Virgin CBR-SYD flights restarting

[Scarlett]

Looks like VA are back on the quick CBR-SYD route from 22 Feb.
Just looking for flights to MEL and options via SYD are coming up.

B737 being used. Only a couple of flights each day.

And a VA email mentions CBR lounge being reopened soon, so I guess that'll be from 22 Feb as well.

 

[wendlle]

Yes, been this way for a while. I had Feb 11 flights cancelled and kept looking for a month to see if I could get anything earlier but Feb 22 was the earliest date that kept coming up.

 

[Happy Dude]

Dang it. Now I can't use that/no lounge as a reason to give VA the flick. Keep it up VA!

 

[aus_flyer]

And from 28 March onwards, the schedules show VA is operating the ATRs on that route. Whoops! Time for an update!

Seems unconscionable that VA are selling seats on flights that clearly won't be operating.

Yes, they'll put a few 737s on, but they won't be operating the 9 flights per day that they're selling.

 

[antycbr]

And from 28 March onwards, the schedules show VA is operating the ATRs on that route. Whoops! Time for an update!

Seems unconscionable that VA are selling seats on flights that clearly won't be operating.

Yes, they'll put a few 737s on, but they won't be operating the 9 flights per day that they're selling.

Depends if the Alliance JV has commenced by then as you might be on a F50

 

[Bagpuss]

And from 28 March onwards, the schedules show VA is operating the ATRs on that route. Whoops! Time for an update!

Likely it will be operated by Alliance and currently unknown if it will be a E-Jet or Fokker. So they have most likely kept the ATR which is loaded into the booking engine.
Airlines don't guarantee aircraft type or even that the flight will operate. This was the case even pre-covid.

 

[kookaburra75]

Looks like VA are back on the quick CBR-SYD route from 22 Feb.
Just looking for flights to MEL and options via SYD are coming up.
And a VA email mentions CBR lounge being reopened soon, so I guess that'll be from 22 Feb as well.

I just had a quick look for some work flights I have coming up. While their schedule starts on 22 Feb, they don't fly on Sundays, and then there is a gap between 29 March and 18 April where they have no flights, before starting again on Mon 18 April. A bit odd? Maybe that's the start of the Alliance aircraft?

Also, I haven't seen any emails about the Canberra Lounge, so "soon" might be any length of time - I suspect until the business travel gets up to any sort of decent level, or the settle on a new lease arrangement with Canberra Airport.

And from 28 March onwards, the schedules show VA is operating the ATRs on that route. Whoops! Time for an update!
Seems unconscionable that VA are selling seats on flights that clearly won't be operating.
Yes, they'll put a few 737s on, but they won't be operating the 9 flights per day that they're selling.

Yes - I certainly don't see Virgin covering nine flights a day between Canberra and Sydney. I don't think they even did that in the past. Most of the time we used Virgin on the CBR-SYD leg was connecting to a flight going somewhere else.

 

[serfty]

29 March and 18 April

Well, that just about covers Easter/School Hols.

 

[AIRwin]

This hasn't been added to the schedule though:

COVID-19 information hub

travel.virginaustralia.com

 

[Ade]

While their schedule starts on 22 Feb, they don't fly on Sundays, and then there is a gap between 29 March and 18 April where they have no flights, before starting again on Mon 18 April. A bit odd?

Definitely a bit odd. Might have some valid reasons. Unfortunately, for me, most of my SYD-CBR-SYD needs to be in that window ... I was going to fly VA to retain the Discover Gold thingy ... seems like it might not ...

Just to retain Discover Gold, I might just do SYD-MEL-SYD once in J

 

[AIRwin]

Just to retain Discover Gold, I might just do SYD-MEL-SYD once in J

$199 one way?

 

[Ade]

$199 one way?

Yes, $199 each way.

 

[AIRwin]

While their schedule starts on 22 Feb, they don't fly on Sundays, and then there is a gap between 29 March and 18 April where they have no flights, before starting again on Mon 18 April.

Looks like there are now no longer any flights between CBR and SYD resuming on 22 February until 19 April?

 

[PlaneCrazy]

Looks like there are now no longer any flights between CBR and SYD resuming on 22 February until 19 April?

Doesn't surprise me. VA have cancelled a number of my SYD-CBR flights (not seemingly as a result of border closures). It's a shame as uncertainties over both schedule and product offering has meant I've booked all of my remaining CBR trips for 2021 with QF.

 

[Ade]

$199 one way?

Quick question - is the $199 J is only between SYD & MEL ? Or is this fare available for other routes as well ?

 

[AIRwin]

Quick question - is the $199 J is only between SYD & MEL ? Or is this fare available for other routes as well ?

I think it's just between MEL and SYD to match Rex:

Virgin Australia drops $49 fares and extends booking flexibility until 2022

One-way Economy fares between Sydney-Melbourne from $49

newsroom.virginaustralia.com

 

[Ade]

I think it's just between MEL and SYD to match Rex...

Yes, looks like it. I was searching on ITA Matrix to find $199 fares for other cities ex-SYD, no luck. The cheapest was MEL

I was trying other cities - just in case MEL's lockdown extends beyond what they intended to ... And also I've got work travel to CBR anyways ...

 

[Mattg]

Rex is now "threatening" to start flights on the SYD-CBR route...

Rex accuses Qantas of predatory behaviour, withdraws from routes

Rex has put out yet another media release today accusing Qantas of predatory behaviour in launching flights on various former Rex monopoly regional routes. Rex says that it has decided to keep operating on routes with new competition from QantasLink, even though they will be loss-making, and...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[SeaWolf]

Pffft, good luck to them if they do.
That route has always been a bit of a struggle for Virgin because public servants (and a lot of business travellers in general) will just tend to default to Qantas, no matter what you do.
Given that Rex doesn't even have a frequent flyer program or lounges I don't think it would be wise for them to launch into routes that are mostly business travellers.

 

[kookaburra75]

Pffft, good luck to them if they do.
That route has always been a bit of a struggle for Virgin because public servants (and a lot of business travellers in general) will just tend to default to Qantas, no matter what you do.
Given that Rex doesn't even have a frequent flyer program or lounges I don't think it would be wise for them to launch into routes that are mostly business travellers.

If they can do a cheap but cheerful - first flight of the day, last flight back home pattern to Sydney, and even Melbourne, then I would a take a serious look at it for our business travel. I'm quite jealous of the Jetstar deals that the rest of Australia get to access - if REX can fill that void, I would be grateful.

I think they would also pick up some of the leisure market to Canberra, where people want to travel here on the weekends for the blockbuster events at the National Museum and Gallery. Qantas have priced themselves right out of that market.