Virgin rules out returning the remaining parked 777s into service.

[HS-TQE]

Only 2 remain on Australian soil under the shell company of VB Leaseco.

VOZ has since returned to the lessor and leased out to a Russian Charter operator, whilst the other 2 are parked and under custody of their mortgaging banks.

Virgin Australia rules out the return of the Boeing 777

Virgin Australia says it will resume overseas flying, but not on the Boeing 777s it still owns...

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[jakeseven7]

This blog ( "exec" travel) has just descended into pure click bait rubbish (and I thought we didn’t link to it anymore on AFF anymore anyway).

 

[docjames]

I’m not surprised - if anything they’d be leasing new (to them) 787s or A350s but I wonder if they just code with DL as in the short term that may well be enough capacity.

I think there is pent up travel demand once borders open, but deploying long haul capacity for a short haul airline that has to fully “build” it will be challenging to ramp up quickly.

For VA it might need to be a short term lease (wet) arrangement or outsource entirely to DL as the financial burden will be significant to get up and running quickly and they risk being swamped by QF/UA/DL who can all throw capacity at SYD-LAX, SFO-SYD etc.

So no surprise the 777s are goners. Convert to freighters months ago might have been a better option.

 

[BNEFlyer]

This isn't new information is it? Once the A330's and 777's were parked that was pretty much the end of them with VA. Next step will be getting some 787's.

 

[AIRwin]

Next step will be getting some 787's.

There is already a model in VA livery:

Virgin Australia to lease more 737s

With Rexy? 😂😝 To be a 'bit' fair to Rexy, Rexy has finally removed the old EconomyX branding on their 737s and replaced the Virgin colours with 'Plain Grey' upholstery and seat covers to denote them as 'RExtra' legroom. ;) This would be good if they kept the MI interiors. Economy has shared...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[oz_mark]

This isn't new information is it? Once the A330's and 777's were parked that was pretty much the end of them with VA. Next step will be getting some 787's.

Indeed. Pretty sure Virgin has previously said they will be bringing something new into the market to replace the 777 and A330s.

 

[jakeseven7]

Soooo... thread closed!

 

[eastwest101]

I’m not surprised - if anything they’d be leasing new (to them) 787s or A350s but I wonder if they just code with DL as in the short term that may well be enough capacity.

I think there is pent up travel demand once borders open, but deploying long haul capacity for a short haul airline that has to fully “build” it will be challenging to ramp up quickly.

For VA it might need to be a short term lease (wet) arrangement or outsource entirely to DL as the financial burden will be significant to get up and running quickly and they risk being swamped by QF/UA/DL who can all throw capacity at SYD-LAX, SFO-SYD etc.

So no surprise the 777s are goners. Convert to freighters months ago might have been a better option.

Will the freight guys even want them as aren't they oddball B773s without the larger aft lower cargo doors? So any freight operator buying these planes would be up for an upper deck door conversion as well as an aft lower deck door conversion. Too much cost and too many other second had B777s out on the market with the larger aft cargo doors.

 

[HS-TQE]

Will the freight guys even want them as aren't they oddball B773s without the larger aft lower cargo doors? So any freight operator buying these planes would be up for an upper deck door conversion as well as an aft lower deck door conversion. Too much cost and too many other second had B777s out on the market with the larger aft cargo doors.

3 of VA''s 5 77Ws had the small cargo doors iirc.. The later 2 had the standard config.

 

[Mattg]

This blog ( "exec" travel) has just descended into pure click bait rubbish (and I thought we didn’t link to it anymore on AFF anymore anyway).

They do seem to have a lot of articles lately about "XYZ airline will resume flights to Australia from this date" which may or may not actually happen and is basically just a result of airlines cancelling flights over the next IATA scheduling period.

And they are unfortunately still copying content from AFF without acknowledging their source. This happened again last week with AFF's story about BA Executive Club reopening to Australian members. It's really poor form.

 

[Mattg]

3 of VA''s 5 77Ws had the small cargo doors iirc.. The later 2 had the standard config.

I believe four had the small cargo doors and one had the standard config.

 

[AIRwin]

one had the standard config

VPH?

 

[jakeseven7]

They do seem to have a lot of articles lately about "XYZ airline will resume flights to Australia from this date" which may or may not actually happen and is basically just a result of airlines cancelling flights over the next IATA scheduling period.

And they are unfortunately still copying content from AFF without acknowledging their source. This happened again last week with AFF's story about BA Executive Club reopening to Australian members. It's really poor form.

And recycling stupid stories with foregone conclusions, like this one, as click bait.

I blocked them from everywhere I can but they still have pervasive advertising that follows you around and some people still link to them here too, probably oblivious - they don’t probably don’t know the history of them copying member/editorial content with no credit.

Their next story will be that ‘VA2 confirms it will not be flying an ATR from Canberra to Hong Kong’

 

[Carrots]

Their next story will be that ‘VA2 confirms it will not be flying an ATR from Canberra to Hong Kong’

Thanks for ruining my next holiday plans!

 

[Notyourbag]

They do seem to have a lot of articles lately about "XYZ airline will resume flights to Australia from this date" which may or may not actually happen and is basically just a result of airlines cancelling flights over the next IATA scheduling period.

And they are unfortunately still copying content from AFF without acknowledging their source. This happened again last week with AFF's story about BA Executive Club reopening to Australian members. It's really poor form.

It was flattering they copied my thread about VA opening to up Fiji 24 hours after I posted.

 

[Mattg]

It was flattering they copied my thread about VA opening to up Fiji 24 hours after I posted.

It's hard to know what else could have prompted them to write about this a few days ago, given Virgin has already been selling tickets to Fiji in late December since at least two weeks ago (and possibly longer - two weeks ago is just when I first noticed and wrote about this). Nothing has changed in the last few days, other than you starting that thread!

 

[Notyourbag]

It's hard to know what else could have prompted them to write about this a few days ago, given Virgin has already been selling tickets to Fiji in late December since at least two weeks ago (and possibly longer - two weeks ago is just when I first noticed and wrote about this). Nothing has changed in the last few days, other than you starting that thread!

Maybe we should throw a red herring out there (e.g. Turkish Airways launches direct SYD-IST) and see if they bite. Even though OMAAT is very opinionated (especially about our border closures), at least Lucky gives a 'tip of the hat' when he's crediting other sources for his articles.

 

[HS-TQE]

Which reminds me of the "Turkish Airlines will buy Virgin Australia" rumour that was circulated on OMAAT and ET prior to administration. That gave a break from the usual SQ / EY / DL articles.

 

[HS-TQE]

VPE is out of Wellcamp and its way to BNE before heading off to NAN (and onward to their US based financier/bank), assumably for longer term storage.

VH-VPE Flight Tracking and History - FlightAware

Track VH-VPE flight from Raddison Pier to Cairns Int'l

flightaware.com

 

[AIRwin]

VPE is out of Wellcamp and its way to BNE before heading off to NAN (and onward to their US based financier/bank), assumably for longer term storage.

Wonder why not non-stop?