V for Victory?

It is armed with staff whose passion and enthusiasm are irresistible one of world’s best brands and it has as its flagship the 777-300ER which has the lowest fuel burn – 2.9l per 100km – in its class.

Some will argue convincingly that conditions today are the worst ever to launch a new airline but many would say with equal conviction that there is never a good time.

In reality V Australia is not a new airline but rather the international division of Virgin Blue which has over 60 aircraft.

Its largest shareholder, UK billionaire Sir Richard Branson, is one of the greatest publicity magnets in modern times.

At the handover of V Australia’s first of seven 777-300ERs on Feb. 6th, Branson festooned in face paint, shorts, T-shirts and a tiny umbrella attached to his head led an identically attired clad V Australia executives out into a chilly Seattle winter’s day with bikini clad flight attendants for a photo shoot in front of the 777. The result? Front page pictures and stories across Australia the next day.

After the handover the Branson road show headed for the city of angels where the group snubbed their noses at some confronting wintery weather and managed to steal another front page stunt – a wing walk – on arrival in front of 500 guests and VIPs.

The pouring rain didn’t dampen the adoring guests and V Australia staff just lapped up the occasion. In a word – irresistible.

Virgin Blue’s CEO Brett Godfrey concedes that starting V Australia right now is a “daring move with some calling us absolutely mad” but adds that as long as the airline gets awareness passengers will be “blown away by us.”

V Australia is not to be compared with essentially budget airline Virgin Blue but with Virgin Atlantic and features a three class interior with top of the range in-flight entertainment systems from Panasonic and service that displays what Godfrey terms “a degree of aplomb.”

There is a 35 seat business class with true flat beds, a 40-seat premium economy class in a 2-4-2 configuration and a 288 seat economy class in a 3-3-3 layout.

Passengers will find nice touches such as music in the restrooms and females will love the ladies only toilet in the premium cabins.
The airline’s first route is from Sydney to Los Angeles, which launched last month, to be followed by services from both Brisbane and later Melbourne to Los Angeles.

With US services bedded down the airline will turn its attention to South Africa which Qantas serves in a monopoly code-share with South African Airways.

Certainly V Australia’s initial promotional fares perpetuate Branson’s public image of the “Robin Hood of the skies.”

Qantas has been criticised for years for “fare gouging” on the trans-Pacific route with business class return fares from Sydney to Los Angeles at $14,200.

At the 777-300ER delivery ceremony Godfrey and Branson announced even lower return fares such as $5,999 business class, $2499 premium economy and $1199 for economy.

While times are tough, these fare levels are certain to attract passengers who want to trim their travel budgets and try out V Australia.
Also working for V Australia is the Australian tradition of supporting the underdog while Qantas has suffered a largely unjustified horror run of publicity over maintenance and incidents in the lay media.

Supporting the V Australia three class product is Virgin Blue’s recent move to pitch for business travelers with premium economy product, lounges and a frequent flyer program.

The new airline will also reply on Virgin Blue’s extensive network to feed passengers, while in the US V Australia has forged code-shares with Alaskan Airlines and Northwest Airlines.

Branson also plans round world airfare products that will include all Virgin group airlines including Virgin America which is gaining accolades as well as momentum.

The last word on V Australia goes to Godfrey who reminded guests that when Virgin Blue started in 2000 with two 737s it faced Qantas, Ansett, and Impulse and a host of naysayers. Eight years on the airline has 60 plus jets and Ansett and Impulse are but distant memories.