Virgin Blue Heads to Hobart
 

Virgin Blue Heads to Hobart

Virgin Blue will launch direct flights between Hobart and Melbourne on the airline’s second birthday, August 31, heralding double celebrations for both the new route and two years of Virgin Blue’s low fares and great service.

Tasmanian Premier, Jim Bacon and Virgin Blue CEO Brett Godfrey, made the announcement at the Australian Tourism Exchange in Brisbane, signalling the low fare carrier’s view that no capital city be forced to endure monopolistic pricing.

The people of Hobart had a brief taste of real competition a year ago before Qantas swallowed up Impulse and since then, the fares have crept up from $66 and even lower, to $99 plus taxes or charges.

Virgin Blue is bringing back the $66 fare (plus taxes and charges of $16.22 totalling $82.22) as an introductory offer, while everyday low fares will start from $83 one-way plus taxes and charges, which means $99.22 one-way including taxes and charges, as opposed to Qantas’s $99 plus taxes and charges.

The special launch fare between the Victorian and Tasmanian capitals is on sale from 31 May to 7 June, with 66 seats on all flights available for $66* one-way, for travel between 31 August and 5 September.

Virgin Blue Chief Executive, Brett Godfrey said, The decision to launch flights to Hobart follows Virgin Blue’s entry in to Tasmania last September and the huge popularity of those services. With only one player in the Hobart market at the moment, people have been screaming out for competition to keep Qantas on its toes and we are excited to come in and do just that.

He continued, We are the only airline to take Tasmania seriously by offering a large 737 jet service to Launceston and Hobart as we believe it deserves the same level of service as the rest of the country. Many Tasmanians told us that the brief Impulse experience opened their eyes to the real benefits of competition and they are willing to back the airline that is sincere about long term low fares and comfortable, efficient, on-time aircraft, Brett Godfrey finished.

Virgin Blue has been working closely with the Tasmanian Government, Hobart International Airport and Tourism Tasmania regarding Virgin Blue’s entry in to Hobart, which will allow visitors increased access to all the natural wonders Tasmania has to offer.

The daily flights will operate out of the former Ansett terminal following negotiations with the airport on commercial terms that will allow the low fare carrier to continue offering its low fare/high quality service.

Virgin Blue will look at increasing the number of Hobart flights as demand grows.

* All fares exclude passenger ticket levy, airport charges and the global security charge and are for flights booked on the Internet. $10 more by phone. In the coming weeks, Virgin Blue is making the transition to all-inclusive pricing. We’re preparing our systems to offer advertised fares that will included taxes, levies and charges and we will be transitioning to this system in the coming weeks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

News Virgin Blue Heads to Hobart
Date May 31st, 2002
Source Virgin Blue

More advertising !!!!!!

hey oz,

out of curisoity do u work for dj pr????
:D

Good to hear they are finally moving a bit further south.

Ozeflight.net

Thank you for that snippet.

FYI direct advertising is not allowed on this BB. Press Releases regurgitated by a regular newspaper as news and therefore usually of interest rather than advertising are generally sorted and handled by Wirraway. I will in this instance let it run as it does have some news interest here.

When is a news item a press release and when is a press release advertising, I dunno but your profile suggests that you may be the author of the VB ones and we let the newspapers be the judge of that. We will have no direct press releases here though without reference to me. We do however welcome your participation.

If you would consult me first on any items of genuine interest that you may wish to publish here, straight from from the horses mouth so to speak, then we may be able to come to some sort of arrangement.

You see if I allow you to do it, then every PR flak in the business will be lining up.
It costs Danny a fair sum of money to run this board not for profit and for the benefit of all and he recoups a bit of it by advertising and they are the ones who will utlimately complain and if they pull their support it is as good as over for us all.

Please feel free to contact me direct if you wish to do so.

Cheers
Woomera

Yipee,

VB to HBA. ****** me, jets have been operating there for 30 friggin years. Big friggin deal.

oicur12

Are you feeling alright mate???? Life really is that bad for you is it!!!!:eek:

Oicur. Ansett and Qantas were ripping off the Oz public (and others) for over 50 years. There is now the best competition in this country we have ever experienced. What on earth is your problem?

If you can not get a job with them that is too bad. But your ill con conceived and highly un-intelligent comments are quite remarkable. The Oz travelling public have never had it better! Period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now bearing that in mind, what exactly is your point? Remember the other 2 airlines operated with levels of protection Virgin will never experience. They )Virgin) came here to offer a alternative to the high fares, no flexibility operators that existed. Is there a problem with that in your highly sort after opinion?

I look forward to your articulate and well researched response!

"Oicur 12"
mmmm a Bitter Virgin application reject i wonder.
Get a life you Uninformed twisted Loser.

Actually, my (rather alcahol induced) comments were not at all uninformed.

They are rather factual.

I guess my frustration towards VB is actually to the bearded man himself - the PR stunt with the Virgin Megastore in MEL was breathtaking in its manipulation of the uninformed public.

Recently, an exec from VS retired under dubious circumstances and made a few parting shots about Sir Dicks approach to business being "PR driven to the point of deceiving the public about the true health of the company". VB are no different.

BTW, accusing me of being a bitter Virgin applicant is kind of a cop out argument - dont you think. It would be rather ignorant to assume that the whole world is busting to score a job at Virgin.

Sorry oicur you are writing in the wrong forum. I think the Private Pilots Rumour Network would be more your style:D