This Fall, Virgin Australia shall be suspending a pair of routes from Adelaide International Airport after reviewing the performance of the demand of the routes. The airline said the change will only be temporary, with the routes set to return in Spring 2024.
The suspension comes because the carrier received its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft last week after long delays. To fulfill its current demand, Virgin Australia said it utilizes every aircraft in its fleet across its network.
“Seasonal Suspension”
The airline confirmed on Tuesday that direct flights between Adelaide and Darwin and Adelaide and Cairns could be cut starting in October. In an announcement to Easy Flying, a Virgin Australia spokesperson said the airline is contacting any passengers who had already booked their itineraries on the affected routes.
“Virgin Australia can confirm a seasonal suspension of our direct Adelaide-Darwin and Adelaide-Cairns routes from October 2023 (…) We’re taking proactive steps to minimise the impact to passengers who’ve already made a booking on this route during this time. Guests booked to travel from 8 October onwards shall be directly contacted by Virgin Australia or their travel provider to supply alternative arrangements. Where another isn’t suitable, guests shall be offered a full refund.”
Photo: Virgin Australia
The carrier’s website indicates that the Darwin route will operate through October eighth, while the Cairns route will end on October twenty eighth. After that, passengers wishing to get to the 2 cities from Adelaide without switching to a distinct airline might want to connect in Sydney, Brisbane, or Melbourne.
the carrier continued.
Rival airline, Qantas Group, also operates each routes. QantasLink, the carrier’s regional brand, and Jetstar, a wholly-owned subsidiary, fly between Adelaide and Cairns, and the Darwin route is flown by QantasLink, Jetstar, and Qantas itself, in line with Australian Aviation.
Lasting for five months
Although some passengers could also be inconvenienced, the route cuts won’t be perpetually, in line with the spokesperson.
the spokesperson explained.
Along with the routes being suspended because of lower demand, the airline also observed forward bookings and other aspects in making the choice. The move will allow the airline to relocate aircraft to give you the chance to support different routes which might be experiencing higher demand.
Current fleet
The airline operates a mainline fleet of 67 Boeing 737 aircraft. Based on ch-aviation, eight planes are 737-700s, and 59 jets are the larger 737-800 variant. The spokesperson said the carrier is currently deploying every aircraft available to satisfy demand across its network and supply as many seats within the airas
Photo: Virgin Australia
Last week, Virgin Australia welcomed its first 737 MAX 8, which shall be used totally on flights from Cairns to Tokyo Haneda. Currently, the airline is flying the aircraft domestically to familiarize crews and procure regulatory approval. The service to Tokyo on the 737 MAX is predicted to start at the top of this month.