Virgin Australia will add four additional Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft to their fleet from mid-2023, joining four other MAX 8s announced in April 2022. The carrier has also secured priority access to a 737NG full flight simulator in Perth, increasing training capacity.
On Wednesday (August 24, 2022), Virgin Australia announced that they will acquire an additional four Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, joining four previously announced in April 2022. The additional aircraft will join the Virgin Australia fleet from mid-2023, increasing capacity while supporting the airline’s journey towards net-zero carbon emissions. Additionally, the carrier has secured priority access to a Boeing 737NG full-flight simulator in Perth which will deliver a 25 percent increase in domestic training capacity for over 200 pilots based in Western Australia. Simulator access will be available from April 2023 through a long-term partnership with global aviation training provider CAE.
In Wednesday’s announcment, Virgin Australia Group’s CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka, said,
“Not only will we have increased pilot training capacity shortly, I am delighted that this week we have reached another major milestone with our team growing to over 7,000 team members, which is a real indication of the growth delivered in a very short time by Virgin Australia. Today is not only about investing in our operations, but our people too. We are passionate about creating the best employee experience in Australian aviation and attracting around 2,000 people to our airline in just under two years is testament to the priority we place on our team members.”
“The future of Virgin Australia is bright, and today’s announcements highlight our commitment to maintain strong competition for Australians who want to travel and experience great value. It also underscores our confidence in our underlying performance and commitment to Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. Despite the challenges faced by our industry, demand for travel remains strong and we’re responding with a focus on the long-term by increasing the efficiency and sustainability of our fleet with four additional Boeing MAX 8s joining our fleet from 2023.
“I’m also thrilled today to announce a long-term partnership with world-class aviation training provider CAE, who will deploy a 737NG full-flight simulator for Virgin Australia at their training centre in Jandakot, near Perth. Demand for 737NG simulator training is at extraordinary levels globally and securing this capacity at home is an enormous benefit to both Virgin Australia, and our pilots undergoing training. Today is a great day for our pilots and for Perth. The continued focus on investment in people, aircraft and infrastructure is important to our business and the added activity in Perth will be great for many of our existing partners in Western Australia.
“This means our Western Australian pilots will have the opportunity to be trained at their home base, saving them travel time to and from the East Coast or further, while providing significant cost savings to the business and driving efficiency in our training program. This is the first time we will have a simulator outside of Queensland or Victoria, and while Virgin Australia’s home will always be in the Sunshine State, it demonstrates the growth and importance of our business in Western Australia and of the state to Virgin Australia.”
The additional Boeing 737-8s will increase Virgin Australia’s 737 fleet to 92 aircraft including 737-700s, 737-800s and 737-8 MAX airplanes, an increase of 60 percent since the airline’s relaunch in November 2020.
Virgin Australia Boeing 737-8 MAX Flyover Animation - Courtesy Virgin Australia
Headquartered in Brisbane, Virgin Australia Group is a major Australian airline. The carrier operates scheduled domestic and short-haul international flights, charter and cargo services, and Velocity Frequent Flyer, the company’s award-winning loyalty program. The Group has been an Australian airline industry competitor for over 20 years, and has carried tens of millions of guests over the last two decades. The Velocity Frequent Flyer loyalty program has nearly 11 million members who can redeem their Points for flights across Australia and hundreds of destinations around the world with the carrier’s airline partners. The company operates an all Boeing 737NG and MAX fleet and currently offers guests three seating options including Business Class, Economy X and Economy Class.
Source: Virgin Australia
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