Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Virgin Australia | Velocity
Reload this Page >

VA ceases international ops, 90% dom reduction

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

VA ceases international ops, 90% dom reduction

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 30, 2020, 5:24 pm
  #31  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,995
it is not currently clear who/what request it, but VA stocks are in a trading halt this morning.

https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/202003...2pqktnndll.pdf
serfty is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2020, 5:42 pm
  #32  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,035
Originally Posted by serfty
it is not currently clear who/what request it, but VA stocks are in a trading halt this morning.
https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/202003...2pqktnndll.pdf
Seeking $1.4B handout https://thewest.com.au/business/avia...ng-b881504784z
Virgin Australia is seeking financial support from the Federal Government to survive the fallout from coronavirus crisis.The carrier, the second-biggest after Qantas, wants a rescue package of up to $1.4 billion, The Australian reported on Tuesday.
<snip>
Virgin Australia is 91.25% foreign owned. Some of those owner shareholders have very deep pockets (Government backed)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Australia_Holdings
Etihad Airways (20.94%)
Singapore Airlines (20.09%)
Nanshan Group (19.98%)
HNA Group (19.82%)
Virgin Group (10.42%)
ASX listed (8.75%)

Edit
ABC https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-...ilout/12105654
Virgin Australia in trading halt as it reportedly seeks $1.4 billion bailout amid coronavirus pandemic
Virgin Australia has gone into a trading halt, following reports this morning the airline has asked the Morrison Government for a $1.4 billion loan to help it through the coronavirus crisis.The company on Tuesday confirmed it was seeking financial help but did not give details about the amount of the potential bailout and what it could include.
<snip>
Ratings agencies downgrade their outlook on Virgin
Virgin Australia is 90 per cent owned by offshore airlines including Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, Nanshan Group, HNA Group, and Richard Branson's Virgin group, which are all facing their own cash-flow challenges amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Credit Suisse analysts estimated last week that with virtually no revenue coming in, Virgin could eat up most of its $900 million cash balance by June and would require additional liquidity to survive the crisis.
<snip>
Full cash refunds on tickets for cancelled flights would be better than a voucher.

Last edited by Mwenenzi; Mar 30, 2020 at 7:38 pm
Mwenenzi is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2020, 8:23 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Originally Posted by OZFLYER86

Thoughts?
Your post seems like wild speculation? Your link says VA plans to resume NZ flights, yet your post says the opposite.

I think we all expect VA to shrink to survive... routes will get dropped. But all international? They own most/all? of their 777 and have a great partnership with DL. I don't see that going away, DL utilizes those direct LAX-BNE/MEL flights. I don't see VA abandoning NZ entirely either, even if they just run AKL/ZQN flights, because it helps them sell those flights from LAX.

This is all assuming VA survives this thing.. but if they do they will keep the profitable international routes, why wouldn't they?
CPMaverick is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2020, 8:27 pm
  #34  
TBD
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,207
Originally Posted by Cubiscus
Are any of their international routes profitable - maybe LAX and some of the leisure island flights?
They are absolutely money losers. You don't make money leaving a 777 in LAX for 12h every day.
TBD is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2020, 8:32 pm
  #35  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,995
Originally Posted by TBD
They are absolutely money losers. You don't make money leaving a 777 in LAX for 12h every day.
You may not make as much money, but the 777 LAX services had been their only international service generally making a profit for VA.

Note that Qantas at the same time routinely left 3 or more B747/A380/B789 parked at LAX for 12 hours every day.
serfty is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2020, 8:34 pm
  #36  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,035
Originally Posted by CPMaverick
....... I don't see VA abandoning NZ entirely either, even if they just run AKL/ZQN flights, because it helps them sell those flights from LAX.

This is all assuming VA survives this thing.. but if they do they will keep the profitable international routes, why wouldn't they?
I do as VA has been struggling in the NZ market, even before the AirNZ-VA divorce IMHO. As a (former) frequent trans Tasman traveller on my route VA were almost always the cheapest, but lower loads on my recent VA flights compared to QF/JQ [I select TT flights on schedule, then cost]

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/...undancies-loom
<snip>
Meanwhile, Virgin Australia expected to wrap up talks with E tū and the Air Line Pilots' Association within 24 to 48 hours.

"We've regrettably had to make one of the hardest decisions anyone would ever have to make - and that is to make our New Zealand-based employees redundant," Virgin chief executive Paul Scurrah said.

"That's the consultation process started today ... we will be consulting with them over the next 24 hours to work out the way this is done."

The airline employs 200 pilots and 340 cabin crew at bases in Auckland and Christchurch.
<snip>
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/...0-jobs-on-line
Virgin Australia looks to shut down NZ operations, 550 jobs on line
<snip>
It has been in talks with New Zealand unions today about the proposal.

The airline says it is a priority in order to safeguard its Australian operations, which it is also restructuring as it shuts down all international flights from 30 March.

"Redundancies are going to be inevitable," a spokesperson said.

Even if Virgin restarts trans-Tasman flights on 15 June as planned, it would only use pilots and crew based in Australia, she said.

"At the moment is just too costly to have the New Zealand bases as well," referring to the two bases in Auckland and Christchurch.
<snip>
Mwenenzi is offline  
Old Mar 30, 2020, 8:39 pm
  #37  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Yes I know they shut down their NZ hub; VA was overextended in NZ already and needed to shrink. But they can shrink NZ operations substantially without stopping NZ operations completely.
CPMaverick is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2020, 6:32 am
  #38  
TBD
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,207
Originally Posted by serfty
You may not make as much money, but the 777 LAX services had been their only international service generally making a profit for VA.

Note that Qantas at the same time routinely left 3 or more B747/A380/B789 parked at LAX for 12 hours every day.
Please provide a link if VA has published performance by route, but airlines rarely do that. I only have the airline's public financial records to evaluate...
VA had an abysmal -7% operating margin for their international operations in H2 2019.
Qantas international routes are profitable, but just barely at +3% for the same period.

Qantas offsets some of the losses on LAX flights by doing maintenance while the plane sits. I don't recall if VA does the same, but that could contribute to QF's higher performance.
Beano likes this.
TBD is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2020, 5:17 pm
  #39  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 457
Originally Posted by CPMaverick
Your post seems like wild speculation? Your link says VA plans to resume NZ flights, yet your post says the opposite.

I think we all expect VA to shrink to survive... routes will get dropped. But all international? They own most/all? of their 777 and have a great partnership with DL. I don't see that going away, DL utilizes those direct LAX-BNE/MEL flights. I don't see VA abandoning NZ entirely either, even if they just run AKL/ZQN flights, because it helps them sell those flights from LAX.

This is all assuming VA survives this thing.. but if they do they will keep the profitable international routes, why wouldn't they?
AKL/ZQN ? Is that a typo ? Don't you mean AKL/SYD ?

If they were to keep B777-300ERs maybe they should run some SYD/AKL/LAX assuming DL return to daily LAX/SYD.
OZFLYER86 is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2020, 5:21 pm
  #40  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 457
Originally Posted by Tracy McLaughlin
our flights were cancelled by VA and I opted for refund - was told it will take up to 90 days!
many international airlines say 12 weeks for refunds, but now they say, it'll take longer.

Think about it. How many airlines will survive 12 weeks, let alone any longer, without massive restructuring/injections of cash.

So by saying they give you a refund, it gets you off their back.

No one knows how long this corona thing will take to play out. It could be a month or 3 or 6.
OZFLYER86 is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2020, 5:24 pm
  #41  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Originally Posted by OZFLYER86
AKL/ZQN ? Is that a typo ? Don't you mean AKL/SYD ?

If they were to keep B777-300ERs maybe they should run some SYD/AKL/LAX assuming DL return to daily LAX/SYD.
No I meant AKL/ZQN. Two NZ airports that VA may keep serving.

If talking about a route I would have said AKL-SYD not AKL/SYD
CPMaverick is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2020, 5:40 pm
  #42  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 457
Originally Posted by CPMaverick
No I meant AKL/ZQN. Two NZ airports that VA may keep serving.

If talking about a route I would have said AKL-SYD not AKL/SYD
ok but AKL/ZQN implies the route AKL to ZQN.

eg. when talking about VA flights to LAX, you say

BNE-SYD-MEL/LAX in travel speak, or this is how the travel industry refers to it.
OZFLYER86 is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2020, 6:44 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Originally Posted by OZFLYER86
ok but AKL/ZQN implies the route AKL to ZQN.

eg. when talking about VA flights to LAX, you say

BNE-SYD-MEL/LAX in travel speak, or this is how the travel industry refers to it.
That's quite backwards from IATA convention. '-' is used for routes in IATA... I've never seen '/' used anywhere for that purpose. In general terms, '/' is used as a 'or'.. although it can mean many things.

In your example, it would be BNE/SYD/MEL-LAX

Mwenenzi likes this.

Last edited by CPMaverick; Mar 31, 2020 at 6:57 pm
CPMaverick is offline  
Old Mar 31, 2020, 10:02 pm
  #44  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,995
Originally Posted by TBD
...
Qantas offsets some of the losses on LAX flights by doing maintenance while the plane sits. I don't recall if VA does the same, but that could contribute to QF's higher performance.
VA indeed did some basic maintenance at LAX - it was not uncommon to see a VA 777 inside one of the "Qantas" hangars to the West of the terminals.

The LAX routes had been making money, but as you indicate VA do not publish performance by route.

This link makes a statement re profitability: https://simpleflying.com/virgin-aust...-fleet-future/
serfty is offline  
Old Apr 1, 2020, 2:33 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 40
Also to add, Scurrah himself (as CEO) in September 2019 also singled out the USA as a star performer of VA's International Network, whilst also pointing out the likes of Hong Kong and the NZ flying will have to go "under review".

Source: https://www.news.com.au/travel/trave...00f4ee3f320b51
DanV is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.