High Chance NEW ROUTES

Hi Guys,

I just flew to Sydney and was talking to a high up VS manager there and they told me some info that is intresting. We will have to watch the space for it to be confirmed but it wont be too long.

A 2nd daily LHR-HKG using an A340-300 with UCS or a 600. The VS200 will still use an A340-600 and continue onto SYD daily.

A daily LHR-PVG-MEL using A340-600

A daily LHR-NRT-SYD using A340-600

They also told me the HKG-SYD-HKG flights are picking up and there is no chance that VS are pulling out. There was talk of reducing it to a 4 day a week service but not anymore. We have just got 2 huge contracts. Some of the NOV/DEC/JAN are already full.

[Nottingham Nick]

Thanks for that VITB. [y][y]

Good news all round [8D]:D

Nick

great news cheers, please keep us informed of any further updates!

[mitchja]

Excellent news

Regards

Thats a quite a commitment to the far east and Oz.
Be interesting to see if and when these are introduced.

Dean

That's very interesting news, and could make VS much more attractive to an Australian resident, as it will give them choices of Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and London from down under.

The missing piece of the jigsaw is Virgin Blue, which I guess is why SRB is so keen to get back control, and introduce a Frequent Flyer Programme on DJ.

Then Oz residents will have a real alternative to Qantas.

As a side note, do VS own 5th freedom rights to Australia from Japan and China?

Thanks for the update VITB

We'd be interested to know if there are any plans to
start operating any flights to Perth in WA from bases
in china/japan. We plan to visit there again relatively soon. Last time we went with VS via syndey. But next time, its probably
just PER we'll want to go to.

Probably not a volume route, but seems to be a duopoly
of QF and CX at the moment from china.

Guess there is always SQ.

Cheers

Robert

I think a 2nd HKG flight a day is needed.

In the UC cabin next week, my flight to Sydney from HKG has 38 seats available.

Yes, but the flights will be full of whining Aussies, trying to make out they only lost the ashes due to the "poms weather"! :D:D

Why not make the 2nd daily service to HKG continue to MEL? Not sure if PVG-MEL would work. HKG-MEL would be much more popular and at the moment is rather under-served (only CX and QF) compared to HKG-SYD.

The Strawb

Originally posted by Strawberry Muppet
Why not make the 2nd daily service to HKG continue to MEL? Not sure if PVG-MEL would work. HKG-MEL would be much more popular and at the moment is rather under-served (only CX and QF) compared to HKG-SYD.

The Strawb

That would not solve the problem of lack of seats between SYD-LHR.

PVG is a very popular place to travel now for business. Why do you think BA now fly there.

That sounds great I wonder what the timing will be. Poses a question though, I can see how perhaps a 343 can be diverted to HKG duty wihtout impacting on other routes and new routes, but two more daily flights to Aus means at least 4 x 346s and I wonder where they are coming from ... perhaps one rumour, that VS is buying more 346s while they wait for the 380, is true?

Originally posted by slinky09
... but two more daily flights to Aus means at least 4 x 346s and I wonder where they are coming from ...

Not quite 4 a/c required Slinky.

VS already operate the flights to PVG and NRT so continuing the flights on would probably require an additional 2-3 a/c.

For the record PVG-MEL is about 11.5 hours (so turnarounds could be tight - can't quite see how the a/c could return to PVG in time) - Can't see any operators on this route direct though.

NRT-SYD is a more manageable 9.5 hours so the a/c operating LHR-NRT should be able to return the following day. JL and QS both operate on this route.

Timing wise I would have thought NRT-MEL and PVG-SYD (both 10.5 hours) would make more sense but maybe the load figures do not add up.

Phil (Buffy)

[Bazz]

Originally posted by slinky09
...that VS is buying more 346s while they wait for the 380, is true?

VS have more 346's on order and have options on others so expect to see more of them joining the fleet over the next few years. These are planned additions and are not due to the delay in the A380's introduction.

[Bazz]

Originally posted by AlanA
Yes, but the flights will be full of whining Aussies, trying to make out they only lost the ashes due to the "poms weather"! :D:D

Now we know you are joking Alan but what a great bunch of Guys the Oz team were. I thought the atmosphere and the cameraderie was fantastic both on the pitch and in the crowd. Why can't the so called "Beautiful Game" be more like that. Apologies for being OT but the louts make my blood boil [}:)]

Originally posted by Bazz

VS have more 346's on order and have options on others so expect to see more of them joining the fleet over the next few years. These are planned additions and are not due to the delay in the A380's introduction.

I have a friend who has just come back from the Airbus factory tour in Toulouse and he saw a 346 nearly ready to be released with the VS livery already on the tail so at least one of them could be arriving sooner than u think!

That is good news. Just booked my ticket to HKG on VS200 for March. Without a doubt I prefer the A346 than the A343.

I like the sound of the new Friday service to LAS.

[mitchja]

Originally posted by newby
I have a friend who has just come back from the Airbus factory tour in Toulouse and he saw a 346 nearly ready to be released with the VS livery already on the tail so at least one of them could be arriving sooner than u think!

The next VS A346 is due in November. That's the final one this year. I think there are 8 A346's due in 2006.

Regards

Originally posted by mitchja

The next VS A346 is due in November. That's the final one this year. I think there are 8 A346's due in 2006.

So with 4 x A343 due to retire from the fleet, this will mean a net gain of four planes next year?

Originally posted by mitchja
I think there are 8 A346's due in 2006.

I thought it was:

6 in 2006
5 in 2007
3 in 2008

But I stand to be corrected [:I].

Phil (Buffy)

Just looked up on Aircraft Database and saw VFIT, VFIZ, VHIP(Due Feb '06) and VWIN have been added so they should be delivered next year and the next one to be delivered is VWKD in November.

Originally posted by VSMAD
Just looked up on Aircraft Database and saw VFIT, VFIZ, VHIP(Due Feb '06) and VWIN have been added so they should be delivered next year and the next one to be delivered is VWKD in November.

This has been known for quite a while now.

Originally posted by VS-EWR

Originally posted by VSMAD
Just looked up on Aircraft Database and saw VFIT, VFIZ, VHIP(Due Feb '06) and VWIN have been added so they should be delivered next year and the next one to be delivered is VWKD in November.

This has been known for quite a while now.

Not to me

News here about possible extension of Dubai to Muscat and Qatar. Rather an extension and addition than new new but good stuff.