Virgin ‘New Era’ event Thur 19th. [*Postponed*]

[AviatorInsight]

I’ll add a few more…

- new crew meals
- using 737s to HND ex BNE or CNS with a tech stop in Guam
- going back to wearing the bomber jackets

 

[dk4]

It says "new era", so it has to be something "new", IMO the only really "new things" they absolutely need are; new planes and new seats.

On the former, we know they have the MAX on order, so unless they are going to cancel them and present something else, then they need to start getting the Australian public convinced that we won't be turned into crash test dummies by flying on them (particularly important now that Qantas has gone the Airbus narrow body route, and Virgin will go it alone with MAXes domestically).

On the latter, some of their business class seats are so past their use by dates, they feel like sitting on 10 year old worn out trampolines. So some new seating and a retrofit for existing aircraft is definitely required, most likely the MiQ for J, which many of us have already tried, and seems the poster child for new aircraft orders elsewhere.

So, my guess... a "hanger event" tell us how "safe" the MAXes are, plus show off some new seats for a retrofit program?

 

[AIRwin]

Virgin will go it alone with MAXes domestically

And Bonza?

 

[oz_mark]

I’ll add a few more…

- new crew meals
- using 737s to HND ex BNE or CNS with a tech stop in Guam
- going back to wearing the bomber

I know they need to do something to keep the HND slots but BNE-GUM would be quite the stretch on a 738!

 

[AviatorInsight]

I know they need to do something to keep the HND slots but BNE-GUM would be quite the stretch on a 738!

Definitely. But no more than a SYD-DPS or PER-HKT which is blocked around the 6:15 - 6:30 mark. Also similar to a BNE - PER in winter with strong winds, I’ve done it in 6:30.

So no doubt it’ll be full tanks from BNE. This is all hypothetical of course and I have no insider information.

 

[HS-TQE]

May be easier to be CNS-GUM-HND, plus having to apply for fifth freedom rights on GUM-HND which isn't guaranteed.

There's also the Queensland Government subsidy (AIAF) to apply for if VA feels they need financial assistance just to 'keep' the slot.

Saying that, all of the discussion above is very unlikely to happen.

 

[pangwen]

- using 737s to HND ex BNE or CNS with a tech stop in Guam

I guess the stop in GUM would also allow them to announce that they are restoring flights to the US, and flying to a UA hub!

 

[Saab34]

Cairns to Japan should be doable non stop in a MAX?

However surely this is the 787. Would certainly line up with ‘new era’. They got hands on some new MAX aircraft that will hit the production line next quarter, looks like they have been talking to Boeing quite a bit recently.

787 Mid 2023?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Cairns to Japan should be doable non stop in a MAX?

However surely this is the 787. Would certainly line up with ‘new era’. They got hands on some new MAX aircraft that will hit the production line next quarter, looks like they have been talking to Boeing quite a bit recently.

787 Mid 2023?

Maybe it’s to add Bonza as the Tiger offshoot? The Tiger AOC is still active.

Or it could also be allowing pets inside the cabin. Anyway, rumours are fun and it’s definitely keeping the crew occupied on overnights.

 

[justinbrett]

I know they need to do something to keep the HND slots but BNE-GUM would be quite the stretch on a 738!

Not really, 2500NM BNE-HND which is about the same as SYD-DPS.

UA used to serve CNS-GUM; it's quite an indirect route to get to Guam from Australia these days, via MNL is the best but the flight scheduling is terrible.

JQ could probably make CNS-GUM work if they wanted to.

Cairns to Japan should be doable non stop in a MAX?

Yep, it's 3100NM and specs say the max can do 3500NM at full payload. Quite a few diverts so I'd say definitely possible (not sure if it's desirable though).

 

[jase05]

Most likely the Maxy announcement or even something to do with the UA tie up although I wonder if with Japan starting to reopen it has something to do with the NH partnership?

 

[HS-TQE]

Most likely the Maxy announcement or even something to do with the UA tie up although I wonder if with Japan starting to reopen it has something to do with the NH partnership?

VA did allude in their announcement of something being "grammable" on social media, so I'd have no idea how'll people will take photos of "a partnership"

 

[jase05]

VA did allude in their announcement of something being "grammable" on social media, so I'd have no idea how'll people will take photos of "a partnership"

NH or UA aircraft for the occasion?

 

[Saab34]

Or it could also be allowing pets inside the cabin.

good point. That actually would fit in with all the lingo they have used.

I recall CASA had now allowed this to occur.

 

[HS-TQE]

NH or UA aircraft for the occasion?

It might make sense if it's a domestic regional partner or short haul Pacific Islands/NZ partner, but would be a waste of gas to fly a plane of a international long haul carrier just to announce a partnership, which can be done cheaply with a presser in a room, or in SYD/MEL.

Edit: Come to think of it, the presser also said something unique would come with the 'grammable" moment, so likely to be something cosmetic with the upgrades (e.g unique seat patterns on the new seating (that's currently on the 2x ex-SilkAir units), a special livery or two, or perhaps 'new' FA uniforms).

 

[BNEFlyer]

Hmmmmm

Star Alliance?
New Uniforms?
New Biz?
Transcontinental Biz?
New Livery?
787?

Virgin Australia postpones “new era of flying” event for second time

It looks like we’ll have to wait even longer to hear what Virgin Australia has up its sleeve…

www.executivetraveller.com

New uniforms could be on the cards, Juli Grbac has been posting on instagram about her current design and that she’s still working with VA.

Also wouldn’t be surprised if there was a CNS-GUM-HND route announcement, to go with the new cabin and aircraft announcement.

 

[Mattg]

My prediction is that VA will "reimagine" something.

 

[jase05]

My prediction is that VA will "reimagine" something.

Damn!
Everyone knows that “enhancements” are the only way

 

[RAM]

Damn!
Everyone knows that “enhancements” are the only way

So we've outed you AJ - tricky switching around the first two letters of you screen name!

 

[N860CR]

I’ve had a few tell me CNS-GUM is back on the cards now that the UA deal is finalized. The yanks wants the connection from the military base so a UA code fills half the plane, and a VA coded “backpacker express” allows for onwards to HND and maintenance of the slot until there’s a wide body back in the fleet.

How that would be a “gramable” hanger event is a little beyond me. But said “gram” isn’t my strong point.