Virgin Australia to lease more 737s

[henrus]

Also no Virgin out of Perth up to Bali unlike Adelaide.

This is a different issue. Perth (and Brisbane/Sydney/Melbourne) have a flight cap on the number of services they can operated between AU and Bali. Adelaide (and Gold Coast/Cairns/Darwin/Canberra etc) don't fall under that cap hence VA can operate ADL-DPS but if they were to operate PER-DPS they'd need to reduce a flight from either BNE/SYD or MEL and all of those yield more than PER-DPS due to less competition from low cost carriers on the route.

 

[HS-TQE]

Plus VA also has a pending application (along with a competing application from JQ) for Regional via PER to DPS flights as part of Indonesia's "via regional" seat bilateral, which IIRC was under 2400 seats.

Most submissions from outside parties when they compared the VA and JQ applications were already reported in favour of VA's application, and outlines only 10 of the PER-DPS frequencies are not from "LCCs", although only 7 of those 10 frequencies have a recliner J cabin.

 

[Dee#]

This is a different issue. Perth (and Brisbane/Sydney/Melbourne) have a flight cap on the number of services they can operated between AU and Bali. Adelaide (and Gold Coast/Cairns/Darwin/Canberra etc) don't fall under that cap hence VA can operate ADL-DPS but if they were to operate PER-DPS they'd need to reduce a flight from either BNE/SYD or MEL and all of those yield more than PER-DPS due to less competition from low cost carriers on the route.

thanks for that. Also virgin used to fly Pt Hedland-Bali but the Perth-Hedland flight arrived 1/2hr after the Bali flight left. Could have coordinated it better.

 

[henrus]

Also virgin used to fly Pt Hedland-Bali but the Perth-Hedland flight arrived 1/2hr after the Bali flight left. Could have coordinated it better.

You do raise an interesting point, Port Headland-Bali isn't capped meaning they could potentially sell PER-PHE then new flight number PHE-DPS however everyone doing that transit would need to clear passport control both ways in Port Headland and in a small terminal with no smart gates that would take a while.

It's worth noting that all this costs money, VA for the last prior 10 years haven't made a profit but this last one gone they have so something is working.

 

[simmomelb]

So sick of it!!! I go regularly Perth to Darwin and when I can finally afford to travel business everywhere, after covid, this route only has economy with Virgin and Qantas. Ive lost my platinum status because of this too.
Ridiculous as most of the NT mining operations have HQs in Perth and go up and down.( Id love to be able to afford an ex jet).
WA is getting shafted. To fly business they offer up via Brisbane or or Melbourne at great expense. But you can actually go via Adelaide, but have to work that out for yourself.
Also no Virgin out of Perth up to Bali unlike Adelaide.
Also I hate the cattle truck A320's.
PS. How on earth are they going to fit dog and cat boxes under the seats with no legroom.

You should have VA Perth to Bali from May, they are just waiting on approval, which should be in the next few days once they've reviewed Qantas (Jetstar for this route) and Virgin Australia's applications, as to which one the extra capacity should be given to, but it's looking as though VA will be given this.

 

[twinaisle]

Possibly looking into wetlease or damp lease of aircraft from partners due to Boeing delays

 

[Human]

Possibly looking into wetlease or damp lease of aircraft from partners due to Boeing delays

As is every other airline in the world which relies on 737s.

Definitely not a buyers market…

 

[Saab34]

Grab those NGs from SQ, don’t let Rex get them.

 

[Lemon_Party]

I’ve booked a BNE-PER hop and choosing a seat realised it’s all economy.
Wasn’t aware that was a thing and realised I’d missed this thread!
Does anyone have any feedback on economyx seats to pick/avoid? For a 5 hour flight I’m definitely wanting to avoid a dud. Currently in 1A…

 

[MH_fan]

Like you, Lemon_Party, I just found out that one of my SYD-PER flights next month has been changed to an all-economy 737-700 as well. Why are they using these planes on the transcontinental flights??? Can someone confirm that row 1 on these planes is the same as row 3 on the 2-class birds?

 

[Harrison_133]

Does anyone have any feedback on economyx seats to pick/avoid? For a 5 hour flight I’m definitely wanting to avoid a dud. Currently in 1A…

I've sat in 1A on those aircraft and it wasn't my favourite. There is decent legroom but the bulkhead gets in the way and stops you from really stretching your legs. Personally for a 5 hour flight, I'd avoid the bulkhead and go for Rows 2-4 or even the exit row.

 

[PERLHR]

Why are 700s being used on such sectors? Thought they were meant to be for FIFO. Sat in 2A to and.from Launceston ex Perth over a weekend flight (where they do get utilised). It was an ok seat.

 

[MH_fan]

I've sat in 1A on those aircraft and it wasn't my favourite. There is decent legroom but the bulkhead gets in the way and stops you from really stretching your legs. Personally for a 5 hour flight, I'd avoid the bulkhead and go for Rows 2-4 or even the exit row.

So the legroom there is less than in row 3 of the normal planes?

 

[Saab34]

Why are 700s being used on such sectors? Thought they were meant to be for FIFO. Sat in 2A to and.from Launceston ex Perth over a weekend flight (where they do get utilised). It was an ok seat.

They have clearly got comfortable using them on East Coast runs, sadly that means ferrying them back and forth across the nation. They are on the VA AOC so much easier to cycle around the country, not dealing with the crewing issues of VARA being only Perth based.

It’s clear the -700 plays a part in many East Coast hops, it makes sense the looking at the routes they operate on, Qantas also using the A220 on more routes also.

I prefer the -700, but on the condition they have been refurbished with the new seating, which they currently don’t. Virgin previously had a large -700 sub fleet, no idea why they got rid of them all.

 

[Harrison_133]

So the legroom there is less than in row 3 of the normal planes?

I'd say the legroom is a bit better in the normal row 3 because of the shape of the divider, gives you a bit more room for your feet.

Virgin previously had a large -700 sub fleet, no idea why they got rid of them all.

The leases expired and they had a bunch of new 800s arriving at the time.

 

[Lemon_Party]

I've sat in 1A on those aircraft and it wasn't my favourite. There is decent legroom but the bulkhead gets in the way and stops you from really stretching your legs. Personally for a 5 hour flight, I'd avoid the bulkhead and go for Rows 2-4 or even the exit row.

Thanks.
I’ve jumped back a row and moved to the aisle!
There’s plenty of reviews and info on the regular fleet but I struggled to find much on this config.
Aerolopa implies the cabin is curving in already at row 1 so makes sense to avoid!

 

[jrfsp]

They have clearly got comfortable using them on East Coast runs, sadly that means ferrying them back and forth across the nation. They are on the VA AOC so much easier to cycle around the country, not dealing with the crewing issues of VARA being only Perth based.

It’s clear the -700 plays a part in many East Coast hops, it makes sense the looking at the routes they operate on, Qantas also using the A220 on more routes also.

I prefer the -700, but on the condition they have been refurbished with the new seating, which they currently don’t. Virgin previously had a large -700 sub fleet, no idea why they got rid of them all.

The VARA crew issue won’t last much longer with the operation moving under the mainline AOC

 

[HS-TQE]

The VARA crew issue won’t last much longer with the operation moving under the mainline AOC

Not with the recent news of VA(RA) mulling replacements for the small subfleet of 4x F100s with either E190s or newer A220s. Some airfields in WA can't accommodate 737-700s, thus the required subfleets.

Can't see Bain putting the Airbus and subsequent Fokker replacements on the mainline AOC, as it'll ruin their "all Boeing" mainline (Some 737s are dual registered to VA/VAi).

 

[PERLHR]

If they are seriously flying all economy to and from Sydney for Perth then I think VA have lost the plot. Especially if QF operate the 330. No biz on a trunk route.....seriously!!

 

[MH_fan]

Thanks.
I’ve jumped back a row and moved to the aisle!
There’s plenty of reviews and info on the regular fleet but I struggled to find much on this config.
Aerolopa implies the cabin is curving in already at row 1 so makes sense to avoid!

LOL! I've done the same!