VA to drop MEL-LAX, F50s to BNE

[Radi K]

Eff 26 Oct BNE-LAX going daily.

MEL-LAX dropped as a result.

VA1 SYD-LAX now leaves earlier at 1215pm with 8am arrival into LAX.

Also been advised that some skywest F50s will be moving to Brisbane to start ops in Jan. All further ATR deliveries cancelled/postponed for now.

[Rowan McKeever]

MEL-LAX moving over to DL, anyone!?

[David Knudsen]

Hopefully the F50's will find their way onto some RPT routes!

[Yusef D]

Unfortunately, Delta denies it, Rowan.

F50 news curious though.

[Kent Broadhead]

It does seem odd to split the F50 fleet across the country, unless they'll be purely focussed on charter work due to reduced demand in WA?

They're still nice old workhorses.

[Yusef D]

....could be increased demand in WA upsizing from F50 to jets.

[Daniel M]

Very very surprised about the axing of MEL-LAX. From what I've heard, these flights were always very full.

With Melbourne being Australia's second largest city, you can bet that this will leave a very bad taste in locals mouths regarding VA in general, being filtered through Sydney (god save us all) or Brisbane, with their already struggling capacity issues.

[Yusef D]

Very disappointed Virgin didn't go ahead with Brett Godfrey's original plan... min 7 777s, which would allow daily MEL and BNE.

[lloyd fox]

Radi anymore news on the F50'S to BNE or is this now not happening?

Cheers.

[Radi K]

Yep it's happening in the next few months. Crew start training soon. Will be for FIFO and talk of some F100s coming over too.