DPS looms large in Tigers eyes

As mentioned last year Tigerair will take over the MEL/ADL/PER - DPS services currently operated by parent Virgin Australia from next month.

Tiger recently held a media event to discuss the flights and show off the first of their Boeing 737-8FE's which they will borrow from VA for use on the route.

Boeing 737-8FE VH-VUB in Tigerair livery at YMML - photo via australianaviation.com.au ©

The first Boeing 737-8FE in service will be VH-VUB ex ZK-PBJ which was painted into Tigerair livery last year and has sat in MEL since awaiting Tigerair service.

The second Boeing in Tigerair livery will be VH-VOR ex ZK-PBF which completed its last VA revenue service yesterday Sunday 31-January-2016 when it arrived into Brisbane as VA1496 from Hamilton Island, it then positioned to Townsville as VA9901 where it entered the Flying Colours hangar for the repaint.

The third and final Boeing to enter Tigerair service is expected to be VH-VOO ex ZK-PBA (an aircraft I experienced twice in the last week)

For more details on the new service and to see photos of the new Tigerair can refit read the Australian Aviation article HERE

Changes to VA shorthaul Asian flying

As expected by a lot of people Virgin Australia has today announced it will withdraw from the Perth - Phuket route and hand its Perth/Melbourne/Adelaide - Bali routes to subsidiary Tigerair.

Tigerair will take over the Bali flights from March, with the Phuket route being dropped from February.

Regulatory approval is still begin sought for Tigerair to operate a fleet of 3 all economy Boeing 737-800s on the Bali flights.  Tigerair has until now been an all A320 operator.

Virgin will redirect its capacity from these routes to an increase on Sydney/Melbourne - Christchurch as well as seasonal capacity increases on flights to Fiji and the Solomon Islands.  Virgin reduced its capacity into Christchurch as a result of the effect on passenger numbers from the Christchurch earthquakes.

These changes come on the back of the annual profit announcement from Virgin which was a bottom line net loss of $94M AUD.  It is expected that these changes along with a $1b cost saving program will return the airline to profitability in the near future.

Read more about the changes to these services via the Brisbane Times HERE

Changes to Virgin Flights

With the reabsorption of Virgin Australia (NZ) into the Virgin Australia International arm there have been a number of schedule and flight number changes to the Virgin Australia International network, which came into effect this week, with the winter timetable.

Numerous Trans-Tasman, Pacific Island and Bali flights have seen either flight number or time changes or both, here are two changes of note.

Port Hedland - Denpasar Bali

This once weekly service used to operate PHE-DPS-PHE as VA2611/2613 utilising a Virgin Australia Regional Fokker F100, as of today Saturday 4-April-2015 it is now a DPS-PHE-DPS service using a Virgin Australia International B738 as VA74/73.

Sydney - Nadi Fiji

During Peak times Virgin Australia will up gauge their Saturday SYD-NAN-SYD service to an A330.  These peak times are mainly school holidays and selected dates over the Christmas/New Year holiday period.  The first up gauged service departed Sydney this morning Saturday 4-April-2015 operated by Airbus A330 VH-XFJ

VA Stat bite

Some readers may be interested in this Virgin Australia 'Stat bite' post looking at Virgin Australia International flights today.

Monday 30-March-2015

Total International Sectors Flown: 55
Trans Pacific Sectors: 4
Trans Tasman Sectors: 25
South East Asian Sectors: 13
South Pacific Sectors: 13

Aircraft Types Used: 2
Boeing 777-3ZG(ER)s Used: 4
Boeing 737-8FEs Used: 18
Boeing 737s with Boeing Sky Interior Used: 17

Excluding the PER-HKT-PER sectors today was the first day in a while that domestic or ex ZK aircraft haven't featured somewhere on the Bali/Trans Tasman/Pacific Island sectors.

What is Nyepi Day? And why are there no flights?

Today is Nyepi the Balinese 'Day of Silence' which is celebrated as part of Isakawarsa with tomorrow being Balinese New Years Day.  Although a Hindu festival, Nyepi is observed by all in Bali, a description of it follows

Observed from 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. the next morning, Nyepi is a day reserved for self-reflection, and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is restricted. The main restrictions are no lighting fires (and lights must be kept low); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and, for some, no talking or eating at all. The effect of these prohibitions is that Bali's usually bustling streets and roads are empty, there is little or no noise from TVs and radios, and few signs of activity are seen even inside homes. The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalang, traditional security men who patrol the streets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed.  Although Nyepi is primarily a Hindu holiday, non-Hindu residents of Bali observe the day of silence as well, out of respect for their fellow citizens. Even tourists are not exempt; although free to do as they wish inside their hotels, no one is allowed onto the beaches or streets, and the only airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day. The only exceptions granted are for emergency vehicles carrying those with life-threatening conditions and women about to give birth.

This effects the following flights to/from Australia today/tomorrow morning

KEY:

JQ - Jetstar

VA - Virgin Australia

GA - Garuda Indonesia

QZ - Indonesia AirAsia

320 - Airbus A320

73H - Boeing 737-8FE(W)

333 - Airbus A330-300

332 - Airbus A330-200

100 - Fokker F100

788 - Boeing 787-8

Final ex VA(NZ) frame returns to service

The final first flight happened today with VH-VUQ ex ZK-PBL operating this morning,  Wednesday 18-March-2015, VA308 BNE-MEL.

This brings to the end the transition of the former VA(NZ) fleet back into VA International.

To date the following ex ZK aircraft have operated international routes
PBA VH-VOO
PBB VH-VOP
PBF VH-VOR
PBJ VH-VUB
All have seen domestic Australian service however just VH-VOR and VH-VUB have graced New Zealand/South Pacific skies again, with VH-VOO & VH-VOP operating only on international services to Bali.

Meanwhile as noted in THIS post - VH-YID now wearing full Virgin Samoa colours has hopped around the network operating Trans-Tasman, to Fiji, domestically in Australia, on FIFO flights in WA and to Denpasar from Perth.

VA(NZ) the (visible) end

The final New Zealand registered Virgin Australia aircraft ZK-PBL finished up last night Friday 13-March-2015 as VA161 AKL-BNE, bringing a visible end to VA(NZ).  

VA(NZ) will no doubt still have paperwork to complete and staff to transition across to VAI before it hands in its AOC but the visible face the 10 ZK registered aircraft have returned to Australia.

ZK-PBL will return to her previous Aussie registration VH-VUQ

VH-VUP ex ZK-PBK re-entered service today Saturday 14-March-2015 as VA607 BNE-MKY, while newly Virgin Samoa branded VH-YID operated this morning Saturday 14-March-2015 as VA152 BNE-AKL

Pacific Blue/Virgin Australia (NZ) commenced flying in 2004 between its home base of Christchurch and Brisbane a flight that continues daily to this date.  In 2007 it announced it would enter the New Zealand domestic market and indeed flew between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin from November-2007 to October-2010.

With the withdrawal of ZK-PBL the New Zealand register connection ends after 11 years of aircraft on the New Zealand register. 23/01/04 - 14/03/15

And the winner is.......

And the winner is ZK-PBL the final VA(NZ) bird

Boeing 737-8FE ZK-PBK flew her final flights as VA171/170 BNE-VLI-BNE on Monday 09-March-2015 before entering the Virgin Australia hanger.  She was struck from the New Zealand register today Tuesday 10-March-2015 and will enter the Australian register as VH-VUP.

VH-VOR ex PBF at time of writing has not entered service but will no longer carry the Virgin Samoa titles.  ***UPDATE*** VH-VOR operated her first flight as VA1384 BNE-ADL today Tuesday 10-March-2015

VH-YID flew from Brisbane to Townsville on Tuesday 03-March-2015 as VA9939 where she entered the paint hanger and was given the Virgin Samoa titles and Tupu'itea name.  Unlike PBF she does not sport the tribal colour band on the engines.  She returned to Brisbane as VA9938 on Sunday 08-March-2015 and at time of writing has not flown since.

VH-VOR/ZK-PBF arriving at AKL in the old Polynesian Blue colour scheme ©nzompilot

Another first for Virgin Australia goes to VH-VUB ex ZK-PBJ which takes the honour of the first ex ZK bird to return to New Zealand.  VH-VUB operated VA160 BNE-AKL on Monday 09-March-2015

Then There Were two

Thursday 05-March-2015 saw Virgin Samoa branded Boeing 737-8FE ZK-PBF operate her final flight on the New Zealand register flying VA161 AKL-BNE.  Upon completion she was towed across the airport and entered the Virgin Australia hanger for business class upgrade and entry to the Australian register.  She will take up VH-VOR.

Meanwhile VH-VUH ex ZK-PBI re-entered Virgin Australia service on Tuesday 3-March-2015 as VA773 Brisbane to Cairns

VH-VUD ex ZK-PBG re-entered Virgin Australia service today Friday 06-March-2015 as VA304 Brisbane to Melbourne

Into The Final Countdown

VA(NZ) has entered the final countdown with just 3 frames remaining on the New Zealand register.

ZK-PBG operated its final service as VA161 AKL-BNE Sunday 01-March-2015 before entering the Brisbane hanger for her business class upgrade and entry to the Australian register as VH-VUD. She was struck from the New Zealand register today Monday 02-March-2015.

ZK-PBG arriving into a stormy AKL in 2007 ©nzompilot

At time of writing VH-VUH ex ZK-PBI had not yet re-entered Virgin Australia service.

Meanwhile despite having flown Business Class equipped aircraft on various Tasman routes for most of the past month, Virgin Australia officially launched Business Class across the Tasman with VA144 SYD-AKL on Saturday 28-February-2015.  From this date all SYD-AKL flights will offer business class.  The 3 remaining ZK registered aircraft will continue to operate but will not operate on SYD-AKL.  Currently PBL is operating out of BNE, PBF on AKL-MEL and AKL-PI services and PBK is on SYD-NAN and SYD-CHC routes.

Read more about the Business Class offering on Tasman services via
austbt.com.au HERE
Australian Aviation HERE

Then there were 4

The Virgin Australia(NZ) fleet has dwindled to just 4 frames with the latest entering the Brisbane hanger for reintroduction to the Australian register and business class upgrade.

ZK-PBI operated its final flights as VA120/121 BNE-DUD-BNE on Sunday 22-February-2015 with its scheduled flight on Monday 23-February-2015 VA171/170 BNE-VLI-BNE cancelled. It was removed from the New Zealand register today Tuesday 24-February-2015.

Meanwhile its predecessor in the hanger VH-VOY (ZK-PBD) made its first flight this morning Tuesday 24-February-2015 as VA1384 BNE-ADL.

The CASA register has been updated and shows that 4 of the 5 ex NZ aircraft (excluding PBI) have been registered to Virgin Australia International with just VH-VUO (PBM) being registered to Virgin Australia (Domestic)  This gives the opportunity for these frames to once again fly the Tasman and Pacific Island routes with the New Zealand based crews.

However to this point only VH-VOO (PBA) and VH-VUB (PBJ) have flown international and both have operated on the Denpasar Bali routes.  Besides the remaining VA(NZ) aircraft the Tasman/Pacific Island routes have all been flown by the newer VH-YI* series aircraft.

VA(NZ) halfway through reintegration into VAI

The Virgin Australia NZ fleet currently sits at half of what it was, with the 5th frame heading into the Brisbane hanger for return to the Australian register and to have its business class upgrade.

ZK-PBD operated its final flight as VOZ175/176 BNE-NAN-BNE on Wednesday 18-February-2015 and was struck from the New Zealand register on Thursday 19-February-2015.  She will re-enter the Australian register as VH-VOY.

VH-VUB ex ZK-PBJ entered service with Virgin Australia operating VOZ773 BNE-CNS on Thursday 19-February-2015.

VA(NZ) fleet update

The Virgin Australia team are pumping the ex VA(NZ) fleet through now with the next bird coming to the end of her time on the New Zealand register.

ZK-PBJ ended her VA(NZ) life on Friday 13-February-2013 operating VOZ176/175 BNE-NAN-BNE before she entered the Virgin Australia hanger to become VH-VUB and have the business class installation.

VH-VOP (ex ZK-PBB) left the hanger after her transformation and entered domestic service this morning Saturday 14-February-2015 as VOZ916 BNE-SYD

The withdrawal of ZK-PBJ leaves the remaining VA(NZ) fleet at 6.  As of today Saturday 14-February-2015 none of the former fleet have operated a Tasman/Pacific service, with the services being operated by other members of the VAI fleet in the VH-YI* range.