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Virgin Atlantic has announced it will cease services between Hong Kong and Sydney from May this year.
The airline, which flies a daily service from London Heathrow to Sydney via Hong Kong using Airbus A340-600 equipment, says it will now terminate that service at Hong Kong, citing low profitability.
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“Unfortunately we intend to withdraw our services between Sydney and Hong Kong,” airline CEO Craig Kreeger said in a statement. “Despite the best efforts of our employees, external factors such as increasing costs and a weakening Australian dollar have affected our profitability. These are still difficult times for the airline industry and as part of our strategy to operate more efficiently, we need to deploy our aircraft to routes with the right level of demand to be financially viable.”
The airline’s final service from Hong Kong to Sydney will depart on the evening of May 4, and the final Sydney to Hong Kong service on the afternoon of May 5. Sydney is Virgin Atlantic’s only Australian destination.
australianaviation.com.au
says:For the spotters out there, I this will also be the end of RPT A340 services to Sydney. I know Etihad sometimes uses -600s and there is the HiFly ADF A340-300 charter – anyone else?
Cheers
Andrew
Matthew
says:Does LAN still bring the A340 into Sydney from Santiago via Auckland?
Dan
says:LAN Chile a340-300 still operates don’t they? Aerolineas is pulling their a340 too. Etihad is only b777 now with a380 end of the year.
australianaviation.com.au
says:I actually saw an Etihad A346 at SYD today, so there goes that theory. I think LAN finishes soon.
Cheers
Andrew
NJP
says:What’s the chances of VA flying SYD>HKG to link up with the route to LHR?
Al
says:VA have another new A330 due for delivery this year and they are yet to decide where to deploy – HKG?
Ben
says:Exactly what I thought Dan!
VA have said they haven’t placed the next A332 delivery into the route structure yet, could SYD-HKG be the first international VA A330 route?
prutten82
says:Philippine Airlines still flies the A340 to Sydney, I saw it land this morning.
Observer
says:PAL A343 is rarely seen usually opt by 773. LAN is finishing, ETD 451/52 is every seconded day with VA30 the other day. Aerolineas Argentina is going to A343’s In march so we might get the new livery again
Observer
says:ETD 451/52 is opt by A346.
John
says:SAA still fly the A340 on the JNB-PER and return route. They rotate between the -200 -300 and -600 variants.