Update: we now have the new Virgin Australia logo to go with the Virgin Australia brand.
Previous: In the clearest sign yet of Virgin Blue's new 'Virgin Australia' brand the airline has taken ownership of the virginaustralia.com.au Internet name.
That name, along with Virgin Pacific, is registered to the London-based trademark umbrella group Virgin Enterprises, which owns and 'leases' over 2000 Virgin trademarks around the world.
Over the weekend FlightGlobal's Will Horton revealed that Virgin Enterprises won the rights to the Virgin Australia name previously held by a Melbourne-based company named Virgin Australia Pty Ltd, which rather oddly sold bookmarks (the kind you use in printed books, not websites).
Horton also notes that "the previous owner of the Virgin Australia Twitter account has been suspended, paving the way for the carrier to acquire it."
Virgin Blue CEO John Borghetti has said the airline's new brand will be launched before the end of June, but with a raft of changes already in place sources are now tipping the new 'Virgin Australia' brand to be revealed next month.
(For what it's worth, the VirginSky.com.au address is held by Mr Santino Di Bella, who previously had a run-in with the Branson empire over his plan to sell Virgin International condoms bearing a stylised 'V' logo through vending machines in pubs and clubs. Branson's legal eagles won that stoush, too.)
Coverage of Virgin Blue's overhaul
Australian Business Traveller's comprehensive and continuing coverage of 'the new Blue' also includes:
- the launch of Sydney-Perth services on May 26
- new business class seats with 62 inches of legroom and seat-back video screens
- a sneak peak at Virgin Blue's new 'luxury leather' economy seats
- an extensive overhaul for Velocity Rewards, including a points tie-up with Coles' FlyBuys programme
- Virgin Blue's new fast-track Sydney Airport lounge, plus upgrades for Melbourne and Brisbane lounges and new lounges at three other Australian airports
- stylish new uniforms for Virgin Blue flight attendants and crew which play up the airline’s palette of red, silver and purple
- Aussie masterchef Luke Mangan's promise to create inflight meals "that travellers actually want to buy
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Virgin Atlantic Airways - Flying Club
11 Apr 2011
Total posts 30
I don't think that can be taken as a clear sign that Virgin Australia is the new name - I think it'd make more sense for the domain to be registered to Virgin Blue Airlines Ltd.
Virgin Enterprises Ltd (The Virgin Group) registers all sorts of Australian domain names that will likely never be brands or companies in Australia.
A quick search of the Whois lookup reveals that Virgin Enterprises Ltd have also registered virginmedia.com.au; virginpacific.com.au; virginradio.com.au; virgintv.com.au.
I also discovered that Virgin Blue Airlines Ltd has registered the virginoz.com.au domain...
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2563
It's not a clear sign but (as we say in the article) it's the clearest sign yet.
Virgin Enterprises indeed registers all those names, as placeholders in case they're ever needed locally - that's because VE holds the trademarks and licenses them out, as is currently done with virginblue.com.au (it's held by VE and licensed to Virgin Blue Group, so one would expect the same arrangement to be in place for Virgin Australia).
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