VA to launch Adelaide-Alice Springs and open new Alice Springs Lounge

[Wunala Dreaming]

Just been announced by Virgin Australia, from March 2015 the Airline will commence thrice weekly services between Adelaide and Alice Springs.

Virgin Australia has also announced that it will open a new regional lounge in Alice Springs! Unfortunately details are sketchy at this time, but presumably it will be built pretty quickly.

I guess the aircraft that operates Adelaide-Alice Springs will then go on to operate Alice Springs-Darwin and vice versa.

Will provide a news link as soon as possible.

Great to see VA's network expanding, especially out of some of the smaller ports.

 

[Wunala Dreaming]

Virgin Australia: direct flights between Adelaide & Alice Springs - Australian Business Traveller

AusBT are now running with the story

 

[777]

Wow. This is an interesting clue about the direction VA is heading in for regional lounges.

 

[Jousams]

They must be about to announce more flights to ASP (Maybe connecting to US Flights) as a few flights to ADL & DRW wouldn't provide the scale for a lounge.

 

[smit0847]

Would have thought an Embraer would be a more appropriate aircraft fot this very odd route?!

 

[bullerdude]

They must be about to announce more flights to ASP (Maybe connecting to US Flights) as a few flights to ADL & DRW wouldn't provide the scale for a lounge.

I'm presuming we will see an even smaller version of their 'regional' lounge model for this location... now if they can hurry up and put one in Hobart and Launceston.

 

[777]

I'm presuming we will see an even smaller version of their 'regional' lounge model for this location... now if they can hurry up and put one in Hobart and Launceston.

I'd like to see Newcastle. Surely that's the largest airport in Australia without a lounge? There will be plenty of room once the terminal expansion is complete.

 

[williamsf1]

I'd like to see Newcastle. Surely that's the largest airport in Australia without a lounge? There will be plenty of room once the terminal expansion is complete.

based on September numbers recently published, TSV, LST, HBA would have higher numbers ... Surprisingly places like PHE and even Karratha appear to have around the same passenger numbers as NTL

 

[777]

based on September numbers recently published, TSV, LST, HBA would have higher numbers ... Surprisingly places like PHE and even Karratha appear to have around the same passenger numbers as NTL

I'm not up to date on the qf locations but they all have lounges don't they?

 

[MH_fan]

I think it's very smart of VA to fly ADL-ASP and possibly DRW- providing competition for QF. Lots of people in ASP fly to ADL. I know this for a fact when I used to work there.

 

[williamsf1]

I'm not up to date on the qf locations but they all have lounges don't they?

Yes QF do have lounges in all those ports even PHE and Karratha

 

[777]

Yes QF do have lounges in all those ports even PHE and Karratha

That's the downside of VA's imaginative naming of their lounge. I meant an airport without any lounge from any airline.

Given that Qantas have largely fobbed Newcastle off to jetstar it's either Virgin or nothing there I expect. If they have a model for a small regional lounge then I would see Newcastle as an obvious candidate given they are the upmarket carrier there.

 

[Wezza]

Come on VA, pull your finger out & build a lounge in Townsville!!!!!

 

[Jousams]

Am I the only one who thinks it's odd that VA are building a lounge at an airport with 6 weekly flights?

 

[Virgin Bart]

Am I the only one who thinks it's odd that VA are building a lounge at an airport with 6 weekly flights?

Certainly not.

Though I suspect ASP management would have jumped at the chance to attract a lounge so perhaps rent is cheap or free. Perhaps even the cleaners may be the same ones as airport cleaners, cutting costs dramatically.

Still, for goodness sake get the Hobart lounge open.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Am I the only one who thinks it's odd that VA are building a lounge at an airport with 6 weekly flights?

Nope. I've just read this thread and had to check the date wasn't 1 Apr!

 

[JohnK]

They must be about to announce more flights to ASP (Maybe connecting to US Flights) as a few flights to ADL & DRW wouldn't provide the scale for a lounge.

Have I missed an announcement regarding US flights out of ASP?

 

[Jousams]

Have I missed an announcement regarding US flights out of ASP?

Nah i meant the VA & DL Flights from SYD & BNE given the large US presence in ASP.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Nah i meant the VA & DL Flights from SYD & BNE given the large US presence in ASP.

Probably has greater credence than for tourism. I wonder what rotations the US expats at Pine Gap work. I'm assuming they aren't FIFO workers, but would have fairly extensive "holiday" breaks to return home.

 

[markis10]

They must be about to announce more flights to ASP (Maybe connecting to US Flights) as a few flights to ADL & DRW wouldn't provide the scale for a lounge.

Its unlikely there would be much US connections, any service traffic is already carried by a regular military flight.