VANUATU: Virgin Australia approved to fly to Port Villa, with Qantas and Jetstar probably soon to follow
Virgin Australia’s application for flights between Brisbane and Port Villa has been approved by Australia’s International Air Services Commission (IASC). A similar application from Qantas will be decided on once the deadline for other applications closes on 5 June 2024.
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Background
The opportunity arose when the state-owned airline Air Vanuatu entered voluntary administration early in May. This caused the cancellation of flights between Vanuatu and Australia and New Zealand, which distressed many passengers.
The airline is in the hands of the administrator’s EY, which is hopeful of a sale despite the airline’s single Boeing 737 having already been repossessed. It’s believed Air Vanuatu owes US$73.5 million.
Virgin Flights
The IASC approval is for 1,304 seats per week. Virgin Australia has scheduled 737-800s, on the route.
The Virgin schedule looks a little patchy to begin with. It settles into a pattern with five return flights per week by 22 June 2024. By July it has settled into a pattern of flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays:
- VA53 from Brisbane 10:40 am, arrives Port Villa 2:30 pm
- VA54 from Port Villa 4:35 pm, arrives Brisbane 6:45 pm
Qantas and Jetstar
Previously, Qantas maintained a codeshare arrangement with Air Vanuatu. It also has applied to provide a service using a combination of Embraer E190 and Boeing 737 aircraft and Jetstar A321neos. They have requested 1,798 seats in both directions to be used by ‘Qantas, Jetstar or another Australian carrier which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas.’
‘From August 2024, Qantas plans to operate services utilising a combination of Qantas’ Boeing 737 aircraft configured with 174 seats and Embraer E190 aircraft configured with 97 seats under a wet-lease arrangement with Alliance Airlines.
During periods of peak demand, Qantas plans to operate up to five weekly services using the Boeing 737.
Anna Pritchard, Executive Manager, Government, Industry & Competition, Qantas
From October 2024, Jetstar plans to operate up to four weekly services using Airbus A321 NEO aircraft configured with 232 seats.’
2PAXfly Takeout
The allocations will last for 5 years, which might make it difficult for the descendant of Air Vanuatu (if there is one) to make inroads on the route. Still, Air Vanuatu served other destinations (Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland, Noumea, and Fiji) out of Port Villa, which are unaffected by these route grants and proposals.
I hope that Air Vanuatu does rise phoenix-like, but in the meantime, you can still visit this delightful country via Virgin Australia, and soon Qantas and Jetstar.
As a frequent traveler to Vanuatu I hope Air Vanuatu does not rise from the ashes…at least its international service. Virgin has flown there for a long time and it will be great to see Qantas/Jetstar on the route.
What is critical for the country of Vanuatu is to get inter island service restored and that might be the best plan for the future of Air Vanuatu.
Hi Mark J,
Thanks for your comment. I have only had one experience with Air Vanuatu and that was back in 2012. It was not memorable, except for the state of the airport at Port Villa. I agree with you, its the regional service that I hope it re-surfaces for.
Non-regional international flights however might be either what makes such an airline economic, or might be the drain that has put them in debt. I’ll leave observations about that to people who understand airline economics better than I.