst economic environment in recent history. The Virgin group is estimating running at a loss becasue of V for several years.
I'm not saying V Aus will fail - it may, it may not. Just think sensibly before making unsubstantiated comments.
Captain Sherm: as much as I agree that QF should have bought 777's, it takes more than aircraft type to succeed.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: A cheap seat at the front of a 777 :-)
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Little thing called an economic crisis going-on right now coupled with V Aus coming onto the route. How do you maintain market share and a time like this? Well one of the ways one would think would be to reduce fares! From what I've seen the V 777 offers the same product as QF (except for 'Rockstar' service whatever the **** that is!)
I think QF supporters maybe slightly afraid of VA, dunno why, according to most people on this thread VA won't get off the ground.
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If Qantas have been making "hundreds of millions" even during tough times, and doing that on very expensive equipment, service levels that are perhaps a little jaded and with constrained capacity....then if VA get the service and price levels right they will do well and the market will grow. There costs will be very very competitive.
No doubt at all QFs market share % will fall but it will be off a much bigger base which will grow even more once the 787s hit the various slightly more boutique routes (i.e. those other than MEL/SYD to LAX).
That will be a whole new paradigm because eventually......one day....SIA wil join the route. Best for all 3 Australian carriers (QF, JQ and VA) to have their acts together when that day comes.
No doubt at all QFs market share % will fall but it will be off a much bigger base which will grow even more once the 787s hit the various slightly more boutique routes (i.e. those other than MEL/SYD to LAX).
That will be a whole new paradigm because eventually......one day....SIA wil join the route. Best for all 3 Australian carriers (QF, JQ and VA) to have their acts together when that day comes.
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You're telling me that if it (QF) was your airline you wouldn't adjust fares to represent market announcements? I mean, if Qantas said it would reduce fares on a common V route, you don't think V would bring their's down as well? Seriously....I could explain this principle to 3rd graders!
I have never doubted that V wouldn't get off the ground (unlike many on this thread). All I'm saying is please look at the bigger picture before you start accusing it's competitors of things that V themselves would do if the tables were reversed.
Also, I don't know if you and your supporters on this thread are V employees (I would imagine a few would be), but lets wait until V have settled in for a year or two before singing them much praise. As it stands at the moment, you've got:
No too much to sing and dance about atm. Give it time, and we shall see. Have fun at the aircraft arrival......
I have never doubted that V wouldn't get off the ground (unlike many on this thread). All I'm saying is please look at the bigger picture before you start accusing it's competitors of things that V themselves would do if the tables were reversed.
Also, I don't know if you and your supporters on this thread are V employees (I would imagine a few would be), but lets wait until V have settled in for a year or two before singing them much praise. As it stands at the moment, you've got:
- average working conditions (shiney new 777's, after a few trans-pacific's, will lose their wow factor pretty fast)
- delayed aircraft
- the desire to delay further aircraft delivery
- the worst economic and social environment to launch in (as admitted by V itself)
- serious major airline competition and the same product as everyone else (in-flight bar, in-seat IFE, lay-flat business seats, premium economy etc....all been done before!)
- a forecast of losses for years
- average share price
No too much to sing and dance about atm. Give it time, and we shall see. Have fun at the aircraft arrival......
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V Australia to fly MEL-LAX
MEL-LAX a secret?.......Not anymore!! 
From Ninemsn
Branson launches V Australia fleet
Sat Feb 7 2009
By Peter Mitchell
British billionaire and showman Richard Branson has declared war on Qantas and other rival airlines with the launch of his new fleet of V Australia passenger jets to fly the Australia-US route.
The Virgin boss used a press conference in Los Angeles on Friday to announce two new routes for the airline on top of the already revealed Sydney-LA and Brisbane-LA legs.
V Australia will fly between Melbourne and LA from September and a Sydney to Johannesburg route on a date yet to be set.
Branson, never one to shy away from creating a media spectacle, braved wind and rain to walk out on the wing of a new V Australia Boeing 777-300ER jet with Australian celebrities Julian McMahon, Jason Clarke, Holly Valance and Kimberley Joseph.
He then popped a bottle of champagne, spraying it on the celebrities and the Los Angeles international airport tarmac below.
"Recession?" Branson, wearing an Akubra, asked.
"What recession?
"The way to get out of recessions is try to expand out of recessions and create more jobs, bring airfares down and try to offer better quality of products."
V Australia will begin its Sydney-LA flights on February 27 and Brisbane-LA on April 8.
Qantas and United Airlines dominated the Australia-US route in recent years but V Australia and US airline giant, Delta, plan to challenge.
Airfares on the route have been slashed as each airline attempts to grab or maintain market share.
V Australia general manager Brett Godfrey said his airline was offering $A1,100 all inclusive return fares for Australians travelling to the US.
Godfrey said he expected Qantas and other competitors to slash their prices again.
"They will continue to try to undercut us," Godfrey said.
"There will be a fare war.
"Consumers are going to be the beneficiary."
Branson said the public can expect rock bottom fares if there were vacant seats on a V Australia plane prior to takeoff.
"We will never go out with an empty seat so if we have an empty seat we will slash the fare," Branson said.
The new flights to Melbourne, starting from September, will see V Australia provide an extra 1,080 seats for visitors each week, Victorian Industry and Trade Minister Martin Pakula said from the Melbourne Airport on Saturday.
"That will secure more jobs for the Victorian tourism industry as tourists and business people spend their money at hotels, restaurants and tourist facilities," he said.
He said Victorians would also welcome the opportunity to catch a direct flight to Los Angeles.
"It's very important to have direct flights. It provided great flexibility for tourists, particularly Victorians travelling to LA not needing to have to hub through Sydney," he said.
Melbourne Airport CEO Chris Woodruff said he was delighted with the announcement.
"Melbourne has the market opportunities airlines look for - we are continuing to grow even in the economic downturn, we have kept our costs down and we are continuing to invest in new capacity and the Virgin group has obviously found this very attractive," Mr Woodruff said.
From Ninemsn
Branson launches V Australia fleet
Sat Feb 7 2009
By Peter Mitchell
British billionaire and showman Richard Branson has declared war on Qantas and other rival airlines with the launch of his new fleet of V Australia passenger jets to fly the Australia-US route.
The Virgin boss used a press conference in Los Angeles on Friday to announce two new routes for the airline on top of the already revealed Sydney-LA and Brisbane-LA legs.
V Australia will fly between Melbourne and LA from September and a Sydney to Johannesburg route on a date yet to be set.
Branson, never one to shy away from creating a media spectacle, braved wind and rain to walk out on the wing of a new V Australia Boeing 777-300ER jet with Australian celebrities Julian McMahon, Jason Clarke, Holly Valance and Kimberley Joseph.
He then popped a bottle of champagne, spraying it on the celebrities and the Los Angeles international airport tarmac below.
"Recession?" Branson, wearing an Akubra, asked.
"What recession?
"The way to get out of recessions is try to expand out of recessions and create more jobs, bring airfares down and try to offer better quality of products."
V Australia will begin its Sydney-LA flights on February 27 and Brisbane-LA on April 8.
Qantas and United Airlines dominated the Australia-US route in recent years but V Australia and US airline giant, Delta, plan to challenge.
Airfares on the route have been slashed as each airline attempts to grab or maintain market share.
V Australia general manager Brett Godfrey said his airline was offering $A1,100 all inclusive return fares for Australians travelling to the US.
Godfrey said he expected Qantas and other competitors to slash their prices again.
"They will continue to try to undercut us," Godfrey said.
"There will be a fare war.
"Consumers are going to be the beneficiary."
Branson said the public can expect rock bottom fares if there were vacant seats on a V Australia plane prior to takeoff.
"We will never go out with an empty seat so if we have an empty seat we will slash the fare," Branson said.
The new flights to Melbourne, starting from September, will see V Australia provide an extra 1,080 seats for visitors each week, Victorian Industry and Trade Minister Martin Pakula said from the Melbourne Airport on Saturday.
"That will secure more jobs for the Victorian tourism industry as tourists and business people spend their money at hotels, restaurants and tourist facilities," he said.
He said Victorians would also welcome the opportunity to catch a direct flight to Los Angeles.
"It's very important to have direct flights. It provided great flexibility for tourists, particularly Victorians travelling to LA not needing to have to hub through Sydney," he said.
Melbourne Airport CEO Chris Woodruff said he was delighted with the announcement.
"Melbourne has the market opportunities airlines look for - we are continuing to grow even in the economic downturn, we have kept our costs down and we are continuing to invest in new capacity and the Virgin group has obviously found this very attractive," Mr Woodruff said.
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SIA sub engineering company to handle the A/C at Aus airports. Drop in to mel 18th of this month to say hello! Whole op smells SQ driven. Who owns the A/C. Nice to see the aus flag plastered all over it! Should sell well for the aussies. More cash in SQ hands.
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Economy Lite:
-No IFE. (crew disable the screens/control through the Panasonic system)
-Food/Bev's are extra cost, select what you want when booking your ticket.
-Dedicated cabin using a movable curtain/divider (Lite cabin is the last rows of the A/C, divider positioned according to how many seats sold as 'Lite')
-Seat pitch reamins the same.
I'm also guessing there will be baggage restrictions, and bugger all 'rockstar' treatment.
-Food/Bev's are extra cost, select what you want when booking your ticket.
-Dedicated cabin using a movable curtain/divider (Lite cabin is the last rows of the A/C, divider positioned according to how many seats sold as 'Lite')
-Seat pitch reamins the same.
I'm also guessing there will be baggage restrictions, and bugger all 'rockstar' treatment.
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Shedload of VB guys falling over them selves at the opportunity to fly a tripla for less than pittens because of lifestyle or any weak excuse.It did it for me when Sir B tried to steal the show as always only to enjoy free publicity from the Hudson Hero-whose actions represent those of all airline pilots.Anyone would have done the same job,its no frekin mirracle,as the media put it.Add insult to injury,Sir B offering him double the going rate whilst the rest don't even get loss of licence amongst other things, but it beats flying GA you say sold souls?
The AFAP/VIPA have failed all of us professionals, so call your fees in,as that's how much the real world thinks/knows of our profession- it was a chance, not training,competence,diligence that all airline level pilots have and have it checked every 6 months. I refuse to take part in any fly for profit only for the benefit of the ''more equal than others'' philosophy that runs in the Branson empire. As for SQ buying the show hmm why does SQ want to sell up from the VS?They had their toes burned once by the egalitarian white beard.
For those in the hold pool I wish you the best of the rockstar treatment can offer.
The AFAP/VIPA have failed all of us professionals, so call your fees in,as that's how much the real world thinks/knows of our profession- it was a chance, not training,competence,diligence that all airline level pilots have and have it checked every 6 months. I refuse to take part in any fly for profit only for the benefit of the ''more equal than others'' philosophy that runs in the Branson empire. As for SQ buying the show hmm why does SQ want to sell up from the VS?They had their toes burned once by the egalitarian white beard.
For those in the hold pool I wish you the best of the rockstar treatment can offer.
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-No IFE. (crew disable the screens/control through the Panasonic system)
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No IFE. (crew disable the screens/control through the Panasonic system)
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Incorrect. All pax, in all classes, including any rumoured classes not yet confirmed, will have access to IFE.
ABC1, not quite.............only two Captains and one F/O have left VB for V Oz. Also the union was unable to do anything as was a greenfields agreement and they were not invited to represent any pilots choosing to work there. A union can only ever be as strong as the membership!
Or So the YBTL re-fueller reckons
Or So the YBTL re-fueller reckons
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Virgin has no need for capital raising....
And the 40% load factors they are looking at to date might suggest some very cheap seats to the US coming soon.
Virgin Blue quashes talk of capital raising
Virgin Blue quashes talk of capital raising