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Unless there are other suggestions, I think I'll be going on a double Virgin (Australia + Atlantic) ticket as prices (fare + excess luggage) are reasonable.

No status and I'll need to book and travel before the QF changes kick in

I'll be re-locating to HKG and want to take a few extra pieces of checked luggage. Any strategies for one-way flights other than use miles/points or almsot pay for the price of a return ticket? (I won't have any need for the return sector.) Another thought, since many airlines charge through the...

My recent searches (for travel in the short-term and long-term) could find Y and J availability Oz-NZ but none ex-NZ to any islands.

Has anyone had much experience with US miles on ANZ flights Oz-AKL-Pacific islands? Some preliminary availability searches shows very little/no availability for the AKL-Pac island legs. I'm looking at everywhere ANZ flies - PPT, Fiji, Tonga etc.

I'm surprised more of you aren't familiar with Skybus. I'm at the point where I buy the 10-trip multi ticket on a regular basis. Looking forward to meeting all of you, Skybus newbies and regulars, on Friday.

A330s would be more medium-term given delivery dates. ATR delivery stream in general is more fluid.

I wonder if Virgin has any interest in the A330-200s AirAsia X won't be taking delivery of. Not RR powered, though, I think.

As a grammar school teacher once said to a friend of mine who complained she got an A instead of an A+, there must be a way to distinguish those who are excellent from those who are perfect. I'd like to think of my review as the details product managers of any airline would notice (and...

In-flight service The fasten seat belt sign was quickly turned off after take off and the crew commenced the in-flight service, which offers a complimentary snack and drink service (including beer and wine) as the limited galley space prohibits the full range of items being sold (for those...

On board The entry area (galley on the starboard side, lav on the port side) is relatively spacious. One benefit of boarding from the rear is that you do not have witness the disappointing, by Virgin standards, interior of solid black seats. Although conversely I wonder if boarding from the...

There is a new way to fly around regional Australia, and like with most new things lately, it is with Virgin Australia. Well, in this case, Virgin Australia and Perth-based Skywest. The two announced their partnership in January and in February announced an order for ATR72-500s and -600s. The...

Then again, providing free snacks and drinks would solve that problem too and the other problem of people thinking Virgin is now full-service but then discover they have to pay for snacks and drinks. Snacks and drinks are peanuts, especially if Virgin continues down the path of serving food that...

Virgin America's new Red system (more than anything "Red" describes the OS, not hardware) is wireless IFE plus tablets that can be mounted in seatbacks (this is the more expensive option). For Virgin Australia, expect there to be one IFE solution for wide-bodies as they will be flying long...

Wireless IFE is gaining traction because of the number of passengers who already carry at least one wifi-enabled device, and the general growth projections of that trend. Airlines see the wireless IFE solution as passengers already have the devices/screens and they just need to provider the...

Multiple things on the table. I don't believe the immediacy some reports have portrayed the situation as, although the capability is there. Remember, airlines want PR. They'll keep things open-ended and on a drip feed to keep the good vibrations flowing.

The next two A330s, due early/mid next year and which will be new from Airbus (not ex-EK) will have the new IFE and seats, with the existing two frames (XFA anf XFB) to be subsequently retrofitted. The blanking, to my understanding, affects usage in the coughpit and not passenger cabin. Boeing...

Anything in aviation is possible. Few ideas are economical. To outfit the 737s with an embedded system, not only would Virgin have to retrofit them after retrofitting the new interior (sorry, can't be done at the same time as there's not enough lead time), seats and seat covers would have to...

Economics aren't there E170 vs. ATR, plus the ATR can do SYD-CBR 5-10 mins faster than jets due to navigation restrictions around CBR. Single class with 68 seats, Virgin has said. To me that suggests a 31-32" pitch. You're asking an airline for lower fares? :lol: Aircraft scaircraft. ;)...

The US system in use by most US carriers (Virgin America included) is Aircell's gogo service. That runs on an air-to-ground network of tower relays, like mobile towers. Large numbers of towers are necessary but offset (in theory--Aircell's finances and the service's uptake is another...