Virgin Australia to add seven more planes as demand rises

Sydney, Nov. 18 (BNA): Virgin Australia said Thursday it will add seven more Boeing Co 737 NG aircraft to its fleet, almost bringing them back to pre-pandemic levels, to help meet its goal of taking a one-third share. Australia’s domestic travel market.

Australia’s second-largest airline said the agreed letters of intent would give it a fleet of 84737 NG, the equivalent of one fleet of 85 aircraft that were in service before it entered voluntary management last year and handed many of its planes over to the lessor, Reuters reported.

The carrier, now owned by US private equity group Bain Capital, is competing against Qantas Airways Ltd and Regional Express Holdings Ltd (Rex) in a domestic market that is beginning to recover as states open their borders.

“This fleet growth underscores the confidence we have in the future of our business and the industry at large,” Virgin Australia CEO Jane Hrdlika said in a statement. “Vaccination rates are going up, borders are opening and demand is coming back.”

The airline said all employees will be back at work by next month, and it will hire 600 more jobs across the company. Many employees have been placed on unpaid leave due to lack of demand.

Qantas will also return all staff by next month at a time when it has reported an increase in bookings as states open their borders.

This week, Rex announced plans to start flights on the heavily congested Sydney-Brisbane and Melbourne-Brisbane routes from next month.

Rex said it will offer one-way fares as low as A$69 ($50.16), in defiance of mid-market Virgin Australia and Qantas’ low-cost arm Jetstar.

MI