020 VIRGIN AUSTRALIA MAY 2017
Virgin Australia News
T
he vibrancy and complexity of Hong Kong has
long been a drawcard for many Australians
travelling abroad. It is one of the world’s top
culinary cities, underpinned by a dynamic cultural
landscape that many Australian expats call home.
From July this year, Virgin Australia will be flying
to Hong Kong for the first time, bringing with us the
style and sophistication that is synonymous with our
brand. We plan to operate five services per week
from Melbourne with our dual-aisle Airbus A330-
200 aircrat. These aircrat feature our award-
winning Business Class product, ‘The Business’, as
well as 255 economy seats in a 2-4-2 configuration.
Flying to Hong Kong also opens up a range of new
destinations in Asia. Through our proposed alliance
with HNA Aviation and Hong Kong Airlines, we
will be able to connect customers through Hong
Kong to 13 destinations across mainland China. This
is particularly exciting given China is growing as
a tourism and trade destination for Australians.
The Melbourne-Hong Kong route is currently
only served by two other airlines, so we are
pleased to be bringing strong competition to
that route and encourage you to keep an eye
out for great value fares.
Thank you for choosing to fly with us today.
We hope to welcome you on board again soon.JOHN BORGHETTI, CEO
AND MANAGING DIRECTOR,
VIRGIN AUSTRALIAVirgin Australia’s new flight service operating between
Melbourne and Hong Kong will not only expand the
airline’s footprint into greater China, but also draw
international visitors to the Victorian capital.
“Awarded the world’s most liveable city for the
past six years, Melbourne is an international city in
its own right and hosts some of Australia’s biggest
and most spectacular events. We look forward
to showcasing this great city to inbound visitors
from Hong Kong and beyond,” says Virgin
Australia Group CEO John Borghetti.
The new route will allow guests from Hainan
Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Capital Airlines and
Tianjin Airlines to connect onto Virgin Australia’s
expansive domestic and trans-Tasman network. As
an added bonus, Velocity Frequent Flyer members
will be able to earn Velocity Points and Status Credits
on these flights — details of reciprocal frequent flyer
benefits and lounge access will be announced at
a later date, together with codeshare arrangements.Greater Links to China
WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MELBOURNE
TO HONG KONG ROUTE, MORE TOURISTS ARE
SET TO VENTURE DOWN UNDER.The X-Factor
AN ELEVATED ECONOMY
OPTION WILL SOON BE
AVAILABLE TO PASSENGERS.From 21 May, Virgin Australia
customers will see their travel
experience transformed, with the
introduction of Economy X. Virgin
Australia’s fleet of Boeing 737 aircrat is
being reconfigured to ofer a minimum
of three inches of extra legroom in the
first three rows of the Economy cabin.
Economy X will also ofer designated
overhead baggage storage, Priority
Boarding and domestic Priority
Screening where available, plus
Premium check-in, noise-cancelling
headsets and a guarantee that
passengers will receive their first meal
choice on long haul international flights.