Virgin Atlantic axes Sydney-Hong Kong flights

If VS can't make it work, is there any reason why VA should? A bigger market presence in Australia, I guess. 

I think I read somewhere that the SYD-HKG service was VS's most successful code-share ever, so it sounds like VA shift at least a few seats for VS.

I think VA can make it work based on a few things.

1. Lower costs. I believe that VA should be able to run the SYD-HKG service with lower costs than VS, having crew based in Australia rather than far away. It also would use an A332, not an A346; this should be cheaper to operate and easier to fill up.
2. Better feed. I believe that VA should be able to feed it better with more marketing, and if the initial route is successful it should be much easier for it to launch routes from other Australian ports. If they can snag a codeshare into China, Korea and Japan through HKG they would be onto a serious winner.
3. Better scheduling. The rotation would only need one plane, but more importantly it could have more agreeable timings that treat HKG more as a destination than as a transit point.

I think it'll be sad to see it go, but if they can't make it work, they can't make it work.

its not possible for foreign airlines ot codeshare HKG- CHINA

else QF would not need Jetstar just codeshare with China eastern.

and almost every Dragonair flight would have had an MH/AA code.

Correct about the codeshare. Not sure about QF needing JQ for HKG-China flights... pretty sure they also have Dragonair for that.

I wouldn't put an angled lie flat seat from HKG - LHR (which is currently equipped in most/all A330-200s on VA), especially when CX is running award winning seats on the same route. If a route had to be flown, try the 777-300ER.

Only if they take the plunge and copy across the VS products.

Yes.. I have 80,000 points sitting in my account just for this flight. Hmm..

Not Very Long.

I hope BA keeps that route for years to come!

BINGO! BA have been cutting back and cutting back. I have been predicting for some time they will terminate in SIN. QF wont get the codeshare from SIN to Australia with BA, BA will send pax via HKG with CX.

more like 1 player that's pwning the competition- they even want to launch a 5th daily

It's funny 'cause it's true.

Would be interested to know what solution VS offers you. 

VS have just switched us to CX for the MEL-HKG and HKG-MEL. They have honoured the Points Upgrade to J - so rather than Upper on VS from HKG to SYD, its Business on CX.

I'm looking forward to checking out the CX J Product - never experienced it before

I'd say that's a very good result, you'll be very pleased with CX J.

How did you contact them? I've been trying their AU phone numbers, but none of them even ring. Left a message through their "contact us" on the website, but no response yet.

Call them on 9004 5549.

I rang quite early this morning and got straight through. The number put me straight through to a CSR at call centre in the UK, no waiting on hold.

Booking changes were handled very quickly and efficiiently. I was told I need to wait about 48 hours to have the new ticket emailed out to me.

I too was just rebooked on CX. I asked about mile earning on CX and the fact I'd purchased one of their miles boosters for the entire SYD-HKH-LHR-HKG-SYD trip. Was advised to contact the customer services by email and the Reservations Agent seemed to indicate their may be scope to credit miles for the CS leg of the route despite them not being a partner.. shall wait and see..

Virgin Atlantic have confirmed that mileage earning will be honoured on re-booked SYD-HKG with CX. I would imagine that the same would go for re-bookings on this leg with other airlines (regardless of partner status). I didn't ask about Tier Points but given their flexible stance on the mileage I would imagine they would honour the tier point earning also.

Not if they do a deal with CX to feed their flights.  The problem will be if you travel Sydney to HGK on CX why would you bother to book on VS. 

Interesting three cities to select.

Why not CBR?

When CBR phase 3 opens, they'll have full customs/immigration set up.

Further to this, they've added new information to the announcment on their website"

"What would happen to Australian Flying Club members who have a balance of Flying Club miles?

We would encourage our Australian Flying Club members to continue earning and spending Flying Club miles as normal for now.  We would then contact those members with a further update, following the final decision on the intention to withdraw our operations."

Makes me think they really are considering pulling Flying Club out of Australia also... 

1. While a VA to HKG service is possible and it would be good to see, my gut says they won't as it'll cost them to establish a new route and they are bleeing cash (like QF).

2. CX don't have any more air rights to AUST main 4 airports - unless a bilateral agreement has been reached and I don't know about it.

3. Does EK have rights from HKG?

4. Agreed that VS looks partnerless from HKG.

I guess time will tell but I note VS are rebooking quite a few of their pax onto CX services between Sydney and HGK. In relation to BA and their brain power they had little bargaining power and made the best if what was 'tough love' from Qantas. 

I don't think the fact they're rebooking on CX can be taken as a sign of any potential partnership. When I was rebooked I was told they could only rebook on another airline on an identical route SYD-HKG. The options I was given were either CX or Qantas. 

Well, by extending EK's route from Hong Kong to Australian ports would be rather stupid. Indeed, if that was the case, passengers would have to do a stopover in Dubai, then Hong Kong before finally arriving at Sydney or Melbourne. 2 cities to stopover would increase the flight duration, which, in turn, would greatly reduce the attractiveness of these flights. 

By that logic EK would never have openned up MEL-SIN, MEL-KUL nor SYD-BKK. All of these services continue on to DXB. EK don't necessarily expect people to take these routes all the way to DXB- that's what the direct services are for. But if there is a case for a DXB-HKG service and a seperate case for SYD-HKG, then they may use their gigantic widebody fleet to extend the service from HKG-SYD. I'm certainly not saying that it will happen, but it could happen. It would also seal EK's place for travel between Australia and the four major Asian ports. Say all you want about how good EK's entertainment or service is, their advantage above all is connectivity and this adds another piece to the puzzle.  

Agree totally - and I'm very happy to have those EK flights with the stopovers in KUL and SIN, because it's often much easier to get a miles upgrade to J on those flights than it is on the direct flight to DXB, even though the former ones use a 777 for the service.

1. Cathay already runs fully flat award winning beds in business class on the route, so if VA really starts this route they can't expect a full J cabin.

2. There is arguably enough traffic on this route run by Cathay alone, so starting a fifth flight would be a little too much.

3. That's a good theory, but if it stays a 777 I would avoid this route especially with the uncompetitive J and Y products. SYD - BKK and MEL - KUL are feasible because neither TG or MH (respectively) offer a better product (correct me if TG runs an A380 on that route). As for SIN - MEL, I'm not sure.

7 hour stopover in Sydney? Where are you transferring to?  

What I meant was it arrives Sydney at around 7am but doesn't leave for Hong Kong and London until 3: 45pm. 

It can't leave any earlier because that would have it arrive in HKG too early to have a morning LHR arrival, but too late to arrive in LHR at night.

There are ways around it, though.

Virgin Atlantic really don't have any other aircraft that can do the job. Their B747s have way too much capacity, and their A333s don't have the legs to go all the way. The A343 is a slight possibility but with load factors seemingly high already with their current aircraft and worse economics per seat it isn't really much of an option.

Errr, what about it? It's obviously not going to fly to Sydney, for starters!