Virgin Australia's plans for 2013
 

Howdy all, well after a very interesting and diversive year for Virgin in 2012, what are the projections for 2013?
I must admit I didn't see the Skywest or Tiger announcments coming and Im not entirerly convinced by either so where will 2013 see Virgin Heading?
I thought there would have been a much bigger push into Asia but that doesn't seem to be on the cards so where next?

No where.

New uniforms
New paint scheme
Fleet investment
Lounges

Virgin must first return a solid profit. Not a half year good, forward looking bad scenario we have been seeing. After all the recent capital investment that solid profit is a must before you will see any new changes at Virgin.

All investment and expansion will be through Tiger and the ATR fleet.

Bull **** my good man.

I saw the XR deal as soon as they bought their first stake and decided to get XR to operate for them...

Fleet investment - I foresee an announcement with respect to the long haul fleet, my tip is the 789...and also a further investment into the E190 fleet to relieve F100s for FIFO work.

I also see a reshuffle of the B77W route network with an announcement to do with Abu Dhabi.

Several international lounge openings in MEL/SYD/BNE.

A330 tickets for VA engineers...

Shall be an interesting year I say!

There were only 2 ways the DJ/XR tie-up was going to go. Virgin aquires XR, or XR goes under.

Not sure if it was the original intent for either party, but blind Freddy could see that happening from day one!

As for the year ahead? I think Wedcue has made a very valid point. Good luck DJ, I feel the direction is right, but certainly some challenges ahead.

All they have to do is do a good job.

JB has set a pretty good line in the sand. Many of us small corporate flyers are swinging over.

I have swung. sorry to say that to all my QF friends, many pilots and LAMEs some of whome I had a BBQ lunch with today.

It is sad to see but that's business.

There are a lot of people who now prefer VA over QF and as time goes by the tide will turn and AJ has lost the plot.

If simply loyal folk like me turn over....the easy ones are already on their way.

Sorry to say it.


PS, and yes some of my friends who are career QF flyers are not bothering either..... VA is their first choice now. And some Chairmanship Lounge (long termers) have lost loyalty too. It is too late. And these guys spend more with QF in a year privately that most staff earn gross. So high yield pax. AJ does not get it.

High yield pax? You mean one who buys bags, priority boarding and a beverage? ;)

I haven't bought priority boarding ;) And I don't buy beverages :cool: I do enjoy a fine drop from the bar occasionally ;) And I certainly don't pay for my bags :D

Current Xr flights become DJ flights from March, I have a couple of bookings in my possession. Using the DJ online/mobile checkin system. ATR72's becoming a frequent sight at SkyWest's maintainence hanger at YPPH; there were two there last night nosed in, one had flaps extended and strobes on, undergoing some checks? Still just a stopover on the ferry flight from Europe, or will we see them replacing the venerable F-50's soon?Do any SkyWest people have anything to share on this?

DJ is no more - VA is the code.

http://ranmar.smugmug.com/Motorcycle.../virgin-XL.png



Looking at the above ticket, it may be that Skywest will retain DJ numbers? Or, perhaps, only in the short term.

Some Groundhog Day to continue in 2013
 

Hopefully JB will continue to purge in 2013 the odd piece of deadwood, a lot has been cleaned out but some still remain.

Also 2013 will see HR still making incompetent biased decisions and promoting managers footstools into positions they don't deserve. I foresee the art of nepotism growing ever stronger. Mates rates is a VA 'must have', and well promulgated by HR.

2013 may even see a return of onboard face painting and the selling of chapstick and King Richards 'Losing My Virginity'.

And finally a positive aspect of 2013 will be the increased passenger demands as Joyce continues in his quest to take QF to the bottom of the curve.

When did you purchase that RANMAR? If you purchased pre cutover then of course it ain't going to change...

It was purchased by our travel dept: I don't have the receipt on this computer, but seem to recall it appeared around xmas/new year?

Update-purchased 30th December

DJ have codeshared XR flights for quite a while now.

VA has just cut over to the Sabre GDS which makes them much easier to sell (once you work out the cardboard and string fare rules) and this is a major plus for them.

I asked the question earlier this week if we are able to remove the UO tax (Australian GST) from the fare as we can with QF if the passenger is continuing overseas on a seperate tickets. We simply load the international ticket number in the endorsements area and that can be checked with checkin staff if deemed prudent.

Reply came back 24 hours or so later stating "you can do it if is stated in the GDS fare rule" which basically says "we have no idea". That was a non answer from people who are yet to get used to playing with the big boys and in the deep end of the pool.

Overall I think what they have done is very logical and positive, but the culture still is not yet there and not enough old heads are at the top.

This is one fairly basic query which was answered with a handpass to info in the new system without really telling me anything as the info was not in the fare rule load.

A positive move, but nobody on the front line who has fought with GDS systems like Sabre, Galileo, Taarsan, Ansamatic, SITA, TIAS, Qantam, BABS and God knows how many others over the years without the "no training" pull down boxes.

I look forward to see how it all goes - in the washup it is a big plus from the Travel Agency side, as from those other than the bucket shops it makes VA much more attractive and quick and easy to sell.

Best all

EWL

So it looks like a quiet year for VA this year then, nothing joining or leaving the fleet?

2 new A330's in 2013, a couple of additional 737's

.... and a fair handful of ATRs.

or if you look at it one way, 18 Fokkers and one A320.

I'm not sure it will continue to operate a single A320 for much longer. Two types in the 100 seat jet category will continue for a while though.

ah its always good fun hearing the rhetoric. 5 F100s for the price of 1 ejet? simple economics when considering the DR of the ejet fleet.

As for the airbus, maybe the westerners can confirm but the jungle drums are beating 4. The lads from TLS have been trying to get the SA machine to VA for quite some time, up against the qlink jets it will be a sound economical choice.