Virgin is still selling flights it has no intention to ever operate

[Mattg]

I just had a look at VA flights from CBR-SYD, and noticed that VA is still selling flights operated by ATR72s according to its old pre-covid schedule, for travel from 28 March 2021 (two months from now). If you look at CBR-SYD flights on any date after this, there are still up to 9 ATR flights per day available for sale - even though Virgin no longer has any ATRs in its fleet!

For example, these flights are currently on sale on 29 March 2021:



When CBR-SYD flights resume (this currently supposed to happen on 22 February) Virgin is planning to operate two flights per day using 737-700s. So most or all of those flights on sale will be cancelled at some point (and certainly none will be operated by an ATR72)!

I realise that 28 March 2021 is the start of the next IATA northern summer scheduling period, so VA probably just hasn't updated its schedules beyond that date yet. But seriously - is it even legal to sell flights that the airline knows very well it will never operate?!

I realise that Qantas is also currently selling international flights for July 2021 that may never take off - but at least there is a slight possibility those flights may be able to go ahead as Qantas actually has the required aircraft in its fleet.

 

[dajop]

[Optimist hat] Maybe they're working with Alliance to have them operate these services on their behalf? [\optimist hat]

 

[henrus]

I just had a look at VA flights from CBR-SYD, and noticed that VA is still selling flights operated by ATR72s according to its old pre-covid schedule, for travel from 28 March 2021 (two months from now). If you look at CBR-SYD flights on any date after this, there are still up to 9 ATR flights per day available for sale - even though Virgin no longer has any ATRs in its fleet!

Sure I agree they need to pull all the ATR flights but I guess they're still trying to figure out what to do with them and as dajop said these flights are likely to become Alliance operated if the agreement is approved.

It's not just Virgin who's doing this and it's getting a bit annoying as it's becoming hard to figure out what's actually going to operate. Both Jetstar/Qantas are almost back to selling normal domestic schedules from 28th March with Qantas/Jetstar even selling long-haul international flights from the middle of this year.

 

[odysseus]

I realise that Qantas is also currently selling international flights for July 2021 that may never take off - but at least there is a slight possibility those flights may be able to go ahead as Qantas actually has the required aircraft in its fleet.

Aside from the possibility of another operator running them, it's also possible for substitution.

While it's overall unlikely some will go ahead, not having the aircraft in the fleet doesn't actually mean they can't go ahead.