Virgin Australia ATR's to fly MEL-LST
 

It looks like VA are to replace two of their four daily 737/E90 jet services from MEL to LST with ATR's. A route proving flight operated last week. I'm not 100% sure when this will start.

The VA website shows four daily flights in each direction next March, with two of these taking 60 minutes and the other two taking 85 minutes. Strangely enough, the 85 minute flights show E90's (should be ATR?) and the 60 minute flights 738's.

Perhaps this reduction in seats will pave the way for Tigerair to return to Launceston?

VA just did a little ground crew training in Melbourne and Launie with an ATR, so,I'd be surprised if it took another 5 months before services start.

Jetstar and Qantaslink have really increased their services to LST over the past year. It must be having an impact on Virgin Australia. Jetstar's early evening SYD-LST service is currently being serviced by an A321 and all MEL-LST Qlink flight have been upgraded to Q400's.

It looks as though the change occurs from 17 November.

One MEL/CBR/MEL rotation also goes to ATR by the looks of it - MEL1155-1315CBR1405-1530MEL. Can't see anything for the aircraft will be doing between 1920 and 0805, so perhaps it's resting in MEL that whole time? Or a new service / route? Or, another existing service swaps to ATR but they haven't gotten that far yet?

VAR latest ATR arrived in Perth yesterday.

Maybe a Mildura overnight?

Or a new MEL-DPO service?

MQL and DPO were among my thoughts. MQL stays the same with a single mid-morning departure from MEL (and too short a block time for an ATR), and DPO isn't in their website's destination list (yet). Also looked at SYD, HBA and an overnighter in CBR, nothing there either. I'm sure all will be revealed!

What is old is new again.

I flew MEL-DPO on Fokker Friendships several times.

The longer sectors seem to have disappeared from the booking screens on VA's website... have they changed their mind, I wonder?