What is Virgin Australia's strategy (post-administration)?

[Must...Fly!]

V Australia was a name that was pushed around but it might have already been tied to the Virgin group

All to avoid paying a few million to Richard

That they would've had to pay anyway after the inevitable court case.

 

[pauly7]

My first thought was put a line through Virgin so it just reads Australia Airlines

Yet another lawsuit would arrive on Bains doorstep if they ran with your thought

 

[RooFlyer]

So would the contract (I assume) to use the Virgin brand survive an outright sale to another airline? Given past experience probably yes, so Qatar would just have to pay the money in lieu when they re-brand to Qatar Australia Airlines, or Qatar Pacific Airlines.

"Up, up and away, with QAA, the friendly, friendly way ..."

 

[anyonebutqantas]

Maybe Qatar could rebrand it as Kangaroo Airlines.

 

[samh004]

Qatar’s interests are to please itself and network. Not Virgin. Keep them away.

As for Qatar they (at least under the last CEO) take pride in offering an outstanding product all round, so if they did become full owner, I don't think they'd let Virgin wither on the vine. They could make Virgin their springboard into (and across?) the Pacific. Ambitious sure (and unlikely on balance), but they do want growth and this would make them a 'global' airline.

Re: Qatar - would this not lead to massive issues for OneWorld membership though? I imagine if QR bought them they’d want to allow their other OW airlines connecting flights with VA, which would essentially mean there was only one alliance in Australia. I’m not sure how the ACCC or other agencies that need to approve such things would look upon such a prospect but imagine it wouldn’t be favourably.

 

[ben95]

other OW airlines connecting flights with VA, which would essentially mean there was only one alliance in Australia.

it’s not a given. just because the other airline is an alliance partner doesn’t mean they’ll have to form some sort of partnership or even interline. before the great US airline consolidations of the 2000s there were US/CO/UA all in SA and plenty of airline works exclusively with UA for domestic US connection and they also compete in the domestic market as well

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Heh, Twinalise.
Ta for that.
Would be very much cheaper if all the VA planes are like the VARA 320s, with no J cabin, back to the cheap budget days, would rile some on here, me included...
Egalitarian... No moe DYKWIA, no more premium lounges, no more premium exit, no more premium boarding, no more J, no more PDD/...
Bring down fares for all.

 

[buggy00]

Had a thought about this actually and I reckon VELOCITY AUSTRALIA or just V AUSTRALIA again might be some of the names.

Since the call sign is already VELOCITY along with their FF program, it might make sense. I don't see them moving away from the VA moniker too much.

 

[servicerequired]

Buy the rights to the AN brand.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

The new owners (Aust's Aviation Training Partners) kept the name Ansett Flight Training name, and so far as I know, its logo still exist at MEL Airport, out near the 901 bus route.
But with the new buildings going up there, the name will be covered and not viewable from the road anymore.
I did fly AN as a pax many times.
The AN GR (Global Rewards) program was the first one I joined, even before I joined QFF.
Good times.

 

[RooFlyer]

The AN GR (Global Rewards) program was the first one I joined, even before I joined QFF.

Golden Wing?

 

[Bagpuss]

All to avoid paying a few million to Richard

That they would've had to pay anyway after the inevitable court case.

It was actually due to fact Virgin licensing couldn't be used intentionally. Virgin (Blue) domestically and everything else was Pacific Blue / V Australia etc.

What changed was Singapore Airlines sold their stake to Delta and it was Delta who allowed to changed with obvious payment being paid for the royalties. Though most likely JB was happy to pay the premium at the time.

Rebranding is costly and a marketing nightmare. I expect payments now made a very low and probably near non-existent. There's an argument now with more so Virgin Voyages etc. the Virgin Australia branding maintains a strong Virgin presence in the region.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I think Golden Wing was their lounge name.
Global Rewards was the latest Westpac card rewards branding, I think their (ANsett's) FF program was Global Rewards.
I don't think Golden Wing was their FF name.
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Just had a look, it was Global Rewards, and started in 2004, heh 1991, sorry.
Ansett passed away by 2004.
===
Golden Wing Club, is like the current QP.

 

[HS-TQE]

Buy the rights to the AN brand.

Because that ended well for the companies that bought the "Pan Am" name in the 90s and 2000s

The former got killed through a failed merger with Carnival Airlines in the late 90s, and the most recent incarnation in the 2000s (in partnership with Boston Maine Airways) couldn't make their point to point network with old 727s and Jetstream work.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Seriously tho, I think that who ever buys out Bain's ownership of VA will most likely not use AN again.
Lots of people's GR points went with the airline being liquidated, and if the new owner of VA decided to change its name, it would probably be something else.
If they chose AN, the problem is a lot of people who lost GR points, will want to try to make a claim on the points they lost, and the GW club points/membership $ value they lost.
Australia Airlines, would be too close to the former Australian Airlines, that used to fly in link with Qantas.
Air Australis is taken too.
Southern Australia Airlines is also taken.
As mentioned above, rebranding will be expensive, and time consuming, also people will be confused with any new name.
===
Air Austral is also taken.

 

[Saab34]

The change name thing was to occur during the administration, that was the time to walk away from SRB and his royalties. However they have signed a new deal obviously, so the point is dead.

Walking away from the brand (now) would cost hundreds of millions in payouts to Virgin, and hundreds of millions in rebranding. During the administration, it would only be the rebranding. You could say it’s probably been cheaper to sign up with Virgin again and not rebrand, well it is for Bain who are only here for a short time…lot a long time….

Obviously if Bain was in it for the long haul, then they might have considered walking away from the brand, but they are most certainly not here for the long haul! Many didn’t think they would still be hanging on this long.

 

[Bagpuss]

Obviously if Bain was in it for the long haul, then they might have considered walking away from the brand, but they are most certainly not here for the long haul!

How do you know they didn't consider rebranding during administration?

 

[Saab34]

How do you know they didn't consider rebranding during administration?

I think they would have. But they might have opted for a better deal with Virgin/Royalties vs rebranding.

If they didn’t get what they wanted, then I am sure it would have been a possibility.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Golden Wing?

Yes indeed, that was the AN lounge, back in the day when TAA ran Flight Deck, and after. Global Rewards was the FF program. I remember because I have my last GR points statement framed on my wall. Last time (every time) I walked into the BNE VA lounge I thought “Golden Wing”.

I don’t recommend VA resurrecting any of those names though…

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

The MEL, SYD and BNE VA lounges, are all in the location of the former Golden Wing lounges, which VB took over in, nah, they were budget in 2001, weren't they?
The lounges came much later when they upscaled..
Can't believe its been this long.
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Looks like VA lounges started in 2005.
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Cost cutting, would see that they would not open any lounges of their own internationally (again).