First 'Virgin Australia' aircraft arrive
Virgin Blue has today officially rebranded as the VIrgin Australia Group of Airlines, with the much-hyped landing this morning of the first two aircraft carrying the long-awaited and much-rumoured new livery.
The 737 and A330 also reveal the design of the carrier's new economy and business calss cabins, which will be rolled out across the majority of the carrier's current domestic fleet by the end of the year.
DJ said the Business Class product which is already on sale on the A330 product between Sydney and Perth and which debuts 26 May, will also be available for sale on the Boeing 737-800 fleet "in the last quarter of 2011".
"Virgin Australia will provide a new standard of airline travel in Australia," said ceo John Borghetti.
"We have listened to what today's traveller wants from an airline and we are incorporating that into every feature and every part of our service, while maintaining competitive pricing," he added.
The 737-800 features Boeing's innovative 'Sky Interior' with larger overhead lockers, mood lighting and sculpted sidewalls to provide a feeling of spaciousness and light. Each 737 will have 8 business class seats in a 2-2 configuration in a separate premium cabin, with a 37 inch seat pitch. The 737s will also have 168 economy seats.
Virgin Australia's new A330s have 251 "luxury high comfort economy seats" as well as 27 business class seats with a 62 inch seat pitch.
The rebranding exercise will also see a single look and feel across all of its airlines - both domestic and international - with V Austraria and Pacific Blue to also operate under the Virgin Australia brand by the end of the year, Borghetti said.
The carrier will today launch a major national advertising campaign to reposition the airline in all sectors of the market.
For pictures of the new aircraft see www.traveldaily.com.au/photos.
More information in today's Travel Daily.
