VA 777 replacement...
 

So,

Any intel out there on what the replacement will be for VA ER's in 3 or 4 years?

Maybe it will coincide with the departure of the 330's as well - to make way for newer, more efficient technology?

Interesting that Etihad have just upped their stake slightly in recent days... I think JH sees a strong future in the VA mob.

Blue skies to all,

BR

Rumours..speculation...guesswork.


Be assured that we pilots will be among the last to know the answer to this.

B788/9s and B738/9 MAXs for VA.

A350s (or A332/3 NEOs) and A320/1 NEOs for TT.

That's my guess anyway...:ok:

B777X for long haul B787 for domestic/mid haul. Nothing for tiger.

The CEO has talked about a replacement not arriving till after 2020, so it is a few years off yet, the youngest 330 is less than 12 months old and the oldest 3 or so years old, so they have plenty of life in them yet.

I would think that when the time comes the 350 would have to be in the hunt given that Qantas and jetstar have gone/are going the 787 route. It is hard making yourself look different if you have the same aeroplanes. Much easier to point out the differences between you and your competitor if you have a different airframe, particularly given the 350 is newer in the marketplace and has a range of airframes that will meet the range/capacity requirements.

I know the great unwashed cant really tell the difference between an boeing, Airbus or the local red bus, but from a marketing perspective it is much easier showing how flash your sparkly new wonder bus is compared to the bogan mobile 787 that jetstar are using. Conversely if all three have 787's there will be a section of the market that has flown down the back of the 787 with jetstar and will think that a virgin 787 is the same (even though they may be quite different)

But I am not smart or cunning enough to work in those lofty and exalted management levels in any of the airlines

If they did go for the 787 I imagine the point of difference with the competitor would be the fact they wouldn't have 314 Y seats in them with only four toilets.

Of course, when you do the numbers, it's almost identical ratio to the 737........

You know you're getting old when 330's and 777's are referred to as old technology.

But I guess when you have to do software loading with floppy disks, were they ever considered state of the art?

I'd be supprised if long haul even stays. You can't try to run a long haul program with only 5 aircraft. Neither Virgin nor their investment partners have shown any interest in expanding the fleet.
I woundn't be supprised if Air New Zealand took over the US route and Etihad the ME route. Most people I talk to don't even know Virgin has long haul destinations :ugh:

Does ANZ have the rights to fly Australia US direct?

NZ has traffic rights for nonstop AUS-USA, but have not used them since 2003 when they entered into a codeshare agreement with UA. The NZ/UA codeshare agreement benefits both parties.