V Australia starts low-cost Sydney service in December

V Australia Airlines, a member of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin empire and an affiliate of the domestic Australian carrier Virgin Blue, will start flying on December 15, with Sydney-Los Angeles as its first route, company officials said. “The transpacific route is in dire need of competition and a good shake-up, and that’s a challenge we are always keen to take on,” Branson said in Sydney. The new airline will operate 777s configured with business, premium economy and economy cabins. Business class seats will recline to fully flat beds 77 inches long, and will offer on-demand entertainment systems and a la carte dining. The 40 premium economy seats will be 20 inches wide, with a nine-inch recline and 38 inches of pitch. Economy seats will provide “the most spacious economy seating of any airline operating the transpacific route,” the airline said, with a 3x3x3 configuration and 32-inch pitch. The daily Sydney-LAX flights will be supplemented with other routes as more 777-300ERs join the fleet, officials said. V Australia will offer connections at LAX with Northwest Airlines domestic flights, and at Sydney with Virgin Blue’s intra-Australian services. Regular economy fares on V Australia will start at levels about 16 percent below current market rates, officials said. For details, go to www.vaustralia.com.au.