Bain Capital takes Control of Virgin Australia

[melb78]

I think he has a couple of weeks to go. The Federal Court hearing re share transfers in on 10 Nov.

Thanks

 

[BNEFlyer]

Well I guess last week was PS last week as the CEO of VA and possibly tomorrow or in a few days will be JH in the coughpit. Wish PS all the best in the future

JH visited VA offices last week.

 

[jase05]

Wish PS all the best in the future

Still strong reports that he is in the mix for the vacant APG CEO role

 

[jakeseven7]

Still strong reports that he is in the mix for the vacant APG CEO role

And working very closely with Qantas then! In fact with co-branded QF/Aussie Post aircraft buzzing everywhere. What a strange old year.

 

[jase05]

And working very closely with Qantas then! In fact with co-branded QF/Aussie Post aircraft buzzing everywhere. What a strange old year.

I’m on holidays currently but have received a couple of internal emails over the last few weeks that indicated he was in the mix if Christine departed.
Will be very interesting as a major partner and with some of the big plans going forward slated

 

[jakeseven7]

I wonder if we can finally page our key contributor and insider @pauly7 back to AFF now that November handover is almost here
They did give a lot of us here a lot of notice that VA1 one was going down and allowed for alot of us to bail our points out!

 

[jakeseven7]

Thought some would find this interesting (A little sad too) but a VA 737 being painted over for handover to REX?

Spotted: Is this the moment Virgin 737 goes to Rex?

Australian Aviation photographer Lenn Bayliss may have captured the moment a former Virgin 737 was being readied for delivery to Rex.

australianaviation.com.au

 

[eastwest101]

Thought some would find this interesting (A little sad too) but a VA 737 being painted over for handover to REX?
View attachment 232534

Spotted: Is this the moment Virgin 737 goes to Rex?

Australian Aviation photographer Lenn Bayliss may have captured the moment a former Virgin 737 was being readied for delivery to Rex.

australianaviation.com.au

Might still need to do the (partial) blue engine cowlings, Rex lettering and tail scheme if these are destined for Rex, I wonder if they will bother redoing the winglets?

 

[HS-TQE]

Thought some would find this interesting (A little sad too) but a VA 737 being painted over for handover to REX?

Spotted: Is this the moment Virgin 737 goes to Rex?

Australian Aviation photographer Lenn Bayliss may have captured the moment a former Virgin 737 was being readied for delivery to Rex.

australianaviation.com.au

VH-VUF.

IIRC it's been reported that REX are picking up the oldest of the VA leased 738s, most if not all of the 737s heading to REX have the non-BSI interior.

 

[jakeseven7]

VH-VUF.

IIRC it's been reported that REX are picking up the oldest of the VA leased 738s, most if not all of the 737s heading to REX have the non-BSI interior.

Oh no how ever will they win on the golden triangle v Bain/VA2 without neon lights in the cabin roof?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Looks like someone made a mistake in the VA booking page, the lounge access tick has disappeared again!
It used to be in the part where they show Getaway, Elevate etc, data with prices.
Apart from the message down the bottom "our lounges are still temporarily closed".

 

[Mattg]

Looks like someone made a mistake in the VA booking page, the lounge access tick has disappeared again!

Mistake or a sign of what's to come?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

It wasn't there, ie, the line with the tick, I know I have seen that tick in the past, but it disappeared.
Then a few days ago, I thought, ooo, good, at least the tick is back, even though the bottom of the page with the fares shown, had the tick, now its gone again.
Wait and see I guess.

 

[jakeseven7]

It wasn't there, ie, the line with the tick, I know I have seen that tick in the past, but it disappeared.
Then a few days ago, I thought, ooo, good, at least the tick is back, even though the bottom of the page with the fares shown, had the tick, now its gone again.
Wait and see I guess.

Out of interest are you just burning up your old VA1 credits?

 

[eastwest101]

Mistake or a sign of what's to come?

Yeah I noticed this too - after making some VA bookings earlier on last month, and some recently, I expect its got more to do with the fact that as the Virgin Lounges are all still closed there would be ACCC/consumer affairs issues advertising a product/benefit that they are unable to deliver, I pointed this out to VA a few weeks ago, and this seems to have been their solution, removing the tick from the list of benefits of when comparing fares and prices.

 

[jakeseven7]

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA REGIONAL AIRLINES OPERATIONS UNDER A CLOUD

Hopes are rapidly fading that Bain Capital will retain Perth, Western Australia-based Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) as a fully functioning unit for FIFO (Fly-in/Fly-out) and Revenue Passengers Transport operations.

Two of the airlines five 162-seat Airbus A320s are stored, as are two of its 100-seat 12 Fokker 100 jets with Bain opting to use the less suitable Virgin Australia Boeing 737s to operate FIFO charters.

The breakup of VARA will mean significant staff upheaval and resource companies will lose the major competitor to QantasLink which is rapidly growing its fleet.

By the end of the first quarter next year, QantasLink with have 9 A320s and 11 Fokker 100s in service dedicated to the FIFO work.

According to one Perth-based airline analyst some resource companies are now seeking to “protect their FIFO transport requirements” with QantasLink.

“There is uncertainty in the market about VARA’s operations and now the Virgin Australia in-flight product,” he said

The industry consensus is that Bain Capital now wants a one-aircraft type low-cost operation with all costs stripped out, so VARA has to go.

“I really doubt that Bain understand this market,” the analysts said.

“Bain has to send a very clear signal to the resource industry that it’s in the airline business, not the asset-stripping business,” the analysts said.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines operations under a cloud - Airline Ratings

Hopes are rapidly fading that Bain Capital will retain Perth, Western Australia-based Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) as a fully functioning unit for FIFO (Fly-in/Fly-out) and Revenue Passengers Transport operations. Two of the airlines five 162-seat Airbus A320s are stored, as are two...

www.airlineratings.com

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I am just using points to upgrade from Getaway, for Jun 2021 long weekend.
So, bit and bit, really.
Getaway fare still earns me VFF points and VFF SC, as far as we know, ((but who knows what Bain will do after 23/11)), if they will halve the earn rate for the cheaper Getaway, or no VFF points or VFF SC on Getaway.
Right now, am just keeping my VFF account alive, apart from FB point transfer (earnings), and FB SC via Coles shopping.
As with others, haven't flown in a while, so have the urge to feel weightless on take off again.
Coming back to ADL with the dom opposition airline, no, not JQ, as a lowly pleb down the back, unless QF gives me a shadow, or does an op up on me.
Edit: no lounge is a 0.25 consideration, right now, its more so being able to burn 17,500 VFF points!
If the lounge opens by Jun, good, if not, sad face, but still, ((what can we do?)).

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I pointed this out to VA a few weeks ago, and this seems to have been their solution, removing the tick from the list of benefits of when comparing fares and prices.

Eeek, there are still people, like, humans at VA1.5?

 

[oz_mark]

“Bain has to send a very clear signal to the resource industry that it’s in the airline business, not the asset-stripping business,” the analysts said.

I'd say they need to send some clear signals to their frequent flyers soon as well.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

As the Abba song goes, "should i laugh or cry"...