Vaustralia to scrap Mel-LA direct????

[vet]

Can someone from the Virgin Group affirm or deny speculation on the internet that Vaustralia is considering scrapping flying Melbourne-LA direct. :evil:

 

[docjames]

+1 - been reading the same rumours.


It seems that the only way to kill the rumour is deny it.



If it's true, time to come out with a well worded statement emphasising "commitment to MEL" with VA and connections in BNE/SYD etc.


Be nice to know status of JNB routes too.:?: I'm still not sure how that'll go with ETOPS requirements, plus they really need to get a presence with the World cup coming in Sth Africa.

 

[zig]

Am also interested in some confirmation around the JNB route.

 

[ANstar]

I think only MEL OR JNB will go ahead.

JNB's route approval expires in OCT I think. To be honest I think it makes for sense for JNB.... Why sabotage the loads on SYD-LAX (with it's current MEL connectors) to start another LAX route in this economy....

Get JNB up and running - much less competition than LAX routes now.

 

[vet]

I've asked the reservations area to get someone to look into these claims and get an official release out. Adding a trip to Sydney and being 'imprisoned' for hours in Sydney's terminal simply means the annual trip to my destination, LakeTahoe, is much easier on Qantas.

 

[Saab34]

I would say that they would have already released fares by now for an October launch to JNB if it was to go ahead. Most pax would have their fares booked more than 3+months booked ahead, might be leaving it a little late putting fares up for October now...mabye..

But whats stopping them from negotiating a November or December JNB entry? What are the chances...

 

[oz_mark]

I don't know if there has been anything official on the status, but The Age reported yesterday that V Australia was committed to flying MEL-LAX.

But it has committed to beginning thrice-weekly services between Melbourne and Los Angeles in September, soon after it takes delivery of its fourth Boeing 777.

Extra Qantas flights to counter Delta

 

[vet]

Thanks OzMark. I plan flying the family Mel-LA every school holidays for years to come. Or should I say I plan avoiding Mel-Sydney-LA and avoiding a repeat of the squishy seats and delays on the tarmac we had with Qantas until V started this year.

 

[docjames]

I havent seen anymore on this rumour, so perhaps it's just that.

LAX from SYD daily, and MEL and BNE alternating 3 days per week each seems a good frequency to go with for the medium term future. As new aircraft arrive, they should be deployed elsewhere.

Need to go on a paritcular day ex-BNE or MEL then go via SYD. Happy to be flexible, 3/week isnt too bad a choice.

I do wonder if at startup MEL daily and SYD/BNE alternating the other days would have been better. I suppose they didnt anticiapte Delta coming along so soon, plus maybe they thought they wouldnt be seen as a viable alternative if they didnt go ex-SYD. And travellers reluctantly accept transit in SYD whereas ex-SYD pax are ofter reluctant to connect in MEL or BNE.

 

[ANstar]

SYd loads hav icked up in the last week or 2. on Sunday night VA1 went out pretty much full.

 

[rach22au]

I have booked a direct flight MEL-LAX in Nov, and asked my travel agent to call V Australia yesterday as I was worried about the rumors. According to them, it is untrue and they are commencing MEL-LAX in Sept. I was hoping it was just a rumor, as I have connecting flights booked from LAX and don't want to miss them

 

[lovestotravel]

They are still selling tickets for these flights, then again they were still selling tickets when they knew their first flights were going to be delayed and they then put everyone on other airlines.....

I am about to book a J MEL-LAX flight for $6000ish return for next year.

Too good a deal to pass up!

 

[Saab34]

I guess if they did cancel MEL, they could put you via Brisbane which still has a morning arrival into LA, although operates on different days which could be a issue. Although MEL-BNE-LAX is a little damn long in some cases.

I haven't seen them advertising much down here in MEL, especially not the newspapers like the HSun, Age etc..although they had one a few weeks ago in the Mx.

 

[sampson]

This thread pre-dates an officia media release by 2 months! How did you know this was going to happen? Why were tickets being sold without disclosing this. I bought a ticket just before an official annoucement dated 17th August had this throw away line in an article about coughet. The article wasn't even headed about Melbourne.

I'm realy not happy being told, now, by Vaustralia to just accept any extra costs I incur after being sent through Sydney

 

[lovestotravel]

This thread pre-dates an officia media release by 2 months! How did you know this was going to happen? Why were tickets being sold without disclosing this. I bought a ticket just before an official annoucement dated 17th August had this throw away line in an article about coughet. The article wasn't even headed about Melbourne.

I'm realy not happy being told, now, by Vaustralia to just accept any extra costs I incur after being sent through Sydney

There were reports on various other forums that the staff hired to work MEL were sacked

Then a delay with the delivery of the 777

Yet VA still took bookings

Even after the "2nd phase expansion" which was really a cover up for we are scaling back MEL-LAX and flying anywhere we can to try to stop making big loses. They were still selling tickets for MEL-LAX during Sep/Oct/Nov

Now VA have even totally changed the flight times MEL-LAX from March onwards to a 18:00 departure.

Bunch of fools, I am very glad to be flying NZ now

 

[sampson]

I have booked a direct flight MEL-LAX in Nov, and asked my travel agent to call V Australia yesterday as I was worried about the rumors. According to them, it is untrue and they are commencing MEL-LAX in Sept. I was hoping it was just a rumor, as I have connecting flights booked from LAX and don't want to miss them

I wonder how V Australia will explain this to VCAT and Consumer Affairs.

 

[mole]

VAustralia are starting to muck around with some of the direct flights to LAX from Brisbane. We were booked to fly on the 27th December (BNE direct to LAX) but have now been changed to fly via Sydney on the same day as the flight from Brisbane is not operating. We usually fly direct to LAX with Qantas but got such a good deal for that time of year we couldnt turn it down. Hope its worth it, our return flight is still direct at this stage!

 

[sampson]

the fare isn't so cheap when you add on

wasted pre paid hotels $US250),
a hotel in LA (US$250),
lost opportunity to buy connecting flights etc on early bird specials: 20% off Virginamerica's first class seats would've been nice to snap up)
extra meals ($A100?),
extra cabs to the hotel in LA ($A100?),
extra time off work to travel , non stop,a day or 3 early
up to 2 days wasted off a short holiday (Priceless):
concern that the flights might change again ;

What will Vaustralia tell VCAT and Consumer Affairs to 'explain away' how these forums 'knew' things months in advance? Personaly I'd prefer if Vaustralia said forthrightly "Sorry, we can't fill your flights but here's a voucher for $A1000 on travel on the Virgin group and Vaustralia for use over the next 12 months. However they're telling people to just accept the changes, and wear the costs. The rep wanted to reduce a refund with a 'cancellation fee' for a fight they've chosen to drop. Vbizarre.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Hi Sampson,

Buy a flexible ticket if you wish to recoup spent monies, when an airline schedule change adversely impacts your holiday (or get comprehensive travel insurance).

I don't believe that any airline offers $1000 gift vouchers simply because they cancel flights and have to reroute you or rebook you to get you to your original destination, especially if you booked a cheap/non-flexible Y ticket.

 

[mole]

I guess we are fairly fortunate, the change for us just means going via Sydney rather than direct (I do hate the wasted hours though) and arriving in LAX at 3pm rather than 7am. Fortunately I'd booked connecting tickets to Vegas via Southwest airlines which I've changed online to a later flight with no extra costs as the same fare was still available. Hotels to us arent an issue as I booked via the Venetian website and full payment is'nt required until check out. Fingers crossed nothing else changes!