Virgin Returns To Half Year Profit

[Bob C]

In an item in the "Australian" about Virgin returning to a half year profit and a mooted IPO these two paragraphs caught my eye :

"......Australia’s biggest airline also told staff it had appointed two new board members ahead of its planned IPO later this year......" But in the very next paragraph the reporter corrects herself......The nation’s second biggest airline......"

And
"......Its fleet has grown from 58 aircraft after administration to 92, and from April new Boeing 787-8s will start to arrive. The eight narrow body jets will bring down the average fleet age from 11.2 years, and provide greater network flexibility due to their longer range.

92 aircraft ? I thought Virgin Australia had about 80 B737s. Did the reporter include Virgin Australia Regional Airlines aircraft ? And new B787-8s are new to me. Does the reporter mean B737-8MAXs ?

[MarkR]

737-7,737-8 & 737-10 are the correct model designators for the max family. The 92 include the 737-700s intended for VARA which remain on the mainlines AOC

[Kent Broadhead]

Originally Posted by Bob C

Did the reporter include Virgin Australia Regional Airlines aircraft ? And new B787-8s are new to me. Does the reporter mean B737-8MAXs ?

I wonder whether the reporter or the sub (or the AI) made the error with 787 rather than 737. The 787 sure ain't a narrowbody, and we now the MAX is coming into the fleet in the next few weeks.

And also yes on VARA inclusion, and why wouldn't you to boost VA in the way the article is going.

[Tristan S]

Originally Posted by MarkR

737-7,737-8 & 737-10 are the correct model designators for the max family. The 92 include the 737-700s intended for VARA which remain on the mainlines AOC

The article says 787 ... not 737.

And looking at PlaneSpotters.net, it only lists currently 81 aircraft in the fleet - with 3 more 737s due bringing it to 84. Am I missing something?

[Bob C]

Hi Tristan

I checked my DB against two other sources and confirmed that Virgin Australia is operating 81 B737s at present with more in prospect. Maybe the 92 mentioned in the article includes those yet to join the fleet (3 -700s and 8 -800s ?) but the reporter should have clarified that in her story.

And has Boeing quietly dropped the MAX designator for obvious reasons ?

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by Tristan S

The article says 787 ... not 737.

And looking at PlaneSpotters.net, it only lists currently 81 aircraft in the fleet - with 3 more 737s due bringing it to 84. Am I missing something?

84 +8 737-8 = 92

[Bob C]

".....Its fleet has grown from 58 aircraft after administration to 92...."

It's fleet is not yet 92 but 81 current plus 3 more -700s and 8 -800s totals 92 as I mentioned in my reply to Tristan. However, that number is still some months away so the reporter should have been more specific.

[Tristan S]

The whole article was poorly written, typical of the media.. just ****es off avgeeks to no end ha.

[Bob C]

I agree Tristan - never let the facts get in the way of a good story !