Virgin Australia . . . Doh!

A new name - which makes sense, and was the common sense launch name, except that Singapore Airlines had the rights to the Virgin brand in this region, and presumably nixed it.  So no big surprise there.

New uniforms have already been announced.

Actual business class seats on domestic aircraft - again not news - already announced for Perth-Sydney route.

New logo - its just 'Virgin' with 'Australia' after it - like 'Virgin Atlantic' or 'Virgin America' . . . I'm actually yawning.

And the way the 'Virgin' works on the tail is not a great solution. I was not impressed when Qantas spent whatever millions on re-branding to change the flying kangaroo so that the feet weren't bisected by the horizontal tail flaps - but this application of the Virgin brand with the 'V' cut off is just plain ugly. The white body - clean and nice, but it will look like Emirates, or Thai, or Asiana, or Cathay.

The one thing that is an innovation is a real business class - but strangely not a lot of detail yet.

 

That's the launch video - not a lot of information.

To paraphrase a catch-cry from their new website: Lets hope that they have '. . . really only just started – there is plenty more to come'. I hope - Qantas needs the competition if passengers are going to be the winners.

For a different view - see Elizabeth Knight in the SMH/Age business section.

Sources Virgin Australia, Australian Business Traveler