V Australia cans Melbourne - LAX
 

our friends from the new start-up carrier have decided the MEL-LAX route won't be taking place this September.

its not made news just yet but it will soon.

Resulting in some job losses in MEL as well I believe

There was never any V Australia base in Melbourne, SYD-JNB makes more sense especially with the Soccerwho's going to the Soccer World Cup to get spanked.

some other news regarding V, it now seems they're scaling back some SYD-LAX flights by re-routing passengers via BNE.

http://business.theage.com.au/busine...0602-budx.html

eep.

time to find new routes, quick...

the job losses come from Toll DNATA who were to be the handling agent.

right now it's safe to say the Socceroos are doing better than V Australia.

hahaha...

Swine Flu would not be helping their case!

What is it? Just really poor forward bookings as a result of the economic crisis?

QF have the pockets to go in to a price war, they don't want to do that...new routes is the only thing.

JNB, NRT...they have a problem competing with JQ on most int'l routes within their range really...HNL would be a great destination for VA (all the beaches fit in with their light view on everything:p)...but JQ are already there, they have lots of Japan covered...Hong Kong wouldn't be an option (lots of capacity on this route already really...from most aussie cities)...

Racking my brains and I can't think of anywhere they can go to make a real winner...

I believe SYD flights will connect onward to MEL. (ie operating MEL-SYD-LAX).

Please refrain from quoting the whole post above, it's not necessary - thank you - mod

Incorrect. They have just got rid of their ground handler in MEL so there will be no MEL-SYD-LAX flights....

As for the cutbacks it makes sens IMHO. Given the SYD loads are about 60% why start another route from MEL when you will then have low loads ex MEL and take away 60 or so connecting pax from the SYD flight making it even lower loading. Expand when the economy picks up.

As for opther destinations SYD-PER-JNB would be nice to see - their traffic rights for SA expire in OCT so they need to use it or lose it.

Poor old V can't really do anything right with this launch, and most of it was/is out of their control.

1. Boeing Strike - Delayed Planes
Results in delayed launch & moving customers to other airlines - Frustrates customers

2. Economy Crisis - People just are not travelling

3. Delta's flights

4. Swine Flu - Small impact no doubt

5. Moving customers to/from BNE flights, stuff them around once they will not come back

End result is the canning of the MEL-LAX flights and poor loads on the SYD-LAX flights.