VIRGIN AUSTRALIA TO LAUNCH SERVICE BETWEEN LOS ANGELES, MELBOURNE IN 2017

(Los Angeles, California – September 20, 2016)  Virgin Australia today announced it will launch service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Melbourne, Australia, on April 4, 2017. The nonstop flights will operate five times a week using Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) aircraft, with fares available for sale starting September 21, 2016.

           The new route allows Virgin Australia to serve Los Angeles from the three busiest gateways in Australia:  Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.  In partnership with Delta Air Lines, Virgin Australia will offer 25 flights weekly between Australia and Los Angeles, remaining the only trans-Pacific airline alliance to offer business- class guests lie-flat beds with direct aisle access on all routes. 

"We congratulate Virgin Australia on its announcement to launch nonstop service next year to Melbourne that will connect Angelenos with the popular Australian city,” said Deborah Flint, Los Angeles World Airports chief executive officer.  “This new service will expand the business, tourism, academic, and cultural ties between our two world-class cities, while providing connecting service to additional destinations.”

  From April 2017, Virgin Australia will continue to operate daily departures from LAX to Sydney and six flights a week from LAX to Brisbane.  The new service will depart Melbourne at 1130 hours local time as flight VA 23, beginning Tuesday, April 4, 2017, and will also operate on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday arriving in LAX at 0900 local time the same day.  Flight VA 24 will depart LAX at 2110 hours local time beginning Tuesday, April 4, and also operate on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.            

            Virgin Australia’s Business Class experience, dubbed “The Business,” is available across its entire B-777 fleet and features: 

?    A 1-2-1 configuration of individual and private suites that guarantee passengers direct access to an aisle.

?    Seats that convert to 80-inch-long, fully-flat beds with a number of adjustable positions to suit the needs of passengers and an adjustable arm rest to increase the seat width while sleeping.

·         Turndown service with memory foam mattress toppers and high-grade cotton pillows and doonas.

·         Menus designed by Australian chef and restauranteur Luke Mangan paired with premium wines and delivered through à la carte or Express Dining options to suit each guest’s preference; and

·         The largest in-flight entertainment screen between the United States and Australia with 18-inch high-definition touch screens.

About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

            LAX is the seventh busiest airport in the world and third in the United States.  LAX served more than 74.9 million passengers in 2015.  LAX offers 742 daily nonstop flights to 101 cities in the U.S. and 1,273 weekly nonstop flights to 76 cities in 41 countries on 64 commercial air carriers.  LAX ranks 12th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.1 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion.  LAX handled 655,564 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2015. 

An economic study based on 2014 operations reported LAX generated 620,610 jobs in Southern California with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion.  This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues.  The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital-improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion, $966 million in state and local taxes, and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.

            LAX is part of a system of three Southern California airports – along with LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.