Travel alerts straight to your inbox:

Tag: Virgin Blue View All Tags

Virgin Blue Decides Which Guitars Can Fly Where

June 17, 2009 at 2:27 PM | 0 Comments

We really thought the Richard Branson-led Aussie low cost carrier Virgin Blue would be cooler than it demonstrated this week.

Long-serving Australian musician Steve Lucas - he's not exactly a household name around the world, but his band X have been playing longer than most of us have been alive – was doing what he often does, taking a Virgin Blue flight to get down from Sydney to a gig in Melbourne. But then the airline took all of Lucas's luggage off the plane.

It wasn't because one of his three guitars was in a box that looked like a coffin; no, the problem was that one of his guitar straps was decorated with empty bronze bullet cartridges. Lucas landed in Melbourne and discovered that for some reason, all three guitars had been sent to Canberra, and the Virgin Blue complaints line told him he was "potentially a terrorist." Perhaps they know something about the quality of his music that we don't.

Related Stories:
· Virgin On the Ridiculous [The Age]
· Virgin Blue Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: monkeyc.net]

Isn't This Where the Plane on Lost Landed?

May 18, 2009 at 10:02 AM | 0 Comments

We're still adding to our list of the world's most dangerous airports. Know a stomach dropping, palm sweat inducing airport we should check out? Send it along.

Forget roller coasters. We get our kicks on scary-as-hell runways. So we're about ready to schedule a trip to the South Pacific after tipster Paul Sloan of Tahiti Expeditions sent along word of Gizo Airport (GZO) in the Solomon Islands. Is it us, or does this runway look like it just shouldn't work? Apparently it does!

For the record, there are several dozen other airports scattered throughout the Solomon Islands, including the comparatively giant Honiara International Airport, where you can even catch a flight on Virgin Blue.

Needless to say, if you're Soloman Islands-bound and not to Honiara, you'll needs to board a tiny Solomon Airlines jet to reach this little beaut of a runway. Nailbiting landing are part of the exotic fun, don't you know.

Related Stories:
· At Least The Juana Azurduy Airport Has a Paved Runway [Jaunted]
· World's Most Dangerous Airports [Jaunted]
· Island Travel: Budget Airlines Hit Solomon Islands [Jaunted]

[Photo: TravelPod]

Finalists for 'Best Job In the World' Finally Go to Battle on Hamilton Island

May 4, 2009 at 1:16 AM | 0 Comments

Time sure flies when you're not in the running for The Best Job in the World, "caretaker" of Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef, since it only feels like yesterday that we wracked our brain thinking of cool things to say in our audition video. Had we ever gotten around to making that video, perhaps we'd be one of the 16 finalists from 15 countries flown this weekend to their possible future home.

So what's on the hectic schedule for the Survivor-like group, which includes our past interview subject Angelene Orth? Having flown in on Virgin Blue, they've already seen the region's hottest airline, which was promptly followed by a tour of the digs at stake: the 3-bedroom luxury Blue Pearl villa.

more ›

Virgin Blue Reckons Queensland's Gonna Be Big

April 7, 2009 at 4:06 PM | 0 Comments

Virgin Blue taketh away--the Aussie low cost carrier cut 28 flights from high frequency routes recently--but they also giveth. Jaunted tipster Tuddy let us know that Virgin Blue started flying five new routes this week.

Four of the routes are out of the northern Queensland city of Townsville, heading to other Queensland destinations Cairns, Rockhampton and the Gold Coast, as well as down to Aussie capital Canberra. They've also started flights on the Canberra to Hobart route.

These new routes are a big deal for Queensland tourism and especially for Townsville--overnight there are almost 70% more possibilities for flying out of town. We're wondering if Virgin Blue knows something we don't know and Queensland is about to become a despite-the-recession tourist hotspot. With route opening specials as low as A$46 ($33) it's very tempting to try it out ourselves.

Related Stories:
· Virgin Blue Launches New Townsville Flights [news.com.au]
· Virgin Blue Flying A Bit Less Often [Jaunted]
· Queensland Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: JamesDPhotography]

Virgin Blue Flying A Bit Less Often

March 27, 2009 at 11:26 AM | 0 Comments

Our favorite Aussie low-cost carrier Virgin Blue has been talking flight cutbacks for months and this week announced the biggest cuts so far--28 flights will be cut from its daily schedule to cut their operating costs and deal with decreased demand.

The nice part about Virgin Blue's decision--and the reason we don't dislike them too much--is they're not actually cutting out any routes, just decreasing the number of services on some of them.

Unfortunately there might be 400 Virgin Blue staff who don't like the company too much, because they're either now having to take leave without pay or do shorter hours, while the lucky ones are getting transfers to V Australia. CEO Brett Godfrey, however, reckons the staff are happy and said, "We are very encouraged by the attitude of people.'' He's obviously forgotten about the disgruntled staff board games.

Related Stories:
· Virgin Blue Cuts 28 Daily Flights From Domestic Routes [Jaunted]
· Virgin Blue, We Used To Love You [Jaunted]
· Virgin Blue Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: JamesDPhotography]

Snakes And Ladders: Disgruntled Virgin Blue Edition

December 4, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

There's one ex-employee of Virgin Blue who might not be getting a job in the airline industry again--but that's OK because he seems to have potential as a board game designer.

Torsten Koerting resigned from Virgin Blue's Brisbane office last month and in frustration left a lasting legacy: A board game he designed that looks like Snakes and Ladders, but is really all about the frustrations of working for this particular airline.

It might not be great publicity to Koerting's motivation for making the game:

The difficulty in reaching the end of the game [is like] making decisions in real-life at Virgin Blue.

But the fact that the airline employed staff who are this creative and clever in the first place is probably a strange pat on the back. Play the game at your own peril--there are a lot of nasty rescue slides to fall down.

Related Stories:
· NextGen Virgin Board Game [Brisbane Times]
· Ex-Staffer Plays Games with Virgin Blue [The Age]
· Virgin Blue coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Age]

Virgin Blue, We Used To Love You

December 1, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 1 Comment

Oh, how the expansionist can fall. Aussie LCC Virgin Blue spent the last few months bragging about expanding its network to fly to Papua New Guinea and all over Western Australia but now they're starting a big back-pedal. Ouch.

With profits plunging by 55 percent in the last year, Virgin's singing a different tune. There will be cuts, they say, including some flights and entire routes.

Exactly which flights will get the ax depends on a review Virgin promises will be finished during December, so the start of 2009 will bring bad news rather than good for Virgin customers. Nothing like making a New Year's resolution that says "We will make fewer customers happy."

But we're selfish--as long as the Virgin cuts don't include our January flights to Sydney and back, we won't complain too much.

Related Stories:
· Virgin Plans Drastic Cuts [Herald Sun]
· Virgin Blue Loves Expansions: This Week It's PNG [Jaunted]
· Virgin Blue Flies Into Virgin West Oz Territory [Jaunted]

[Photo: Drewski2112]

Virgin Blue Loves Expansions: This Week It's PNG

September 11, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

Australian-based budget airline Virgin Blue is exploding its flight coverage and has just announced a deal that's going to see low cost carriers flying into relatively untapped market Papua New Guinea.

In a slightly confusing collaboration with Pacific Blue and Airlines PNG, Virgin Blue is offering four return flights a week between Brisbane and Port Moresby, starting from November. They're starting out with sale fares of A$249 ($200) and the regular budget price will stay under A$300 (one-way).

That's cheap enough to see a lot more tourist interest in Papua New Guinea, we reckon. Bring on Elvis and the giant rats: We're off to PNG.

Related Stories:
· Virgin Blue Joins Forces With Airlines PNG [Peanuts]
· Virgin Blue Flies into Virgin West Oz Territory [Jaunted]
· Papua New Guinea Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: kabl1992]

Virgin Blue Flies Into Virgin West Oz Territory

August 27, 2008 at 9:33 AM | 2 Comments

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]

First Person Flight Review: Virgin Blue, Perth to Melbourne

July 28, 2008 at 8:45 AM | 3 Comments

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]

Wedding Travel: Gettin' Married on a Jet Plane

July 25, 2008 at 9:35 AM | 0 Comments

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]

Aussie Airlines Ponder Weight-Loss Plans

July 10, 2008 at 9:35 AM | 0 Comments

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]