Virgin Australia to replace Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue names -- Polynesian Blue too?

Australian Business Traveller -- on the ground at Sydney Airport at the launch event for Virgin Australia -- has learned that the new Virgin Australia brand (including the finalised logo above) will replace both Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue -- and possibly Polynesian Blue.

John Borghetti -- now called "Virgin Australia Airlines' first ever CEO"-- explained the new airline's plans in a statement: "From today, Virgin Australia will operate domestically in Australia. By the end of the year, our international product V Australia and Pacific Blue will also operate under the Virgin Australia name."

The links at the bottom of this article have Australian Business Traveller's very latest on the Virgin Australia rebranding and relaunch. 

Virgin Blue was previously restricted to domestic flights because Singapore Airlines' majority stake in sister airline Virgin Atlantic came with international "Virgin" naming rights.

The Australian airline's international operations had three separate names: Pacific Blue for flights to New Zealand and the Pacific islands; V Australia for longhaul flights to Thailand, South Africa, Abu Dhabi and the USA; and Polynesian Blue for Samoan flights.

Flights to and from Samoa are a joint venture with the Samoan Government, and it is unclear as yet what the plan is for those flights. Options already mooted include "Virgin Pacific", "Virgin Samoa" and "Virgin Polynesia".

Meanwhile, all Virgin Australia staff have been issued with new personalised badges in a vibrant, shining purple. 

That'll go well with the purple ties and scarves on the new uniforms. 

All Virgin Australia aircraft will be named after iconic Australian destinations. The first, the Boeing 737-800 that landed first at Sydney, is named "Bondi Beach".

This is just part of Australian Business Traveller's comprehensive coverage of Virgin Australia's launch day:

• Touchdown! Virgin Australia's first landings at Sydney Airport
• New Airbus A330 and Boeing 737 planes, plus what the new offerings mean for business travellers  
• Full analysis of the decision to rebrand all the Virgin Blue group airlines (including V Australia, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue) as Virgin Australia 
• Our interview with Richard Branson about business travel
• Punchy, fresh new ads for Virgin Australia, plus interviews with uniform designer Julie Grbac, inflight chef Luke Mangan and brand guru Hans Hulbosch
• The very first on-board photos from Virgin Australia's new Boeing 737-800 in Business and Economy
• Insider photos from the launch day with Richard Branson and John Borghetti

For the very latest, check back at www.ausbt.com.au or follow us on Twitter: @AusBT.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.