THE airfare battle over the Pacific entered another phase yesterday as Pacific Blue announced new services to Vanuatu from Brisbane and Melbourne with launch fares as low as $199.
Pacific Blue will offer weekly flights from both state capitals and becomes the only carrier to offer direct service from Melbourne.
Air Vanuatu had served Melbourne in the past using older 737s, but pulled out because it faced a weight penalty not suffered by newer planes.
Pacific Blue’s launch fares of $249 from Melbourne and $199 from Brisbane are on sale until Sunday. They will be replaced by an everyday lead-in fare of $229 from Brisbane and $299 from Melbourne.
But the airline has decided not to launch a service from Sydney at this stage, saying it was opting for Australian destinations that provided “true value and competition”.
Instead, it will offer connections to Brisbane.
The Australian carrier is also expected to release cheap fares to Fiji this week.
Meanwhile, Tonga has appointed a liquidator for its flag carrier, Royal Tongan Airlines, which collapsed in April.
By: Ja Worsley - 17th June 2004 at 14:41
Just Planes have reported that Virgin Blue service from Sydney to Fiji wont start until September 2005.
That’s garbage mate, I heard it on the news last night here that they will be flying this september from most of the eatern seaboard!
As for the “Sydney Snub”, it’s not really a snub as such, it’s very good politics. Everyone down here knows that Sydney is the most expencive airport to fly out of. Good business practice, introduce low fares to other places from the lesser a/p’s and you’ll reduce the taxes at Sydney whilest drive up the taxes at the others, thus you achieve a middle ground nation wide!
By: dan777 - 17th June 2004 at 14:21
Just Planes have reported that Virgin Blue service from Sydney to Fiji wont start until September 2005.
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June 17, 2004 at 5:32 am