The V Australia part of Virgin might be worried about red tape right now, but Down Under domestic carrier Virgin Blue is getting excited about throwing more and more routes the way of travelers. And we have to say we like that in an airline.

New on the map this week are flights centered on the Western Australian capital, Perth. As well as doubling flights between Perth and northern tourist spot Broome, Virgin Blue is adding flights from Perth to Pilbara region towns Newman and Karratha, perfect bases for exploring the national parks and desert up there.

The new flights start in October and the probable prices haven't been announced yet, but they're bound to be lower than the small fortune people have been paying on these routes until now.

Related Stories:
· Virgin Blue Announces Major WA Expansion [Peanuts]
· Red Tape Worries V Australia [Jaunted]
· Virgin Blue coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: purpleairplane]
]]> amandak 2008-08-27T09:33:17-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/28/33755/3877

Jaunted's Amanda Kendle just got back from Melbourne. This week: Read all about it.

My virgin flight with Virgin Blue started well: For starters, the four-hour distance from Perth to Melbourne was really cheap at A$173 (US$165). They emailed me for online check-in so I didn't have to think about it myself, and they had plenty of amusing signs at the check-in counter and departure gate so I felt entertained. They even left on time.

In fact, my gripes are few. Leg room was definitely lacking on board, but I shouldn't complain because the price I paid didn't really allow for leg room. The entertainment system flashed in front of me the whole flight even though I didn't want it to, and after seeing the ads over and over they really started to get on my nerves. The advertising from Europcar that said we were flying on Vigin--too prudish to say Virgin?--was especially annoying, and the flight tracking map of Australia randomly got the spelling wrong on the body of water called the Great Australian Bight (half the time it said Bite).

Am I nit-picking? Yes--because there's very little to complain about. The head flight attendant made the required jokes during every announcement (many of which were actually funny), all the staff were cheerful and we arrived on time. Fix the typos and I'd fly with them again.

Related Stories:
· Virgin Blue [Official Site]
· Virgin Blue coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: scherre]]]> amandak 2008-07-28T08:45:24-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/25/65645/3318

We've always thought the best part about getting married is the honeymoon, and what faster way to cut to the honeymoon is there than actually getting married on the plane?

That may have been part of the reason for Australian couple Jenny Huntingford and Ettore Rapino to plan their wedding for tomorrow on a Virgin Blue Boeing 737 at Brisbane Airport. The couple will have their ceremony on the airplane but then adjourn to the Virgin Blue lounge for the reception--complete with a wedding cake in the shape of a jet.

We're hoping that from there it's a quick move over to the departure lounge to head out on their honeymoon flight. If they've scrimped on a low cost carrier for the wedding location and flight then we're hoping that at least the honeymoon will be in a luxurious destination.

Related Stories:
· Brisbane Couple to Marry on Aircraft [Herald Sun]
· Virgin Blue Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: scherre]
]]> amandak 2008-07-25T09:35:23-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/8/53432/50403

Rising fuel costs are hitting Down Under airlines like Qantas and LCC Virgin Blue hard too. Things are bad enough that the Australian press is now reporting on all kinds of ideas the two airlines have to decrease flying weight and therefore decrease fuel consumption.

Virgin Blue's ideas include the less-than-appealing prospect of carrying "just enough" fuel, replacing brakes with different models that use lighter parts and reducing how much water they carry for the toilets and wash basins.

Qantas is thinking along the lines of lighter knives and forks, lighter seats and even meal carts that weigh less. Perhaps it'd just be easier if they stopped letting all those passengers get on board?

Related Stories:
· Aussie Airlines Losing Weight [news.com.au]
· Qantas coverage [Jaunted]
· Virgin Blue coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: superciliousness]]]> amandak 2008-07-10T09:35:14-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/3/27/0317/67051

Is V Australia about to officially announce LAX-SYD service at a press conference? That is the likeliest first route--or perhaps SFO-SYD--for the international arm of Australia's Virgin Blue Airlines.

We hear there's an "event" happening in Los Angeles this Monday, 3/31. Let's say this is the big shebang and we get an official ticket sale date and launch date (probably early fall '08) for LAX-SYD...will they give us cabin details? And more importantly, PRICING? Where do you think V Australia is going with these details?

We say: hopefully, as far as pricing goes, to the sub-$1000 (round-trip) sweet spot...sweet spot for flights between the U.S. and Australia, that is. Oh, the soothing lullaby of skies opening up...

Related Stories:
· V Australia [Official Site]
· V Australia [Wikipedia]

[Photo: scherre]]]> djk 2008-03-27T14:30:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/3/8/223742/3462

Air travel in the Asia-Pacific region is non-stop action at the moment. With Asian LCCs forever threatening to expand and governments chipping away at open skies agreements, it almost feels like we'll be able to fly around Australasia for free in a couple of years.

The news this week is an agreement between the Australian and Malaysian governments to allow more seats on flights between the two countries. Until the announcement, the weekly traffic between Oz and Malaysia was around 35,000 seats, but there are now 5,000 more seats with another 3,500 seats allowed from March 2009.

The expansion is likely to encourage budget airlines like Air Asia X to start more routes to Australia and even compete on the domestic market--there are even rumors that they plan to cooperate with Virgin Blue. We are really hanging out for some cheap flights around this region, so watch this space.

Related Stories:
· Air pact with M'sia allows more seats [The Australian]
· Air Asia X Making X-Tra Small Seats [Jaunted]
· Transpacific Routes Now (Sorta) Open [Jaunted]

[Photo: jetalone]

Now that Australia and the United States have opened up competition on transpacific routes, V Australia needs some people to actually, you know, fly the planes.

The airline's ordered seven new 777s to fly its initial 10 weekly flights between LAX and Sydney, and it's searching for 280 flight attendants and 100 pilots to join the small team it's already hired. Flights are set to begin in November 2008.

Not content to let V Australia grab all the talent, Qantas hopes to hire 2,000 long-haul flight attendants in the next couple of years. The carrier is offering up a special bonus, too: the chance to work on an A380, which it hopes to have flying between Australia and the US by this summer.

Related Stories:
· V Australia Launches Recruitment Drive [Official Site]
· Open Skies Travel: Transpacific Routes Now (Sorta) Open [Jaunted]
· V Australia coverage [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2008-02-25T10:00:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/