Virgin Australia halts plan for new Boeing 737 business class

I hope this isn't the first sign that Scurrah's plan is profitability through cuts instead of investing to make the product better.

This would be sad if true. Virgin would be a perfect carrier for something like JetBlue's mint, especially when they phase out those aging and too-much-plane A330-200s.

Depending on HNA's financial situation and whether (if or not VA may partner with NH for Japan), the x2 A330 aircraft currently on SYD/MEL-HKG may find themselves back on TransCons within 12-24 months if HX goes into liquidation (therefore dissolving the HX/VA JV on HKG routes if HX goes under).

Oh No! Just when there was a chance of a better business class seat! Don't just think transcon - with the range of 737s these days it would be great to have a full lie flat offering in the narrow bodies used on overnight flights back from southern Asia and the south Pacific Islands.

Job #1 is to make money. VA needs to stay profitable. There's enough people in the VA world that are happy with the J product.

You know what would make VA Profitable, joining *A. Heaps of my colleagues that are QF/OW Memebers said that they would switch over in a heartbeat if that were to happen!

Oh the doom and gloom....

Makes pretty reasonable sense. If anyone of us were in charge of the purse strings, we too would not be spending money on refits of planes that in due course won't be servicing a route.

Aside from not being fiscally responsible, why would you release a new seat today, that won't see action until 2021 at the very earliest?

As soon as the MAX's were deferred, this was always going to happen. I don't think JB planned on installing the new J class seats into any of the existing 737NGs either.

Simply "upgrading" services and having to fill the plane with "promotion" fares doesnt automatically equal profit.

Scurrah announced that VA will be ordering the Max 10 instead of the 800 for first delivery in 21, giving the airline the opportunity to fit out these airframes with JB’s business class for trans continental. Done properly these will release the A330’s for more Asian destinations, and shake QF up with a new lay flat J seat.

Mr Scurrah's recent background was with Qld rail.. just ask anyone in Brisbane that travels by train to see what a farce that is.. an airline..well .. lets wait and see

You can hardly justify $4k+ on a business class fare perth to the east coast 3.5 hour flight or vice versa especially In a simple recliner! The red eye I understand.

You are indeed Resolute... resolute enough to go down in a ball of flames in a beautiful new business class suite in a 737-max?? The only option was to delay the transcontinental business class seat given delay in the 737-max and if you are arguing against not delaying delivery of the 737-max then I think you would be on your own! They could get some a320-neos but that too will bring its own cost inefficiencies with most of the domestic fleet being 737s. You might be right about Scurrah but as you say old man time will be the judge of that.

I suggest some here should go and bounce around the US for a month in business class and report back. We are seriously spoilt in this country when it comes to airlines and service

Very smart move to ditch it. While the dominant home carrier QF has recliners in its 737 J cabin, VA will match it. Imagine the money needed to retrofit VAs entire 737 fleet with lie flat beds in J for domestic Oz and short haul Pacific routes, how would you guarantee the return on that investment, so much risk! Sure pax would love it, but would it move enough QFF status members over to VA, I doubt it, the flights on 737 are just not long enough to really care.

It makes sense for VA to refocus on the fundamentals, converting the current 8 seats in 737 product I can’t see as a priority over reducing their leasing cost (75% of VA fleet is leased aircraft) shift that % and then update product would make better business sense - I would love a better product, however would rather VA stay flying for the long term versus add more debt and potentially impact size of their operations

The latest fleet figures from and ASX annual meeting, VAA fleet is 50% owned and 50% leased, I don’t know where your getting your 75% figure from.

While this is disappointing and again a lost opportunity to secure high yield business travelers perhaps CEO Paul Scurrah's has accepted defeat and VA is nothing more than a glorified JQ. Maybe he has been travelling on QF as a business class passenger and accepted that in no way do VA even come close. From the "bus shelter" lounges, no true recognition of Platinum FF, to the outdated terminals and reduced benefits of Velocity the are the key items need to be looked at before high yield customers may consider VA.

Blamex and resolute that is total rubbish, the current 737 J product Mirrors QF’s exactly, I’d say the lie flat J 737 seat was always meant to be rolled out on the MAx10 due to the extra 4-8m fuselage and space, with the Max delayed to 2021 that’s when this product would arrive no earlier as the 330’s with J widebody lie flat will stay on trancon to do the majority of the flights. No product downgrade.

Everyone is really missing the point here, the new business class was being launched on the 737 Max, would you currently fly on a 737 Max anywhere in the world or have family fly on a 737 Max, NEVER EVER. So a delay of 20 months which will go in a minute of time.

Whatever Virgin plan, their current B737 Business class seat is one of the most uncomfortable for me. I am a tall person of about 100kg, and after an hour feel the seat getting harder and flatter. I will no longer use their B737 flights, swapping to the A332 or not going at all. Recent flight to NZ proved that the B738 is the mainstay of Australian Air travel unfortunately. Future flight to SYD is on the Airbus...by choice.