Virgin Australia

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Pacific Blue has many flights to Fiji and from all accounts passengers seem happy with travelling by Pacific Blue. Rebranding Pacific Blue as Virgin Australia could be a bit confusing - already some of the airport screens don't always come up with all the plane arrivals. Okay, but why is Polynesian Blue now named as Virgin Samoa? Tell that to Margaret Mead!
Virgin Australia name now across airline
December 7, 2011 - 5:54PM
AAP

New Zealand-based Pacific Blue and long-haul offshoot V Australia are now operating under the Virgin Australia banner, the airline said on Wednesday. The rebranding, which was flagged earlier this year and went live on Wednesday.

It features new airport signs and travel documents,as well as a revamped Virgin Australia website that covers all of the airline group's domestic and international services.

The 17 Pacific Blue Boeing 737 aircraft, primarily based in New Zealand, will have their interiors refurbished in the first half of calendar 2012.

There are plans also for an update of the cabin interiors on the five V Australia Boeing 777-300ERs thatfly to Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi.

"Now that our international airlines are all operating under the Virgin brand, our focus is on redesigning the product in the air to ensure a first-rate travel experience across all of our airlines," Virgin chief executive John Borghetti said in a statement.

Painting of the aircraft into the new livery was expected to occur when they went into service, to minimise disruption to schedules.

The one part of the airline group that does not fall under the Virgin Australia umbrella has also received a revamp, with Polynesian Blue renamed Virgin Samoa.

Virgin Samoa, which operates one Boeing 737 and flies from Apia to Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland, is a joint venture between Virgin Australia and Samoan government, which both own 49 per cent of the airline. Aggie Grey's Resort and Hotel holds the remaining shareholding.

Virgin closed steady at 35.5 cents.