Virgin Australia Regional Airlines is set to complete its transition to the most modern and youngest fleet in Western Australia by replacing its Airbus A320s with a special higher performance Boeing 737-8.
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines Executive General Manager Nathan Miller confirmed to this website a staff memo advising that the A320s would give way to the first of five factory fresh 737s later this year and be completely replaced mid-2026.
Boeing and CFM, the engine maker have developed an enhanced engine kit that lifts the take-off thrust to ensure that the aircraft can operate in the summer extremes from shorter runways at some of the mining sites.
Put simply the engine is capable of higher thrust than it was originally certified for and the modification kit simply allows the thrust to increase slightly when required for extreme heat conditions.
Up to the arrival of the higher performance 737-8s, the Airbus A320s operated by VARA and Qantaslink have had an advantage over the 737-NGs in hot and high conditions on short runways. In some cases that advantage was up to 30 passengers in uplift, critical to the resource industry.
The new 737s, fitted with business class, economy X and Wi-Fi, will be joined in October this year with the first of the Embraer E190-E2s which will replace the last of the Fokker 100s.
In June next year Virgin Australia Regional Airlines’ fleet will consist of Boeing 737-8s, Boeing 737-700s and E190-E2s.
Mr Miller told told this website that the decision is “a huge investment in Western Australia to support the resource customers and intra-state flying.”
“The 737s and the E190-E2s are also significantly quieter than the aircraft that they replace and will be a significant set forward in passenger comfort.”
“It will be the first time since 1969 when MMA introduced the F-28 jet and Ansett in 1985, the BAe146, that WA has had factory fresh aircraft for customers.”
These new aircraft deliver not only nicer passenger digs but performance improvement in spades.
For instance, the Embraer E190-E2, which replaces the Fokker 100, can carry 2000kg more payload, 2000km further and uses 30 per cent less fuel per passenger and is 75 per cent quieter.
When all the aircraft are delivered the Virgin Australia Regional Airlines fleet will consist of 5, 164-seat Boeing 737-8s, 7, 134-seat Boeing 737-700s and 8, 100-seat E190-E2s.
