Virgin sets a new course
Etihad Airways has launched a fare sale from Australia and New Zealand to mark its new partnership with the Virgin Blue Group.
Etihad is also launching the Australia Skypass, a new fare product that allows inbound tourists to fly up to six domestic/Tasman sectors from USD$55 per sector.
Etihad Airways’ chief commercial officer Peter Baumgartner said, “We believe the Australia Skypass will be a boon for domestic tourism in Australia, giving untapped European tourists access to secondary ports as well as connectivity between the major capital cities.”
Virgin Blue is dumping its loss-making long-haul V Australia services to South Africa and Thailand.
“As a minor player on the African route the prospects of achieving a return are remote,†Virgin Blue’s chief executive John Borghetti said.
Virgin will instead redeploy four B777s to the Australia-Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi routes from February.
Virgin has also announced a codeshare agreement with Eithad and its Abu Dhabi hub from October.
Virgin Blue reported an after-tax net profit for the year to June 30 of $21.3 million, up from a loss of $160 million a year earlier.
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