The move for Australia精东影业 second largest airline could be announced in early July 2024, according to the report, which quoted anonymous sources within the airline.  

The report also claimed that the sale of an equity stake in Virgin Australia to Singapore Airlines had been considered at some point, but then ruled out. 

The share purchase would likely strengthen the cooperation between the two airlines, which already have a partnership in place facilitating the flow of passengers between their respective networks and the connectivity between some 30 Australian destinations and Qatar Airways鈥� global network. 

The existing collaboration between Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia in some respects mirrors the one in place between these two main airlines鈥� main competitors, Emirates and Qantas, to facilitate traffic between Australia and destinations across the globe. 

Private equity group Bain Capital bought Virgin Australia in 2020 for A$3.5 billion (US$2.45 billion) as the Australian carrier was reeling from the impact of the COVID pandemic. Virgin Australia has since gone through a restructuring process that saw it lay off a significant number of staff and reduce the size of its fleet.  

As of June 2024, Virgin Australia operates a fleet of 87 aircraft, all of them Boeing 737s (a mix of 鈥�700, -800 and MAX versions). 

Virgin Australia considers switching orders from 737 MAX 10 to 737 MAX 8s聽聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2 minute read

Bain Capital, the airline精东影业 current owners, are said to be planning an IPO at some point in 2024. But the decision has been repeatedly delayed.  

In any case, any deal to acquire a significant equity stake in Virgin Australia would need to be approved by Australia精东影业 Foreign Investment Review Board. Australia精东影业 government, which has had a somewhat troubled relationship with Qatar Airways on account of its聽restrictive market access policy, will have the final say on the deal.聽

The incident occurred on June 17, 2024.

Flight VA 148 departed Queenstown Airport (ZQN) in New Zealand, for Melbourne Airport (MEL) at approximately 17:48 local time. 

Shortly after takeoff, flames were seen billowing out from one of the aircraft engines. 

Video footage taken of the flight by residents watching the fiery incident unfold were shared on social media, including X (formerly Twitter).

The plane, carrying 67 passengers and six crew members, was forced to perform an emergency landing at Invercargill Airport (IVC), more than 180 kilometers south of Queenstown Airport

A spokesperson for Virgin Australia told 精东影业 that the plane had landed safely at IVC Airport and the engine fire was due to a suspected bird strike.

The airline said that while emergency service personnel were on the ground at IVC Airport, it is currently not aware of any reported physical injuries to its guests or crew. 

Passengers were provided with overnight accommodation in Invercargill and bus transport services were arranged back to Queenstown Airport where passengers took an afternoon flight onward to Melbourne Airport on June 18, 2024.

鈥淲e wish to express our appreciation for the support of Invercargill Airport, Emergency Services, local Air New Zealand team members and our crew onboard in helping to support tonight精东影业 response effort,鈥� the airline said.

Southwest Airlines fired pilot who spoke in Spanish during engine fire incident

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-23

Flights from Melbourne commenced on June 6, 2024, and flights from Brisbane will begin on June 7, 2024.

Ayers Rock Airport is the gateway to Uluru, or Ayers Rock, the massive sandstone monolith formation known as the landmark destination in the Northern Territory state. 

Uluru is thought to have started its formation 550 million years ago and is considered a sacred site to Indigenous Australians.

The flights were launched in partnership with the Northern Territory Government and Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia (operators of Ayers Rock Resort, Uluru), and is believed to inject more than 62,000 seats per year, adding to Australia精东影业 AUD 6 billion ($3.99 billion) Indigenous tourism economy. 

According to Virgin Australia, the increased tourism will also benefit Indigenous employment and training at Ayers Rock Resort, where over 30% of the workforce identifies as Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander.

The flights use Virgin Australia精东影业 Boeing 737 aircraft, with up to 182 seats per flight in a three-class configuration (Business Class, Economy X, and Economy).

鈥淯luru is an incredibly important destination for Virgin Australia as one of the most iconic cultural landmarks in this country and a much-loved place for holiday makers to visit from all over the world,鈥� Jayne Hrdlicka, CEO of Virgin Australia said in a statement. 鈥淲e are proud to be connecting Australians to Uluru as part of our ongoing mission to provide more value and choice to travelers.鈥�

Meanwhile, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia CEO Matt Cameron-Smith described Virgin Australia精东影业 flights to Uluru as a 鈥渓andmark moment鈥� that underscores the appeal of the Red Center. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to have even more visitors experience the wonders of Ulu峁焨, along with culturally-immersive experiences like Sunrise Journeys and Wintjiri Wi峁焨, through Virgin Australia’s extensive network,鈥� Cameron-Smith said.

Etihad Airways, China Eastern enter strategic partnership, sign joint venture

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-06-06

Among the new additions, economy class passengers will be able to indulge in 12 new delights while business class passengers will see a significant revamp to the meals now available on flights.  

鈥淲e are proud to continue evolving our food and beverage offering and today精东影业 announcement represents one of the biggest investments in our onboard menu in the last five years, which is a testament to our focus on making the Virgin Australia travel journey wonderful,鈥� Virgin Australia Chief Customer and Digital Officer, Paul Jones said.聽

While launching its new inflight menu on June 4, 2024, Virgin Australia also revealed that the humble cheese and crackers is its most popular flight snack with more than 50,000 packets served each month. 

The new business class menu was curated and taste-tested by the airline精东影业 cabin crew and some of Velocity Frequent Flyer精东影业 most traveled members.聽

Made from locally sourced Australian produce, the menu features popular dishes from a host of global origins, including modern Japanese, Indian, Mexican, Italian and western dishes, ensuring there is a range of options to suit varying tastes. 

Vegetarians, vegans and those seeking low-gluten dishes will all be catered for with options available for both business and economy class passengers.  

The new business class menu includes amongst others:聽聽

• Corn fritters with goat cheese and capsicum relish聽
• Cheese and chive crumpet with bacon, scrambled eggs and beans聽
• Pumpkin gnocchi, creamy pesto with optional chorizo聽
• Soba noodle salad with chicken and teriyaki dressing聽
• Cheese tortellini Caesar salad with optional prosciutto聽
• Sweet pork belly with rice and vegetables聽
• Goat cheese with apricot and sumac amuse bouche聽
• Mango coconut cake聽
• White chocolate and macadamia cake聽

While economy guests will receive complimentary tea, coffee and water, the food options available to them are for purchase only.   

More substantial items available for purchase include ham and cheese sourdough toasties, chicken and sun-dried tomato pesto wraps and chicken salad sourdough sandwiches. 

Economy Class customers on longer routes to and from Perth or on select international flights will also be able to indulge in hot dishes including pesto pasta and Penang chicken curry. 

Virgin Australia also announced that it was introducing digital wallet payments including Apple Pay and Google Pay, meaning physical bank cards are no longer needed when purchasing food and beverage onboard. 

The tech enhancement is part of Virgin Australia精东影业 $300 million digital investment which has seen the airline introduce an Australian-first baggage tracking tool across domestic and international flights, Rapid Rebook, app upgrades and digital personalization. 

Virgin Australia精东影业 new inflight menu is available from June 4, 2024.  

Virgin Australia named AU’s most reliable airline; launches status match offer

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-21

CASA officials also commented at the hearing held on May 29, 2024, that pilots had repeatedly raised concerns with the regulator over the Virgin Australia crew rostering system which was compounding fatigue levels among the carrier精东影业 pilot workforce.  

Currently, Virgin Australia and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) remain in a standoff over a proposal to strip pilots of six days鈥� annual leave during negotiations for a new enterprise agreement. Both email chains between pilots and management as well as pilot-only discussion groups raised frustration at what they allege is the airline精东影业 management精东影业 failure to recognize the growing issue of fatigue.  

The correspondence, which has been seen by The Guardian Australia, which first broke the story, revealed anger amongst pilots over outdated roster software which it is claimed has not been replaced despite assurances it would be by the owners of the airline, private equity firm Bain Capital. Additionally, there is an alleged reliance on routinely scheduling pilots to work maximum shift lengths (12 hours and longer in the event of delays) on back-to-back days, while also only allowing for just the legal minimum rest period of 12 hours between flights.聽

Responding to questions during the hearing, Matthew Bouttell, the executive manager of CASA regulatory oversight division detailed the pilots鈥� concerns, as well as the results of a TWU survey of 180 pilots (of the roughly 1,000 who work at the airline) which showed that 85% had indicated the rostering system had affected how they manage their fatigue. 

Bouttell, along with other CASA leaders explained that while there are strict maximum shift lengths and minimum recovery periods for smaller air operators, more mature airlines such as Virgin have bespoke fatigue risk management systems approved by CASA that could lead to slightly longer days for pilots because of other mitigating strategies. However, Bouttell conceded CASA believed Virgin精东影业 rostering system had been nearing approved fatigue limits. 

Boutell also told the hearing that in the previous 28-day pilot roster period, 45 crew removed themselves from duty due to fatigue, a figure which represents just under 5% of the pilot workforce at the low-cost carrier.  

Bouttell said pilots self-reporting fatigue and refusing a shift was a 鈥済reat example鈥� of the airline精东影业 fatigue risk management system working. 

鈥淓ngaging with Virgin Australia鈥� 

According to Pip Spence, the Chief Executive of CASA, the regulator is currently engaging with Virgin Australia to ensure safety protocols and rostered duty hours continue to be aligned,  

鈥淲e have engaged closely with Virgin,鈥� said Spence. 鈥淲e鈥檒l continue to explore to make sure that there is nothing that精东影业 being done that shouldn鈥檛 be done. But it can鈥檛 be down to the individual. The system must support safe outcomes,鈥� she added. 

Spence subsequently confirmed that a review of the airline精东影业 fatigue management system would begin within the next 12 to 18 months.聽

Under the current Virgin pilots鈥� agreement (which expires at the end of June 2024), pilots are entitled to 12 days off every 28-day roster period, of which there are 13 periods a year. Virgin Australia is proposing that for six of the 13 roster periods, days off would be cut to 11. The TWU survey of 180 pilots found that 93% intend to vote no to the proposed deal and 88% are specifically unhappy with the planned reduction in days off. 

Under the proposed deal, which has been agreed upon with the Australian Federation of Air Pilots, a union that represents a majority of pilots at Virgin, pilots would receive a 9.38% pay rise in the first year, and a 3% rise in the second and third years, in return for the loss of the six days off.聽

Four Jetstar cabin crew hospitalized after being overcome by fumes on flight

• Aviation Safety

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-30

The Virgin Australia Boeing 737 was on route to Melbourne Airport (MEL) on May 27, 2024, when the male passenger became disruptive.聽

As well as running through the cabin naked the passenger also allegedly knocked a Virgin cabin crew member to the ground.  

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) arrested the man when the aircraft returned to Perth Airport just before 20:00 after only an hour of flying, according to .听听

“We can confirm on Monday 27 May, VA696 Perth to Melbourne, returned to Perth,” the statement read. On arrival in Perth, the aircraft was met by the Australian Federal Police and the disruptive guest was offloaded,” Virgin said in a statement.  

The airline added: 鈥淭he safety of our guests and crew is our top priority and we sincerely apologize to guests impacted.鈥� 

The AFP also confirmed that following the passenger精东影业 arrest he was transferred to a hospital for assessment. 

“AFP officers arrested a man after he allegedly ran naked through the aircraft mid-flight and knocked a crew member to the floor,” a spokesperson for the AFP said. 

The exact charges the man will face have yet to be finalized but it’s expected that he will appear in court on June 12, 2024.聽

American Airlines: world精东影业 longest serving聽flight attendant dies aged 88

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-05-26

According to the bureau精东影业 , the Virgin Australia network (Virgin Australia and Virgin Australia Regional Airlines combined operations) recorded 81.2% for on time arrivals while the Qantas network (Qantas and QantasLink combined operations) recorded 79%.

For departures, the Virgin Australia network recorded 82.1% for on time departures while the Qantas network recorded 79.9%.

Virgin精东影业 record operating performance for April 2024 ends Qantas鈥� 19-month lead as Australia精东影业 most reliable domestic carrier. It was Virgin Australia精东影业 best result in two years for both on-time performance and cancellations and marks an improvement of 26.4 and 6%, respectively, since December 2023.

Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the group had been 鈥渋ntensely focused鈥� on improving its performance while continuing to deliver 鈥済reat value鈥� and choice to Australian travelers.

鈥淎pril 2024 marked a return to pre-COVID levels of on-time performance and cancellations for Virgin Australia. The post-COVID recovery has been challenging for the aviation industry but it is promising to see reliability and on-time performance improve across Australian airlines,鈥� Hrdlicka said in a statement.

鈥淲e know that on any given day various factors including weather, air traffic control, unscheduled aircraft maintenance, and crew resources can impact airline operations. But our ability to manage these disruptions has improved, while at the same time we have focused on simplifying our growing operation,” Hrdlicka added.

Gold status match offer 

To mark the airline精东影业 stellar operating performance for the month, Virgin Australia announced it has launched a Discover Gold Status Match offer for up to 3,000 Velocity members who hold Gold, Platinum and above status from competing non-partner airline loyalty programs to make the switch to Virgin.

Velocity Discover Gold Status will allow frequent flyers to enjoy benefits for three months from complimentary lounge access at all major domestic airports, a higher checked baggage allowance (excludes Lite fares), and priority boarding and priority seating.

鈥淲e know how important punctuality is for travelers, and so we are pleased to make it easier for frequent flyers to try Velocity Discover Gold to enjoy the most sought after benefits of the program, including complimentary Lounge access, while enjoying our reliability and wonderful service,鈥� Hrdlicka said.

Virgin Australia plans to be first Aussie carrier to operate with pets onboard

• Airlines
• This is interesting!

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-03-07

In an interim report published on May 1, 2024, the ACCC said that it 鈥渋ntends to authorize鈥� the proposed cooperation pending the hearing of any final objections on May 8, 2024. The ACCC is currently seeking submissions in response to its draft determination before making its final decision. 

Codeshare agreements allow the marketing carrier (in this case, Virgin Australia) to sell an unlimited number of seats on the operating carrier services (here, Air New Zealand) providing there is inventory available on any given flight designated as a codeshare service.聽

Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand are seeking authorization for Virgin Australia to place its airline code on trans-Tasman routes operated by Air New Zealand. Such codeshare flights will originate and be sold in Australia but will carry Virgin Australia精东影业 VA flight prefix on trans-Tasman services operated by the New Zealand carrier.听听

The codeshare rights are set to be approved by the ACCC on the condition that Air New Zealand specifies the fares at which Virgin Australia may market and resupply those itineraries. Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand will also be able to jointly provide businesses with discounts and other marketing offers for VA-coded trans-Tasman services. 

鈥淭his proposed code-sharing arrangement has the potential to increase ticketing choices for Australians traveling to New Zealand and provide Velocity frequent flyer program benefits and international lounge access for eligible Virgin Australia customers,鈥� ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said. 

The ACCC took note in its determination of concerns raised by consumer groups that the code-sharing arrangements could result in increased demand for Air New Zealand trans-Tasman services and upward pressure on airfares. 

鈥淲e consider it unlikely that any significant increase in passenger demand for trans-Tasman services due to this code-sharing arrangement would raise airfares,鈥� Keogh said.聽

Currently, Virgin Australia operates its own services on routes between Queenstown located on New Zealand精东影业 South Island, and Melbourne (MEL), Sydney (SYD), and Brisbane (BNE). The proposed arrangements will not apply to these routes nor to any routes where Virgin Australia commences operating its own services in direct competition with Air New Zealand. 

鈥淥n current information, we also consider that the code-sharing arrangements do not materially reduce Virgin Australia’s incentive to operate its own services on other trans-Tasman routes,鈥� said Keogh. 

Further details聽

The ACCC has also granted interim authorization to allow Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand to commence commercial planning for any marketing and selling of fares for VA-coded trans-Tasman services. 

鈥淭he interim authorization excludes the direct or indirect marketing, provision of offers, and sale of fares to all customers before the ACCC makes its final determination,鈥� Keogh added. 

ACCC authorization provides statutory protection from court action for conduct that might otherwise raise concerns under the competition provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act (CCA). In broad terms, the ACCC can grant its authorization once it is satisfied that the public benefit from the conduct would be likely to outweigh鈥痑ny public detriment.聽

Australia精东影业 Bonza suspends all operations, Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet repossessed聽聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-04-30

Publications including the Australian Financial Journal have reported that the airline is currently assessing plans to switch at least part of its order for MAX 10s and opt for the smaller 737 MAX 8 model instead. The MAX 10 variant seats 205 passengers while the MAX 8 accommodates 180. However, the smaller variant boasts a greater range, making it more versatile within the Virgin Australia fleet and potentially useful in opening up more route deployment possibilities.  

The carrier originally ordered 13 737 MAX 8s, the bulk of which were supposed to arrive by the end of 2024 with another four already in operation with the company. However, given the issues faced by Boeing and its production of the MAX family of aircraft (including supply chain issues, safety audits, and certification delays), it is now expected that only a further four MAX 8s will be delivered this year and the other six will arrive in 2025, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. 

Additionally, Virgin Australia has orders for 25 of the larger Boeing 737 MAX 10s which were meant to start arriving in 2025. However, the type精东影业 entry into service with the airline has been delayed until the 2026 financial year.听听

鈥淲e have been advised by Boeing there will be a delay to the delivery of some 737 MAX 8 aircraft, and we are working to minimize impacts to our schedule,鈥� a Virgin Australia spokesperson said on March 18, 2024. While acknowledging delays to the 737 MAX 8 delivery program, the carrier has not yet publicly commented on the MAX 10 order switch rumors.   

Virgin Australia has built its entire operation around the Boeing 737 family of aircraft since its reemergence from administration following the COVID-19 pandemic. According to ch-aviation, the carrier currently operates a fleet of 71 of the type comprising nine 737-700s, 60 737-800s, and the four 737 MAX 8s. The carrier also operates 17 aircraft (Fokker 70s, Fokker 100s, and Saab SF340s operated on its behalf by other carriers).聽 聽

Boeing delays forcing Southwest to consider merger options says pilot union聽聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-03-21

The plan is still subject to regulatory approval and, if granted, is expected to launch within 12 months.

In 2021, Virgin Australia conducted a social media survey via Facebook which saw 85 % of respondents vote in favor of the airline launching flights allowing pets in the cabin. 

The airline said it conducted a more recent research among Australian pet owners, which showed that nearly 70% said they would travel with their pet in the cabin, while 57% said they would fly more regularly if the service was offered.

In North America, almost all major carriers, including United Airlines and Air Canada, allow, under specific regulations, pets onboard domestic flights.

Virgin Australia said its proposed pet-friendly service will have parameters and restrictions such as:

• The service being limited to small cats and dogs on specific domestic routes;
• Limited and designated rows to be assigned as 鈥榩et zones鈥�
• Pets will not be allowed to roam freely or sit on laps;
• Pets must also be carried in a Virgin Australia approved pet carrier under the seat in front of the owner for the duration of the flight.

鈥淥ur love for animals has always been in the Virgin Australia DNA and we are excited at the prospect of taking off with Australia精东影业 first-ever pets in cabin flights,鈥� Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said in a statement.

鈥淥verwhelmingly, our guests tell us they want to travel with their pets, and we are now on a journey to make that a reality. It精东影业 something that commonly happens overseas and is proven to work well,鈥� Hrdlicka continued.

Hrdlicka added: 鈥淎lmost 70% of Australian households have a pet, so this announcement is really significant for a large proportion of the country. It精东影业 also a great thing for pet-friendly accommodation providers who will benefit greatly from increased connectivity and the ease for travelers to fly with their pets. It really will be a whole new economy for pet travel in Australia.鈥�

Air Canada temporarily bans pets traveling in baggage compartment

• Air Cargo

byJean Carmela Lim

2022-07-12