Tokyo Haneda slot - how will Virgin Operate it?

[MooTime]

I'd give it serious thought for late 2023, not wide body, but new MAX plane.
Destination HND, not the outskirts bush lagoon JQ option.

Plenty reward seat availability.

whatever the figures, VA will def take away some of JQ's budget leisure pax.
VA subsidised from QLD gov & JQ flying the widebody have lot of seats to fill.

I can see great cash deals cos of the 2 competing over it.

I'd fly J so lounge far from deal breaker.

 

[Digicola]

Might book myself onto the inaugural simply as a revenge for my failed attempt at the BNE-HND inaugural.

Flex/Business tickets are fully refundable if I understand correctly?

 

[AIRwin]

Flex/Business tickets are fully refundable if I understand correctly?

Fully refundable to Travel Bank or original form of payment:

International short haul & trans-tasman

www.virginaustralia.com

 

[travelislife]

Will the flight need to be load restricted for range?

 

[dajop]

Will the flight need to be load restricted for range?

Good question. According to the below list, the new route would not be the longest (that honor goes to MEL-KUL operated by Batik, is that load restricted?) CNS-HND would come in at #6

8.5 Hours: The World's Longest Boeing 737 MAX Flights

Fancy a near 4,000-mile B737 MAX 8 flight?

simpleflying.com

 

[Must...Fly!]

that honor goes to MEL-KUL operated by Batik, is that load restricted?

Yes I believe so

 

[aaronm]

I certainly hope the 737M J cabin will have more than 8 seats if they’re operating this sort of route with it.

 

[Inlander]

The bookings for Cairns-Haneda are now open. Found J rewards for 59.5K points plus $91.58 taxes
(1315 dpt 2000 hrs arrival), retn is 2145 dept with 0615 arrival- $67.78 in taxes on the return.
Ive found the max to be ok, ive flown on Fiji Air on the long leg from Nadi -Kirrabtai- Honolulu and found it to be a more quiet aircraft than the NG and comfortable enough.$996 for cash fare(Cheaper than an East west transcon!)

 

[AIRwin]

Ive found the max to be ok

I shared the news of the HND launch with a friend of mine but he considers the MAX a death trap and will not get into one of them...

 

[Inlander]

I shared the news of the HND launch with a friend of mine but he considers the MAX a death trap and will not get into one of them...

Yep i get that, but its had a lot of scrutiny and correction now and the fleet worldwide is performing very well

 

[The-Aviator]

Good news and I do share the view this may be a placeholder until they have a jet that can service HND from BNE or another state capital. Might wait to see what their J product is on the MAX before making a booking though.

Also hoping they might take this opportunity to find a solution for their lack of international lounges!

 

[jakeseven7]

Yep i get that, but its had a lot of scrutiny and correction now and the fleet worldwide is performing very well

As in hasn’t killed anyone lately?

 

[justinbrett]

Will the flight need to be load restricted for range?

Pretty sure. You'd need to get someone with the specific planning data, but I ran the numbers through a sim planner and looks like it would require 4T below max payload, which is around 145 seats filled with bags. So that's about -25 pax.

 

[HS-TQE]

Pretty sure. You'd need to get someone with the specific planning data, but I ran the numbers through a sim planner and looks like it would require 4T below max payload, which is around 145 seats filled with bags. So that's about -25 pax.

Batik flies MEL-KUL with the MAX-8 non-stop, and that takes 8 hours each way. May be time to research their load restrictions on the MAX-8 for that particular flight.

 

[Pele]

I certainly hope the 737M J cabin will have more than 8 seats if they’re operating this sort of route with it.

I booked a flight today and the seat map in J was the standard 2-2 config over two rows for eight seats.

Whilst a single aisle isnt my preference for such a long flight, the day flight on the way over is bearable in J. I will find another way back in a widebody with a flat bed.

One needs to consider the total lack of award flights in any class to anywhere lately for QFF. For this CNS-HND route there were seats available every single day including school holidays . Never look a gift horse in the mouth. Just book it now and if you change your mind later cancel it.

 

[Geniusyou]

Also just want to confirm below statement. no lounge at CNS/HND ?
"Virgin Australia do not currently operate any international lounges at any international departure port."

 

[MooTime]

Also just want to confirm below statement. no lounge at CNS/HND ?
"Virgin Australia do not currently operate any international lounges at any international departure port."

If they go this route long term, you'd think they'd have to bring back a lounge, even in INT terminal (if there is one, separated in CNS airport).

1 flight per day, open it for 3-4 hours (post flight cleaning time) then maybe not on arrival unless that coincides with another takeoff to HND.

whatever, lounges are expected by many, especially if in Y. Gotta be brought back in CNS.

 

[aikman]

I would have thought that Jetstar would have responded with a flash sale for this route. I'm surprised that they haven't.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Hello Tokyo! Virgin Australia Launches First-Ever Cairns-Haneda Japan Service With Massive $699 Return Sale

newsroom.virginaustralia.com

Do you believe the Company will name an aircraft with a destination theme to reflect the importance of the new route?

I think the timetable works quite well. I would be prepared to pay more for lie-flat seats - just saying.

 

[AIRwin]

I would have thought that Jetstar would have responded with a flash sale for this route. I'm surprised that they haven't.

Friday Fare Frenzy tomorrow?