VA criticised over AFL GF flyover

[dajop]

Pick your stunts carefully ... Virgin Australia stunt on AFL grand final day criticised on social media

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think I'm inclined to agree! Waste of money, waste of fuel.

A fly-by maybe - but who could see this?

 

[Isochronous]

That's the problem with social media - even idiots get publicity for their opinions.

 

[RooFlyer]

That's the problem with social media - even idiots get publicity for their opinions.

But that's OK. The social media critics are, of course, all morally pure - never use anything powered by fossil fuels, never use grid electricity etc etc. Probably all VA shareholders, to boot.

I reckon it was a nifty thing to do. Thanks to flight tracker, a whole bunch of people got in on it.

 

[samh004]

We all do silly things/have backfires in social media #QantasLuxury

I don't think the price of the fuel used had any impact on fans ticket prices to the game, but perhaps a cooler "stunt" would have been to give away tickets to get to the game. More goodwill that way than drawing an imaginary line in the sky (why didn't they use chemtrails to help the casual observer see the cup)

 

[Vim Fuego]

Another opportunity for some on social media to be outraged at outrageous occurrences.

 

[Mark3000]

A completely stupid and pointless waste of money and fuel.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A completely stupid and pointless waste of money and fuel.

If it was conducted at 1000 feet - perhaps fun for the families and kids along the path. But 15,000 feet?

 

[DC3]

Another opportunity for some on social media to be outraged at outrageous occurrences.

Yes, too much time on their hands, perhaps.

 

[cmon0005]

I think I'm inclined to agree! Waste of money, waste of fuel.

A fly-by maybe - but who could see this?

Although they can do whatever they want and at the end of the day it is their money, but surely they could have thought of something that had more of an impact and that people could actually see, thousands of $$ in fuel all so they can fly over some fields and post a flight radar outline. A flyby would have been more than enough. But probably didn't warrant a social media complaint!

 

[JohnK]

I guess their stunt worked because lots of people are discussing it. And if some people didn't know before they know that Virgin is the official airline of the AFL, they know now.

 

[yohy?!]

i bet there was a QF Angel or 2 joining in all that confected outrage - how many years has Qantas been doing flyovers for without a peep

 

[MEL_Traveller]

i bet there was a QF Angel or 2 joining in all that confected outrage - how many years has Qantas been doing flyovers for without a peep

Isn't there a slight difference between a 747 or A380 flying over the racecourse at 1000 feet compared to an A330 at 15,000 feet over rural Victoria?

I live 1km from the track and the QF plane does its turnaround for its second loop right over our house. Pretty impressive!

 

[UP4014]

I think it's great, airlines try to do something different, they have large expensive equipment why not.

Virgin of course always likes a good stunt and after the 'cup' surprised they didn't do a 'Sir Richard' in profile of course.

Matt

 

[yohy?!]

Isn't there a slight difference between a 747 or A380 flying over the racecourse at 1000 feet compared to an A330 at 15,000 feet over rural Victoria?

I live 1km from the track and the QF plane does its turnaround for its second loop right over our house. Pretty impressive!

i would have thought an a330 at 15k feet would burn much less fuel than a superjumbo at low altitude, i may post on jb747s thread. i agree a low altitude pass is very nice but i guess VA had to try something new to stand out - im sure a lot of footy fans got a kick out of it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

i would have thought an a330 at 15k feet would burn much less fuel than a superjumbo at low altitude, i may post on jb747s thread. i agree a low altitude pass is very nice but i guess VA had to try something new to stand out - im sure a lot of footy fans got a kick out of it.

For me the point was more that if you can't see the plane, it's a waste of fuel. If you can see it, then there's a purpose, and the waste of fuel is kind of secondary.

 

[samh004]

i bet there was a QF Angel or 2 joining in all that confected outrage - how many years has Qantas been doing flyovers for without a peep

The outrage isn't the flyover of the stadium, it's the mapping out of a giant cup afterwards, similar to what Boeing has done in the past (that's what it reminds me of). If they'd simply flown over the stadium and then landed back in MEL there wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Boris spatsky]

I don't see the problem here. We don't know whether that aircraft was up there for another reason anyway (post maintenance test flight for example). Further, what airlines do and spend against their bottom line is scrutinised far more than any other business or industry. Why race V8 cars around a track for fun then?? What an outrageous waste of fuel/damaging the environment blah blah blah. Or the corporate car fleets of some of our major companies. Same problem.

You all bit, and they got their social media coverage!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't see the problem here. We don't know whether that aircraft was up there for another reason anyway (post maintenance test flight for example). Further, what airlines do and spend against their bottom line is scrutinised far more than any other business or industry. Why race V8 cars around a track for fun then?? What an outrageous waste of fuel/damaging the environment blah blah blah. Or the corporate car fleets of some of our major companies. Same problem.

You all bit, and they got their social media coverage!

I had that view in formula one and other car races... but then a motoring expert pointed out that the engine efficiencies / engine improvements eventually male their way to regular passenger cars, so there is logic in running and a track. Or that's the theory...

As as for not knowing if there was another reason the plane was in the air anyway... simple for the PR department to add that into their blurb. 'The plane, on a post maintenance test flight, flew a special path outlining the trophy'.

 

[cove]

We were at the east end of the MCG and we heard the jet noise but did not see that plane go over.