Virgin Airways

[Fireman Sam 336]

Did anybody notice this in the uk press today 2nd January.

 

Hope it goes ahead, interesting developments hopefully will reduce prices across the board.

 

Maybe some of our resident airline experts (Cheshire tom etc would like to pass on their thoughts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sir Richard Branson is in discussions to create a global low-cost airline that could operate flights from the UK to Malaysia for as little as £43.

 

The founder of Virgin Atlantic is looking to team up with Malaysian airline AirAsia, the foremost low-cost airline in the fast-expanding Asia region. Tickets may be offered at between £43 and £365, depending on when they are booked. A further £40 would be added to this price in tax, and other charges may apply too, but the passengers could still make huge savings on the 6,550-mile UK to Malaysia route.

 

Flights could operate from Manchester because Heathrow is seen as prohibitively expensive, and an operation may also begin between Manchester and Amritsar in India.

 

A deal would give Virgin access to the no-frills terminal at Kuala Lumpur Airport, and from there to other countries in the region, including Thailand and Indonesia.

 

A spokeswoman for AirAsia told Reuters that "a major announcement" on a new service would be made on Friday morning.

 

Asia is the fastest-growing aviation market in the world, with a forecast by the International Air Transport Association predicting that passenger numbers in the region will grow by at least 222 million by 2010.

 

AirAsia began six years ago and now has 50 aircraft flying to destinations across south-east Asia and China.]

 

 

 

Anyways here's hoping.

Edited January 2, 2007 by Mr he-tet

[Dr Mick 111]

WOULD BE GREAT NEWS ,

 

Branson plan may hit Qantas

 

January 3, 2007

 

 

Sir Richard Branson: new flight plan.

 

 

Other related coverage

Virgin, EasyJet, AirAsia forging long-haul alliance

Jetstar's Honolulu service takes off

Jetstar's Honolulu service takes off

Advertisement

AdvertisementAN EXTRA barrier has been thrown into the path of the $11.1 billion Qantas buy-out, with news that Virgin Group chief Sir Richard Branson is in talks with AirAsia and easyJet to start a discount airline in Asia.

 

According to reports, Sir Richard is in discussions with easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes. They are believed to be looking at forming a large low-cost carrier connecting Britain with Malaysia, India and China. It is unclear whether Virgin Blue would be part of the deal.

 

The three men are significant participants in the low-cost revolution that has provided growth within an international airline industry that has faced high fuel costs, epidemics and

[pattaya_mad 208]

no thrill airline , drinks and food you have to pay for I guess, couldnt handle 12 hours of that

[louis crawley 0]

well i try and fly at low cost but at the same time i do like luxury dont we all i usually spend approximately £500for return flight ...sterling and feel along with 1,000 bht a night hotel and a batfine you cant beat it

 

 

 

i reckon anyways

[MrMango 671]

Jetstar's Honolulu service takes off

Not quite true - It was reported in this Sunday's Honolulu paper that he inaugural flight was canceled due to a mechanical problem - Must be a major embarrassment to them.

 

I'm sure that it was a teething problem and I welcome competition to this route.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

There were strong rumours about this in MAN a few months back when Malaysia Airlines pulled the plug on their KUL-MAN non-stop service. That service was a code-share with Virgin who effectively lost a link into the kangaroo route and feeder traffic for their Virgin Blue services in Oz/NZ. Malaysia may have held onto its slots and simply sell them on to Virgin/Air Asia and the normal objections by BA/Qantas to any competition would be mute since the service would effectively only be replacing one that already existed and they have both all but abandoned MAN in favour of LHR anyway.

 

As a stand-alone service it is pretty much accepted that the low-cost model doesn't fit into long-haul routes but with the Air Asia connections it is a whole different ball game as a 9:30 p.m departure from MAN would get you into KL around 6 a.m. with the choice of connecting to Air Asia's network (Clark (Angeles), VietNam, Phuket/BKK etc) and back out around lunchtime to arrive in MAN about 19:30. The early-morning feeder traffic back to KL would mean a layover of only 2-4 hours which is acceptable to most.

 

Any service that gives the guys more choice with the option of saving a few bob is welcome IMHO.

 

If they would only would start a service KUL-U-Tapao then the jigsaw would be complete.

 

I'm not sure how EasyJet fits into things in MAN (they fly into Liverpool) but the option of flying KUL-Luton would make seem to make a lot more sense in that respect.

 

Just as a quick add-on ......... it won't be the first time Branson and Fernandes have worked together. Fernandes was Virgin Records financial controller in the late-80s.

Edited January 3, 2007 by CheshireTom

[Dr Mick 111]

Well if price comes down can see me having many more trips

 

Instead of 3 a year may fit in 5

 

LONDON: Virgin Atlantic is in talks with a Malaysian budget airline over a potential global no-frills alliance that could offer cheap flights between the UK and Asia.

AirAsia, Malaysia’s leading low-cost airline, is keen to join forces with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin to form a joint venture that would fly between Kuala Lumpur and London and Manchester, Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and Amritsar in India. If a partnership goes ahead, it could mean the price of long-haul flights to Asia being slashed, with tickets starting from as little as £40.

Industry sources suggested that Virgin could take a minority interest in any such alliance, similar to that with Virgin Nigeria Airways.

A Virgin Atlantic spokesman said: “We are alert to the many opportunities for delivering even better customer service and value, and we talk to lots of people in the industry all the time. Evidently, there has been a growth in low-cost carriers in Asia following the success of the low-cost model in Europe.”

AirAsia’s chief executive, Tony Fernandes, who is a former managing director of Warner music in Malaysia, has said there was huge potential for a budget long-haul air service. The country’s national carrier, Malaysia Airlines, operates 18 times weekly to London, and charges around £700 for economy class and £2,600 for business class.

After cashing in his AOL Time Warner stock options, Fernandes bought AirAsia, which was on the brink of collapse, in 2001, for the token sum of one ringgit (14p), and assumed its £9mn debt. In just a year he had engineered a turnaround, launching new routes with fares from as little as 14p, massively undercutting Malaysia Airlines. The company’s aircraft grew from two to 50. It operates flights throughout South-east Asia and China. In June, AirAsia posted profits of £18mn, and it expects passenger volume to hit 18mn this year.

A joint venture with Virgin would also offer flights to Hangzhou, near Shanghai, and Tianjin, near Beijing from as little as £14, according to a report in the Malaysian Star newspaper.

Budget airlines have experienced rapid growth in recent years as customers eschew package holidays for independent travel. A number of business class only carriers have also launched, offering cheaper flights than established airlines, including Silverjet, which is set to fly from Luton to Newark in the US from the end of this month.

Landing costs at Heathrow would be too expensive for a low-cost carrier, but the venture could operate out of Gatwick, which has become a hub for budget airlines. It could also use Luton, where Virgin already operates a rail link between the airport and central London.

Virgin carries around five million passengers a year, and flies to 27 destinations worldwide, including the United States, Hong Kong, South Africa and Australia. – The Independent

[Gus 97]

Just some odd bits and bobs.

Air asia sponsor Man Utd in some way, also have large adverts at some of the matches.

Virgin America have been knocked back in the USA

Oasis beat Branson for LoCo to HKG, payback time?

Virgin fly to Sydney via HKG maybe could do same same via BKK or KL or Singers.

Where Stelios come in I don't know, unless he's got the dough

 

I am sure we all agree that some more competition for Thai, Eva, BA and Qantas etc would be a good thing.

Not sure if LTN has a long enough runway, probably use LGW.

[Gus 97]

Air Asia to make "Huge Announcement" 1000 KL time Friday

[ben99 0]

So I guess we could see Manchester/Malaysia/Bangkok for £200? Would probably have to book well in advance for that price........then there is the hassle of getting to Manchester and back home again.

 

I'd still be tempted to fly Emerates from Birmingham.........as I can't stand a long journey home on the way back.......nothing like airport to door in 20 mins.........I guess if you live in the Manchester area, it makes a quick 5 day vacation, a real possibilty.

[Dr Mick 111]

.nothing like airport to door in 20 mins.........I guess if you live in the Manchester area, it makes a quick 5 day vacation, a real possibilty.

 

Sure will look at web site tomorrow ,

 

If £200 looks like many 5 day long week ends away

 

Wish I had more holidays

[Eneukman 1]

Will they have low cost business and 1st Class as well?

 

I really can't see me making use of this service on my visits back home as I first have to get to KL and then I have to get to Edinburgh from Manchester. A flight arriving at Manchester at 19.30 would almost certainly be too late for me to get a flight up to Edinburgh so I would have to stay overnight in Manchester.

 

It sounds like a good deal for those living in the Manchester area so long as they don't mind flying via KL.

 

Alan

[marleyboy 140]

As far as im concerned competition can only lead to better fares for us!? Also if they do get it going, as somebody has already sasi, maybe they will have good fares for business/ first class? May be a better opion (depending on price of course!) than thai, eva b. a/ qantas!

Anyway! on a happier note! ive just booked with Eva for thailand! wheels up ,12 weeks as of 21.30 last night!

[Gus 97]

Going to be called Air Asia X or Express, flying KL to London Stansted amongst other destinations in China and India.

Commences July 2007.

2 classes, zoo and super zoo, no business.

pay for entertainment and food and drinks.

 

By the time Taxes are added on ????

If you'll excuse the pun, time will tell if it takes off

[bob2005 0]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/cor.../250767/1/.html

 

Southeast Asia's first low-cost long-haul airline, called AirAsia X, was launched on Friday.

 

Malaysian leaders say the new local carrier is expected to turn the country into a global budget aviation hub.

 

Imagine a return flight from Kuala Lumpur to London at just US$140 - inclusive of all taxes, insurance and surcharges.

 

Malaysia's newly-launched long haul budget carrier - AirAsia X - is set to kick off its first low-cost flights to China and Europe this July.

 

Speaking to Channel NewsAsia, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes, who has a 50 percent share in the new carrier, said AirAsia X's business model will revolutionise the region's aviation industry.

 

He said: "There'll be a lot of fares at 500 ringgit to the UK return, if that's not revolutionary I don't know what is. It will be cheaper to fly to London than to Singapore."

 

By keeping costs low at 1.9 US cents per passenger kilometre, Mr Fernandes is confident the no-frills operation will be profitable.

 

Passengers will have assigned seats for the flights and in-flight entertainment, food and beverages are add-ons that can be purchased beforehand.

 

In July, three Airbus 330s or Boeing 777s - each with a maximum capacity of 400 - will commence daily flights from the Malaysian capital to Tianjin or Hangzhou in China.

[Dr Mick 111]

I have just registered with them ,want to be one of the first to fly to LOS for less than £200

 

Will then give report

[seabass 0]

Woh the hassle of getting to Manchester Airport. I live 10 minutes away.

 

Please let this announcement be as good as were all hoping.

 

For the sake of £200 saving, I would be able to pack some sandwiches and buy a book. I might even throw in a blanket and a tootbrush.

 

I normally hate that smug bastard Branson, but having seen a photo of his daughter, and thinking positively of this announcement, I might get to like him

[Guest Fatboyfat]

This particular "low-cost" concept seems very like the Charter type effort that Monarch (I think) was running to Phuket about a couple of years ago, where they also sold flight only seats. Even normal sized midgets had problems fitting in their seats (Pilots used to beg passengers to complain to company), and I can't see the Stereotypical Pattaya visitor from the North having much more joy with this new one class (super dooper economy) on a 12 hour flight

 

Having said that tho' : Choice is always a good thing

Edited January 7, 2007 by Fatboyfat