Honolulu and Denver Possible new Cities
Mar 10, 2015, 12:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 100
Honolulu and Denver Possible new Cities
According to this article we might see LAX-Honolulu as early as this year! Denver possibly, too!
http://skift.com/2015/03/03/virgin-a...ulu-this-year/
http://skift.com/2015/03/03/virgin-a...ulu-this-year/
Mar 12, 2015, 7:30 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 96
Sounds good to me
I miss the good old days where VX would announce new cities rather than taking away cities (like PHL) or just announcing new routes between cities already on the route map (like into/out of Dallas). I guess I'm just bitter because I'm in SF and we have less flights than we used too (PDX is particularly bad now with their 1 flight a day at a lousy time). I would love Honolulu and Denver though out of SFO! But these cities are still only on VX's wish list.
Mar 13, 2015, 10:33 am
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 100
I fly through Denver all the time and if I could go SFO->DEN on VX I would be thrilled. I can put up with United or whoever for the second leg of a flight, but the whole thing is just brutal.
Like I am flying to Detroit next week and luckily I can go from SFO->ORD on VX and then a quick hour to Detroit on United.
Like I am flying to Detroit next week and luckily I can go from SFO->ORD on VX and then a quick hour to Detroit on United.
Mar 17, 2015, 2:58 am
#5
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I'd definitely go to Hawaii more often if they flew there. I'd probably also try to take time off work to book a short trip inclusive of their inaugural flight -- that'd probably be a ton of fun.
Mar 17, 2015, 11:50 am
#6
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Has any airline ever flown an A320 to Hawaii before? The article said that the plane needed to be certified for the flight... surely they are not the first ones to do this though?
Mar 17, 2015, 2:22 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 339
In regards to Denver, all I can say is about time if it happens 
For Hawaii, both the A319/A320 have well over a 3000nm range w/ Sharklets (a little less without) so it's entirely possible they could pull it off. I can't imagine it's any less risky than the 737s UA/AS/AA fly to the islands.
For Hawaii, both the A319/A320 have well over a 3000nm range w/ Sharklets (a little less without) so it's entirely possible they could pull it off. I can't imagine it's any less risky than the 737s UA/AS/AA fly to the islands.
Mar 17, 2015, 3:06 pm
#8
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In regards to Denver, all I can say is about time if it happens
For Hawaii, both the A319/A320 have well over a 3000nm range w/ Sharklets (a little less without) so it's entirely possible they could pull it off. I can't imagine it's any less risky than the 737s UA/AS/AA fly to the islands.
For Hawaii, both the A319/A320 have well over a 3000nm range w/ Sharklets (a little less without) so it's entirely possible they could pull it off. I can't imagine it's any less risky than the 737s UA/AS/AA fly to the islands.
Mar 17, 2015, 7:04 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 339
The smallest aircraft I recall flying there in the last decade or so was United's 737-700 for a few months between LA and Hilo...a limited market to say the least...FlightAware says WestJet flies 737-700s all the time between Vancouver and Hawaii, not sure if that's accurate
Honestly I understand there has to be certification, but the whole process is tedious and ridiculous. It took Allegiant 4+ years to get ETOPS on their 757s, an aircraft virtually every airline in the US flies to Hawaii...I'm guessing it'll be awhile before Virgin enters the market
Mar 23, 2015, 12:09 pm
#11
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Mar 24, 2015, 12:58 am
#12
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Well, I've actually had a long discussion about this with some VX pilots. It is an open secret that ETOPS certification is underway. The issue is not also the planes, while it is part of it. I'm on a A319-100 flight from YUL > SFO on AC this week which is > 6 hrs.
The issue is crew training, not only the pilots, but the attendants. You need a sufficient number certified before you can staff a route.
VX has new 320 deliveries coming in Q2,Q3,Q4 2015. For them to support Hawaii now would necessitate dropping/reducing current routes.
The issue is crew training, not only the pilots, but the attendants. You need a sufficient number certified before you can staff a route.
VX has new 320 deliveries coming in Q2,Q3,Q4 2015. For them to support Hawaii now would necessitate dropping/reducing current routes.
Mar 24, 2015, 4:45 pm
#14
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Well, I've actually had a long discussion about this with some VX pilots. It is an open secret that ETOPS certification is underway. The issue is not also the planes, while it is part of it. I'm on a A319-100 flight from YUL > SFO on AC this week which is > 6 hrs.
The issue is crew training, not only the pilots, but the attendants. You need a sufficient number certified before you can staff a route.
VX has new 320 deliveries coming in Q2,Q3,Q4 2015. For them to support Hawaii now would necessitate dropping/reducing current routes.
The issue is crew training, not only the pilots, but the attendants. You need a sufficient number certified before you can staff a route.
VX has new 320 deliveries coming in Q2,Q3,Q4 2015. For them to support Hawaii now would necessitate dropping/reducing current routes.
If the Oct 2015 deadline isn't met, they'll launch a different city instead, and postpone Hawaii until 12-14 months from now.
Apr 7, 2015, 10:26 am
#15
Join Date: May 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posts: 1,960
HNL is for real
Correct, I can't think of any airlines that fly narrow body Airbuses between the mainland and Hawaii. HA ordered a bunch of A321Neo aircraft for mainland/smaller service, but they won't be in service for a couple years.
The smallest aircraft I recall flying there in the last decade or so was United's 737-700 for a few months between LA and Hilo...a limited market to say the least...FlightAware says WestJet flies 737-700s all the time between Vancouver and Hawaii, not sure if that's accurate
Honestly I understand there has to be certification, but the whole process is tedious and ridiculous. It took Allegiant 4+ years to get ETOPS on their 757s, an aircraft virtually every airline in the US flies to Hawaii...I'm guessing it'll be awhile before Virgin enters the market
The smallest aircraft I recall flying there in the last decade or so was United's 737-700 for a few months between LA and Hilo...a limited market to say the least...FlightAware says WestJet flies 737-700s all the time between Vancouver and Hawaii, not sure if that's accurate
Honestly I understand there has to be certification, but the whole process is tedious and ridiculous. It took Allegiant 4+ years to get ETOPS on their 757s, an aircraft virtually every airline in the US flies to Hawaii...I'm guessing it'll be awhile before Virgin enters the market
I see today that HNL is now a VX destination, starting 11/2/15.