Virgin Australia and ABC Commercial have today announced an innovative partnership giving passengers exclusive access to daily ABC news bulletins across the airline’s international and domestic network for the first time.

Passengers travelling on board the airline’s Boeing 737 and Embraer 190 fleet, which service more than 33 destinations domestically, will be able to stream dedicated daily news direct to their own devices from early 2015. The exclusive content, made up of four separate 90-second news bulletins, will be available through Virgin Australia’s pioneering wireless in-flight entertainment app, which was the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region when it launched in 2013.

Three 15-minute ABC News bulletins covering news and weather, sport, business and finance, were also introduced to Virgin Australia’s wide-body fleet earlier this month, through the airline’s award-winning seatback entertainment system, Red.

Virgin Australia’s Chief Customer Officer Mark Hassell said: “The Virgin brand was born in entertainment and has a long history of leading this space. Today we are delighted to be taking our in-flight content offering to the next level with one of the most comprehensive and reputable news services in Australia.

“We continue to enhance the customer experience both on the ground and in the air and by delivering valuable, unique and trusted Australian news content on a daily basis we will ensure our customers reach their destination informed of the latest current affairs. We are delighted to be working with the ABC to better service the needs of our business and leisure travellers and look forward to continuing to expand this unique offering into the future,” Mr Hassell said.

Director of ABC Commercial, Robert Patterson, said: “I am thrilled that ABC Commercial are to partner with Virgin Australia and offer such a great news service, along with the variety of ABC comedy, drama and children’s programming to travellers on Virgin Australia flights.”

Head of ABC News Content, Gaven Morris said: “ABC News is excited to partner with Virgin Australia to provide Australia’s most trusted and comprehensive news service to travellers across Australia and the world. Every day we’ll keep Virgin Australia’s passengers informed with news, analysis and weather as well as business and sport updates.”

Virgin Australia’s wireless In-Flight Entertainment app has been downloaded more than 1.4 million times since January 2013. The app can be downloaded on Apple iOS devices (iPad®; iPhone®; iPod touch®), Android devices (phone or tablet) and Windows laptops through the relevant app stores.

For more information visit www.virginaustralia.com or www.abc.net.au