3 new A330 in 1H2012

[markis10]

The underlined part alone tells me not to expect Red on a 737 anytime soon. If I am reading too much into things, I think that statement may apply you as well. 'Phase 1' does not equal - we will install Red at a later date. I've never read anything put out by the company to suggest that installing Red on a 737 at any stage is likely to happen.

Thats a lot different to your statement though:

Virgin have already come out and said Red will not be on their 737s

DJ are not known for detailing in minute detail the plans for the future after all. Phase 2 could well be Red 2 for all we know, but they have not categorically ruled any option out! The fact a few of the press have mentioned Virgin will be trialling Red on a 737 this year leads me to think it is very much a chance for Phase 2!

 

[DJ737]

Maybe an A330 rotation like :

SYD-PER
PER-SIN (codeshare with SQ, allowing SQ to release an aircraft for better ADL frequencies?)
SIN-CNS (again codeshare with SQ = new destination in AUS for SQ)
CNS-SYD

Should be doable in 24 hrs with 2 aircraft, 1 each way round the route and allowing for the aircraft to be dragged from Intl to Dom terms in AUS.

 

[The Rok]

Maybe an A330 rotation like :

SYD-PER
PER-SIN (codeshare with SQ, allowing SQ to release an aircraft for better ADL frequencies?)
SIN-CNS (again codeshare with SQ = new destination in AUS for SQ)
CNS-SYD

Should be doable in 24 hrs with 2 aircraft, 1 each way round the route and allowing for the aircraft to be dragged from Intl to Dom terms in AUS.

PER - SIN would be really good. I fancy the chances of getting a reward seat at a good rate on a VA bus as opposed to trying to get something from SQ without paying a billion points for an ASA.

 

[Justchecking]

DJ are not known for detailing in minute detail the plans for the future after all. Phase 2 could well be Red 2 for all we know, but they have not categorically ruled any option out! The fact a few of the press have mentioned Virgin will be trialling Red on a 737 this year leads me to think it is very much a chance for Phase 2!

Well, while we're throwing pie in the sky options out there...phase 2 could very well be not Red too....it could be a holiday on Mars. Who really knows. The only thing which makes AFF cling to the hope it will be Red, Is the fact they dont really like the alternative of not having Red.

 

[smit0847]

I would imagine that if VA exercise their options on more 777's then the routes would most likely be PER or ADL to AUH. Direct feeder into EY's route network. This would also alleviate the necessity for EY to enter these ports.

Really? I would expect to see a double daily from PER before seeing anything from ADL. PER has about double the amount of intl flights ADL has. As far as I know EK has absolutely no intention to do even a weekly flight to ADL even though they do, what, 90 flights a week to Australia? So I highly doubt EY is looking at ADL very seriously. Is PER-LAX too far for a 777 to do? (that would probably be the longest flight in the world I guess).

I saw a sign up in Adelaide airport recently proudly saying 'fly direct from ADL to SIN, KUL, HKG, DPS and AKL'.

That's it.

And DPS and AKL are not dailys and were only started in the past couple of years. How many intl destinations are there from similar sized cities like PER and AKL?!? 15?

This is weird and confusing - http://www.adelaideairport.com.au/assets/pdfs/route map.pdf

 

[Ansettaddict123]

Really? I would expect to see a double daily from PER before seeing anything from ADL. PER has about double the amount of intl flights ADL has. As far as I know EK has absolutely no intention to do even a weekly flight to ADL even though they do, what, 90 flights a week to Australia? So I highly doubt EY is looking at ADL very seriously. Is PER-LAX too far for a 777 to do? (that would probably be the longest flight in the world I guess).

PER-LAX is a shade too far for the 77W in terms of distance, but im sure prevailing winds make it even more of challenge.
Double daily to AUH seems the best idea tbh. Both the daily EK flights (particularly the evening EK421 go out and arrive full), and its rumored that EK is mulling a third daily service, so the market is there for mid east connections.

PER - SIN would be really good. I fancy the chances of getting a reward seat at a good rate on a VA bus as opposed to trying to get something from SQ without paying a billion points for an ASA.

Heres hoping

The fact a few of the press have mentioned Virgin will be trialling Red on a 737 this year leads me to think it is very much a chance for Phase 2!

Exactly! Maybe delaying the rollout of RED is to preserve currently limited capital within VA?
(along with in flight internet virgin )

 

[cavemanzk]

How many intl destinations are there from similar sized cities like PER and AKL?!? 15?

Well from AKL its 32 destinations, which is pretty impressive for a small airport.

Australia CNS/BNE/OOL/SYD/MEL/ADL/PER/NLK
Pacifc PPT/RAR/TBU/APW/NAN/VLI/UIE/NAN
ASIA HKG/SIN/CAN/PVG/KUL/BKK/ICN/PEK/NRT/KIX
AMERICAS YVR/SFO/LAX/HNL/SCL/BAI

 

[The Rok]

PER-LAX is a shade too far for the 77W in terms of distance, but im sure prevailing winds make it even more of challenge.
Double daily to AUH seems the best idea tbh. Both the daily EK flights (particularly the evening EK421 go out and arrive full), and its rumored that EK is mulling a third daily service, so the market is there for mid east connections.



Heres hoping



Exactly! Maybe delaying the rollout of RED is to preserve currently limited capital within VA?
(along with in flight internet virgin )

TBH I could not see there being sufficient demand to fill PER-LAX flight daily anyway.

PER-AUH would definitely be a goer at twice daily. How many times have EY said that PER will be their next destination? It was just a matter of time. It's really a question of who operates the flight first? Will EY commit a plane to PER. Or will VA acquire a few more 777's in the near future (2012 ????) and operate it themselves? And if VA were to do PER-AUH, how would that sit with SQ, that would be a direct competitor to SQ.

Who knows. Maybe all this was ironed out in the previous round of negotiations with SQ.

Either way I would love to see VA or EY operate out of PER.

 

[777]

You could actually do PER-AUH on an a330. And the timings are about right to send the same bird there and back in a day.

Not saying they'd do it, but it would be great if they did. Add in the fact VA are moving to the international terminal and it is not a bad connecting option.

 

[The Rok]

Does anyone know what the loads are like on the Perth to Fhuket flight? t's 6.5 hours, would it do justice to a A330?

 

[brad330]

Maybe an A330 rotation like :

SYD-PER
PER-SIN (codeshare with SQ, allowing SQ to release an aircraft for better ADL frequencies?)
SIN-CNS (again codeshare with SQ = new destination in AUS for SQ)
CNS-SYD

Should be doable in 24 hrs with 2 aircraft, 1 each way round the route and allowing for the aircraft to be dragged from Intl to Dom terms in AUS.

SYD-PER - Keep Current Schedule
PER-SIN - Daily A330 (A/C then onto MEL?)
SIN-CNS - 3x Weekly A330
SIN-ADL - 4x Weekly A330 (Same A/C as above)
CNS-SYD - in winter QF have up to 3x Daily 763+1 Daily 73H, On weekends senD A330 to CNS (High Demand on Weekend) instead of PER (Low Demand on weekwnd).

 

[LiamR]

Does anyone know what the loads are like on the Perth to Fhuket flight? t's 6.5 hours, would it do justice to a A330?

I think they'd be pretty full, but wouldn't it be easier to send the A330 on SYD-PER? Not sure if JB would want his shiny new plane to become the 4pm Bogan Bus to coughet.

 

[LiamR]

You could actually do PER-AUH on an a330. And the timings are about right to send the same bird there and back in a day.

Not saying they'd do it, but it would be great if they did. Add in the fact VA are moving to the international terminal and it is not a bad connecting option.

They are coming in 2012. Isn't 2012 the year V Australia/Virgin Australia Long Haul is getting a shakeup?

 

[Ansettaddict123]

Does anyone know what the loads are like on the Perth to Fhuket flight? t's 6.5 hours, would it do justice to a A330?

Usually very good. From what iv'e seen usually mid 80s (admittedly my sample size is quite small)

You could actually do PER-AUH on an a330. And the timings are about right to send the same bird there and back in a day.

Not saying they'd do it, but it would be great if they did. Add in the fact VA are moving to the international terminal and it is not a bad connecting option.

Qatar are doing PER-DOH on the A332 from late this year, so it's certainly doable.
I didn't think that virgins pier would be ready till mid 2014? not saying it makes connections impossible, but certainly makes them harder, particularly if it becomes a popular routing from over east.

TBH I could not see there being sufficient demand to fill PER-LAX flight daily anyway.

PER-AUH would definitely be a goer at twice daily. How many times have EY said that PER will be their next destination? It was just a matter of time. It's really a question of who operates the flight first? Will EY commit a plane to PER. Or will VA acquire a few more 777's in the near future (2012 ????) and operate it themselves? And if VA were to do PER-AUH, how would that sit with SQ, that would be a direct competitor to SQ.

Who knows. Maybe all this was ironed out in the previous round of negotiations with SQ.

Either way I would love to see VA or EY operate out of PER.

You're probably right, but we can dream
Many a time, but aircraft availability for Etihad is currently limited due to their own expansion, which leads me to believe that virgin would operate it?
That said, the current Business A332 product isnt suited to the 10+hrs to AUH (particularly competing with the likes of Emirates on near identical routes/ routings), so maybe an intl grade batch of A332 will be produced? (a la the new build frames?)

 

[Justchecking]

Not sure if JB would want his shiny new plane to become the 4pm Bogan Bus to coughet.

Why not? He sent the BSI to OOL.....

 

[serfty]

In regards to IFE, do you have a smartphone or tablet? there is a strategy for this which has been announced, which is starting soonish if I recall correctly, i think this is better than IFE units in the back of the seat in front of you.

I have neither a smartphone device nor a tablet device - so that won't wash with me. I do have other devices.

 

[dk4]

I don't wanna be - left to my own devices.

 

[The Rok]

That said, the current Business A332 product isnt suited to the 10+hrs to AUH (particularly competing with the likes of Emirates on near identical routes/ routings), so maybe an intl grade batch of A332 will be produced? (a la the new build frames?)

VA have option rights on further 777's (3 I think, could be wrong)

If they could get those in a very reasonable time frame, i.e 9 months or less then they could use them while re-fitting the existing 777 fleet and when done put them on the new route from PER-AUH

 

[markis10]

VA have option rights on further 777's (3 I think, could be wrong)

If they could get those in a very reasonable time frame, i.e 9 months or less then they could use them while re-fitting the existing 777 fleet and when done put them on the new route from PER-AUH

VA have options for two for delivery this year.

 

[The Rok]

That would be enough to do PER-AUH. Lets get it started VA.