BY JAMES WILKINSON
Virgin Blue has released details of pricing for routes utilising its new Airbus A330-200 aircraft, which are set to fly from Sydney to Perth from May 26 complete with a domestic business class product for the first time.
The Airbus A330s will debut Virgin Blue’s domestic Business Class offering and will mean Qantas finally has a serious full-service competitor since the demise of Ansett in September 2011.
The domestic Business Class product, also set to roll out across the Boeing 737 fleet, features a 62-inch seat pitch, meals designed by Luke Mangan, seat-back entertainment and complimentary limousine transfers to and from the airport.
Introductory pricing on the Sydney-Perth route in Business Class is $1399 one-way and initially, Virgin Blue Group of Airlines Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director John Borghetti said the airline will operate a daily A330 service each way, before moving to a twice-daily offering from June 6 and a thrice-daily operation from July 7.
“Our Airbus A330 service between Sydney and Perth is just the beginning of the roll out of our new Business and Economy Class product to our domestic network,” Borghetti said.
“This announcement marks another step forward in our Game Change Program, which will see us become the airline of choice in the Australian business and leisure markets,” he said.
The Airbus A330 flights will also feature an enhanced Economy Class offering which includes seatback entertainment, luxury leather seating and a new retail menu created by Mangan.
Economy class airfares on the A330 start from $139 each way and are on sale until April 7, 2011 for travel between May 26 and June 22, 2011.