[Standby]

From todays travelweekly a note re V Aust.
Brett Godfrey indicates poss flat commission fees rather than % of fare based and Fuel surcharges will NOT be commisionable

Fuel used to be 15
per cent of our costs,
now it’s 33%. If I pay
margins on that it’s for
nothing; the travel agent
is not doing any more
to get that sale

Brett Godfrey, Virgin Blue

Full article
http://www.travelweekly.com.au/dirpl.../5_02_2008.pdf

[Yada Yada]

Apologies for going off-topic, but I noticed this article in the same magazine:

Originally Posted by travelweekly.com.au

Hawaiian buys 12 aircraft
Hawaiian Airlines will acquire 12 new widebody aircraft from Airbus in a move set to benefit Australian travellers. The carrier has acquired six A330-200 aircraft and six A350XWB-800s, the latter to be used in Australasia, the Americas and Europe, the carrier said.

Deliveries will start in 2017, before which time the carrier said it will source opportunities in the aircraft leasing market. The deal, together with 12 options, is worth $4.8 billlion.

I'm not sure what HA currently fly to Australia but this is a nice move, although there is a while to wait! The aircraft manufacturers have a nice market at present!

[aubs]

Will be interesting to see what happens -
If Asia travel slows there are going to be a lot of planes ordered by Qantas/Jetstar, Air Asia, Lion Air, Kingfisher, Singapore etc.. looking for some other routes to fly.

Maybe thats how the US carriers will eventually get a new fleet

[NM]

Originally Posted by Yada Yada

I'm not sure what HA currently fly to Australia but this is a nice move, although there is a while to wait! The aircraft manufacturers have a nice market at present!

763 currently.