Whatever the fine details, which neither Richard Branson nor John Borghetti would reveal, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin’s global management, have agreed that the name Virgin Australia is to apply to all the former Virgin Blue group brands by the end of December, reports Ben Sandilands.
Virgin Blue
RIP Virgin Blue … rebadged as the Virgin of Oz
It’s the last blue day today for the Virgin brand in domestic airlines as the myth making cranks up a notch or two for tomorrow’s launch of Virgin Australia.
Jetstar to sue over airport
evacuation
Sydney Airport did its best to gloss over the security fiasco at its T2 domestic terminal yesterday.
Virgin’s bottom line in for a rough landing
Virgin Blue this morning announced a huge profit downgrade.
Virgin Blue chief flies the Aussie flag at Senate inquiry
Virgin Blue’s CEO John Borghetti wrapped the group in the Australian flag and promised more local jobs and the reduction of existing off-shore activity where possible.
Virgin, pregnancy row aside, having a good time of it
If it wasn’t for some nastiness in Virgin Blue concerning the undesirability of pregnant employees, its new CEO John Borghetti would be having a pretty good day.
Virgin Blue’s motherhood statement: You’re fired
Virgin Blue is big on new world glamor and old world hypocrisy today, launching new uniforms at the same time that two former employees start legal action over their dismissal for being pregnant, writes Ben Sandilands.
Thorpe’s ‘many medals for Qantas’ — just a dash for cash?
“I’m not motivated by money, if I was I would not have stopped swimming,” Thorpe said yesterday. That didn’t deter some members of the pubic from dismissing the comeback as merely as a dash for cash, reports Crikey intern Sophie Cousins.
Virgin, military jet near miss … now Virgin wins Etihad-Europe deal
Two days after nearly losing a 144-seat jet that narrowly avoided a collision with a military target practice jet near Newcastle, Virgin Blue has finally won approval for an alliance with Etihad, which gives it faster flights than Qantas to many parts of Europe.
Air NZ in no-lose situation after move on Virgin
If the Air NZ purchase of 14.9% of Virgin Blue is a blocking move to prevent, say, Etihad from acquiring a significant interest in the carrier, it may well be thwarted by “unintended consequences”.
Seeking Virginity: Air New Zealand buys into Virgin Blue
Air New Zealand’s pursuit of a stake in Virgin Blue comes at a time when Richard Branson, who owns 26% of the Australian airline, is working the European finance media with stories confirming that he is prepared to sell down his 51% stake in the UK flag carrier Virgin Atlantic, reports Ben Sandilands.
A gift from Qantas to Virgin Blue
Ben Sandilands got his hands on a leaked photo of the new Qantas A330-200 domestic business class, with middle seats and crummy legroom. Why, it must be a present for new Virgin Blue boss John Borghetti, the former Qantas executive general manager.
ACCC does u-turn on airline competition
It’s been a big morning in airline competition in Australia with the ACCC backtracked on its earlier opposition to Virgin Blue enjoying the same sort of price-fixing deals that Qantas enjoys.
How close did Qantas and Virgin Blue get in their near miss?
The WebTrak site shows the vertical separation of the Virgin Blue 737 and a Qantas 767 during Sunday afternoon’s near miss while climbing away from Melbourne Airport as being as little as 28 metres, reports Ben Sandilands.
How close did Qantas and Virgin Blue get to a collision?
The vertical separation of the Virgin Blue 737 and a Qantas 767 during Sunday afternoon’s near miss while climbing away from Melbourne Airport was as little as 28 metres. The incident is now under investigation by the ATSB, explains Ben Sandilands.
Medium-term survival of Virgin Blue at risk
It’s backs to the wall time for Virgin Blue, with the ACCC today making a draft rejection of its proposed trans-Tasman route-sharing deal with Air New Zealand.
Pacific bloodbath may continue for Virgin Blue
Bad news this morning for a cornerstone of Virgin Blue’s plans to become a profitable long haul carrier, with the US Department of Transportation proposing to reject its intended trans-Pacific joint venture with Delta, writes Ben Sandilands.
Virgin Blue is now more profitable than Qantas
Today Virgin handed down a full year profit result that sees it continue to make more money than the much larger Qantas/Jetstar group.
leaked Dick Smith attacks ATSB over inaction on near miss of two jets
Dick Smith has made a politically sensitive attack on the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for avoiding its responsibilities in its inquiry into a close encounter between a Virgin Blue 737 and a Jetstar A320 over a fog-bound Launceston Airport two years ago.
Virgin Blue CEO pulls the pin: bound for Tourism Australia
What the two most successful airline CEOs in Australian history will do in concert with the body charged with growing inbound as well as domestic tourism is not known, but it won’t be lacking in spectacle or clout.
Virgin Blue and V Australia integrate
An integrated management structure for Virgin Blue and V Australia was announced internally in the Virgin Blue group yesterday, with clear signals as to where new CEO and former Qantas executive gm, John Borghetti is taking the group, writes Ben Sandilands.
Carry on farce coming soon to a Tiger screen near you
Tiger has replaced its 20 kilograms for $20/25 checked-bag option with a $45 for 25 kilograms up-size offer, and seems to be moving towards a charge for some carry-on items as well.
Porn is well beyond being quarantined
Trying to control porn is a hopeless task, as futile and as foolish as Steve Jobs’ efforts to keep the stuff off his latest new shiny thing. People enjoy sex, and enjoy watching it.
Business As Usual: Vale spreads its Queensland wings … be wary of higher US jobs figures …
Vale spends a lazy $200 million for Belvedere mine, counters count in US jobs count, there are more cars on the roads all over the place, vegie prices tumble in China and other business news.
Business As Usual: New high for US debt … Europe’s worried banks … pssst, Macquarie Bank, here’s a Grecian bargain …
Worried European banks are stashing money in the bank, there are profit downgrades aplenty emerging here, why the Germans are fun-loving spoilsports and other business news.
