Wednesday, 11 December 2024: Passenger records are set to soar this summer with Virgin Australia scheduled to operate up to 3,000 flights per week across its domestic and short-haul international network in December and January – the equivalent of nearly half a million seats each week.

Extra flights have been added to popular holiday destinations including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Tasmania, the Whitsundays, Hamilton Island, and Byron Bay. Domestic capacity over the peak period (from 16 December 2024 to 12 January 2025) is 3% higher than the same period in 2023 and 5% higher than pre-COVID. The busiest days of travel are expected prior to Christmas on Friday 20 December and Sunday 22 December, and on Friday 27 December, as travellers make their way home from holidays.

This follows two months of record-breaking passenger numbers for Virgin Australia, with close to 4 million guests carried across the network during October and November. Contributing to this record performance is the more than 130,000 Rex passengers who have been booked on Virgin Australia services free-of-charge since Rex suspended its jet operations in July. Of these passengers, approximately 16,000 are anticipated to fly in December and January.

While managing consistently high passenger loads, Virgin Australia has maintained an industry leading completion rate with 98.3% of scheduled flights in November completed.

Popular holiday destinations

Travellers are flocking to sunny hotspots this summer with popular destinations including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Hobart, Broome, and Perth. Internationally, Bali, Fiji, and Queenstown are the most sought-after destinations in the network.

Strengthening operational resilience

Several measures have been put in place to support the Virgin Australia team to deliver a safe and reliable travel experience for guests flying across the network. These measures include:

• More team members hired in key operational airport roles, including recruitment and training of an additional 90 guest services and 175 pit crew team members this year.
   
• More team members hired in the Guest Assistance Team to support guests with accessibility requirements to travel safely through the airport. This is a dedicated team trained to facilitate and coordinate the movement of guests who require specific assistance through the airport terminal in a safe, effective, and compassionate manner.
   
• Changes to the heavy maintenance schedule to free up spare aircraft over the peak period. This ensures more aircraft are available to support recovery of guests in the event of unexpected disruption. Virgin Australia is also taking delivery of two former Rex 737-800s which will initially be used as spare aircraft during the peak period.
   
• New ground services equipment introduced including tugs, belt loaders, and passenger vans.
   
• The return of Virgin Australia’s popular Guest Ambassador Program which sees corporate team members lend a hand to their airport colleagues during peak periods including providing directional support to guests and managing queues. This gives more time back to airport team members to perform essential duties and get travellers on their way as quickly and efficiently as possible.

New Journey Tracker

In time for the busy holiday period, Virgin Australia will be the first Australian airline to introduce Journey Tracker app functionality – a real-time flight update feature powered by iOS live activities and Android custom notifications.

Journey Tracker offers passengers:

• Real-time updates on flight status, including gate changes and delays, directly on their lock screen.
   
• Quick access to boarding passes making it easier to drop bags, enter lounges, and board flights with a single tap.
   
• Seamless integration with the Virgin Australia app ensuring an effortless experience for guests on the day of travel.

Journey Tracker will be available from 12:00pm AEDT today on the domestic network and three hours before departure on the Virgin Australia app. 

Festive on-board and lounge menus

A festive onboard dining experience is again on offer to Virgin Australia travellers with a curated holiday menu for Business Class travellers and complimentary festive chocolates for guests seated in Economy.

Menu highlights include hot roast turkey with cranberry sauce, roast vegetables, fruit mince pies, and other seasonal treats. These items will be available from 25 – 26 December for Business Class guests and for visitors in Virgin Australia lounges across the network.

Fast facts from 2024

• Top movies in the sky – Barbie, Wonka, and Meg 2.
   
• Most watched TV shows – The Big Bang Theory, and Bluey.
   
• Favourite snack – cheese and crackers.
   
• Top beverage – Coca-Cola.

Tips for travellers

• Arrive early – allow additional time to clear airport security and check-in bags.
   
• Check-in online – wherever possible, utilising online check-in helps to fast-track the airport experience and reduce congestion at check-in desks and kiosks in the departure terminal.
   
• Be aware of carry-on limits – to ensure there is space for everyone’s bags, be mindful carry-on baggage meets the weight requirements or check it in where possible. Virgin Australia’s end-to-end baggage tracking tool means guests receive push notifications throughout their travel journey giving customers peace of mind.
   
• Leave gifts unwrapped – place wrapped presents in checked baggage or wait to wrap them until after travel. Certain items may need to be unwrapped during security screening.
   
• Check the Virgin Australia app – the Virgin Australia app keeps travellers up to date on the status of their flight. Sometimes unforeseen changes to the schedule are required, particularly with increased storm activity over the summer months, so guests are encouraged to keep an eye on their flight.

ENDS

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