Virgin Australia concerns
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Brisbane
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I'm not sure what you are all on about.
VA effectively pulling out of DPS is the best news I've heard for a while. We may well have had plenty of bums on seats, but the cost of having split the AOC and having one section of the workforce doing sweet FA whilst the other was getting flogged was never going to be a strategy for success.
Good riddance I say...
VA effectively pulling out of DPS is the best news I've heard for a while. We may well have had plenty of bums on seats, but the cost of having split the AOC and having one section of the workforce doing sweet FA whilst the other was getting flogged was never going to be a strategy for success.
Good riddance I say...
Perhaps there is more news yet to come, but VA does not appear to me to be "effectively pulling out of DPS" when it is operating 20 flights per week (BNE, SYD and PHE), presumably without a split AOC and the problems associated with that.
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when it is operating 20 flights per week (BNE, SYD and PHE), presumably without a split AOC and the problems associated with that
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed operating in and out of the place, but it doesn't change my opinion about ditching Bali altogether though. With the current AOC set up and associated inefficiencies from an already under resourced pilot group, and a myriad of other problems that still can't see us making a dollar out of full cabins, I'd be happy to see the end of it.
And most pilots that I know that want to keep operating there aren't doing it for the love of Bali, they just don't want to say goodbye to sub 40hr rosters and be re-introduced to 4 sector days and max hours...... and who could blame them??
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Latest on the grapevine is the Airbus is now staying at Tiger.
The Tiger 737s are going back to Virgin. First one will be back at Virgin next week.
Yep, VOR went back to TSV to be repainted yesterday.
The Tiger 737s are going back to Virgin. First one will be back at Virgin next week.
Yep, VOR went back to TSV to be repainted yesterday.
So which is it? Is the rumour false or are VA management pathological liars?
Last time Tiger parked airframes, they parked them in ASP. Those were the Singapore registered ones mind you.
There's not much space in TSV to park frames other than inside the paintshop.
There's not much space in TSV to park frames other than inside the paintshop.
Join Date: Jun 2004
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So what is VA going to do when TT stops making a profit due to the increase in maintenance costs?
And I am not talking about airframe types, I'm talking about maintenance provider.........................
And I am not talking about airframe types, I'm talking about maintenance provider.........................
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Not jealous Basil and certainly not management, just concerned that the company is going to hell in a hand basket and the current DPS arrangement, in my opinion, is helping it along the way.
I had my stint at VAI when it originally was set up and came back about 6 months ago of my own volition.
Not sure why my remarks would have you accuse me of creating some sort of divide among the pilot group, the hours I spoke of were reflective of every roster example I have been shown by the crew involved.
Don't be so defensive, it was just an opinion...not an accusation.
I had my stint at VAI when it originally was set up and came back about 6 months ago of my own volition.
Not sure why my remarks would have you accuse me of creating some sort of divide among the pilot group, the hours I spoke of were reflective of every roster example I have been shown by the crew involved.
Don't be so defensive, it was just an opinion...not an accusation.
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Not jealous Basil and certainly not management, just concerned that the company is going to hell in a hand basket and the current DPS arrangement, in my opinion, is helping it along the way.
I had my stint at VAI when it originally was set up and came back about 6 months ago of my own volition.
Not sure why my remarks would have you accuse me of creating some sort of divide among the pilot group, the hours I spoke of were reflective of every roster example I have been shown by the crew involved.
Don't be so defensive, it was just an opinion...not an accusation.
I had my stint at VAI when it originally was set up and came back about 6 months ago of my own volition.
Not sure why my remarks would have you accuse me of creating some sort of divide among the pilot group, the hours I spoke of were reflective of every roster example I have been shown by the crew involved.
Don't be so defensive, it was just an opinion...not an accusation.
The Bali flights are doing very well, business class and economy are usually mostly full and tickets are not cheap. Have a look online at ticket prices and see for yourself.
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: australia
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IF true and the fleet swap is dead in the water - why??
A "good idea" doesn't turn to sh*t overnight, if it was a "good idea" all those months ago for the overall strength of the V group longterm it should STILL be a good idea.
Or was it just a dumb idea right from the start??
And responsibility?? Hands up....anyone?? Surely SOMEONE must be responsible??
OR maybe not!
A "good idea" doesn't turn to sh*t overnight, if it was a "good idea" all those months ago for the overall strength of the V group longterm it should STILL be a good idea.
Or was it just a dumb idea right from the start??
And responsibility?? Hands up....anyone?? Surely SOMEONE must be responsible??
OR maybe not!
Join Date: Sep 2007
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A "good idea" doesn't turn to sh*t overnight, if it was a "good idea" all those months ago for the overall strength of the V group longterm it should STILL be a good idea.
Now that TT is not going to Bali, I guess the original driver for change has gone. The 320 is more then capable of the short haul international flying TT is eyeing to the East and North East of Australia.
Was it a **** idea? Probably. No-one could see how TT were going to do it cheaper, not many changes, and the costs of re-training flight crew & cabin crew, painting frames, ripping out seats etc must have been enormous. Plus the 'experts' saying a narrow body on this route would be competitive when everyone else is using a wide-body. The line to the rear toilets has I've heard extended back too business class on many occassions. Bali has been a noose around Virgins neck from day 1.
It did show one example where JB didn't sing from the Qantas playbook. Most group operators like to split between Boeing and Airbus to cover the risk of any airworthiness issues.
Congratulations maybe to TT flight operations, who are rumoured to instead of just taking all the VA CASA approved B737 manuals and doing a 'find' & 'replace', went and did a re-write of procedures on how to fly a Boeing like an Airbus. That stalling tactic may have just paid off.
Join Date: Feb 2004
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Come on guys,
If I invested in Virgin at the bottom for 16c , at the current 19c, I would have made some 18 % on my money!
I didn't and unfortunately most paid $2 +.
You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear so, don't bother.
VB started as a low class / low cost operation and by a stroke of luck it gained a foothold. The instigators foresaw the future and pulled the cream out at the float . The airline has been left to try and find a means to survive ever since.
The initial ( strumpet and Mexican wave) idea worked but , it had a definite shelf life and every move since has been a half hearted effort to transform that worm into a butterfly.
Too many twists,turns,egos ,fleets and offshoots.
Most operators know that full service airlines make small percentage profits and rely on guaranteed income ( protectionism) to pay the bills. VB cannot achieve that.
VB's only chance was to stay small to fill the domestic gap from Jstar and QF.
If I invested in Virgin at the bottom for 16c , at the current 19c, I would have made some 18 % on my money!
I didn't and unfortunately most paid $2 +.
You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear so, don't bother.
VB started as a low class / low cost operation and by a stroke of luck it gained a foothold. The instigators foresaw the future and pulled the cream out at the float . The airline has been left to try and find a means to survive ever since.
The initial ( strumpet and Mexican wave) idea worked but , it had a definite shelf life and every move since has been a half hearted effort to transform that worm into a butterfly.
Too many twists,turns,egos ,fleets and offshoots.
Most operators know that full service airlines make small percentage profits and rely on guaranteed income ( protectionism) to pay the bills. VB cannot achieve that.
VB's only chance was to stay small to fill the domestic gap from Jstar and QF.
Join Date: Jun 2006
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You have a pretty good point there IT.
Most airlines are not good long term investments, the only people who make money out of them are the speculators and the crooks. All other investment is strategic.
Branson set it up, and cashed out while it was still a novelty and walked away with a pocketbook of easy cash.
Astute shareholders would have bugged out when he did (and most probably did).
Hence why it is now mainly owned by other airlines who have a "strategic" investment rather than a profitable one.
Jetstar was initially created not to make a profit, but to screw Virgin. (Strategic).
Tiger came into Oz not to make money, but to screw Jetstar. (Strategic).
Virgin bought Tiger, because their move to full-service wasn't working, and they needed to screw Jetstar. (Strategic).
Virgin bought Skywest to screw Qantas, so Qantas bought Network to screw Virgin/Skywest. (Strategic).
The other major airlines only bought into Virgin to screw Qantas. (Strategic).
Is there a pattern forming?
Most airlines are not good long term investments, the only people who make money out of them are the speculators and the crooks. All other investment is strategic.
Branson set it up, and cashed out while it was still a novelty and walked away with a pocketbook of easy cash.
Astute shareholders would have bugged out when he did (and most probably did).
Hence why it is now mainly owned by other airlines who have a "strategic" investment rather than a profitable one.
Jetstar was initially created not to make a profit, but to screw Virgin. (Strategic).
Tiger came into Oz not to make money, but to screw Jetstar. (Strategic).
Virgin bought Tiger, because their move to full-service wasn't working, and they needed to screw Jetstar. (Strategic).
Virgin bought Skywest to screw Qantas, so Qantas bought Network to screw Virgin/Skywest. (Strategic).
The other major airlines only bought into Virgin to screw Qantas. (Strategic).
Is there a pattern forming?
Last edited by Derfred; 7th Mar 2017 at 08:51.
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AFAIK no contract 737 Captains have been employed, happy to be corrected.