iscover
Virgin Australia will replace many of Alliance’s Fokker 100s with its own 737s on services from Brisbane to Townsville and Mount Isa.
Starting late next month, Virgin 737s will be deployed on Brisbane–Mount Isa services, while 737s will operate more Brisbane–Townsville flights starting in November, adding around 6,000 seats per month on the route.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
“These routes are critical to regional Queenslanders who regularly commute for work, and as a business, we see the value in the enhanced product offering the bigger aircraft provides our customers,” Virgin Australia chief strategy and transformation officer Alistair Hartley said.
“As we modernise our fleet with more next-generation Boeing aircraft, we are able to refine our network schedule and increasingly deploy our larger B737s on regional routes that have traditionally been serviced through a partner agreement.
“By operating our Boeing 737 aircraft on more flights, we can offer increased value and choice to our customers, more seats and greater connectivity to Mount Isa and Townsville, further aligning our flying to our pre-COVID levels for these key regional hubs.”
Virgin currently flies up to three times per week return between Brisbane and Mount Isa and five times daily return between Brisbane and Townsville. Queensland Airports Limited chief commercial officer Adam Rowe said the upgauge is good news for northern and north-western Queensland.
“Services to and from Brisbane are the top route for passengers at both Townsville and Mount Isa airports, with many flights fully booked – so it’s great to see Virgin Australia adding more capacity and an enhanced product offering to cater to demand,” he said.
“We’re proud to work with airline partners like Virgin Australia to ensure the region is well-positioned for the future.”
The upgrade will also service growing demand in the Townsville region, said Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith.
“We’ve long advocated for increased capacity and upgraded aircraft on this critical route, and it’s great to see Virgin Australia stepping up to support the region’s needs,” she said.
“This upgrade will deliver a great boost to Townsville’s busiest air route, adding around 6,000 extra return seats per month, but it will also inject between $1.5 million and $3 million into the local economy each month.
“More seats mean more visitors, stronger tourism outcomes, improved connectivity for business travel and greater liveability for locals who rely on this essential link.”
Virgin says Fokkers will continue to operate some services based on operational and scheduling demands and does not guarantee the 737s will be available for all customers on the routes.
