Virgin Blue gets the Cocos & Christmas Is. routes

[Monopole]

F111, I am not sure how much freight the 146 use to carry, but the Pax numbers use to be capped.

[Normasars]

Icarus,

I hear you but surely the tax payer wouldn't be footing the bill. DJ would have to pay Cobham not the taxpayer.

Why DJ even tendered for the contract is beyond me. Cobham wanted out after umteen years, so that should have sounded alarm bells.

[Tainlovestofly]

Was told the other day that the Att General's office is keen to have Cobham take back the contract once Virgin's 3??? year contract is up. Something about more flexibility...Cobham have apparently been doing a lot of rescue flights for Virgin lately to the islands and the powers that be aren't too happy.

[Checkboard]

followed by MV using the BAe146

Who's MV? I joined Ansett WA in '95 and flew the route on the 146 until the collapse.

[Capn Bloggs]

Who's MV?

Wash your mouth out with soap, CB. Obviously not a REAL Ansett (WA variety) pilot.

MV was the airline code for MacRobertson Miller Airlines; WA's own first jet airline.

[flyingfox]

And possibly Australias first Airline?

[Capn Bloggs]

Australias first Airline?

WA's first was WA Airways, run by Sir Norman Brearley. In the 30s, MMA outbid them on a contract and it (WAA) was then consumed by some other-side-of-the-black-stump outfit called ANA. 80 years later, it's still going on! That's capitalism for you.

[Icarus2001]

So this contract has had time to settle down and bed in as it were. How is it going?

[XanaduX]

Anyone know who has this contract at the moment?

[TULSAMI]

VARA use one of their 320’s on it

[regional_flyer]

Originally Posted by XanaduX

Thanks for that. The reason I asked was that a Cobham 146 operated that route a few days ago so thought they had the contract now.

Cobham's service is a private charter that's been operating roughly once a month for the last year or so, usually to XCH but periodically to CCK also

[-41]

Why are VA 73's not utilised on these routes?
pavement at Cocos?

[wheels_down]

Lease costs. Why fly a near new very costly 737 when you can fly clapped out A320s that cost 1/10 to lease. Can negotiate harder for the contracts.

FNP would probably cost nothing to lease. The thing is on the verge of 30 years old. You just couldn’t pay to lease it, I’ve been told it’s an absolute ****box to fly.