Virgin Australia Boeing 737-700 VH-VBY due to be retired on Thursday

Virgin Australia Boeing 737-700 VH-VBY is due to be retired on Thursday after nearly 8 years in service with Virgin Blue and Virgin Australia. Most people would remember VH-VBY as Virgin Blue's 50th aircraft and the only Virgin Blue aircraft that was actually blue! In January 2012, VH-VBY was painted into the new Virgin Australia livery and had a name change from "Virgin-ia Blue" to "Kingston Beach". It will be very sad to see VBY go! This leaves just two 737-700s in the Virgin Australia fleet, VH-VBV and VH-VBZ.

 

Photos copyright Brandon Giacomin

Fiji Airways now flying to Brisbane!

Fiji Airways Airbus A330-200 DQ-FJT made her first visit to Brisbane on April 22. DQ-FJT arrived in Brisbane at 1811 as FJ923, she then returned to Nadi as FJ922 at 2033. Air Pacific will operate Airbus A330-200s to Brisbane until September 4 at this stage with between 3 and 6 flights a week. Air Pacific will officially rebrand as Fiji Airways in June. The airline will take delivery of another Airbus A330-200 next month with the final one arriving in November. The three Airbus A330-200s will replace the airlines two Boeing 747-400s. It is expected that once the airline rebrands the four Boeing 737s will be painted into the Fiji Airways livery.

 

Above photos copyright Brandon Giacomin

 

Photo from Fiji Airways

Jetstar Airbus A320 VH-VFN enters service

Jetstar Airbus A320 VH-VFN is now in service. This is the first Jetstar Australia A320 to have sharklets, it also wears a special livery to celebrate 100 million passengers Jetstar have carried and the 100th aircraft for Jetstar. It's first revenue for Jetstar was on April 19, it operated JQ440 from Melbourne to the Gold Coast, it then returned to Melbourne as JQ447. The following day, VH-VFN made it's first visit to Brisbane and Cairns.

Brisbane Airport Photos - April 17

Yesterday I went out to Brisbane Airport to do some spotting. Noteworthy movements and special liveries whilst I was there include: Qantas Boeing 747-400ER VH-OEF "Oneworld" livery, Alliance Fokker 70 VH-JFE hybrid livery, Etihad Airbus A330-200 A6-EYE "Manchester City FC - Blue Moon Rising" livery, Qantas Boeing 737-800s VH-VXB "Yananyi Dreaming, VH-VXG "Bring it on" livery and VH-XZA "Spirit of Australians" livery, Qantas Boeing 747-400 VH-OJU "Boxing Kangaroo" livery, Virgin Australia Boeing 737-700 VH-VBY (one of only three 737-700s left in the VA fleet) and Qantaslink Dash 8-Q400 VH-QOW "Taronga Zoo" livery. Here are some of my photos.

 

 

Photos copyright Brandon Giacomin

Jetstar Airbus A320 VH-VFN with Sharklets and Special livery

Jetstar's newest Airbus A320 arrived in Melbourne on April 7. The new aircraft (registration VH-VFN) is the first A320 for Jetstar Australia that is fitted with Sharklets (the new Airbus winglets). After arriving in Melbourne the aircraft had a special livery applied. The aircraft just so happens to be the 100th aircraft for Jetstar, this includes the fleet of Jetstar Australia and New Zealand, Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Pacific (Vietnam) and Jetstar Japan. The aircraft is still yet to enter service.

 

Photos from Jetstar

Qantas Boeing 737-800 VH-XZD enters service

Qantas Boeing 737-800 VH-XZD entered service this afternoon operating QF620 from MEL-BNE, the aircraft is now operating QF976 from BNE-TSV. The aircraft arrived in Australia on April 6, it's delivery route was BFI-HNL-NAN-MEL.

 

Photo copyright: Brandon Giacomin

Tiger Airways return to the Sunshine Coast

Tiger Airways resumed flights to the Sunshine Coast on March 27, with VH-VNQ operating TT252 from Melbourne. Tiger Airways last flew to the Sunshine Coast in July 2011, flights were cancelled due to the grounding of the airline because of safety concerns. Tiger will operate four flights a week between Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast.

 

 

Photo copyright: Brandon Giacomin

Virgin Australia commence flights to Moranbah

Virgin Australia today commenced flights between Brisbane and Moranbah, bringing much needed competition to the route. VH-FVM operated the inaugural service this morning (VA1661/1662) with VH-FVN operating the afternoon service (VA1667/1668). Virgin Australia will operate two flights every weekday before increasing to three flights every weekday later this month, a daily Sunday service will also be added.

Virgin Australia will add another new route next month, with a daily service to Bundaberg set to begin on May 4.

 

Photos copyright: Brandon Giacomin