Link Airways connects with Virgin

The Armidale Express

2 years ago

Transcript

00:00 What's actually happening today?

00:12 Today's a really exciting day.

00:14 Early in January we launched our initial partnership with Link Airways and that had through our

00:19 travel agencies offering code share and frequent flyer availability.

00:24 Today we're really pleased to announce that through the Virgin Australia website on our

00:27 direct channels you can now book Virgin Australia code on all Link services.

00:31 That's 17 new services across Australia, about 90 flights a week and we're thrilled to be

00:36 able to offer that to regional Australia.

00:38 And why is it important to offer such a service to Bundaberg as well?

00:42 Look Bundaberg in particular, Virgin Australia has always wanted to get back into regional

00:45 Australia and being able to do this with a partnership with Link Airways, we're absolutely

00:49 thrilled to be able to offer that to all of our customers.

00:52 That's people coming to visit regional Australia but then also for regional Australia being

00:55 able to travel seamlessly across Australia.

00:58 Now 41 destinations available seamlessly with baggage and you're able to earn frequent flyers

01:02 and status points on all of those travels.

01:05 Could you explain how much this will expand Virgin's regional footprint?

01:09 Yeah look it's almost a 50% expansion of our regional footprint and we're really thrilled.

01:13 As I said 90 services a week will be offered through the Link Airways code share relationship

01:19 and that's 17 new destinations.

01:21 That includes a number of services where Link is the only airline flying, places like Biloela,

01:26 like Inverel, like Wollongong, so we're really really thrilled to partner with Link Airways

01:31 on this.

01:32 And what sort of help have you been successful in?

01:35 We're operating a Saab 340 with Link Airways onto Bundaberg, it's been one of the most

01:39 popular routes since we've launched the code share so we're really really thrilled to work

01:42 in partnership to build that customer base and to make it much more sustainable to operate

01:46 into Bundaberg.

01:47 On the timetable?

01:50 Look at the moment we're working through making these flights as viable as we can.

01:53 We're really really impressed and thrilled with how quickly customers have picked this

01:57 up so at the moment we're getting going with what we've got but the sky's the limit on

02:03 what we could do in the future.

02:04 Fantastic and this has been something that's in Des Moines for quite a while I assume?

02:10 Yeah we've been really keen to get back into regional Australia as I said.

02:13 Obviously Virgin Australia operates its 737 network with its larger aeroplanes but getting

02:17 a partner like Link Airways to work with us we couldn't be more excited so great to have

02:22 it back, great to start that in January and see the sales really kick off and even better

02:27 now to have it on our direct channel so people can book through virgin.com.

02:30 What does this mean in terms of there's more flights?

02:33 I think actually the history shows since we started this that prices have already come

02:37 down so when Link Airways came on the route we've seen those prices already adjust.

02:42 Virgin Australia stands for value and choice and so we're thrilled to partner again as

02:46 I say with Link Airways to offer that value and choice and to help new consumers that

02:51 choice and value and cheaper fares in the sky.

02:54 We're running experiencing across the industry?

02:58 Look since COVID obviously the industry's been building back up.

03:02 Us working together, larger airlines with regional airlines, this sort of partnership

03:05 is only a positive for the industry so as we continue to build that and strengthen our

03:09 industry we're just thrilled to be part of that and working collaboratively.

03:13 What does it mean to be the first domestic co-chair partner?

03:23 So after a long process we've done an agreement with Virgin Australia to be their first domestic

03:29 co-chair partner and that means that all 17 flights to 17 destinations that we go to you

03:34 can now buy in the Virgin network on the Virgin webpage or through any travel agency whether

03:40 it be a fixed site or an online agency.

03:43 What does it mean to Link to be the first domestic co-chair partner?

03:47 Oh it's a huge honour for a small airline like ours to be able to work with an organisation

03:52 like Virgin and make us feel so welcome to be part of their network.

03:57 It's just fantastic, it's a great outcome.

03:58 Do you think there's much left to offer?

03:59 Yeah I know there's so much to offer here.

04:03 Over on the coast the turtles, the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef, the southern end

04:07 of the Great Barrier Reef, all of those things and competition in the marketplace can only

04:11 ever help to keep prices down and increase that tourism and everyone's conscious of the

04:16 dollar these days so let's hope we can bring more and more people to Bundaberg.

04:20 How much has demand for regional travel increased post COVID?

04:26 It took a little while to come back but it is coming back.

04:30 People are using regional travel to go see Australia, to see the regions.

04:35 People, the overseas travel is dying back a bit, the novelty's worn off post COVID that

04:40 they were all racing to be overseas, now people are out exploring the regions again.

04:44 Would you be able to explain how positively that's linked in the future as well?

04:51 It's an incredible opportunity for Link to be able to have an avenue like Virgin to sell

04:57 tickets on aeroplanes, sell seats on our aircraft.

05:00 So yes it can only help improve the patronage on our flights and hopefully we can look to

05:05 offer more services and more frequency.

05:07 How much has the demand for regional travel increased?

05:11 I hope so, I mean of all the wonderful regional towns and cities we service there's some

05:15 magnificent gems out there, whether it's Tamworth or Narrabri or Bundaberg or even

05:22 Biloela, there's some great Australian icons out there that we can take you to.

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10:34 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Link Airways connects with Virgin

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