Virgin Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Virgin Australia

Founded	29 August 2000; 24 years ago (2000-08-29) (as Virgin Blue)
Commenced operations	4 May 2011; 14 years ago (2011-05-04) (as Virgin Australia)
AOC #	CASA.AOC.0010
Hubs	Brisbane Airport (Primary) Melbourne Airport Sydney Airport
Secondary hubs	Adelaide Airport Perth Airport
Focus cities	Cairns Airport Canberra Airport Denpasar Airport Gold Coast Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Velocity
Alliance	None
Subsidiaries	Virgin Australia Regional Airlines
Fleet size	87
Destinations	44
Parent company	Virgin Australia Holdings
Headquarters	South Bank, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Key people	Jayne Hrdlicka (CEO) Richard Branson (co-founder) Brett Godfrey (co-founder and former CEO)
Revenue	A$5.4 billion (2018)
Operating income	A$109.6 million (2018)
Total assets	A$6.2 billion (2018)
Total equity	A$1.1 billion (2018)

Virgin Australia is a major airline in Australia. It is based in Brisbane. It is one of the biggest airlines that use the Virgin brand. The airline started flying on August 31, 2000. Back then, it was called Virgin Blue. It began with just two planes and one flight route.

Virgin Blue quickly became a big airline in Australia. This happened after another airline, Ansett Australia, stopped flying in 2001. Virgin Australia now flies to 32 cities across Australia. Its main bases are in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.

The airline's main office is in South Bank, Queensland. It was started by British businessman Richard Branson. He also founded the Virgin Group. Brett Godfrey was another co-founder and early CEO.

In 2011, the airline changed its name to Virgin Australia. It got new plane designs and uniforms. It also added a business class for passengers. New, larger planes were bought to compete with Qantas. In 2020, Virgin Australia faced big financial problems. This was partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company had to reorganize. Bain Capital bought the airline in 2020. Virgin Australia then decided to focus on being a "hybrid" airline. This means it offers a mix of services.

How Virgin Australia Started and Grew

Early Days as Virgin Blue (2000–2006)

Virgin Australia first launched as Virgin Blue in August 2000. It was a low-cost airline. This means it offered cheaper flights by cutting extra services. It started with two Boeing 737-400 planes. One plane was rented from another Virgin airline.

Virgin Blue first offered flights between Brisbane and Sydney. Soon, it added flights to all major Australian cities. It also flew to many holiday spots. The name "Virgin Blue" came from a contest. It was a fun way to link to the planes' red color. "Blue" or "Bluey" is also an old Australian nickname for a red-headed person.

Virgin Blue was lucky when Ansett Australia stopped flying in September 2001. This created a big empty space in the Australian airline market. Virgin Blue quickly grew to become the second largest airline. It also got access to better airport areas. This helped it grow even faster.

As the airline grew, it bought newer planes. It replaced its older 737-400s with 737-700 and −800 planes. These new planes were more modern and used less fuel.

Over time, the Virgin Group owned less of Virgin Australia. Other companies bought shares. In 2005, a company called Patrick Corporation took control. The Virgin Group still kept a 25% share.

In 2006, Toll Holdings became the main owner. Later, Toll sold most of its shares. In 2013, Air New Zealand owned 23% of the company.

Virgin Blue used to follow a simple plan. It removed costs like free in-flight meals and paper tickets. Instead, it sold food on board. It also used phone and internet booking systems. The airline also kept costs low by flying to fewer airports. It only used one type of plane, the Boeing 737.

This plan changed later. The airline ordered 20 Embraer E-jets. These planes were smaller. They helped the airline fly to smaller cities. This included places like Sydney to Canberra. The first Embraer E-170 arrived in Australia in 2007. These new flights helped Virgin compete more with Qantas.

Working with Other Airlines (2006–2010)

When Virgin Blue started, it did not work with other airlines. But after Ansett Australia failed, it began to work with United Airlines. This allowed United customers to fly to Virgin Blue's Australian cities.

In 2006, Virgin Blue started making deals with other airlines. It partnered with Emirates, Hawaiian Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines. This helped its frequent flyer program. Virgin Blue also worked with Regional Express Airlines. In 2007, it made a deal with Garuda Indonesia. This made it easier for passengers to transfer flights. Later, it also partnered with Vietnam Airlines.

In 2008, Virgin Blue added Business Class seats to all its planes. These seats were bigger and more comfortable. They offered special check-in, more baggage, and lounge access. Passengers also got free entertainment, meals, and drinks. This was aimed at business travelers. The airline also started charging economy passengers for checked bags.

In 2010, Virgin Blue made deals with Etihad Airways and Air New Zealand. They shared flights and frequent flyer benefits. Virgin Blue also talked with Delta Air Lines about joining SkyTeam. SkyTeam is one of the biggest airline alliances.

In 2011, Air New Zealand bought a share in Virgin Blue. They wanted to grow in the region.

Starting V Australia (2008–2011)

In 2006, Virgin Blue announced plans to fly to the U.S. Only Qantas and United Airlines flew these routes then. Australian and U.S. regulators approved the plans.

Instead of using the Virgin Blue name, a new airline was created. It was called V Australia. It had its own planes, five 777-300ERs. V Australia started flights between Sydney and Los Angeles in 2009. It later added flights from Melbourne and Brisbane. V Australia also flew to places like Nadi International Airport (Fiji) and Phuket (Thailand). These flights were later stopped or taken over by Virgin Australia.

Becoming Virgin Australia (2011–2019)

On May 7, 2010, Brett Godfrey stepped down as CEO. John Borghetti, a former Qantas manager, became the new CEO. Many Qantas staff moved to Virgin Blue. This led to talk about a big change for the airline.

In February 2011, the airline confirmed it would change its name. It would drop "Blue" from its name. This was to attract more business travelers. New uniforms and business-class seats were shown. The airline planned to change its plane designs too.

On May 4, 2011, Virgin Blue became Virgin Australia. It showed off its new look. This included new plane designs and a new flagship plane, the Airbus A330. This plane had a new domestic business class. Business class seats were also added to all Boeing 737 planes.

Pacific Blue and V Australia also became part of the new Virgin Australia brand. This happened after a deal with Singapore Airlines.

In 2011, Virgin Australia made a deal with Skywest Airlines. Skywest would fly up to 18 ATR-72 turboprop planes for Virgin. These planes would help Virgin compete on regional routes. They would replace the Embraer E-170s, which were not as cost-effective.

In October 2011, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) approved a plan. This plan allowed Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia to share flights.

In 2016, Chinese company HNA Group bought 13% of Virgin Australia. They planned to buy more shares. This deal also created a partnership for flights between Australia and China. Virgin planned to start flights to Beijing and Hong Kong.

By October 2016, Air New Zealand sold its remaining shares in Virgin Australia. In 2018, Air New Zealand ended its partnership with Virgin Australia.

In June 2018, CEO John Borghetti said he would leave the airline. He had been CEO since 2010. Paul Scurrah became the new CEO in March 2019.

On July 2, 2018, Virgin Australia started flights from Sydney to Hong Kong. These flights stopped on March 2, 2020.

COVID-19 Impact and Reorganization (2020)

On March 18, 2020, Virgin Australia announced it would ground 53 planes. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant Virgin Australia would mostly fly only within Australia for a while.

On March 31, 2020, Virgin Australia asked the Australian Government for a $1.4 billion loan. They needed help because of the pandemic. Another airline, Qantas, said if Virgin got help, they should get more.

On April 4, 2020, the government said it would help Qantas and Virgin Australia. They would pay for a small number of international flights for four weeks. Virgin Australia also decided to close its New Zealand operations. This meant 600 jobs were lost.

On April 9, 2020, almost all Virgin Australia flights were stopped. Only one flight between Melbourne and Sydney continued.

On April 21, 2020, Virgin Australia announced it was going into voluntary administration. This means the company needed help to manage its money problems. Flights continued as planned.

New Start for Virgin Australia (2020–Present)

In June 2020, Bain Capital bought Virgin Australia.

In August 2020, Bain Capital announced a plan for a "Virgin Australia 2.0." This plan focused on making the airline simpler. It meant retiring older planes like the ATR, Airbus A330, and 777 fleets. The Tigerair brand, a low-cost airline owned by Virgin, was also stopped.

On October 15, 2020, CEO Paul Scurrah resigned. Jayne Hrdlicka became the new CEO on November 18, 2020.

On December 15, 2021, Virgin Australia announced a new partnership with United Airlines. This ended its partnership with Delta Air Lines.

In September 2023, some Virgin Australia planes had issues. Two Boeing 737-800s had to stop flying. This was because some parts in their engines were not approved.

On October 10, 2023, Virgin Australia announced it was making a profit again. This was the first time in 11 years. Its income more than doubled to $5 billion.

How the Company Works

Head Office

Until September 2020, Virgin Australia's main office was called Virgin Village. It was in Bowen Hills, Brisbane. This building had a lot of office space.

When the airline started, it decided to put its main office in Brisbane. Brett Godfrey, a co-founder, said this was a good choice. The airline bought a $61 million site in Bowen Hills for its new office. The Virgin Village officially opened on October 17, 2008. About 1,000 employees worked there in 2008.

Sister Airlines

Former Airlines

Pacific Blue

In September 2003, Pacific Blue started. It offered low-cost flights between New Zealand and Australia. Pacific Blue wanted to compete with Air New Zealand and Qantas. Pacific Blue later became part of Virgin Australia.

V Australia

In 2006, Virgin Blue's parent company wanted to fly to the United States. On July 25, 2007, it was announced that "V Australia" would be the name of this new airline.

Tigerair Australia

On October 30, 2012, Virgin Australia Holdings bought 60% of Tiger Airways Australia. Tiger was meant to be a low-cost airline for 20 years. In 2014, Virgin took full control of Tigerair. After Bain Capital bought Virgin Australia in 2020, Tigerair was stopped.

Current Airlines

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

On April 11, 2013, Virgin Australia Holdings bought Skywest Airlines. Skywest was a regional airline. It was then renamed Virgin Australia Regional Airlines.

Marketing and Sponsorship

Virgin Blue has sponsored many sports teams. This helps to promote its brand. In 2007, Virgin Blue sponsored the NRL team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs. One of its Boeing 737-800s had a special design for this. Virgin Australia also sponsors the National Basketball League (NBL). It is also the main sponsor of the Brisbane Bullets NBL team.

In 2010, the Australian Football League (AFL) chose Virgin Blue as its new sponsor. This was a big deal.

Virgin Blue also made money by painting planes as "flying billboards." One advertised a men's razor. Another promoted a Queensland Government campaign. Both planes are no longer in the Virgin Blue fleet.

In 2007, Virgin Blue used the slogan "Get What You Want." In 2009, it changed to "Now there's an idea." TV ads showed how flying in Australia had changed.

In 2011, when the airline became Virgin Australia, its slogan changed to "Now you're flying."

Virgin Australia became a sponsor of new AFL clubs. These were the Gold Coast Suns and Greater Western Sydney Giants. In 2016, the airline made a deal with V8 Supercars. The racing series was renamed the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.

Awards

The airline has won many awards. It won five service awards in 2009. Since 2002, it has been voted best airline in different categories.

As an employer, Virgin Australia was named the most attractive employer in Australia in 2015. It was also in the top 3 for the five years before that.

The airline's frequent flyer program, Velocity Rewards, won many awards in 2009. It won for best program, best way to use points, and best website. This was the fourth time it won these awards.

Velocity Frequent Flyer also won awards in 2018. It won for program of the year and best customer service. This was the sixth year it won for best way to use points.

Where Virgin Australia Flies

Shared Flights (Codeshare Agreements)

As of January 2024, Virgin Australia shares flights with these airlines:

Connecting Flights (Interline Agreements)

As of January 2024, Virgin Australia has agreements to connect flights with these airlines:

Virgin Australia's Planes

Current Fleet

As of January 2024, Virgin Australia has these planes:

Virgin Australia fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers			Notes
			J	Y	Total
Boeing 737-700	2	—	8	120	128
	7	—	—	138	138	Some planes from KLM will fly mining charters in Perth. All 737-700s will be changed to have 8 Business and 126 Economy seats.
Boeing 737-800	14	—	8	162	170	7 planes from SilkAir have trial cabins.
	54			168	176
	7			174	182	All 737-800s will be updated to have 8 Business and 174 Economy seats.
Boeing 737 MAX 8	4	10	8	168	176	New planes arriving from June 2023.
Boeing 737 MAX 10	—	25	8	196	204	New planes arriving from 2025.
Total	87	36

Virgin Australia used to rent its planes. Now, it buys new ones. Some Boeing 737s owned by Virgin Australia have "FE" in their model name. Planes from V Australia have "ZG." To save money, Virgin Australia has started using second-hand planes. For example, some Boeing 737-700s from KLM replaced older Fokker 100s.

On June 28, 2023, Virgin Australia got its first 737 MAX 8. It was named Monkey Mia. This plane flew from Seattle to Brisbane. Virgin Australia plans to use it for flights from Cairns to Tokyo Haneda.

Former Fleet

The airline no longer uses these types of planes for passengers:

Virgin Australia former fleet

Aircraft	Total	Delivered	Exit Date	Notes
Airbus A330-200	8	2011	2020	2 planes went to Azul Brazilian Airlines.
ATR 72-500	6	2015	2020	Used by Virgin Australia Regional Airlines.
ATR 72-600	8
Boeing 737-300	1	2001	2004
Boeing 737-400	6	2000	2003
Boeing 777-300ER	5	2011	2020	Used by V Australia. Stopped flying early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Embraer 170	6	2007	2012	Moved to Compass Airlines.
Embraer 190AR	15	2008	2018

Developing the Fleet

In 2006, Virgin Blue announced plans to buy 11 Embraer 190 and 3 Embraer 170 planes. They also had options for more. In 2008, four more Embraer 190s were ordered. Virgin Blue got its first Embraer 170 in September 2007. A new logo was added to the tail of the planes.

Like Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia names its planes. They used to use female names and names linked to Australian cities. Now, they often use names of famous Australian beaches. Some names include 'Brissie Lizzie' and 'Sassy Sydney'. Beaches like Cable Beach and Bondi Beach also have planes named after them. Each Virgin Australia plane has a "virgin girl" painted on the front. She wears an Aussie hat and holds an Australian flag.

In 2007, Virgin Australia added premium economy to all domestic flights. These seats offered more comfort.

Virgin Australia started long international flights as V Australia in 2009. V Australia became part of Virgin Australia's international operations in 2011.

In 2011, Virgin Blue made a 10-year deal with Skywest Airlines. Skywest would fly up to 18 new Virgin-branded turboprop planes. These planes would replace the Embraer 170s. They would also help Virgin Australia fly to new regional routes. The planes were ATR-72s. They started flying in May 2011. They were used for flights between Brisbane and Gladstone, Queensland. They also flew from Brisbane and Sydney to Port Macquarie.

In 2012, Virgin Australia added more flights. It rented two Fokker 100s from Alliance Airlines. In 2013, Virgin Australia started flights between Brisbane and Bundaberg.

New Plane Orders

On April 1, 2010, Virgin Australia ordered 50 Boeing 737-800 planes. They could change these orders to 737-700s or 737-900ERs. Deliveries were planned until 2017. In July 2012, Virgin Australia ordered 23 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes. These were to arrive between 2019 and 2021. In 2015, Virgin changed 17 of its 737-800 orders to the MAX model. This made a total of 40 MAX planes ordered.

In August 2018, Virgin changed 10 of its MAX 8 orders to the larger MAX 10. These were to arrive in 2022. In April 2019, the airline delayed deliveries. It also changed 15 MAX 8 orders to the MAX 10. MAX 10 deliveries were planned for 2021. But due to problems with the 737 MAX planes, deliveries were delayed. In December 2020, Virgin canceled orders for the MAX 8. It kept only 25 MAX 10s, with delivery planned for mid-2023.

However, in April 2022, CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said the company would get MAX 8 planes again. At least four (later eight) MAX 8 jets would arrive by February 2023. This was to replace older Fokker 100 planes. Because of delays with the 737 MAX 10, Virgin Australia might get MAX 8 models instead. In June 2023, Virgin Australia increased its MAX 8 order from 8 to 14 planes.

Cargo Services

Virgin Australia Cargo started in July 2015. This was after its contract to carry freight for Toll ended. In 2016, the airline signed a five-year contract with TNT. Dedicated cargo planes started flying on July 4, 2016.

Virgin Australia Cargo fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Notes
Boeing 737-300F	1	—	Rented from Airwork.
British Aerospace 146-200QC	1	—	Rented from Pionair Australia.
British Aerospace 146-200QT	2	—
Total	4	—

What's Inside the Plane

Domestic and Short International Flights

Business Class

Virgin Australia offers a Business Class service. This is on most of its jet planes. The seats have about 95 cm (37 inches) of space.

Economy X

Economy X offers a better experience than regular Economy. It costs less than Business Class. Economy X includes extra legroom. It also gives you preferred space for your bags above your seat. You get priority boarding and screening where available.

Economy

Economy seats have about 80 cm (31 inches) of space. Some Boeing 737 planes have wireless entertainment.

Things to Enjoy on Your Flight

Food and Drinks

Virgin Australia offered Business Class passengers a special menu. It was created by Australian chef Luke Mangan. For lunch and dinner, it included a three-course meal. This meal was prepared on the plane.

The food came with a selection of Australian wines, beers, and spirits. Non-alcoholic drinks were also available. This included coffee made by a barista.

In Economy Class, you can buy food and drinks. Non-alcoholic drinks are free for all passengers on domestic flights. Beer and wine used to be free on some evening flights between major cities. On all international flights, hot meals and drinks were free for Economy passengers.

In-Flight Entertainment

In 2006, Virgin Australia (as Virgin Blue) announced "Live2Air." This service offered live TV on some flights. It was available on certain Boeing 737 planes. This service was stopped in 2012.

Virgin Australia's Boeing 777-300ERs and Airbus A330-200 planes had an entertainment system called RED. It was a touch-screen system. There was no charge to use it. RED had many movies, TV shows, and music. You could also play video games. You could chat with other seats and see a flight map.

In December 2012, Virgin Australia added a Wi-Fi system. It let you watch movies and TV shows on your own devices. This system did not offer internet access. It was planned for all planes within two years.

In 2018, Virgin Australia started upgrading its Wi-Fi system. This was to offer internet access. The Boeing 777 fleet was expected to have it by late 2018. The Boeing 737 and Airbus A330 fleets were to have it by late 2019. Smaller regional planes would not get internet Wi-Fi.

After Bain Capital took over Virgin Australia, they removed the in-flight Wi-Fi. Virgin Australia is now looking at its entertainment options. This means Qantas is the only Australian airline with in-flight Wi-Fi.

Lounge Service

To attract business travelers, Virgin decided to offer members' lounges. These were first called The Blue Room. They offered services for members and guests who paid a fee. Many of these lounges were in old Ansett terminals.

In 2006, Virgin updated its lounges. They were renamed The Lounge. They offered free food, drinks, newspapers, and showers. Computers and WiFi internet were also available.

In May 2011, the lounge was renamed again to Virgin Australia Lounge. It was designed to be a premium experience. It had different areas for different uses.

Lounges that were open:

Lounges that are now closed:

Accessing the Lounge

If you are a Velocity Frequent Flyer Gold or Platinum member, you can use the lounge for free. This is when you fly with Virgin Australia or in Business Class.

You can also buy a membership online. As of July 2021, a yearly membership costs AUD399. There is no joining fee. You can also buy passes for a single use.

Velocity Frequent Flyer Program

Virgin Australia started its frequent-flyer program Velocity Rewards in 2005. It partnered with National Australia Bank for a credit card. By 2007, you could transfer points from other credit cards to Velocity Rewards. The program had 4 million members by the end of 2014.

In 2007, different membership levels were added. These were "red," "silver," and "gold." Each level offered different benefits. This was to attract more business travelers.

Velocity was different from other programs. You earned points based on how much your flight cost, not how far you flew. Red members earned 5 points per dollar. Silver members earned 6 points. Gold members earned 7 points. Points for V Australia and other airline partners were based on distance.

Velocity was the first program in Australia to offer "any seat, any time" reward flights. The points needed for a reward seat depended on the flight's current price. This meant any available seat could be redeemed. Qantas added a similar feature in 2008.

In August 2011, the program was relaunched as "Velocity Frequent Flyer." A "platinum" status level was added.

In July 2013, Velocity added the Global Wallet. This was the first prepaid travel card in Australia. You could load money onto the card and store it in different currencies. You could use it at ATMs and shops worldwide. You also earned Velocity Points when you spent money with the card.

In 2015, Velocity Frequent Flyer won "Program of the Year" at the Freddie Awards.

Images for kids

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  Virgin Blue's 50th Boeing 737 Virgin-ia Blue was the only aircraft in the fleet to be actually painted blue. This aircraft is now in Virgin Australia livery.

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  Boeing 737-800 in the old Virgin Blue red livery at Perth Airport in 2004

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  The first Virgin Australia Boeing 737 to wear the airline's new livery arrives at Sydney Airport for the launch of the new brand

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  Close-up of the new Virgin Australia titles on Boeing 737 Bondi Beach, at Sydney Airport for the launch of the new brand

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  The former Virgin Blue logo, used until May 2011

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  Airbus A330 Cable Beach arrives at Sydney Airport in the new Virgin Australia livery, 4 May 2011. A Boeing 777-300ER of sister airline V Australia is in the background

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  Virgin Australia aircraft parked at Perth Airport. After it entered voluntary administration in 2020, Virgin planes were temporarily seized by Perth Airport.

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  Virgin Village, the previous Virgin Australia head office in Bowen Hills, Brisbane

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  Virgin Australia Regional Airlines Airbus A320 (VH-YUD) at Christmas Island Airport (2016)

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  Virgin Blue's "Rabbitohs" Boeing 737 'Bondi Babe' at Sydney Airport

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  Virgin Blue Boeing 737 with special scheme to advertise the Australian DVD release of the movie Avatar

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  A former Virgin Australia ATR 72, Mission Beach

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  A former Boeing 777-300ER at Los Angeles International Airport

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  One of two Pionair's British Aerospace 146 cargo freighters operating for Virgin Australia

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  Virgin Australia's Moving Map showcasing a flight path from Sydney to Perth

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  Virgin Australia's lounge at Melbourne Airport in 2014

See also

In Spanish: Virgin Australia para niños