Jump to content

Virgin Australia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 202.81.69.153 (talk) at 12:38, 6 May 2011 (added comment about Virgin atlantic access to lounge). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the holding company that owns Virgin Australia, see Virgin Blue Holdings.

Virgin Australia
File:Virgin Australia Logo Silver.jpg
IATA ICAO Callsign
DJ VOZ VIRGIN N1
Founded2000
(as Virgin Blue)
HubsBrisbane Airport
Secondary hubs
Focus cities
Frequent-flyer programVelocity Rewards
Fleet size79 (61 orders)
Destinations31
Parent companyVirgin Blue Holdings Limited
HeadquartersBowen Hills, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Key people
RevenueIncrease AU$2,981.8 million (2010)[1]
Operating incomeIncrease AU$87m (2010)[1]
ProfitIncrease AU$34.3m (2010)[1]
Total assetsAU$3,872m (2010)[1]
Total equityAU$933m (2010)[1]
Websitevirginaustralia.com

Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd, formerly Virgin Blue Airlines Pty Ltd, is Australia's second-largest airline[2] as well as the largest by fleet size to utilise the Virgin brand. Now based in Bowen Hills, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, the airline was founded by British businessman Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group. It was established in 2000 with two aircraft operating on a single route, and suddenly found itself catapulted to the position of Australia's second airline after the collapse of Ansett Australia in September 2001. The airline has grown to directly serve 29 cities in Australia; with hubs at Brisbane Airport, Sydney Airport and Melbourne Airport; using a fleet of narrow-body Boeing and Embraer jets and Airbus widebody jets.

After several years operating as a low-cost carrier it improved its services to become a so-called (self-described) "new world carrier" - essentially a business model with aspects of the "no frills" approach of low-cost carriers but offering services more in line with full-service airlines[3] - in order to compete more effectively with Qantas in the business travel market. In 2011 it took the strategy further with new uniforms; new catering on board; new widebody aircraft to compete with Qantas on Perth - Sydney services; and the concurrent introduction of business class; together with a new livery and a renaming to Virgin Australia.

History

Virgin Blue's 50th Boeing 737 Virgin-ia Blue was the only aircraft in the fleet to be actually painted blue.

Virgin Australia was launched as Virgin Blue on 31 August 2000,[4] with two Boeing 737-400 aircraft, one leased from then-sister airline Virgin Express. Initially offering seven return flights a day between Brisbane and Sydney, this has since been expanded to cover all major Australian cities and many holiday destinations. Virgin Blue's name was the result of an open competition; it was a play on the predominantly red livery and the Australian slang tradition of calling a red-headed male 'Blue' or 'Bluey'.[5]

The timing of Virgin Blue's entry into the Australian market was fortunate as it was able to fill the vacuum created by the failure of Ansett Australia in September 2001. Ansett's failure allowed Virgin to grow rapidly to become Australia's second domestic carrier, rather than just a cut-price alternative to the established players. It also gave Virgin access to terminal space without which growth would have been significantly limited. Delays in negotiating access to the former Ansett terminal at Sydney Airport however forced Virgin to use its original terminal there - a collection of prefabricated buildings without aerobridges - longer than was needed. As the airline grew, it acquired new equipment, enabling it to phase-out its older 737-400s in favour of 737-700 and -800 series aircraft with modern glass cockpits, winglets and greater fuel efficiency.

Boeing 737 in the old Virgin Blue red colour scheme
The first Virgin Australia Boeing 737 to wear the airline's new colour scheme arrives at Sydney Airport for the launch of the new brand
Close-up of the new Virgin Australia titles on Boeing 737 Bondi Beach, at Sydney Airport for the launch of the new brand

Virgin Group's holding in Virgin Australia has since been reduced, initially via a sale of a half interest to Australian logistics conglomerate Patrick Corporation, and later by a public float. In early 2005 Patrick launched a hostile takeover for Virgin Blue. Patrick had been unhappy for some time with the company's direction. By the closure of the offer, Patrick held 62% of the company, giving it control. Virgin Group retains a 25% share. In May 2006 Toll Holdings acquired Patrick and became the majority owner of Virgin Blue. In July 2008 Toll sold its majority holding via a special dividend and now holds 1.7% of the company. Air New Zealand owns 14.99% of the company.

Virgin Blue previously used a familiar formula pioneered by airlines such as Southwest Airlines and Ryanair eliminating costs such as included in-flight meals and printed tickets in favour of selling food on-board and using telephone and internet booking systems. It also cut costs in the past by limiting the number of airports serviced and by operating one type of aircraft, the Boeing 737. This strategy changed with the introduction of a second type into the fleet. The airline ordered 20 Embraer E-jets, in a mix of six E170s and 14 E190s.[6] These were ordered specifically so that the airline could re-enter the Sydney–Canberra market that it abandoned in 2004, and to fly to less populous areas.[6][7] The first E-170 arrived in Australia in September 2007 and by the end of the year the three on initial order had been delivered. These were placed on limited-frequency services before full-scale operations were launched on 4 February 2008 with services from Sydney to Canberra (branded as 'Capital Jet' services),[6] Mackay in Queensland, and the New South Wales regional centres of Port Macquarie and Albury, which were promoted with a one-cent fare.[8][9] The flights to Canberra and the regional centres signified an effort to compete more directly with Qantas and its subsidiary QantasLink operation, which flies to all three cities, and with independent Regional Express Airlines.[6]

At its inception in 2000, Virgin Blue did not have interline or marketing alliances with other airlines. However, after the collapse of its domestic competitor Ansett Australia, it began a codeshare agreement with United Airlines. This allowed United customers to fly from the United States to any of Virgin Blue's Australian destinations that United did not already serve. In 2006, in an effort to compete with Qantas, Virgin Blue started exploring these relationships, forming frequent flyer agreements with Emirates Airline, Hawaiian Airlines and Malaysia Airlines. Virgin Blue also has an Interline Agreement with Regional Express Airlines for travellers to and from smaller regional centres in the eastern states of Australia, and codeshares with Skywest Airlines on two routes in Western Australia. In November 2007, the airline announced an interline deal with international carrier Garuda Indonesia, offering easy transfer from a domestic Virgin Blue flight to an international Garuda service departing from Perth, Melbourne, Sydney or Darwin.[10] Since then Virgin Blue has also announced an interline agreement with Vietnam Airlines which allows passengers to fly from Melbourne and Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City, then transfer easily to any of the 44 international and 19 domestic destinations served by Vietnam Airlines.[11]

In 2008, Premium Economy Class was introduced throughout its entire fleet. New seating was installed in the first three rows of the cabin. These could be converted from three seats in Economy configuration to two seats for Premium Economy. The premium product offered priority check-in, larger baggage allowance, lounge access, priority boarding, increased legroom and all-inclusive in flight entertainment and meals/beverages on board. The product was aimed at business and corporate customers. The airline began charging Economy Class passengers for checked baggage in September 2008.

In December 2010, Virgin Blue entered into alliances with Etihad Airways[12] and Air New Zealand[13] for code-sharing, reciprocal lounge and frequent flyer access and other co-operational projects.[14]

Virgin Blue also entered into talks with Delta Air Lines about the possibility of joining SkyTeam, one of the top three alliances in the world, as V Australia and Delta sought approval for an agreement between the two airlines to co-operate on trans-Pacific services.[15] The agreement was rejected by the United States Department of Transportation under United States antitrust law.[16]

Airbus A330 Cable Beach arrives at Sydney Airport wearing the new Virgin Australia colour scheme, 4 May 2011. A V Australia Boeing 777 is in the background

On Friday, 7 May 2010, Brett Godfrey officially stepped down as Virgin Blue CEO after steering the company through its first ten years.[17] John Borghetti, former Qantas executive general manager, took over as the new Chief Executive.[18] The year also saw Virgin Blue win SkyTrax's Best Low-Cost Airline Australia / Pacific at 2010 World Airline Awards, aheading of Jetstar and Tiger Airways.[19]

Virgin Blue signed a ten-year deal with Perth-based regional airline Skywest Airlines, for Skywest to operate up to 18 turboprop aircraft leased by Virgin, in order to better compete in east coast regional markets served by QantasLink and Regional Express Airlines. The turboprops would supplement the existing Embraer E-190s and replace the E-170s, which are being phased out due to their being uneconomical on the routes operated by Virgin.[20]

On 20 January 2011, Air New Zealand announced it would take a shareholding stake of between 10% and 14.99% in Virgin Blue. Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe described the investment "as part of Air New Zealand's strategy to develop scale and reach in this region" but said the airline had no intention of making a full takeover.[21]

On 4 May 2011, the former Virgin Blue revealed its new name, Virgin Australia, as well as its new livery. In addition to the new name, branding and livery, the airline also showed off its new flagship the Airbus 330 with new domestic business class. Boeing 737 business class seating was also revealed, to be introduced on all of Virgin's jet aircraft by the end of 2011.[22] Pacific Blue and V Australia will both be folded into the new Virgin Australia brand, following an agreement with Virgin Atlantic shareholder Singapore Airlines, which ever since the establishment of Virgin Blue in 2000 had previously prohibited use of the Virgin brand outside Australia.[22][23] Both business and economy class feature grey leather seats, while the 737 also features the new Boeing ‘Sky Interior’ with rescultped sidewalls and larger overhead bins.[22][24]

Corporate affairs and identity

Head office

Virgin Village, the Virgin Blue head office in Bowen Hills, Brisbane

Virgin Australia has its head office in Virgin Village in Bowen Hills, Brisbane. As of 2008 1,000 employees work at Virgin Village.[25] The building, with about 13,220 square metres (142,300 sq ft) A-Grade office space, was triple net leased to Virgin Blue.[26]

As the airline started operations, it decided to place its head office in the Brisbane area. Brett Godfrey, the original chief executive of Virgin Blue, said in 2006 that the decision "was a long considered one and has worked well."[27] The airline originally had its head office in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. The airline purchased a $61 million site in Bowen Hills for its new head office. The firm Sunland Group, which had acquired the Bowen Hills site for $8 million in 2005, had scheduled to complete the new head office in March, and the airline would be ready to move into the new head office by August of the following year.[28] The current head office facility, Virgin Village, formally opened on 17 October 2008.[29]

Re-organisation and re-branding

Old Virgin Blue logo, used until May 2011

Since the arrival of John Borghetti (former Qantas senior executive) as the CEO of Virgin Blue there has been much speculation regarding a forthcoming re-brand of the airline.[30]

A number of key Qantas staff moved to Virgin Blue while key Virgin Blue staff departed the airline.[31] The airline further announced its intention to operate Airbus A330 aircraft between Perth and the East Coast, starting in May 2011.[32]

In February 2011, the re-brand was confirmed when the airline announced that the word 'Blue' would be dropped from the its name as part of a campaign to attract more business travellers away from rival Qantas. This came shortly after the unveiling of new crew uniforms and business-class seats. The airline stated that the re-brand would proceed in stages and would reportedly include a new fleet livery and the renaming of the other Virgin Blue Group airlines as well.[33]

Subsidiaries

Pacific Blue

Main article: Pacific Blue Airlines

In September 2003, Virgin Blue announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Pacific Blue would offer a low-cost service between New Zealand and Australia. Pacific Blue aimed to position itself as a low-cost competitor to Air New Zealand and Qantas on trans-Tasman routes. Pacific Blue also operates services on behalf of the Polynesian Blue joint-venture with the government of Samoa.

V Australia

Main article: V Australia

In early 2006, Virgin Blue's parent company announced its intention to operate up to seven flights a week to the United States using either Los Angeles International Airport or San Francisco International Airport, saying that the route was needed to make the airline as profitable as possible. On 25 July 2007, it was announced that "V Australia" would be the name of the new carrier.[34]

Marketing and sponsorship

Virgin Blue's "Rabbitohs" Boeing 737 'Bondi Babe' at Sydney Airport
Virgin Blue Boeing 737 with special scheme to advertise the Australian DVD release of the movie Avatar

On 8 February 2007, it was announced that Virgin Blue had signed a two-year sponsorship deal with NRL team the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Rabbitohs are the first rugby league team Virgin Blue has sponsored.[35] Boeing 737-800 VH-VUA has slight changes to its livery to commemorate this sponsorship. The Australian flag held by the "Virgin Girl" is replaced by the Rabbitohs' flag.

Virgin Blue is also the official sponsor of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL), and the title sponsor of NBL team the Brisbane Bullets.

Virgin Blue gained extra revenue (and publicity) by painting two aircraft as "flying billboards". One promoted a brand of men's razor, the other a Queensland Government campaign to attract businesses to the state.[36] Both aircraft have since been withdrawn from the Virgin Blue fleet.

In 2007 Virgin Blue introduced an advertising campaign with the slogan "Get What You Want". The television commercials used in the campaign featured a song of the same name by Queensland band Operator Please. In 2009, Virgin Blue introduced an all new advertising campaign entitled "Now there's an idea". TV Commercials showing comparisons between flying in Australia in 1999 as opposed to 2009 were screened, to the tune a song by The Cat Empire. New billboard advertising was launched, showcasing Virgin Blue's variety of products and on-time performance records.

In November 2010, the Australian Football League (AFL) decided not to renew its marketing contract with Qantas, instead choosing Virgin Blue for a deal worth A$5-8 million.[37][38]

In 2011, with the airline's rebranding as Virgin Australia, the airline's slogan was changed to "Now you're flying".[39]

Awards

Virgin Blue Airlines has won a number of awards since its inception. The airline and certain of its employees won five 2009 Service Excellence Awards of the Customer Service Institute of Australia.[40] Since being named as Best Low-Cost Airline in the Asia/Pacific region in the Skytrax 2002 Airline of the Year Survey, the airline has also been voted best airline in a number of different categories and by a number of different organisations.[40]

The airline's Frequent Flyer program Velocity Rewards won the 2009 Freddie Awards, the largest award in the travel industry, for Best Frequent Flyer Program, Best Award Redemption, Best Affinity Credit Card, Best Member Communications, Best Website. This was the fourth consecutive Freddie Awards that Velocity has won.[41]

Destinations

Main article: Virgin Australia destinations

Fleet

As of May 2011 the Virgin Australia fleet consists of the following aircraft:[42][43]

'Irresista-blue', Virgin Blue's third E170 at Sydney Airport
Current Virgin Australia fleet
Aircraft In Fleet Orders Passengers Notes
J W Y Total
Airbus A330-200
2
2
27
-
251
278[44]
Due to enter into service May 2011[45][46][47]
Boeing 737-700 18
-
-
12
-
126
144
138
144
Boeing 737-800
36
58
-
8
-
12
-
-
162
168
180
174
176[48]
180
Embraer E-170 6
-
-
12
66
78
To be phased out in 2011/2012.[49]
Embraer E-190 17
1
-
12
92
104
Total 79
61

Initially Virgin Blue leased its aircraft but many recent additions to the fleet have been purchased outright. Virgin Blue-owned Boeing 737s are indicated by the Boeing customer code FE in the model suffix.

In November 2006, Virgin Blue announced plans to purchase 11 Embraer E190 and three Embraer E170 aircraft with options for six more E-jets. These later became orders for an additional three E170s and three E190s.[50] In February 2008 a further four E190s were ordered, leaving six options and ten purchase rights.[51]

Virgin Blue received its first Embraer 170 in early September 2007 at a special ceremony at the Embraer plant in Sao Jose dos Campos.[52] The ERJ-170s have introduced a revised logo on their tails, bringing the Virgin Blue brand into line with the logos of other Virgin-branded companies.[6]

Some of Virgin Blue's Boeing 737-800s, such as 'Madelaide' (pictured), are painted in Pacific Blue colours

Like Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Blue gives the aircraft in its fleet names, often incorporating female names and words connected with Australian cities and localities or other quintessentially Australian themes. Names on Virgin Blue aircraft include 'Brissie Lizzie' ("Brissie" being an Australian slang name for Brisbane, and "Lizzie" being slang for Elizabeth), 'Sassy Sydney' (Sydney is a female name as well as the name of Australia's largest city), 'Prue Blue' (incorporating the name Prudence and also a pun on the Australian phrase "true blue", meaning "patriotic"), 'Tassie Tigress' (incorporating both the slang name for Tasmania and the common name for the Thylacine) and 'Mackay-be Diva' (a pun on the city of Mackay, Queensland and Makybe Diva, a famous Australian racehorse). Each aircraft in the Virgin Blue colours (some are painted in Pacific Blue colours for cross-promotional reasons) also features a "virgin girl" as nose art, complete with a wide-brimmed Aussie hat, trailing an Australian flag.

On 24 October 2007, Virgin Blue announced the introduction of Premium Economy on all domestic flights. As the E-jets already have four-abreast seating, the number of seats on these aircraft remained unchanged after the rollout of Premium Economy.[53]

An agreement was signed with Boeing on 1 April 2010 for an order of fifty firm Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with flexibility to convert to either Boeing 737-700 or Boeing 737-900ER, as well as 25 additional options and 30 future purchase rights. Delivery is scheduled from June 2011 through to 2017.[43] The new aircraft are expected to replace some of Virgin Blue’s existing narrow body fleet, while the remainder will be deployed to new routes and boost frequency according to demand.[43]

2011 regional expansion

On 10 January 2011, Virgin Blue entered a 10 year strategic alliance with Perth-based Skywest Airlines, to operate 18 new Virgin-branded turboprop aircraft from mid-2011.[54] On 23 February, it was announced that the aircraft would be ATR-72s, to enter service beginning in May 2011; they would allow Virgin Blue to both replace its fleet of Embraer E170s and introduce new regional routes. The turboprops will be operated by Skywest Airlines under a wet lease agreement.[55]

Services

Food and beverages

Virgin Australia offers a fully inclusive food and beverage service for its Premium Economy Class.

Economy Class offers a buy on board service with food and drinks for purchase.[56][57]

Live2Air

In December 2006, Virgin Blue announced a partnership between Australian cable television providers Foxtel and Austar, to introduce a "Live2Air"[58] service on most flights by mid 2007. The Live2Air system is only available on some Boeing 737 aircraft. Virgin Blue was the first carrier outside North America to introduce multi-channel real-time satellite TV to its flights.[citation needed] Live2Air is free of charge on Premium Economy, while on Economy Class the Live2Air system costs $4.90 on flights under 2 hours, and $9.90 on flights over 2 hours if paying via credit card. If paying by cash the system cost $5.00 and $10.00 respectively. The system is available free of charge for all passengers until approximately 10 minutes after takeoff. After this period, the passenger must swipe their credit card to continue viewing.

An advertising channel and a flight track channel are free of charge for both classes throughout the flight.

The Lounge

File:Theloungelogo.png
Virgin Australia's The Lounge

Lounge history

To capture a share of the business traveller market, Virgin Blue decided to provide a members' lounge facility for travellers. Originally this was called The Blue Room and provided facilities to members and guests on a pay-as-you-go basis. Many of these facilities became available when Virgin Blue relocated into the former Ansett terminals across the country, with the defunct Golden Wing club lounges left behind being utilised as Blue Room lounges, complete with furnishings.

In 2006, Virgin Blue revamped the Blue Room lounge facilities and re-launched it as The Lounge, which offers all-inclusive facilities for a membership fee or casual fee basis. Upgraded facilities that are provided include buffet food and refreshments, newspapers, showers, computers, and WiFi internet access for travellers. The Lounge is open seven days a week from 45 minutes prior to the first departure until the last flight is called for boarding.

Lounge access

Members are permitted to enter "The Lounge" when flying on Virgin Blue or codeshare Pacific Blue, Polynesian Blue and V Australia services on the day of travel, along with one guest who need not be travelling. A Single entry pass is available subject to space at a cost of A$35.00, payable at the time of entry, or $30.00 pre-purchased online. Complimentary access is provided for Velocity Gold, Premium Economy and Corporate Plus members. International Business Class and International Premium Economy passengers on V Australia also gain complimentary lounge access. Virgin Atlantic Gold card holders are also permitted to use the lounge for free.

Locations

  • Brisbane - Virgin Blue Domestic Terminal, opposite Gate 41. (Will close for renovation in February–March 2011 for refurbishment. A replacement lounge will be available.
  • Sydney - Terminal 2, To the right of security or via escalator from the food court on the concourse level. (Refurbishment is planned in early 2011.
  • Melbourne - Terminal 3, Down check-in escalators to the left of security check point. (Will close for two weeks during the period February–April 2011 for refurbishment.
  • Adelaide - Domestic Terminal, Departures Level, opposite Gate 18.
  • Canberra - Virgin Blue Domestic Terminal, Level 1 - Departures.
  • Perth - Virgin Blue Domestic Terminal, Ground floor (Terminal 3[59])

Reservation system

Virgin Australia's reservation system is managed by Navitaire.[60] The reservation suffered a system crash on the weekend of 26 September 2010 disrupting passenger arrival and departure services nationally.[61]

Velocity Rewards

File:Velocity Rewards logo.gif
Velocity Rewards is Virgin Blue's frequent flyer programme

Virgin Blue launched its frequent-flyer program Velocity Rewards in 2005, with partner National Australia Bank offering a companion credit card. By 2007, points collected from selected Westpac, American Express and Diners Club Cards could be transferred to Velocity Rewards, and effective September 2008, ANZ Reward Visa Card points as well. Status levels were introduced to the program in late 2007 as part of continued efforts to attract business travelers. Alongside the entry-level "Red" status, frequent travelers can now attain "Silver" and "Gold" status, each with its own set of benefits.

Velocity is different from most other frequent flyer programs in two ways. First, points are earned relative to the cost of a flight, rather than the length. Velocity members originally earned 6 points per dollar spent on Virgin Blue flights. This has since been altered due to the introduction of status levels; Red members now earn 5 points per dollar, Silver members remain at 6 points, and Gold members earn 7. (Points on Virgin Blue's long-haul carrier V Australia, as well as the majority of Velocity's airline partners, are still earned per mile).

Second, Velocity was the first frequent flyer program in Australia to offer "any seat, any time" reward flight availability. The amount of points required to redeem an award seat directly corresponds to the current fare of that seat, allowing any seat currently available to be redeemed. Rival Qantas introduced a similar feature to their frequent flyer program in May 2008.

As of February 2008, Velocity Rewards had 1.3 million members and Virgin Blue stated it was considering selling it or entering into a joint venture once its operation was profitable, and considered a membership of 1.6 to 1.7 million members would put the operation in a break-even position.[62]

Controversies

  • In 2003 a man with a disability and having incomplete quadriplegia was removed from a Virgin Blue flight because staff thought he was drunk or a terrorist. He subsequently settled a lawsuit against the airline.[63]
  • In May 2006 a controversy arose over Virgin Blue's policy with regard to passengers with disabilities. Former Chief Executive Brett Godfrey affirmed the policy of the company that passengers who were "unable to look after themselves on board should travel with carers".[64] After a hearing in the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Virgin Blue backed down from this policy, agreeing to limit it to passengers weighing over 130 kg.[65][66] However the chair of the ACT Disability Advisory Council, Craig Wallace, who uses a wheelchair, was refused passage on a Virgin Blue flight booked for 8 October 2006.[67] In a media release on 29 September, ACTDAC claimed that "Virgin Blue has also refused to refund $418 in fares from the flight for Mr Wallace or Council staff. Ironically, they have listed these fares as a ‘credit’ – a credit Mr Wallace or other people in his situation are prohibited from accessing by Virgin’s own policy".[68]
  • In January 2007 Virgin Blue attracted controversy when its staff at Adelaide Airport ordered a passenger to remove a T-shirt bearing the slogan World's Number One Terrorist above an image of George W. Bush. The wearer, Allen Jasson from London, was informed that the garment was potentially offensive. Jasson had also experienced difficulty on earlier flights with Qantas. A spokeswoman for Virgin Blue defended the decision.[69]
  • In April 2007 the airline lost a discrimination case appeal over the age of flight attendants they employed. Eight former flight attendants aged over 34 from another airline had applied for employment with Virgin Blue but none had gained work. They claimed they were discriminated against because of their age and won compensation in March 2006. The airline's appeal against this decision failed and the company was ordered to pay costs.[70] Tribunal member Douglas Savage found that the assessors were biased against older women, and that the company had failed to offer a reasonable explanation for why no one over 36 was employed as cabin crew during the airline's recruitment drive between 2001 and 2002.
  • In November 2009 Virgin Blue's Velocity Rewards Programme incorrectly emailed over 1 million members [71] advising them they had been upgraded to Gold Status for free. The airline later retracted the offer with a subsequent email advising Friday the 13th Strikes.[72]
  • In January 2011 the airline was fined $110,000 after breaking anti-spamming regulations.[73] Consumers complained they were unable to unsubscribe from the airline's mailing list.[74] The Australian Communications and Media Authority said the airline would:

    "Engage an independent third party to thoroughly assess its email marketing processes and to implement any recommended changes." [75]

Incidents

  • 5 June 2009: During the flight of a Boeing 737-700 from Melbourne to the Gold Coast with 141 passengers and 6 crew, cabin crew complained about fumes in the rear of the cabin that smelled like acetone or turpentine, the fumes however dissipated. When the aeroplane was on approach to the Gold Coast Airport and descended through 5000 feet, the fumes returned causing illness to four cabin crew members. The aeroplane landed safely.[76]
  • On 25 July 2009 the nose wheel of a Boeing 737 fell off while the aircraft was taxiing to the runway in Melbourne.[77]
  • On 19 April 2010 a Boeing 737-800 flying from Perth to Sydney with about 150 passengers was enroute near Adelaide, when a number of passengers started to complain about breathing difficulties. A short time earlier cabin crew had noticed an unusual odour on board. The flight crew decided to divert to Adelaide, where the aeroplane landed safely. One female passenger needed to be taken to hospital, eight more passengers were treated by medical personnel at the airport; all passengers were screened for possible carbon monoxide poisoning.[78]
  • On 26 February 2011 a Boeing 737-800 on a flight from Brisbane to Melbourne experienced smoke in the cabin due to an oven that had caught alight in the galley. The flight was met emergency services on arrival, six of the 160 passengers on board were treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation. The paramedics reported that they could smell smoke on passengers' clothing.[79]

Footnotes

Notes

1. ^ Virgin Australia has a written agreement with Virgin Atlantic for Virgin Blue to use the "Virgin" callsign domestically in Australia. Outside Australia it cannot be used, so separate brands like Pacific Blue (callsign Bluebird for Pacific Blue NZ or Bluey for Pacific Blue International services operated by Virgin Australia) and joint venture Polynesian Blue have been created.

References
  1. ^ a b c d e "Virgin Blue Holdings Annual Report 2010" (PDF). Virgin Blue Holdings Limited. Retrieved 30 April 2011. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |work= at position 21 (help)
  2. ^ Virgin Blue Profile - Low Cost Airline News
  3. ^ 'Virgin Blue Announces Birth of the “New World Carrier” in CAPA Report' - Virgin Blue media release retrieved 6 May 2011
  4. ^ The Age, Low-cost blueprint lets Virgin soar
  5. ^ Virgin Press Release, 5 February 2000
  6. ^ a b c d e Sadler, Paul. "A Red Storm Rising", Australian Aviation magazine No 244, November 2007, p30-34. Phantom Media Pty. Ltd., Fyshwick ACT. ISSN 0813-0876
  7. ^ "Ho Ho Ho - It's off to Albury we go!" - Virgin Blue Press Release. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  8. ^ Albury Launch with 1 Cent Fares!!. Retrieved 5 February 2008.
  9. ^ Port Macquarie Launch with 1 Cent Fares!!. Retrieved 5 February 2008.
  10. ^ MICEBTN website
  11. ^ A “V” GOOD PARTNERSHIP - VIRGIN BLUE AND VIETNAM AIRLINES SIGN INTERLINE AGREEMENT
  12. ^ "In Virgin Blue-Etihad alliance, it's old friends re-united". 26 January 2011.
  13. ^ "Air New Zealand — Virgin Blue Alliance application 2010". Ministry of Transportation, New Zealand. 21 December 2010.
  14. ^ "Govt approves Air NZ — Virgin Blue alliance". 21 December 2010.
  15. ^ O'Sullivan, Matt (27 January 2010). "Virgin Blue may join Delta's team". The Age. Retrieved 6 May 2011. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  16. ^ Mitchell, Josh (9 September 2010). "US rejects Virgin Blue, Delta alliance". The Australian. Dow Jones Newswires. Retrieved 6 May 2011. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  17. ^ "Bye Brett! Australia owes you a big thankyou — consumers, tourism industry and business alike". Centre for Asia Pacifc Aviation. 5/7/10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ Creedy, Steve. "Virgin chief starts at $3.5m: John Borghetti". The Wall Street Journal. The Australian. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  19. ^ "Virgin Blue named the Best Low-Cost Airline Australia / Pacific at 2010 World Airline Awards" (Press release). SkyTrax. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  20. ^ "Virgin Blue forms alliance with Skywest". Sydney Morning Herald. Australian Associated Press. 10 January 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
  21. ^ "Air NZ buys up stake in Virgin Blue". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 January 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
  22. ^ a b c Creedy, Steve (6 May 2011). "Rebranded Virgin prepares for a tough battle". The Australian. Retrieved 6 May 2011. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  23. ^ O'Sullivan, Matt (6 May 2011). "Virgin wins stalemate over brand name rights". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2011. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  24. ^ "Virgin Australia takes to the skies" - Virgin Australia media release retrieved 5 May 2011
  25. ^ "Virgin Blue seeks shelter in Brisbane." The Australian. 17 October 2008. Retrieved on 8 February 2010.
  26. ^ "Virgin Blue National Headquarters, Brisbane - new 12 year lease." Jones Lang La Salle. Retrieved on 9 February 2010.
  27. ^ "Virgin Blue In State Of Excitement Over New Invest Queensland Campaign." Virgin Blue. Monday 6 March 2006. Retrieved on 8 February 2010.
  28. ^ "Virgin Blue buys new Australian headquarters." The Age. 13 November 2008. Retrieved on 9 February 2010.
  29. ^ "The Year That Was." 2009 Virgin Blue Annual Report. Retrieved on 8 February 2010.
  30. ^ Virgin name to stay – Branson | Australian Aviation Magazine
  31. ^ VB poaches another key QF exec | Australian Aviation Magazine
  32. ^ Virgin Blue to add two further A330s in 2012 | Australian Aviation Magazine
  33. ^ Canning, Simon (28 February 2011). "Virgin Blue to drop blue to attract more business". The Australian. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  34. ^ Virgin unveils transpacific airline - V Australia : thewest.com.au
  35. ^ "Virgin Blue signs Sponsorship Deal with South Sydney Rabbitohs". ASIATravelTips.com. 8/2/07. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Airliners.net photos of Virgin Blue special paint scheme aircraft. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  37. ^ Sheahan, Mike (18/11/10). "AFL dumps Qantas as its official carrier, set to sign deal with Virgin". The Herald Sun. Retrieved 18 November 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ Kitney, Damon (18/11/10). "Virgin Blue steals AFL official airline contract from Qantas". The Australian. Retrieved 18 November 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  39. ^ Now You're Flying, Virgin Australia, 4 May 2011.
  40. ^ a b Virgin Blue - Our Awards. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  41. ^ "Velocity voted the world's favourite rewards program!". velocityrewards.com.au. 16 February 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
  42. ^ Australian civil aircraft register search using "Virgin Blue Airlines" as the search parameter. Search conducted 4 May 2011.
  43. ^ a b c "Australia's Virgin Blue to buy 105 new Boeing planes". BBC News Online. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  44. ^ http://www.virginblue.com.au/Personal/Services/Seating/AirbusA330/index.htm
  45. ^ http://www.virginblue.com.au/AboutUs/Media/NewsandPressReleases/P_015189.htm
  46. ^ Blue unveils new domestic business class
  47. ^ TravelDaily 24Nov10
  48. ^ http://www.virginaustralia.com/AboutUs/Media/NewsandPressReleases/TEST_028601.html
  49. ^ A330s, Etihad alliance for Virgin Blue as profit meets expectations, Australian Aviation online. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  50. ^ Virgin Blue Orders Embraer E-Jet Aircraft (The Australian: 2 November 2006)
  51. ^ "Embraer Receives New E-Jets Order From Virgin Blue" - Virgin Blue Media Release. Retrieved 17 October 2008.
  52. ^ "Virgin Blue takes delivery of its first Embraer E-170 airliner" Flight Global, 04/09/07
  53. ^ Virgin Blue > News and Press Releases
  54. ^ Virgin Blue and Skywest to team up on regional routes | Australian Aviation Magazine
  55. ^ "Virgin Blue's new ATR72s to arrive from May". Flightglobal.com. 23 February 2011. Archived from the original on 23 February 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
  56. ^ Virgin Blue : January 2009, Page 1 Virgin Blue. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  57. ^ "à la cart menu." Virgin Blue. Retrieved 30 October 2008.
  58. ^ Virgin Blue - Live 2 Air
  59. ^ "VIRGIN BLUE TO OPEN NEW ‘THE LOUNGE’ AT PERTH AIRPORT" - Virgin Blue News and Press Release. Retrieved 2009-011-06.
  60. ^ Mellor, Chris. "NetApp shoots down Virgin Blue outage claims Nothing to do with us, mate". channelregister.co.uk. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  61. ^ Marx, Anthony. "Virgin check-in has checked out before". Herald Sun. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  62. ^ Creedy, Steve (21 February 2008). "Virgin loyalty program may be spun off". news.com.au. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  63. ^ Disabled man settles lawsuit with Virgin Blue
  64. ^ The Age, Virgin Blue defends wheelchair policy
  65. ^ http://www.hreoc.gov.au/media_releases/2006/33_06.htm
  66. ^ Pelly, Michael (2 June 2006). "Virgin backs down in disability row". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  67. ^ ABC News, Virgin faces court action over wheelchair access
  68. ^ [ADDRESS Block]
  69. ^ Dunn, Mark (14 December 2006). "Banned for a George Bush T-shirt". News.com.au. Retrieved 22 January 2006.
  70. ^ Virgin Blue loses discrimination appeal
  71. ^ "'Tears in the office' over Virgin Blue email mistake". Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  72. ^ "'Virgin Blue Fails Email Marketing". Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  73. ^ Virgin Blue admits breaking anti-spam rules | Perth Now
  74. ^ Virgin Blue fined over email marketing | News | Business Spectator
  75. ^ Virgin Blue fined $110k over emails - The West Australian
  76. ^ Accident: Virgin Blue B737 near Gold Coast on Jun 5th 2009, fumes sicken 4 flight attendants
  77. ^ Virgin Blue checks 737s after nose wheel scare | The Daily Telegraph
  78. ^ Accident: Virgin Blue B738 near Adelaide on Apr 19th 2010, several passengers suffer from breathing difficulties
  79. ^ Virgin Blue flight in smoke scare | Finance | BigPond News
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Virgin Blue.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virgin_Australia&oldid=427738116"