Virgin In Trading Halt

[Section28- BE]

2 March 09- Sale & Lease Back 4 x 738's

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Sale and Leaseback- 4 x 737-800's

I note, VB announced to the market today (Mon, 2 March 09) the Sale and Leaseback of 4 Hulls- B737-800's.

1 x "late 2008" and 3 x 4th Quarter 2009 Deliveries.

Sold to BOC Aviation (100% owned by the Bank of China).

[porch monkey]

Which simply means that they sold 1, for probably 25 0r 30 mil, the other 3 they now don't have to find capital for when they are delivered. Thereby "saving" themselves the money.

[KittyBlue]

Saving money!!! It's the name of the game. So do you think that sending a 777-300ER aircraft to HKT as a schedule flight is saving or going to make money? Phuket looks to be on the radar for V Australia. Can a direct flight on a 777-300ER be a viable option to fly than Pacific Blue 737-800 flying via DPS out of BNE or MEL with the rights granted a few months back?

Need to be leasing those 777 me thinks!!!

Any thoughts??

[KRUSTY 34]

What happens when there are no aircraft left that can be leased back?

[airtags]

Kitty:
the apps are specific to Pac Blue. - These apps would need to be re-lodged (not varied) for VA & the 777. VB Holdings has made an art of blurring the lines between its entities, helped by the similarities of type & capacity but putting the 777 on the run is a little more complicated.

I think while they'd get the bums on seats the yield may not be worth the grief. Let's hope the Pac route starts going against trend and offers a better NSR.

BTW: Downside is under the bilateral, equity in capacity or freight offset would be open for reciprocals which may not be the best result for the bigger Australian aviation picture.

[porch monkey]

Krusty, they sold 1 airframe, they still "own" a substantial proportion of the rest through various entities. A LONG way off from having none left to sell. Don't remember much hoo ha about QF doing exactly the same a couple of years ago.

[whogivesa????]

I think you will find they own the 19 E-jets currently in service.

[KittyBlue]

Airtags, can they use the wet lease scenario at all. Cos the Virgin name couldnt be used outside of the country, would it matter whats painted on the side of the aircraft in this case?

[porch monkey]

More of the same. Wet lease, VB crews, PB livery. Same as is already done on most of the new international flying.

[MELKBQF]

VBA own 46 aircraft and lease 35 as at the end of FY09.

Source ASX

[KittyBlue]

porch monkey I understand that, thou can they use VOZ aircraft on wetlease to PB ?

[coaldemon]

Yes they just have to be in PB colours.

[VBPCGUY]

VBZ is due into the paintshop soon

[KittyBlue]

Could they be repainting a HGW 700 for PB flying!!!

[porch monkey]

Unless they are going to send it to NZ, I doubt it.

[KittyBlue]

Maybe dedicated to HKT flying from PER? Alernate for WA flying too!

[VBPCGUY]

3rd of September VBZ goes into be repainted in TSV.

[slice]

Presumably it would be for the Wet lease PB flying done by Virgin. PER-HKT ~3000nm. Possible in a -700 at a pinch ?

[Stationair8]

Nice jump in the share price today on a turnover of 70 million plus!

[ozbiggles]

Be a lot of disappointed people on this thread!