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Australia’s Virgin Blue is stepping up pressure to add flights to the US by next November.  Virgin Blue is formally asking the Australian Government to renegotiate its US air transport treaty by allowing them to fly 10 weekly flights to the US. 

The current treaty only allows for airlines launching service to the US to have 4 weekly flights.  VB wants 10 weekly flights. 

VB has 6 Boeing 777’s on order right now.  Currently the airline has a short list of names for the new international airline.  Some contenders include: Matilda Blue, Australia Blue, Didgeree Blue, and Virgin Australia. 

No US cities have been named for Virgin Blue’s yet to be named international airline service; however, Los Angeles looks to be a very good possibility.  Qantas, which is the largest airline in terms of service capacity on the route (80%), makes a great deal of money off the route. 

VB still has to apply with the Department of Transportation.  Talks between Australia and the US have not resulted in any deals yet.

The Age 

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