Switch that power bank off now!

Wanting to use a power bank during your flight on Qantas or Virgin Australia?

No go from next month after a series of incidents - including fires - on several carriers.

Australia’s big two airline groups are to ban the inflight use of all power banks, news hub Travel Mole reports. 

Virgin will start imposing restrictions from December 1 with Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar imposing similar restrictions effective from December 15.

Virgin says it will allow Ino more than two power banks to be carried - and they must be accessible and within sight during the flight.

They cannot be used or charged, and high-power devices (above) must get advance airline approval.

“Globally, more lithium battery-powered devices are now being carried by travellers, and while these items are generally safe, this move will minimise any potential risks,” Virgin COO Chris Snook said.

While power bank use is banned, the airlines said charging devices will still be permitted using in-seat charging ports where available.

Where available being the key.

Several international carriers including Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Vietnam Airlines have banned the use of power banks on board.

Image: Maksim Chernyshev, Scop.io 

Virgin offers a neighbour-free flying experience

Do you hate it when the passenger in the next seat man spreads, or pushes your arm off the shared armrest?

You can now pay from just $30 for a neighbour-free experience when your flight is with Virgin Australia.

From this week, eligible guests on some Virgin Australia-operated domestic and short-haul international services can bid to keep the seat next to them empty, creating a more spacious economy experience.

The new product, dubbed Neighbour-Free Seating, will let guests enjoy more space when they fly, at an accessible price point.

A 2023 consumer survey conducted by Velocity Frequent Flyer revealed that 42% of Virgin Australia guests would consider paying a fee to have the middle seat empty on international flights more than three hours, while over a third (35%) would do the same on a domestic flight more than three hours.

Virgin Australia executive Libby Minogue said the airline’s latest offering reflects its commitment to customer comfort.

“Our priority is to give Virgin Australia guests even more value and choice when they choose to fly with us," she said. "Neighbour-Free Seating is a clever add-on for economy travellers who want the certainty of extra space without the price tag.

“We actively listen to guest feedback, and this initiative is a direct response to what our customers have told us they want. It is a step forward in enhancing the onboard experience and a game changer for those who want more comfort and space during their flight.”

There is, of course, no certainty. Your flight, like so many, might well be full.

How it works: 

# After booking their flight, eligible economy guests can submit a bid on the Virgin Australia app to reserve an empty seat next to them.
# Bids start from as low as $30. More information on pricing is available at virginaustralia.com.
# A successful bid will be confirmed no later than two hours prior to the scheduled departure time of the flight.
# Velocity Gold, Platinum, Platinum Plus and Forever Gold members, who have pre-selected their seats and do not bid for Neighbour-Free Seating will not be impacted when Neighbour-Free Seating requests are fulfilled.

Smart thinking from the airline, which now gets extra revenue from a seat that is not purchased.

Your opportunity to buy Virgin Australia shares

Fancy owning shares in Virgin Australia? You will get that chance later this month. 

Virgin Australia Holdings Limited (Virgin Australia) has confirmed its long-rumoured intention to proceed with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and list on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the ticker code VGN. 

The airline said: "A Prospectus has today been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and filed with the ASX."

Virgin Australia is the country’s second-largest airline group and has been revitalised under the ownership of Bain Capital. 

It operates a fleet of more than 100 aircraft on 76 routes to 38 destinations across its domestic and short-haul international airline business. 

The IPO is comprised of an offer of 236.2 million fully paid ordinary shares at an offer price of $2.90 per share, raising A$685 million to allow certain existing equity holders the opportunity to realise part of their investment in the company.

On completion, investors participating in the offer are expected to hold 30.2% of shares on issue, with the remainder being held by existing investors, which include Bain Capital, Qatar Airways Group, Virgin Group, and Queensland Investment Corporation.

“After making significant progress in Virgin Australia’s transformation and with the backing of leading global airline Qatar Airways Group as a strategic investor, we believe it is now appropriate for the business to transition to a publicly listed company,” said Virgin Australia chairman Peter Warne. 

“This provides an opportunity for new investors to share in the success of Virgin Australia as the airline enters its next phase.

“I commend all those involved in orchestrating Virgin Australia’s remarkable turnaround and setting the business up for long-term success.”

* Virgin Australia currently expects to list on the ASX on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. 

When is it worth bidding for a flight upgrade?

You know those emails you get when you have booked an economy class seat?

If you are like me you just delete them. Who needs to pay heaps more to enjoy a bigger seat for a one- or two-hour domestic flight?

But a Virgin Australia UpgradeMe offer dropped just before a recent trip from Sydney to Hobart.

"Make an offer to sit in Business Class and you could be experiencing second-to-none space and comfort. Benefits include:
#Pre-departure access to the Virgin Australia Lounge. Available at selected domestic airports
#Priority check-in and boarding, where available
#Food and drinks from our Business Class menu"

OK, I was just a little bit tempted. We were checking out of our hotel too early for breakfast. And early morning flights are often delayed.

Sitting in a comfortable lounge with barista coffee, food and fast free wifi sounded appealing.

Obviously, the higher your bid the better your chances of winning an upgrade. The lowest bid available was $65 per person. The highest, I think, $300+.

There was a kicker: Remember, if your bid isn’t successful, you don’t pay anything.

Why not risk a $65 bid? Particularly given the cost of food and drinks at Australian airports.

A coffee and breakfast can easily cost you $30, a newspaper (free in the lounge) a few bucks more.

Then there is that priority check-in, rather than wrangling your suitcase, printing your baggage tag and then taking it to the conveyer belt.

There's the welcome drink when you sit down on the plane, a full hot breakfast if you want it, and those bigger, more comfortable seats.

Nobody felt like splashing out $300+ plus, it seems, because our $65 bids were successful.

"Congratulations, your UpgradeMe Premium Bid offer has been successful!. We look forward to welcoming you onboard in our Business Class cabin."

A bit of a snooze in those comfy seats, a free orange juice, breakfast and first off the plane in Hobart with bags first to arrive because the Priority tags.

That's a win. I reckon it is worth putting in a minimum bid sometimes. 

Lots of people won't bother and the benefits can be well worth it - particularly if your departure is delayed an hour or two.

# Availability of Business Class seats is subject to change, which may impact upon your chance of a successful upgrade.

Hope you don't mind sitting next to a corpse: Qatar Airways fail

There are loud airline passengers; drunks, seat recliners and seat-back kickers.

But being forced to sit next to corpse for several hours is probably even more unpleasant than dealing with those low life types.

An Australian couple said they were ‘traumatised’ after being forced to sit next to the body of a woman who died mid-flight during a trip to Europe.

A woman collapsed in the aisle near to where Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were sitting in their seats on a Qatar Airways flight - and the woman's body was allegedly placed in an aisle seat next to the couple.

The woman allegedly could not be moved due to her size, the couple said.

Blankets were placed over the dead woman.

When the flight landed in Doha, the couple were asked to remain in their seats while police and a medical crew removed the woman from the plane.

Qatar Airlines said it is ‘in the process of contacting passengers in line with our policies and procedures".

Which makes it a bit bloody slow.

“First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight," the airline said.

"We apologise for any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused.”

Which is just not good enough, is it?

The couple should have had their fares refunded or been upgraded at the very least.

Qatar Airways is owned by the Qatari government and recently entered a partnership agreement with Virgin Australia.

It will need to do a lot better if it doesn't want to alienate Australian passengers. Who are highly likely to speak up about events like this. 

Qatar-Virgin deal set to get go ahead

The airline landscape in Australia is set for a major re-set with the consumer watchdog proposing to grant authorisation to Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways which will allow them to engage in co-operative conduct under an integrated alliance for five years.

Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways are seeking authorisation to engage in an integrated alliance where Virgin Australia, in partnership with Qatar Airways, will commence 28 new weekly return services between Doha and Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Under the proposed arrangements, Virgin Australia would use Qatar Airways’ aircraft and crew to operate the new services. This is known in the aviation industry as ‘wet lease’ arrangements.

The ACCC said today that it considers that the proposed co-operative conduct is likely to result in public benefits and is unlikely to result in any public detriment. 

Which will likely infuriate Virgin competitor Qantas.

"We consider that the proposed co-operative conduct would likely result in several public benefits including providing enhanced products and services for air travellers which would include increased choice of international flights, with additional connectivity, convenience and loyalty program benefits for consumers,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.

The new air services are subject to final regulatory approvals by the ACCC and other government bodies. 

The ACCC is now seeking feedback on this draft determination before it makes a final decision.

The ACCC granted interim authorisation to Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways on November 29 to enable them to commence marketing and selling the new Australia-Doha services.

When granting interim authorisation, the ACCC accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from both airlines which ensures that if any of the necessary final regulatory approvals are not granted, then customers who have booked the proposed new services will be given the option of a refund or re-accommodation on a suitable alternative flight at no additional charge and would be compensated for any reasonably foreseeable costs.

A number of interested parties have since raised concerns with the ACCC that the proposed co-operative conduct would circumvent Australian workforce laws and regulations, and that the lack of time limits on the use of Qatar-based crew to operate the new services will have negative implications for the Australian aviation workforce.

“We consider that Virgin Australia is unlikely to commence operating long-haul international services between Australia and the Middle East on a stand-alone basis in the next five years,” Brakey said.

“In those circumstances, we do not consider that there is likely to be a material detrimental impact on the Australian aviation workforce as a result of the conduct.”

Under the proposed arrangements Velocity Frequent Flyer members will continue to be able to earn and redeem Velocity points on Singapore Airlines operated services globally, including to and from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

Virgin Australia’s arrangements with South African Airways and Virgin Atlantic would be unchanged. 

The ACCC is seeking submissions in response to the draft determination by March 7 before making its final determination.

Bookings open for Virgin Australia/Qatar Airways partnership flights

Flyers can now book flights that are part of the new partnership between Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways that provides opportunities to travel to over 100 destinations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

As of this week, you can book Virgin Australia's new services to jet directly from Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth to Doha for travel from June 2025, with Melbourne to join the party later in the new year. 

The flights will be operated by Virgin Australia using Qatar Airways' spacious Boeing 777s, including the Qsuite business class. 

The deal replaces Virgin's former alliance with Etihad. 

Key benefits and launch sale offers include fares on sale from Sydney, Brisbane and Perth via Doha to multiple European destinations with fares starting from Perth to Paris in economy return from $1,791. 

Sydney to London economy starts from $1,982 return. 

Frequent flyers can rack up to 20,000 bonus points on business return flights and 10,000 bonus points on economy return flights when booked on an eligible Virgin Australia international long haul flight by January 20, 2025 for travel between June 21 to September 30. 

The Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways partnership, pending final regulatory approval, is being promoted as "delivering increased competition, improved connectivity, and enhanced customer choice".

Virgin Australia Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the new airline partnership is a game-changer. 

“This is a huge win for Australian travellers which brings more value and choice for passengers wanting to fly internationally," she said. 

"Through this partnership Virgin Australia becomes stronger, improving our ability to compete domestically - which is great news for Virgin Australia, our people and consumers.” 

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said that, if approved, the investment will support a collective ambition between the two airlines to deliver the best service and value to Australian customers.

“We are proud to support Virgin Australia with their ambition to return to long-haul international flying, a crucial next step in their successful transformation program,” he said.

Qatar deal gets go ahead in boost for Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways have been given the go ahead to start selling 28 weekly return flights between Doha and Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

The Australian consumer watchdog, the ACCC, has granted interim approval to Virgin and Qatar, allowing them to engage in cooperative conduct under an integrated alliance.

The ACCC has also accepted a court enforceable undertaking from Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways in relation to the conduct.

Under the interim authorisation, Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways can commence marketing and tickets.

The new services will be in addition to the international services already operated by Qatar Airways.

The airlines sought urgent interim authorisation to enable Virgin Australia to start flying its new Australia-Doha services from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in June 2025, with Perth services to follow in November 2025.

”We consider that granting interim authorisation now will allow Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia the lead time to undertake the necessary planning discussions, marketing, selling and system alignment in preparation for Virgin Australia to commence flying the new services by June 2025,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said

The new services will be offered subject to final regulatory approval by the ACCC and other government bodies.

The undertaking accepted by the ACCC today ensures that if final regulatory approval is ultimately not granted, then customers who have booked these proposed new services would be protected.

“Affected customers will be given the option of a refund or re-accommodation on a suitable alternative flight at no additional charge and would not be out of pocket for any reasonably foreseeable costs if these proposed new services ultimately don’t get approved,” Keogh said.

“Having this court-enforceable undertaking that protects customers was important to our decision to allow Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways to start selling tickets now.”

Under the proposed arrangements, Virgin Australia would use Qatar Airways craft and crew to operate the new services. This is known in the aviation industry as a ‘wetlease’ arrangement.

“We are carefully considering the concerns that interested parties have raised, particularly around the wetlease arrangements and the impact of the proposed exclusivity arrangements between Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways,” Keogh said.

Under the proposed arrangements Velocity members will continue to be able to earn and redeem Velocity points on Singapore Airlines’ operated services globally, including to and from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Virgin Australia’s arrangements with South African Airways and Virgin Atlantic would be unchanged.

Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia have sought authorisation for five years.

The ACCC is expected to release a draft determination in February 2025.

There was no explicit mention made in the ACCC release of granting approval for Qatar Airways' proposed 25% purchase in VA.

Rex Airlines on the brink

 

To lose one commercial airline is careless; to lose a second one would be catastrophic.

Hot on the heels of the failure of start-up airline Bonza, Australian carrier Regional Express (Rex) is fighting for survival.

If Rex closes, the cost of airfares under powerful duopoly Qantas and Virgin Australia would almost certainly rise.

Rex is currently in a share trading halt and is trying to turn around some financial issues. It has not posted a media statement on its website for over a month and as of Tuesday afternoon its website was not taking bookings on some routes. 

Rex was predominantly a regional carrier until two or three years ago but has recently been operating in competition with Qantas and Virgin Australia on major routes.

The two big guns have a combined 93% of the market.

“One thing we need to do is to make sure that we have a viable and ongoing Australian aviation industry,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Albanese, unfortunately, often talks a good game but fails to deliver. There is no indication yet that he will step in. 

The PM said if Rex went under many outback and country communities would suffer.

“Rex is the only airline to go to some of those destinations, so it’s important,” he said.

Stay tuned.

Cat out of the bag for dog days in the air

Australians will soon be able to fly with their pets in the cabin.

Virgin Australia today announced its intention to be the country’s first airline to operate flights with pets onboard.

The Australian-first service is subject to regulatory approval, and is expected to launch within 12 months.

In a social media survey of Virgin Australia’s Facebook followers in 2021, 85% of respondents voted in favour of the airline launching pets in cabin flights. 

In more recent research conducted by Virgin Australia with Australian pet owners, nearly 70% of respondents advised they would travel with their pet in the cabin, with 57% saying they would fly more regularly if the service was a reality.

Almost all major carriers in North America offer a pets onboard service for domestic flights, including United Airlines and Air Canada.

Virgin Australia announced a number of parameters for pets in cabin flights:

The service will be limited to small cats and dogs on specific domestic routes.

Pets will be restricted to a limited number of designated rows and will not be allowed to roam freely or sit on laps.

Pets must also be carried in a Virgin Australia approved pet carrier under the seat in front of the owner for the duration of the flight.

“Our love for animals has always been in the Virgin Australia DNA and we are excited at the prospect of taking off with Australia’s first-ever pets in cabin flights,” said Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka.

“Overwhelmingly, our guests tell us they want to travel with their pets, and we are now on a journey to make that a reality. It’s something that commonly happens overseas and is proven to work well.

“Almost 70% of Australian households have a pet, so this announcement is really significant for a large proportion of the country. It’s also a great thing for pet-friendly accommodation providers who will benefit greatly from increased connectivity and the ease for travellers to fly with their pets. It really will be a whole new economy for pet travel in Australia.

“Pets on flights is another example of Virgin Australia leading the way with new and improved service offerings and first-to-market experiences for our guests.”

New boss for Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia will launch a global search for a new boss following the resignation of Jayne Hrdlicka.

The US-born executive led Virgin through Covid and back into profitability but today announced her decision to stand down from the role of CEO.

The Board of Virgin Australia will "shortly commence a global search process for a new CEO," the airline said in a statement.

Hrdlicka has led Virgin Australia as CEO since her appointment in 2020 after the airline was acquired out of administration by Bain Capital.

“I have decided the time is right for me to signal CEO transition for this great airline and ultimately to pass the baton on," Hrdlicka said.

"This is not a decision I have taken lightly, but the last four years have been heavy lifting across the organisation during the toughest of times.

"We are in the midst of the next phase of our transformation program and there is a lot to do and an IPO to deliver. The next phase of this journey is another 3-5 years, making now the perfect juncture to begin the process of leadership transition to deliver the next few chapters of what I’m sure will be a significant long-term success story.

“I am very proud of what the Virgin Australia team have accomplished together since the depths of administration and the Covid-19 pandemic."

Virgin Australia chairman Ryan Cotton said: "Jayne has led Virgin Australia through the most turbulent times of its 20+ year history.

"Her leadership was fundamental to repositioning the airline back to its roots as a value carrier, returning Virgin Australia to profitability for the first time in 11 years. It has laid a strong foundation for continued growth and margin expansion that will underpin Virgin Australia’s competitive position in the Australian market."

A former Qantas and Jetstar exec, Hrdlicka is currently also the chairman and board president of Tennis Australia. Her husband died last year after a battle with cancer. 

Codeshare agreement a boon for Virgin Australia flyers

A new partnership between Virgin Australia and Link Airways is set to open up more regional destinations for Virgin flyers.

The codeshare agreement will expand Virgin Australia's regional footprint with more than 90 flights per week to be operated by Link Airways, including services to Inverell, Wollongong, and Biloela which are not currently serviced by any other major airline.

Velocity Frequent Flyer members will now be able to earn both points and status credits on 17 new regional codeshare services.

Effective immediately, flyers can book via Virgin Australia's travel agency partners, with fares available on virginaustralia.com from March 2024.

Velocity Platinum, Gold and Silver members will also earn bonus points and receive an additional baggage allowance when travelling on any Virgin Australia codeshare service operated by Link Airways.

Eligible Velocity members can also access Virgin Australia lounges when travelling on these Virgin Australia codeshare services.

New regional routes available as Virgin Australia codeshare flights include Brisbane-Coffs Harbour, Brisbane-Orange, Sydney-Narrabri, Sydney-Inverell, Melbourne-Wollongong and Canberra-Hobart.

"The announcement in partnership with Link Airways underscores our commitment to delivering great value, flexibility and choice to Australians, and boosting connections for customers living in regional Australia,” said Virgin Australia Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Alistair Hartley.

“Importantly the partnership is also set to support regional trade and tourism in destinations like Inverell, Wollongong and Biloela, which are not currently serviced by any other major airline."

Link Airways Chief Executive Officer Andrew Major said: “Link Airways is very pleased to join Virgin Australia in announcing this codeshare agreement which will provide significant additional travel opportunities to passengers Australia-wide, particularly those in regional areas.

"Benefits will include better connectivity and more choice for regional customers thanks to Virgin Australia’s expansive route network.”

Transport minister issues warning to Australia's major airlines

Australian transport minister Catherine King has slammed the on-time failures of the country's two biggest airlines: Qantas and Virgin Australia.

King said the latest BITRE On Time Performance (OTP) report, for November, confirmed what many Australians would expect "with the lowest average on time statistics by airlines in over a year".

Small fry Bonza and Rex led the way for the month with on time performances of 73.9% and 70.5% respectively, while Virgin Australia was the worst performer for the month, with only 54.3% of its flights arriving on time.

Qantas saw 66.3% of its flights arrive on schedule.

"Across all airlines, last month’s average on time arrivals figure of 64.1% was significantly lower than the long-term average performance of 81.1%," King said in a statement.

The on time departures figure of 65.9% was also significantly lower than the long-term average of 82.3%.

Cancellations were at 3.7% for the month, compared with the long-term average of 2.2%.

"Given these very disappointing results, it is no wonder that so many Australians remain fed up with our major airlines," King said.

"Like all Australians, the Government wants an aviation sector that supports our nation’s way of life and this means services need to be reliable, competitive and affordable.

"That's why we have committed to delivering an Aviation White Paper, expected to be released in mid-2024, to set the scene for the next generation of growth and development across the aviation sector.

"This will include consideration of how we can better protect the interests of consumers, whether that be a stronger ombudsman model or other measures implemented in overseas jurisdictions.

"As Australians gear up to travel for Christmas and the holidays, the Government will be keeping a close eye on the performance of all our major airlines."

Image: Louis Loizou, Scop.io 

Thanks for flying with us: would you like a free cruise?

Sir Richard Branson has never been one to shy away from a publicity stunt.

But even by the the flamboyant British entrepreneur's standards this week's headline grabber was a doozy.

Passengers on a Virgin Australia flight from Melbourne to Hobart were treated to $7000 cruise vouchers. Just because.

Branson, speaking via FaceTime through the plane’s PA system, told the passengers they would all get a free cruise.

Virgin Voyages’ ship Resilient Lady will start cruising from Melbourne's Station Pier from next month.

The adults-only Resilient Lady is the first new Virgin travel product to arrive Down Under since the launch of Virgin Australia in 2000. Cabins will start from $149 per person, per night with up to $1000 in inclusions.

The flight was chosen as its route is the same as Virgin Voyages’ first ‘Mermaiden’ voyage in Australia on December 11.

“Today, you happen to be travelling on the same route as our Aussie Mermaiden Voyage,” Branson said.

“To celebrate this milestone, I’m pleased to gift each adult on board a free Virgin Voyages cruise.”

The Resilient Lady’s itineraries from Melbourne will include calls in Hobart, Burnie, Sydney and across the Tasman to New Zealand.

Virgin Australia Chief Marketing Officer Libby Minogue said the airline was delighted to create a wonderful experience for guests to celebrate Virgin Voyages’ arrival.

“We are laser focused on creating wonderful experiences for our guests and today is a great example of the Virgin brands joining forces to deliver Australians new experiences in the air or at sea,” she said.

Virgin Voyages CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu said excitement was building for the arrival of Resilient Lady, which is currently sailing from Athens to Australia.

"There will never, ever be better prices to experience our award-winning dining, entertainment and wellness onboard the luxurious Resilient Lady," he said. "This is a new way of cruising Down Under and we can't wait for Aussies to sail with us.” 

Resilient Lady will dock in Australia for the first time on December 4 in Sydney, before heading to Melbourne for the Mermaiden Voyage on December 11.

Branson will be coming to Australia to celebrate the historic voyage, so expect more headline-grabbing stunts.

Virgin Australia launches a new baggage locating app for flyers

Like many people I am travelling with hand luggage only when if I fly, if at all possible.

Some bad experiences during the chaos of Covid have made me - and millions of others - wary of checking their baggage lest it comes lost, or is delayed.

To aleviate such fears, Virgin Australia has launched Australia's first-ever airline baggage tracking tool across more than two-thirds of its domestic network.

Following a successful pilot of the program in May, most guests will be able to track the status of their checked baggage via the Virgin Australia app.

The announcement follows Virgin Australia’s investment of more than $400 million in digital innovation, technology and customer experience initiatives.

The tracking tool will be available on most domestic routes between major airports, including Sydney-Melbourne, Brisbane-Sydney, Melbourne-Gold Coast, Melbourne-Hobart, Adelaide-Melbourne, Sydney-Sunshine Coast, and more.

The airline’s remaining domestic network, including select services departing Perth, are expected to feature the tracking tool soon.

To access the tool, flyers must download the Virgin Australia app and enable push notifications via the app setting. Once enabled, a series of push notifications will be sent to the guest’s phone throughout the journey, reflecting the bag being checked-in, transferred to an international partner airline, or available for collection at the final destination. The tool will also advise the guest which carousel the baggage is available for collection from.

Virgin Australia Group Chief Customer and Digital Officer, Paul Jones, said: “It’s our mission to be Australia’s most-loved airline and that means we need to listen to our customers to ensure we are offering the services that are most important to them.

“We know the potential of lost baggage is a concern for travellers globally and anticipate today’s announcement will give many guests that extra level of comfort knowing where their bag is at every step of the journey."

Virgin Australia ushers in new aviation era

Today marks the start of a new era for Virgin Australia, which has taken delivery of its first new, fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 aircraft in Seattle.

The new MAX family aircraft are fitted out with next generation seats which include device holders and in-seat power, and are 40% quieter and at least 15%more fuel efficient per flight compared to the 737-800 NG fleet, the airline said in a statement.

The acquisition came on the same day as Virgin’s inaugural Cairns-Tokyo (Haneda) service, which will operate using the 737-8 aircraft from the end of July.

VH-8IA is one of 33 MAX family aircraft that will join the Virgin Australia fleet over the next five years.

Virgin Australia Chief Operations Officer Stuart Aggs said the new MAX family aircraft are a critical part of the airline’s transformation.

“These new aircraft will allow us to grow capacity and support more efficient jet services,” he said.

“And, importantly, they will reduce emissions by at least 15% per flight compared to the 737-800 NG fleet, supporting our commitment to targeting net zero emissions by 2050.

“While our approach to decarbonisation is multi-faceted, fleet modernisation is a critical part of progressing our sustainability ambitions and represents a significant opportunity to reduce our emissions intensity in the near term.

“We expect our fleet renewal program, combined with other fuel efficiency initiatives, to support over 80%of our 2030 interim target to reduce Virgin Australia’s carbon emission intensity by 22%.”

Virgin Australia re-boots flights to Samoa

Virgin Australia has resumed flights to Samoa with up to two flights a week between Sydney-Apia and Brisbane-Apia.

Virgin has also launched a 72-hour Samoa sale, with return airfares available from $549 (economy lite).

Both routes will be serviced by Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Virgin Australia Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Alistair Hartley said the return was welcome news for travellers across the Pacific.

“There is a strong Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) market in Samoa," he said. 

“It’s an exciting step in the rebuilding of our short-haul international network and comes ahead of our return to Vanuatu later this month.

“Samoa is well-known for its rich culture and friendly locals and has been a popular destination in the Virgin Australia network since 2005.”

Samoa Tourism Authority CEO Pativaine Petaia-Tevita said: “The return of Virgin Australia flights from Australia to Samoa is wonderful news for the nation, boosting collective efforts to rebuild and recover Samoa’s visitor economy.

“With a diverse flight schedule it means more and more travellers will be able to make their way to us to experience Fa`a-Samoa, our beautiful culture and way of life.”

For more information or to book, visit virginaustralia.com.

How to fly from Australia to Tokyo for $699 return

 

Virgin Australia this morning unveiled a new year-round, daily Cairns-Tokyo (Haneda) service, which will add over 2,000 seats per week to Japan from June 28, 2023.

And to celebrate, Virgin dropped a Hello Tokyo sale with tickets on sale from $699 return, until midnight next Tuesday, or until sold out.

Linking directly to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, the route will add over 30,000 additional inbound visitors into Cairns every year, delivering a major boost for the local tourism industry.

Virgin plans to operate the route using new Boeing 737-8 aircraft, which it says will reduce emissions by up to 15% per flight.

Virgin Australia has also announced it will strengthen its partnership with All Nippon Airways (ANA), with expanded codeshare services and reciprocal loyalty benefits to be implemented throughout 2023.

The new route was launched in partnership with the Queensland Government and Cairns Airport through the Queensland Government’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund.

Virgin Australia Group Chief Executive Officer Jayne Hrdlicka said: “I’m thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new daily, year-round Cairns-Haneda service with VA77 taking off on June 28 next year. 

"We’re excited to offer our guests access directly into and out of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, on new fuel-efficient aircraft." 

Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines link-up again

Long-time alliance partners Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines have resumed the sale of Virgin Australia codeshare flights to destinations on Singapore Airlines’ global network.

Effective immediately, the announcement sees customers able to book directly on virginaustralia.com for onward travel between Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and beyond.

The move is the next step in returning the carrier’s partnership to pre-pandemic operations, following the resumption of redemption bookings and mileage/points conversion for KrisFlyer and Velocity members earlier this year, Virgin said in a statement.

Created in in 2011, the partnership allowed passengers to access a range of international and domestic destinations across both airlines’ networks.

Virgin Australia Group Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Alistair Hartley, said: “Singapore Airlines has been a valued partner of Virgin Australia for well over a decade and we are excited to resume the sale of codeshare flights.

“Customers are now able to search and book flights to a host of destinations, including to popular tourist destinations across Asia and beyond.

"Virgin Australia will codeshare on 42 destinations covering 23 countries on the Singapore Airlines network, including Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Seoul in South Korea, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Paris in Europe, London in the United Kingdom, and Jakarta in Indonesia, as well as Singapore Airlines’ home base."

Singapore Airlines continues to offer codeshare flights on 64 routes covering 31 destinations on Virgin Australia’s domestic and international network, including the addition of Queenstown in New Zealand.

The two carriers will continue to work closely to expand codeshare flights to more destinations across the Singapore Airlines’ network in the coming weeks, subject to regulatory approval.

Virgin Australia tries to promote the unpromotable

Someone at Virgin Australia has been smoking the wacky baccy, or quaffing the gin-infused crazy kool aid.

Virgin - aided by some malleable media - is trying to convince flyers that being given the middle seat in a row of three is desirable.

As a regular flyer, I always prefer an aisle seat on short-haul flights and a window sear on long-haul. Sitting in a middle seat is a fate to be avoided at all costs - particularly post-Covid, when you neighbour can be sniffing and coughing their way to their destination.

Amazingly, News Ltd newspapers are compliant in this idiocy.

"While the middle seat might be the neglected option for any travellers, it does have its advantages: with a person either side your chances of meeting someone interesting are double," wrote David Mills in what read suspiciously like a paid advert.

Yes, he really wrote that. 

Mr Mills thinks the chance of winning a prize is "a powerful incentive to book the middle seat" on your next flight.

I, like many other Velocity frequent flyers, received an email from the airline over the weekend.

The ‘Bring on Wonderful’ campaign spearheads Virgin Australia’s mission to "truly make flight an uplifting experience for all".

Not the chore it currently is.

"This isn’t just a brand campaign – we are putting words in action to make the flying experience unique and truly wonderful,” says Libby Minogue, chief marketing officer for Virgin Australia.

She says the ‘Middle Seat Lottery’, transforms every middle seat on the airline’s domestic flights from the least favourite to the most wonderful.

Yes, really.

"Guests who sit in the middle seat will have a chance to win hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of unexpected and wonderful prizes, with a new prize and winner every week," says Tom Martin, co-CCO of Virgin campaign partners Special.

There will, apparently be prizes worth up to $230,000 on offer.

Other genius innovations include the ‘Reverse Kids Meals’ - where children can have their meal backwards, with their dessert first, if they so wish.

Impressive eh?   

UPDATE: On the very day the "Wonderful" campaign was launched, friends had their Virgin flights from the Sunshine Coast to Hobart cancelled and delayed by a day.

 

They were then put on flights to Hobart via Sydney, then Melbourne that took them a total of 11 1/4 hours to make the journey. Oops.