JB not renewing his contract/is leaving

[Comoman]

Just announced on the ASX - JB not renewing his contract and will leave by 2020.

John Borghetti resigns from Virgin Australia

Will be interesting who takes the reigns.

 

[Standby]

on ASX site,JB will not seek to extend his contract .
Announcing now to allow orderly transition.
It will be interesting/ different without him

 

[QF WP]

That it will - but then again, he's been there a while and has certainly cemented their position in the industry.

Now if he will only fix their website issues before he goes

 

[glasszon]

I hope it's not too little too late. As a VA gold member with a decent amount of VA points I really want VA to succeed, but the recent events (Air NZ aligning with Qantas) will place a lot of pressure on VA and I hope VA can survive despite those challenges.

The nightmare scenario for VA members is to wake up one day and found SQ have stopped allowing the points transfer between the two programs followed by a VA restructure, I know this is highly unlikely but this scenario is certainly more plausible than 6-12 months ago.

 

[Denali]

I hope it's not too little too late. As a VA gold member with a decent amount of VA points I really want VA to succeed, but the recent events (Air NZ aligning with Qantas) will place a lot of pressure on VA and I hope VA can survive despite those challenges.

The nightmare scenario for VA members is to wake up one day and found SQ have stopped allowing the points transfer between the two programs followed by a VA restructure, I know this is highly unlikely but this scenario is certainly more plausible than 6-12 months ago.

Last year hubby had almost a million points and I was very antsy to use them, telling him I didnt want to be stuck with them in a devaluation, so booked a couple of J seats to UK (last year) and Europe (this year) and glad to see the balance go down.

 

[grubbidok]

Maybe NZ (and some of the other partners his continued presence annoyed) may reevaluate their divorce decision now JB is finally gone*

*I realise probably not though, just taking the opportunity be a smart-a**e

 

[Hvr]

As a VA gold member with a decent amount of VA points I really want VA to succeed,

As a Qantas WP LTG with some points I also want Virgin to succeed. Competition between airlines keeps them honest. Some of us remember the old days when there was a duopoly and fares were high and very restrictive.

 

[pauly7]

They had an announced successor in the business but they fired him.... So wonder who will be anointed next? Hope it’s someone who gets on better with their airline partners that is for sure!

 

[pauly7]

The nightmare scenario for VA members is to wake up one day and found SQ have stopped allowing the points transfer between the two programs followed by a VA restructure, I know this is highly unlikely but this scenario is certainly more plausible than 6-12 months ago.

Please god no why would you even put this out into the universe!

 

[dajop]

The nightmare scenario for VA members is to wake up one day and found SQ have stopped allowing the points transfer between the two programs followed by a VA restructure, I know this is highly unlikely but this scenario is certainly more plausible than 6-12 months ago.

No, that's not a nightmare scenario, that's just a bad dream. A nightmare scenario would be what happened to Ansett Global Rewards points for those of us who've been in this game for a while .... wake up one morning to no points, no airline ....

 

[AviatorInsight]

No, that's not a nightmare scenario, that's just a bad dream. A nightmare scenario would be what happened to Ansett Global Rewards points for those of us who've been in this game for a while .... wake up one morning to no points, no airline ....

Never mind the points, I hope it doesn’t go the way of Ansett and lose my job!

 

[Quickstatus]

Time to use the points folks

 

[Ansett]

Too may partners have too much money and other interests involved such as feeding traffic around the VA network for it to ever go the way of Ansett

 

[amaroo]

Looks like AJ was the best selected after all

 

[codash1099]

That it will - but then again, he's been there a while and has certainly cemented their position in the industry.

Now if he will only fix their website issues before he goes

I think the owners would be more interested in fixing the profitability!

Too may partners have too much money and other interests involved such as feeding traffic around the VA network for it to ever go the way of Ansett

Now where have I heard that sort of statement before?

 

[UP4014]

Looks like AJ was the best selected after all

Indeed, QF are storming home with the profits, the routes, the 787s.....

JB may have seen the writing on the wall and rather than renew and scrape through what might be a grueling contract negotiation with his masters he wants to walk out with his dignity. Virgin has and is struggling to turn a profit. Restrictions on capital spend must be making it hard and 8 years might be enough on his health and family.

The new guy will make changes, that's a given,

Hope JB enjoys his cars.

 

[codash1099]

Not a flattering picture:

How Virgin Australia bleeds cash but keeps flying

 

[Bagpuss]

Not a flattering picture:

How Virgin Australia bleeds cash but keeps flying

It's really referencing the costs of changing from a LCC to a fuller service airline.

The reality is that Virgin by nature is a global independent challenger brand.

The issue I think is that Virgin Australia challenges Qantas in which it should just be a good alternative product. I always through they missed a beat as they really could have copied Virgin America a lot with the change from Virgin Blue to Virgin Australia.

I imagine the new CEO will be focused on the efficiencies previously identified and probably going a bit harder ... especially with aircraft leasing/procurement, maintenance improvements with it's existing airline shareholders working with the airline in these respects , whilst evolving the product which will probably be a focus on 737 business class.
I don't think they will join an alliance straight away. As I say Virgin is an independent challenger brand. However, I would expect to start to hear rumblings about Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia joining an alliance potentially longer term with both a member of the same alliance. I would expect SkyTeam, with a close working relationship with SQ for VA.

 

[Bagpuss]

FYI, to touch on my point of Virgin Australia copying Virgin America ... Really Virgin Blue was a copy of Virgin Express.
The reason the aircraft were red was because Virgin Express was that color and the idea was for the aircraft to rotate during the Off-Season to the other On-Season bringing in operating aircraft efficiencies across both airlines.

The initial Virgin Blue aircraft were those of Virgin Express.

... I still fondly remember my Virgin Express flight from London - Nice .... ALLL those years ago.

https://www.planespotters.net/produ...r=Boeing&subtype=737-400&fleetStatus=historic

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Maybe after JB leaves, there might be more of a consideration of VA joining *A.