- Virgin Australia has delivered a post-COVID record operating performance for both completion of scheduled flights and on time departures for the month of April.
- The result follows the airline's significant investment in managing operational performance in a more challenging post-COVID environment.
- To recognise the achievement, Virgin Australia and Velocity Frequent Flyer have launched a Discover Gold Status Match offer.
- Travellers who hold Gold Status and above of airline loyalty programs that are not Velocity partners are invited to apply by 11:59pm AEST this Friday 24 May 2024 to receive a Velocity Discover Gold trial membership.* The offer is limited to the first 3,000 eligible applicants.
- Australian small and medium-sized businesses are also encouraged to join Virgin Australia Business Flyer to receive two Velocity Pilot Gold memberships (subject to spending criteria within the first 3 months), and the opportunity to earn Velocity Points for both their business and the individual traveller when they fly, with the program growing its membership five-fold over the past two years.
- Velocity Frequent Flyer now boasts more than 12 million members – the equivalent of one member in every Australian household.
Tuesday 21 May 2024: Virgin Australia has recorded the best on-time performance and highest completion rates of any major Australian airline1 for the month of April, highlighting a strong trajectory and performance improvement over the last four months.
To recognise Virgin Australia's continuing performance improvement, the carrier has launched a Discover Gold Status Match offer for up to 3,000 Velocity members who hold Gold, Platinum and above status from competing non-partner airline loyalty programs* to 'hop' on over to receive better value and rewards when they fly with the country's most punctual major airline for April.
The elevation to highly sought-after Velocity Discover Gold Status will allow frequent flyers to enjoy the wonderful Virgin Australia experience for 3 months from complimentary Lounge access at all major domestic airports, a higher checked baggage allowance (excludes Lite fares), and priority boarding and priority seating.
Virgin Australia was recently awarded Best Cabin Crew for the sixth consecutive year against 350 airlines around the world, cementing Virgin Australia as not only being the most punctual of major Australian airlines for April, but also providing the best onboard service.
CEO Commentary
"We have been intensely focused on improving our performance whilst continuing to deliver great value and choice to Australian travellers," Virgin Australia CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka said.
"April 2024 marked a return to pre-COVID levels of on-time performance and cancellations for Virgin Australia. The post-COVID recovery has been challenging for the aviation industry but it is promising to see reliability and on-time performance improve across Australian airlines.
"We know that on any given day various factors including weather, air traffic control, unscheduled aircraft maintenance, and crew resources can impact airline operations. But our ability to manage these disruptions has improved, while at the same time we have focused on simplifying our growing operation."
Speaking of the Discover Gold Status Match offer, Ms Hrdlicka said: "We know how important punctuality is for travellers, and so we are pleased to make it easier for frequent flyers to try Velocity Discover Gold to enjoy the most sought after benefits of the program, including complimentary Lounge access, while enjoying our reliability and wonderful service."
Virgin Australia on time performance and completion rates return to pre-COVID levels
Virgin Australia was the most reliable of the major domestic carriers in April 2024 according to new data released today by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE), as operational performance returns to pre-COVID levels.
Virgin Australia achieved an on-time departures rate of 82.6 per cent and completed 98.3 per cent of flights in April. Virgin Australia cancelled only 1.72 per cent of its scheduled sectors for April.
It was Virgin Australia's best result in two years for both on-time performance and cancellations and marks an improvement of 26.4 and 6 percentage points respectively since December 2023.
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