VARA Fleet (Via “Galley FM)

[Bagpuss]

The VARA A320’s ( ex Tiger) do have the Tiger seats. They don’t know when they will retro-fitted to the Virgin Australia seat. (I said they would never do it.)

Apparently the fleet replacement plan for the F100’s wilol be announced in the next month or so. I didn’t ask when they will start exiting the fleet, but i got the expectation it will start happening within 12 months, also considering they have been taking on the A320’s.

The chances of VARA getting the ATR’s from storage seem a big “not happening”.

However, for the E-Jet fans ... The crew member said it’s highly likely “the ten Virgin E-190’s have parked in the desert somewhere and still paying the lease” will go to VARA. The E-Jets would be removed from the VAA AOC to the VARA AOC. The issue with the E-Jets is crew training. The crew member went on to say they are fully aware they can’t replace F100’s with A320 (ex Tiger) because they are simply to large, so they are investigating the possibility of A318/319’s as it’s much simpler for crew as its the part of the A320 family so little transition. So it will be the E-Jets OR A318/A319’s as the replacement for the F100’s.

There was a slight comment about B737 MAX’s being delayed yet again due to the (longer) grounding, so there are constraints around aircraft for VA’s 737’s going forward. This seemed slightly out of their knowledge. But there was a hint towards VARA backfilling with the F100 replacements.

Overall, the crew member to me definitely seemed to know what they were talking about and was speaking very factual.

Time will tell.

 

[moa999]

I'd rely far more on continuous disclosure requirements from the listed shares, than any galley gossip.. in general they are the last to know

 

[Saab34]

The A320s are used in the West for strip/weather/heat requirements, and also some longer contract flying. It’s stuff the F100 or a E190 can’t do.

The E190 cannot simply replace it until they give contracts away which won’t be happening.

There is also zero capacity in the training department at this moment to re bring in a new aircraft type.

There is not ten parked in the desert. It’s about 6 and the lease isn’t for much longer. By the time you get them back in Service, which would take a year, it would be time to exit them.

Virgin’s MAX -10 or any Dash 10 doesn’t have MCAS. Try telling that to some staff. They assured me it does. The -10 isn’t an issue.