Virgin Australia announces new regional routes

[Jacob P]

Virgin Australia says its new joint venture with Skywest will launch on services from Brisbane to Gladstone and Port Macquarie and between Canberra and Sydney.

Australia's number two carrier has formed a regional alliance with Skywest, which is still subject to regulatory approval. Skywest will operate and maintain the aircraft on behalf of Virgin Australia using Virgin Australia’s branding and inflight product and service.



Source: http://www.flightcentric.com/FC/FCNews/Virgin-Australia-announces-new-regional-routes-1802.aspx

Wonder how long Strategic will be around for on the BNE-GLT route?

[Alex Lui]

Well the Sydney to Canberra was expected, since the ATR's are pretty much the replacement for the E170's. It will be interesting to see how it goes, but let's just hope it increases their on time performance. This is the major problem I have with Virgin as opposed to Qantas at the moment.

[Jacob P]

Wonder how BNE-PQQ will go as Brindabella seemed to struggle on the route and that was with PAX from Coffs also and only a 29 seat jetstream 41.

[Andrew Coggan]

I recall seeing something (maybe in Australian Aviation) about Port Macquarie residents not flying with Brindabella on BNE-CFS-PQQ because of the extra charges customers had to pay for runway and/or gate costs at PQQ. :confused: correct me if I am wrong.

[Max C]

No doubt the aircraft will run BNE-PQQ-SYD or return to rotate the aircraft.

I read somewhere that SYD-PQQ is due to change to the ATR as well.

BNE-PQQ isn't that big a market!

[Mick F]

Strategic Airlines will cease operating to Gladstone from early next month (August).

Mick

[damian f]

Oh Jacob - did you know something was about to be announced???!!!

Strategic have only today contacted various media outlets to advise they are withdrawing from the Gladstone to Brisbane route effective August 12.

More details HERE (http://cqplanespotting.blogspot.com/2011/07/strategic-airlines-to-withdraw-flights.html).

Damian

(oops - saw Mick's post after I finished mine...)

[Dave Parer]

Strategic leave but Virgin ATR's are on their way. I thought the A320 would have been too big of an aircraft to operate on this route.

Virgin's ATR's like QLink's Dash-8's will be perfect for this sector. The air fare war will begin.

Here are the respective articles from the Gladstone Newspaper;

http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/story/2011/07/28/virgin-australia-comes-gladstone/

http://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/story/2011/07/29/strategic-pulls-out-gladstone/

[Jacob P]

If I knew something was gonna be announced I sure wouldn't be posting it on this forum! Just my own observations of VC's flights doubt they would ever stay around in GLT that long I mean they lack the network which is so crucial to a resource orientated market such as BNE-GLT.

[Dave Parer]

I think you nailed it Jacob. My company does heaps of business in Gladstone, and there are many big corporate companies plus the corporate refineries etc based in Gladstone with head offices in the major capitals.

This is why QF & DJ will do well in Gladstone because of their vast network which makes connections in Brisbane through to GLT that much easier.

[Jarden S]

Brisbane is the real benefactor so far in it gains two new destinations with the introduction of the ATRs. They can't come quick enough for VA to ramp up new services.