Sydney Service Ending

Sad to see this go, I had the pleasure of doing this route back in 2006. Quite amazed that Virgin Australia have not picked up the Hong Kong - Sydney part to allow some sort of connection between the airlines.
It is always odd how similar the various Virgin airlines are, yet the lack of shared resources is odd. Surely thats a money saver overall right there and just shows how totally independently and seperately they are actually operated.
Guess it's gonna be more interesting to see where the aircraft is likely to be used.

Quite amazed that Virgin Australia have not picked up the Hong Kong - Sydney part to allow some sort of connection between the airlines.

Virgin Aus are more cozy with Etihad (bigger shareholder than Virgin) and the Joint Venture they share to Abu Dhabi.... so it is no surprise Virgin Atlantic lost out to Etihad.

Sad to see this go, I had the pleasure of doing this route back in 2006. Quite amazed that Virgin Australia have not picked up the Hong Kong - Sydney part to allow some sort of connection between the airlines.
It is always odd how similar the various Virgin airlines are, yet the lack of shared resources is odd. Surely thats a money saver overall right there and just shows how totally independently and seperately they are actually operated.
Guess it's gonna be more interesting to see where the aircraft is likely to be used.

I was wondering exactly the same thing. I do hope that VA pick up HKG or VS Switch/Start-up Abu Dhabi and partner with VA. I agree with Slinky....some good news has to come soon. VS have dropped Accra and now Sydney and still no new news or routes??

Does that mean that we might see new routes/upped frequencies elsewhere?

[mitchja]

Isn't there some sort of bilateral agreement in place on Australian routes though? I think that partly the reason why VA don't fly to Hong Kong.

Does that mean that we might see new routes/upped frequencies elsewhere?

Cutting SYD doesn't free up any slots at LHR so new routes aren't on the cards yet.

Isn't there some sort of bilateral agreement in place on Australian routes though? I think that partly the reason why VA don't fly to Hong Kong.

Exactly VA FFs are going to loose out on this too. I hope VA picks up the route.

Despite the PR I don't think the VS/VA relationship has ever been that great on international flights. I flew syd to lax last year in PE, which was excellent, but my GC did not get me lounge access - even though domestically it does. The old virgin blue and V Australia are different companies I was told even though now Virgin Australia. Given the majority of VA is owned by SQ, NZ and Etihad I doubt they will support a HK flight with a London connection. It's really disappointing.

We've been saving up our miles for a SYD upper experience, so gutted here!

It's all a bit doom and gloom at the mo with Virgin Atlantic :-s

Echoing the overall sentiment here... I'm sad to see a route dropped as that is one less route for me to explore (spend miles on )

I have only flown this route a couple of times and each time it was busy with pretty much full cabins. Evidently, despite this, it did not make economic sense for them to continue.

Adios HKG-SYD :#

Gah! Just my luck, I was booked in J to head back to blighty for a wedding in July. Now I have to go through the joy of jiggling around my plans with VS. I'd literally just booked my connection to Sydney! Gah!

Conveniently none of the Aussie customer service numbers on their website seem to work (including the one they suggest I contact on their statement). Has anyone got any other numbers to contact them? Even a +44 number that's not 0844 would be great as I get free minutes to the UK.

Might have to consider jumping ship, flying club was never the best option since the move to Aus and now it's even less appealing.

[mitchja]

I have a 01 number for Flying Club if that's of any use? Try +44 1293 473998.

That's great, thanks James. Turns out they weren't really sure what the plan is for moving passengers to other carriers, was promised a callback in 24hr once they know what's going on. Hopefully the Cathay flights mentioned in the press release line up nicely to connect with the HKG-LHR sector. I'll miss upper's generous baggage allowance, Cathay is 30kg max

We've been saving up our miles for a SYD upper experience, so gutted here!

It's all a bit doom and gloom at the mo with Virgin Atlantic :-s

It's becoming more and more predictable that VS into the future will be a predominantly UK-US carrier. Basically a side arm of Delta with different livery and slightly quirkier product.

Can see NRT heading this way next.

It's becoming more and more predictable that VS into the future will be a predominantly UK-US carrier. Basically a side arm of Delta with different livery and slightly quirkier product.

Possible but it may be that we're reading too much in to the demise of SYD. It was a unique route for VS in that it wasn't operated non-stop from the UK, required a separate, fairly substantial crew base in HKG and didn't involve a simple there-and-back trip for the aircraft.

All of which presumably made it more costly to operate than VS's other routes and made it the "odd one out" and, sadly, susceptible for axeing given the cut-throat competition from EK/QF in particular.

Gumshoe, you might want to edit NH's quote as, at the moment, it is showing NH's remark as coming from RIPMadsButts.

And, as the last SYD to HKG is around the time I shall be returning from my next Adventure Before Dementia in OZ, is it worth being on the last flight? Are freebies to Necker handed out to passengers? Will it be an eight hour party?
):

Thanks, done.

Having just finished booking all the hotels and trips for our summer run to OZ(all non-refundable)and this arrives on the 'doormat'. Rang the gold line and spoke with helpful chap and after hearing what options decided to take the refund as don't want to arrive in HKG and then see the team there try and find passage to SYD. Had booked PE and dislike flying in 31" of legroom and feel it's unlikely a nod up to BIZ will come forward. This must have been known about for ages so why did they wait till the sale was over? Worried we would rush over to BA by any chance... Well, Etihad and Virgin OZ seems to be a good fit time wise but it does rather look that my time with VS as my main carrier is coming to an end. Shame really but that's life.

I think I agree with NH on the UK-US thing. There is an imbalance in the number of routes and frequency of flights to the Americas and the rest of the world, and we have those routes being pulled out of one by one. One really has to wonder what's next, Dubai, Tokyo…?

shame we flew it 1st time last year and thought the HK clubhouse was great was looking to use VA again when were next in OZ

Oh well.......first I gave up on SQ, (FFC too onerous) and now VS will go the same way. Understand the economics, but looks like I'll have to check out one of the ME carriers - any recommendations? Had several enjoyable UC trips, and one PE that was pretty darned good......

looks like I'll have to check out one of the ME carriers - any recommendations?

Assuming ME = Middle eastern, try Emirates...we had an excellent time with them recently on their A380 service back from SYD. Huge seats, great food and a great bar area and a 70 mile radius CDC when flying J. My only reservations were with the crew who were very efficient but less engaging than my experiences with VS (but others like that) and the IFE which promised far more than it delivered in terms of content.

Paul

ps HWLover will be along in a moment to sing the praises of their Extended Range 777 also.

Re ME recommendations I would say Emirates. I've had experience on Emirates and Qatar and think Emirates offer a far superior experience in terms of food, transit (dubai), staff and IFE...also we got upgraded to First! I have also heard really good things about etihad in terms of service and cc. EY or EK would be my choice

I'd never fly Qatar, apparently some of the worst employee practices in the aviation world. EK may not be perfect but are heaps better and it's not a bad airline, apart from the CC where VS remains the best.

I quit using Air New Zealand because they dropped the LHR - HKG route. I joined VS and have 150k miles towards my next trip down under... and now this. Seems to me VS and AirNZ could do a deal?