VA suspends MEL LAX to support increased BNE services

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Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

This is great news for Brisbane and Queensland! The following article has just been posted on AusBT:

Virgin Australia axes Melbourne-Los Angeles, goes daily Brisbane-LAX

Virgin Australia will axe its flights between Melbourne and Los Angeles but ramp up the Brisbane-USA route to a daily service.

The last flight from Melbourne to LAX will run on 25 October 2014, with Brisbane stepping up from four flights a week to daily from 26 October 2014.

Virgin says there will also be "a minor change to the departure time of Sydney to Los Angeles flights to allow an earlier arrival into Los Angeles, creating a more convenient schedule for corporate and leisure travellers."

"The changes announced today are a result of extensive market analysis" said Virgin Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer Judith Crompton.

Continues...

Source - AusBT
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

Seriously?! Looks like I just scrape in on October 23.
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

I heard about this from a crew few weeks ago, I didn't believe it but I suppose sometimes galley talk is credible. MEL- LAX not making enough money, they can't sell enough seats due to extra cargo configuration and not enough 777 to go around. Such a shame! I hate transiting via SYD or BNE to USA but oh well!
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

Hmmm. No email about my Melb>LAX flights I have booked for after this date. Would have been nice to receive notification about the same time as a media announcement
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

I seem to like this announcement I think............helps BNE is my home port!!!
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

My daughter has 4 reward tickets in J for a flight MEL-LAX for 1 Dec and return on 20Jan.

Seems it is too early to sort out different flights yet :!:

VA are trying to work it through for her but don't know which flights they are allowed to put her on yet.
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

Abandon MEL and ramp up BNE services.

Some will be happy. Some will be very disappointed.
 
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Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

I just phoned Velocity desk and they are aware of the announcement, which is always a plus for staff dealing with the public.

We were offered both Syd>LAX and Syd>Bris>LAX, I picked Brissy because we arrive earlier than the Sydney flight (10.15am departure/6.30am arrival) and I just checked my booking and it seems we still have row 5.

We now have an extra 2hrs at LAX so I might have a massage after a hot shower at the Delta lounge.

Thanks for the heads up on this announcement, much appreciated from this over-planner.


Edit: Oh poop. Now I have to google how to get from Bris domestic to International. Melb was so easy.
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

I guess it gives us less opportunity's for reward flights now. Strange how they couldn't get it to work.Why not reduce the number of flights per week. Maybe, they want the plane for another route. If so hopefully SYD-PVG or SYD-PEK or SYD-HKG. Ha ha... only because my son lives in China!! It would make so much easier for us if they flew this route.:)
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

Interestingly UA starts direct flights from MEL-LAX on its new 789 3 days after VA shut down their route.
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

According to the email, date changes will be allowed with no fare difference or fees payable for those with existing bookings.
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

Have just recently booked flights PER-LAX via SYD both ways - was looking at going through MEL but there was no reward seat availability for upgrade on either of the international sectors, so just as well I opted for SYD instead, saves all the hassles of changing flights. The BT article also mentions time changes for VA1 and VA2:

"As of 26 October the Sydney-Los Angeles VA1 flight will leave at 11.40am compared to the current 12.05pm schedule, which sees touchdown at LAX at 7.30am the same day. The return hop on VA2 will now leave Los Angeles at 10.50pm instead of 9.15pm, reaching Sydney at 7.50am two days later.

I think some of their info is a little inaccurate, I don't think VA1 has departed at 12:05 for at least a couple of years, and I think 10:50pm has already been the departure time for VA2 for a while? The new departure time of 11:40am for VA1 appears to be correct, at least on Virgin's website as this is showing as the departure time for our flight in February which is actually good for us, as we're taking the red-eye from PER so that's now a few hours less we have to hang around in SYD! Although Virtually There has a "flight time change notice" against VA1, it's still showing the original departure time of 2.25pm, so not sure why that's not updated.
 
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Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

Hmph. Should be happy about this as a BNE-based flyer, but it can be read as a contraction of VA international, when I have been waiting for some growth for a few years now! Makes me doubt the commitment of VA to owning long haul metal, and that's all bad for us velocity members...
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

According to the email, date changes will be allowed with no fare difference or fees payable for those with existing bookings.

Was this e-mail sent to pax or just a media release? I have a VA24 booking in November, hoping I will be offered VA8 instead as VA2 departs too early to accommodate my travel plans.
 
Re: Virgin Australia - Daily BNE/LAX from October 2014, MEL/LAX suspended

Thankfully, my flights are just before this change.

For future flights, not happy Jan!
 
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