With the exception of seasonal flights from Sydney to Fiji, this marks the first time Virgin Australia’s A330s have appeared on long-distance worldwide routes.
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These are the refurbished 777s and there is nothing with anything like their amenity flying the Australia-America routes, not even the Qantas A380s.
The combined impact of the additional Sydney capacity and new codeshare with Virgin Australia is an increase in the UAE flag carrier’s Australian footprint from a total of 42 to 45 weekly flights.
Etihad also flies to Brisbane and Melbourne.
Virgin will fly from Melbourne to LA five times a week.
“In partnership with Delta Air Lines, we will soon offer 25 services each week from Australia to Los Angeles and remain the only trans-Pacific alliance to offer Business Class guests lie flat beds with direct aisle access on all services”. “This new direct service offers greater choice when travelling to Abu Dhabi, either as a final destination or for onward travel to Europe, the Americas and Africa”.
The new flights will leave Melbourne at 11.30am on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and arrive in LA at 9am the same day.
The move will coincide with Etihad’s partner Virgin Australia shifting its Abu Dhabi operation from Sydney to Perth from June 9, 2017.
Virgin will cut its Brisbane to LA services from seven a week to six and cease its thrice-weekly Sydney to Abu Dhabi flights to accommodate the new route.
Virgin’s three time weekly flight will supplement equity parter Etihad Airways daily afternoon service to Abu Dhabi giving the two airlines 10 flights a week.
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“Our A330 aircraft will be deployed on a long-haul global route for the first time on flights between Perth and Abu Dhabi, which increases the number of services offered on the route from seven to 10 per week through our alliance with Etihad Airways”.
