China Southern’s top executive has outlined ambitions to connect Australian passengers with major hubs in Europe and North America as the booming carrier fields new competition for Qantas on its most lucrative routes. During a visit to the Gold Coast this week, China Southern President Tan Wan’geng said the airline planned to soon begin operating four
Polynesian Blue is set to become Virgin Samoa as Virgin Australia continues its rebranding campaign. Under the relaunch, Virgin Samoa’s single 737-800, named Tapu’itea, has been repainted in Virgin Australia’s red and white livery, but with a few Samoan touches such as a palm tree painted on the fuselage and a tatau pattern on the
Virgin Australia carried more domestic passengers than chief rival Qantas in October as it took advantage of the Flying Kangaroo’s labour troubles. Virgin saw its domestic passenger numbers surge to 1.51 million, a 7.4 per cent increase over October 2010. Qantas had earlier reported an 11.3 per cent drop in domestic carriage to 1.41 million passengers.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has given final approval to Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines’ alliance. Under the alliance, Virgin and SIA will launch a codesharing arrangement early next year and will offer reciprocal lounge access, coordinated schedules and joint sales, marketing and distribution activities. Passengers will be able to earn and redeem frequent-flyer
Singapore based start up Scoot Airlines has announced plans for a daily flight to Sydney once the long haul budget carrier is off the ground in mid-2012. New South Wales officials said the service would bring 400 passengers a day to Sydney and inject $146 million annually into the state economy. “This is a great
Skywest Airlines has taken delivery of a fourth ATR 72-500 turboprop which it will operate for Virgin Australia. Virgin is already operating the 68-seat turboprops on routes connecting Brisbane with Port Macquarie and Gladstone, and Sydney with Port Macquarie and Canberra. It plans to launch another ATR 72-500 service between Brisbane and Emerald. Skywest said
