Virgin Blue was launched by Richard Branson, legendary founder of Virgin Records, on August 3, 2000 in Brisbane, Australia. It is Australia’s biggest low-cost carrier and rival of Qantas. The first services were 7 return flights a day from Brisbane to Sydney.
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Virgin Blue was launched by Richard Branson, legendary founder of Virgin Records, on August 3, 2000 in Brisbane, Australia. It is Australia’s biggest low-cost carrier and rival of Qantas. The first services were 7 return flights a day from Brisbane to Sydney.
In September 2001 Ansett Australia went out of business, which gave Virgin the possibility to expand quickly and fill Ansett’s market share. Routes between all major cities and tourism destinations in Australia were established.
In 2005 a hostile takeover gave the Patrick Corporation, an Australian logistics conglomerate, 62% of Virgin Blue, which ended the Virgin Group’s ownership. They retain a share of 25%.
In 2003 Virgin Blue established a subsidiary, Pacific Blue, which operates between New Zealand and mainland Australia and is a rival of Qantas’ Jetstar (founded in 2004 to counter Virgin’s low-cost concept) and Air New Zealand’s Freedom Air.
In May 2006 Patrick was acquired by Toll Holdings, Australia’s largest transport corporation. Thus Virgin Blue became a Toll subsidiary.
Virgin Blue has the classical low-cost carrier concept. They don’t offer in-flight meals, pay their employees less than Qantas, only operate one type of aircraft (B737) and use telephone and internet booking systems.
The company intends to expand their services to Los Angeles and Japan, possibly in Boeing 777s.
In 2006 Virgin Blue’s fleet consisted of around 50 Boeing 737s with an average age of less than four years. The company, however, announced plans to buy 11 Embraer 190 and three Embraer 170, with an option for another 6 aircraft from the same manufacturer.
Following Virgin Atlantic’s tradition every plane has an amusing name and features a Virgin girl painted onto the aircraft nose.
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