Twice daily to Hong Kong

[Pete]

[url=/pages.asp?click=256&pageid=256]Press release[/url] out this morning.

Great news - especially the option of a daylight flight back from HKG which will suit those who don't want to use a night-flight (like me wherever possible!)

I wonder which a/c type will operate and where it will come from?

[Neil]

Very interesting and good news too. Should help the availability all round to HKG and hopefully make more G's available too. With the demise of Oasis I imagine this will make the new flight even better for VS.

I would imagine it will be a A346 that will cover this flight like the existing HKG one.

How come Pete always manages to get these up before the VS website?

Anyway, great news! Good to see VS taking on the current environment.

Is confirmed as being on an A346. We will certainly need another a/c though. Maybe one of the 346 options has been firmed up for this year after all. Or they to could be dropping a route to free up an a/c (NBO???)

There are lots of rumours... one of the JFKs could be dropped...Also heard ORD and DXB coule be going to 3/4 flights a week or NBO may be dropped. Only time will tell. Aparently NBO is doing really well with Cargo so it may be making money there!!

Originally posted by JoeyVS
There are lots of rumours... one of the JFKs could be dropped...Also heard ORD and DXB coule be going to 3/4 flights a week or NBO may be dropped. Only time will tell. Aparently NBO is doing really well with Cargo so it may be making money there!!

Oh we do like a good story ... both NBO and ORD are normally 343s so if those routes are being reduced then it'll be the same to HKG for the extra flight. Or another aircraft coming into the fleet, or are the seasonal reductions to CPT (???) going to allow for this.

[preiffer]

Originally posted by slinky09

Originally posted by JoeyVS
There are lots of rumours...

They're planning to use one of the Concordes, refurb'ed... [:w]

[Neil]

Originally posted by slinky09
Oh we do like a good story ... both NBO and ORD are normally 343s so if those routes are being reduced then it'll be the same to HKG for the extra flight. Or another aircraft coming into the fleet, or are the seasonal reductions to CPT (???) going to allow for this.

Unless of course they move a 343 to say a permanent NYC flight to free up a 346? So many possibilities and options available, the excitement is almost unbearable.

Looks like mitchja got it right.


Edit by Scrooge...just to improve the link

Been on the cards for a long time. I seem to recall them first talking about this when SYD was tagged on.

Good news.

So what a/c. Well surely ORD is a contender for being dropped. Not sure I buy DXB, sure its ultra competitive but VH must provide a fair amount of pax on that route and with Silverjet going bankrupt there is now extra demand. But as some say there could be a reduction of NYC.

Certainly I dont think we will see any new aircraft.

It's interesting that there is still nothing on the official Virgin website. Makes you wonder why?! Maybe this is part of a wider announcement regarding routes which is all going to come out in one go.

Plenty of gossip on a.net as well here:
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forum ... in/4021132

[HighFlyer]

The flight times look great. I believe cargo is good on the HKG route too so hopefully this will be a good move for VS in terms of profits too.

Thanks,
Sarah

Good news, especially as money or miles sometimes in short supply make a flight in PE much more bareable during daylight hours.

As others as mentioned, hopefully this help free up a few G's from time to time. That all night flight was a killer, even in J.

I love HKG [:D]

Rumour that VS25/26 to stop when this route starts

Originally posted by Bill S
Rumour that VS25/26 to stop when this route starts

That would be a strange decision as the Press release at the top of this thread says Hong Kong is the third busiest route after JFK and Dubai.

-Steve

Stevie Boy, I read that as it's the 3rd busiest route for airlines generally, not just VS.

[Neil]

Originally posted by Stevieboy

Originally posted by Bill S
Rumour that VS25/26 to stop when this route starts

That would be a strange decision as the Press release at the top of this thread says Hong Kong is the third busiest route after JFK and Dubai.

-Steve

Yes but VS have 6 flights a day into NYC so if the loads are not high on all flights it could make sense to drop one of the less popular times. Also looking at the new departure time of 16:00 for the 2nd HKG that is the same time as a JFK flight so they could be using that slot.

May not be on the website, but it was on the v:port VS news section on the 10th. I was wondering why it was on v:port but it hadn't been on here - obviously I see now it was announced that day.

Originally posted by clarkeysntfc
Stevie Boy, I read that as it's the 3rd busiest route for airlines generally, not just VS.

I was interested in that, wondering whether Chicago beat HKG or Dubai ... assuming we mean LON - to each (or NYC for EWR and JFK) and not just LHR and a sample date of 10 July:

NYC - 30 flights

Delta 1 x 752 2 x 763
American 5 x 777
BA 1 x 767 2 X 777 8 x 747
VS 1 x 343 4 x 346 1 x 747
Continental 1 x 757 1 x 763 1 x 777
Air India 1 x 777
Kuwait 1 X 777

DXB 12 flights

Emirates 2 x 332 6 x 777
Royal Brunei 1 x 767
BA 2 x 777
VS 1 x 346

Hong Kong 11 flights

Qantas 1 x 747
Cathay Pacific 2 x 343 2 x 747
BA 4 x 747
Air New Zealand 1 x 747
VS 1 x 346

Chicago 12 flights

United 2 x 763 1 X 777
American 4 x 777
VS 1 x 343
BA 1 X 777 2 x 747
Air India 1 x 747


So Chicago does edge out Hong Kong - however HKG has a greater number of seats perhaps?

Lots of interesting things here, including how United seems to have given up on London, and for all the open skies fanfare the only effect it seems to have had was getting American carriers into Heathrow ... ooops, perhaps that's just what they wanted!

Originally posted by slinky09

So Chicago does edge out Hong Kong - however HKG has a greater number of seats perhaps?

I think it is clear that HKG has a much greater number of seats. Of course prior to the demise of Oasis/Silverjet/Eos DXB, HKG and NYC had at least one extra flight. Also important not to forget the large numbers of people who fly to HKG via BKK or DXB.

Lots of interesting things here, including how United seems to have given up on London, and for all the open skies fanfare the only effect it seems to have had was getting American carriers into Heathrow ... ooops, perhaps that's just what they wanted!

Of course. I would be interested to see how DL/US/CO are doing ex LHR.

Now what is interesting is we have to watch the Americans squirm and try and get out of the second part of Open Skies which should be ineffect next year. The FAA/DoT/Us Government have huge hangs up over it due to cabbotage and silly things like that[}:)]. IMHO only once we have that in operation can we claim to have real open skies.

Originally posted by Bill S
Rumour that VS25/26 to stop when this route starts

Looks like this is correct. I've just been looking at booking a weekend shopping trip in NY December 11th - 14th and it only lists 5 flights per day with the VS25/26 missing.

This means if you want a day flight West to East you are going to have to fly from Newark.

-Steve

[mitchja]

HKG is also an important cargo route for most airlines.

Regards

Yep from 26th october the vs 25 is no more (or at least suspended until it's needed again!)