What's the deal with Air North flying Virgin routes?

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Unfortunately I just flew from BNE-TSV last week. It was with Alliance. I also just found out my TSV-BNE flight and my BNE-CBR flight are both with Alliance. My last Alliance flight was cramped and unpleasant, so not exactly excited to fly with them again.

I’m a little mad about it to be honest. I book with VA to fly with VA, not its back up operators.

Dare I ask what's cramped and unpleasant about an E190 as opposed to a 737-800?

 

[HS-TQE]

Dare I ask what's cramped and unpleasant about an E190 as opposed to a 737-800?

Wouldn't it be a Fokker 70/100 if it's with Alliance directly. E190s in Alliance livery doing VA doesn't occur too often.

If it's the Airnorth E190s it'll be a damp-lease arrangement. I.e those aircraft are registered to and displayed as operated by Airnorth, however it's a mixed crew (Airnorth FAs and pilots from Alliance)

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Wouldn't it be a Fokker 70/100 if it's with Alliance directly. E190s in Alliance livery doing VA doesn't occur too often.

If it's the Airnorth E190s it'll be a damp-lease arrangement. I.e those aircraft are registered to and displayed as operated by Airnorth, however it's a mixed crew (Airnorth FAs and pilots from Alliance)

Oops...my bad looking at the thread title (Airnorth) and not reading the post (Alliance).

Having said that, the F70/F100 are generally fairly decent with both the pitch and legroom...and 2-3 isn't a bad configuration either. My question still stands...

 

[JODE17]

I didn't realise Airnorth were flying for VA at all, that's interesting.

Anyway, no, it won't be a VA plane and crew (VA don't have E190s anymore). Airnorth have been flying E-Jets up north for many years now, have their own crews, etc. FWIW the E190s are leased from Alliance, so it'll be akin to that if you've flown on one of those before.

so this has just happened to me. Received notification a few weeks ago that my flight times had changed. Received an email yesterday advising that Air North would be operating the flight. Was also advised by the Virgin customer service person that Air North are their partner. No refund on cost of flight, plane is smaller, no onboard amenities other than complimentary tea and coffee.

 

[JODE17]

Interestingly, my flight to Brisbane this week will be operated by Air North. I'm not happy about this. I booked to fly with VA and expect to fly with them. The offshore phone operator for VA had no clue, what she did say was that AirNorth are their partner airline, I asked for more information, she couldn't provide any. Since when have AN been partnered with VA?
She said flights were being operation by AN for operational reasons.
The planes out of VA DWN are 737's the AN plane is an Embraer 190, a much smaller plane.

 

[A321]

I'd be smiling if my service was substituted from a B737/8 to an E190.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Other than streaming entertainment and WiFi (not available on many VA aircraft anyway and chargeable for most in Y anyway), many (myself included) find the 2-2 configuration on AirNorth to be more spacious and comfortable than the 737, and the service is otherwise identical (in fact, I was served a small snack in Y on a recent AirNorth-operated flight), which wouldn't have happened on mainline VA. To each their own, though.

 

[Nivsy]

I was not happy when my SYD-CBR flight was changed to their "partner " Link, so when I called them (last year) they re routed me via MEL on 737. More status credits also....,,. I simply said I was not willing to fly on a turbo prop. Since they have informed you of an airline and type change I'm sure you have every right to change but perhaps need to look into the condition of carriage.

 

[Albert Hoffman]

There were a lot of Alliance planes around TSV - is Air North Alliance?

Alliance is doing charters for Qantaslink (E-190), charters for Virgin (F-100) and a lot of FIFO charters (F-100/F-70) out of TSV. Making lots of cash on it too.

 

[antycbr]

Alliance is doing charters for Qantaslink (E-190), charters for Virgin (F-100) and a lot of FIFO charters (F-100/F-70) out of TSV. Making lots of cash on it too.

And long may they remain independent. Both VA and QF know how to destroy subsidiary airlines they acquire…