V Australia, Virgin Blue’s new three-class
long-haul international airline, will turn its full focus to the
state of Victoria this week, with the launch of two new
international routes direct from Melbourne. The launch heralds V
Australia’s first foray into Victoria with the boutique carrier
beginning non-stop services from Melbourne to the United States of
America (Los Angeles) as well as Thailand (Phuket).
The airline will operate the new routes with
Boeing 777-300 aircraft that features a three class cabin
including 33 fully lie-flat beds in International Business, 40
International Club seats in Premium Economy and 288 Economy seats.
Virgin Blue Chief
Executive, Brett Godfrey, said, “We are excited to be launching
not just one, but two new international routes from Melbourne
within a few days of each other and just in time for the peak
holiday season. We identified both the US and Thailand as two highly desirable holiday destinations, with the US also a key
business route for Victorians. Our aim is to stimulate both
leisure and business traffic, provide incentives via affordable
and high quality, comfortable flying options and open up
opportunities for US based companies to do more business in
Victoria and vice versa.”
To celebrate the new route, V
Australia has launched a A$689 one-way “High Tail It To
Hollywood” launch fare on sale until midnight 15 December
2009, for travel on direct flights between Melbourne and Los
Angeles from 1 February to 31 Mar 2010.
Lead-in fares start
from A$1650 return on the net for International Economy, A$3620
for Premium Economy and A$9875 for all the bells and whistles in V
Australia’s International Business Class Cabin. All
fares are fully inclusive of taxes and surcharges with the direct flights departing from Melbourne to Los Angeles every Tuesday and
Saturday.
Flights to Phuket take off this Thursday, 3 December
with special “Tuk Tuk Off to Phuket” fares on sale for A$399
one-way until midnight 7 December 2009, for travel on
direct flights between Melbourne and Phuket from 3 December - 17
December 2009 and 15 January - 31 May 2010.
Lead-in fares start
from A$499 one-way on the net for International Economy, A$899 for
Premium Economy and A$1499 for International Business Class Cabin.
Fares are fully inclusive of taxes and surcharges with the
direct flights departing from Melbourne to Phuket every Thursday
and returning Friday’s, with return connections available via
Brisbane or Perth.
“Melbourne and Victoria are an important part of our
long term growth plan for V Australia and this is clearly
demonstrated in the fact that V Australia’s next launch flight
will be the direct Melbourne-Johannesburg services scheduled for
take-off in March next year. Melbourne will be the only city to
have direct flights to all three V Australia international
destinations,” added Virgin Blue Chief Executive, Brett Godfrey.
See recent travel news from:
Travel News Asia,
Virgin Blue,
V Australia,
Melbourne,
Phuket,
Los Angeles
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