I don't understand why the government is expected to bail out Virgin? Before the world went to custard and Branson was making billions he didn't give a cent, now he not making money he has his hand out, disgraceful. It wouldn't be so bad if he had contributed over time but the fact that since he was 29 he has hidden in his tax haven; Necker and not paid a dollar tax to us or the UK. Happy when it works for him, quick to put his hand out. Stuff Branson, rather see Aus government distribute 1.4 billion amongst all Australians.

Gazuki, it's not owned by Branson. It's sort of like Donnie Trump, he owns f!@k all but just licenses out his name. But no, the Australian tax payer should financially assist the national carrier, but not throw anything special at another competitor. The current share holders need to decide whether to finance it themselves or the board needs to get finance from another investor that is not the Australian government.

Too bad
So sad
There'll be another to replace it once this adjustment to the new agenda is complete

I fly Virgin weekly and think they offered a great service, but I do not want any of my taxes to rescue a poorly managed airline. Let it die but the government should ensure a new player can entre the market at compete with Qantas. Lets hope some other airline get the Velocity rewards under their arm as I have a huge amount of points I would love to convert to travel.

Don't forget 90% foreign/foreign government owned...

Leaving on a jet plane...

In my view the job of the government is to create and oversee conditions for business, not to participate in business. The turn to social responsibility by the government has been admirable but we don't live in a communist state. Virgin AUS has been a basket case for long enough and our governments will have their hands full without attempting to run failing/failed businesses.

Let Virgin AUS go. Public money spent would be better served supporting those left out of work in the short term.

We need a second carrier for local and interstate.

When this is over (finally....sometime) there will be multiple airlines with spare capacity and staff who would jump at the opportunity to fill the void.

The only winner with Virgin was Branson. Its always been mismanaged ,never made a real profit and prior to 2008 was recognised as worth nothing when Paul Little of Toll Transport gave the virgin shares to Toll shareholders foc after writing off the toll books 1.3 bil. Virgin came with the takeover of Patricks.
Ashamed to say I still have a few thousand .

Only need to look to history. Ansett flew into the sunset and another airline in time set up in Australia to provide competition.

The same thing will happen again.

It's only gone into voluntary administration and Deloitte are saying no job losses so I'm assuming they have a plan to manage it better than the current board.

lets also get it right that it is not the national carrier, neither is qantas . neither are owned by the government therefore are not the national carrier no matter what anyone says. The government has an opportunity to buy a ready made airline and truly have a national carrier though .


Virgin owns 10% , etihad and SIA own most along with the chinese so why should there be any bailout

Up Up and Away with ..... TAA

Shiite I must be old

We don't have the population to support a profitable second carrier long term, been proven over and over.
Should have gone down the track with super fast rail years ago, and if that happens in the future a domestic carrier would be well and truly doomed.

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Craig66 said..
Up Up and Away with ..... TAA

Shiite I must be old

We don't have the population to support a profitable second carrier long term, been proven over and over.
Should have gone down the track with super fast rail years ago, and if that happens in the future a domestic carrier would be well and truly doomed.

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Hardcarve1 said..
Lets hope some other airline get the Velocity rewards under their arm as I have a huge amount of points I would love to convert to travel.

I think you're forgetting why the points/loyalty schemes are actually there, and its not for you to travel.

You would have to be a pretty dumb competitor that starts up in a new market and offers to cover someone else's points program, unless they are a really dodgy outfit and can't otherwise get people to fly with them.

I don't know what you're all worried about. Surely Tiger will go back to doing the Perth Melbourne run, and if you want to go anywhere else, just drive, it's not that far.

Tiger was the first to go..
I hope somebody pulls their wallet out though

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Lets hope some other airline get the Velocity rewards under their arm as I have a huge amount of points I would love to convert to travel.

The Velocity programme is a separate entity to VA and has not gone into administration. What the administrators do with those points is a different matter.

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Craig66 said..
Up Up and Away with ..... TAA

Shiite I must be old

We don't have the population to support a profitable second carrier long term, been proven over and over.
Should have gone down the track with super fast rail years ago, and if that happens in the future a domestic carrier would be well and truly doomed.

Let's not forget Ansett and Compass. You just wonder who will be foolish enough to want to join the list. People have short memories, so I'm sure someone will.

air asia would be an option to fill the gap , Malaysian owned & based .

What makes anybody think that air travel for the masses will be back on the cards this decade?

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kk said..
What makes anybody think that air travel for the masses will be back on the cards this decade?

because humans have very short memories, especially when it involves something they want.

There were people still going to Bali because 'it was cheap' when some of us were already locked in our houses woried about Covid19.

So say we squash the curve, as appears to be what is happening, we will need to keep our boarders closed/quarantined for a very long time, possibly years, or just open them up and let those that get sick, well, get sick.

The government, any government, doesn't appear to have a plan beyond containment.

Waiting for a vaccine was the plan but it now seems a remote chance, despite our best efforts, for decades we have never come up with a vaccine for corona viruses, or so I have read.

Under those conditions it will take a long time for airlines to re-establish.

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kk said..
What makes anybody think that air travel for the masses will be back on the cards this decade?

The instant this travel ban is lifted an airline will be the easiest business in the world to succeed with. There's an oversupply of aircraft that will be affordable and an oversupply of staff. And after being trapped for months there'll be loads of eager travellers.
Did I mention the price of fuel also dropped. it's the perfect time to swoop in

My friend pointed out that in Vietnam they were hosting foreigners in a hotel specifically setup to host them during their isolation. Seemingly with excellent food and good service, its actually a clever idea to use a hotel when there are no other travellers.

Imagine the future where you have to be isolated in such a hotel for a 2 week period before being let loose in a foreign country, People would do it, no sweat. They have to isolate again for 2 or 3 weeks when they arrive back? Yep, no problem, people would still go through it.

Tell me I'm wrong, but it would possibly be a bonus for some people. A lot of people already go to foreign countries and stay in a resort the whole time, so is it any different?

It is 90% foreign owned.

Singapore Airlines owns heaps of it, Singapore Airlines is government owned.

2 different Chinese companies own the most of it, they are Government owned/controlled.

Eitihad Airlines own heaps of it

Branson still has an indirect interest in the airline with his Virgin Group business.

The Australian government should not be giving money to the foreigners

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kk said..
What makes anybody think that air travel for the masses will be back on the cards this decade?

Unfortunately this is a distinct possibility. For business or a trip deemed essential possibly. For a holiday - not sure.

And you are likely going to have to show proof of your vaccination.

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petermac33 said..

kk said..
What makes anybody think that air travel for the masses will be back on the cards this decade?

Unfortunately this is a distinct possibility. For business or a trip deemed essential possibly. For a holiday - not sure.

And you are likely going to have to show proof of your vaccination.

Oh no!!! How are 'they' going to chemtrail you!!!

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Pugwash said..

petermac33 said..

kk said..
What makes anybody think that air travel for the masses will be back on the cards this decade?

Unfortunately this is a distinct possibility. For business or a trip deemed essential possibly. For a holiday - not sure.

And you are likely going to have to show proof of your vaccination.

Oh no!!! How are 'they' going to chemtrail you!!!

Oh sh!t, we hadn't thought of that one! Our plan of world domination is doomed! We had assumed that the vaccination thing would get everyone under control, but we forgot that we still rely on chemtrails for the majority at the moment.

Do you think there is any option to get the planes in the skies again? We have some guy in Perth that is beginning to wake up, but so far he is still watching Youtube, so we think he can go a couple more months before another dose. We have been adding it to the lentils for the moment, but man that is so labour intensive.

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petermac33 said..

kk said..
What makes anybody think that air travel for the masses will be back on the cards this decade?

Unfortunately this is a distinct possibility. For business or a trip deemed essential possibly. For a holiday - not sure.

And you are likely going to have to show proof of your vaccination.

There is nothing new about having to show proof of your vaccinations, when I first started traveling as a kid in the 60s you needed to hand both your passport and vaccine book to immigration I wouldn't doubt if some countries still required it pre-covid.

Likewise in the sixties and even the seventies travel was expensive, so mostly only for business and the very wealthy. When my dad got transferred here in 1974 a return airfare to the US was $2500, a new Falcon was $3500.

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petermac33 said..

kk said..
What makes anybody think that air travel for the masses will be back on the cards this decade?

Unfortunately this is a distinct possibility. For business or a trip deemed essential possibly. For a holiday - not sure.

And you are likely going to have to show proof of your vaccination.

Actually, adding to what KK says below, before now, you had to do this as well with a proof of vaccination.

When I came back from Venezuela, I was asked to show proof of my Yellow Fever vaccination. It was a while ago now, but I don't think I knew about it, so they give you a talk on how you need to monitor your health and then go to a doctor and advise them if you felt you had symptoms.

Since then I got a yellow fever vaccination, and a bunch of other ones, so i am well and truly vaccinated. I went to the GP and said, give me whatever you have got, and he was a bit surprised as a lot of people don't opt for some of them that are rare or costly. I figured my health is more important than a few dollars, so load me up!

It was funny at the time as the place I was going to has not had cases of Yellow Fever, probably no mozzies either, but Venezuela is a big place and there is Yellow Fever in some places, and our immigration officers do not go down to that level.

Its not just travel that may require proof of vaccination. Attending a football match may require one too.

Nicola Sturgeon saying sports fans should not expect to be back to stadiums any time soon - certainly difficult until there's a VACCINE Her CMO also against televised sports events resuming behind 'closed doors' - he warns it could encourage people to gather in groups to watch.


celtsarehere.com/nicola-sturgeon-sends-bleak-message-to-football-fans/?utm_source=seabreeze.com.au