Virgin Australia

The airline’s highly anticipated return to the Pacific Island nation is the latest step in rebuilding its short-haul international network and comes after services to Samoa and a brand-new Gold Coast-Bali route took off this month.

New short haul international services will see Virgin Australia grow its international capacity by 50 per cent from FY23 to FY24 a statement from the airline said.

Direct services from Brisbane to Port Vila will operate on the airline’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft up to five times a week in peak periods, and up to three times weekly in off peaks.

The airline told the Daily Post there will be up to five flights a week.

Virgin Australia had previously been servicing Port Vila from Brisbane five times a week but stopped due to covid-19 border restrictions.

The Australian-based airline will serve the destinations from Brisbane and Sydney as it continues to rebuild its international network.

The flights are scheduled to take off in March with different frequencies depending on the destination. Travelers can book the available flights online, and passengers who are part of the carrier's frequent-flyer program, Velocity, can use points to book.

A Virgin Australia spokesperson told the Executive Traveller that the resuming service allows people to see their loved ones.

A statement confirmed that the airline will resume direct services from Brisbane to Port Vila, starting on 10 March 2023, with up to five flights a week.

“The airline will only be connecting Port Vila and Brisbane, with connections available from Sydney as well as other domestic Australian markets via Brisbane.”

“The airline had been servicing Port Vila from Brisbane 5 times a week but stopped since Covid-19 border restrictions.”

Vanuatu reopened its borders to fully-vaccinated international travellers from 1 July, 2022 with no quarantine or arrival caps.

With Vanuatu’s borders opening to Australian travellers on 1July 2022, the VTO reports it expects the island destination to be very popular with both families and couples looking for a nature-based escape close to Australia.

VTO’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Adela Issachar Aru, says the return of Virgin Australia to Vanuatu in March, will give travellers even more choice when planning their travels to Vanuatu.

The country's second-largest carrier cut almost all flights last month following wide-spread travel bans.

It was already struggling with a long-term A$5bn (£2.55bn; $3.17bn) debt.

The airline is now seeking new buyers and investors, after failing to get a loan from Australia's government.

Virgin Australia chief executive Paul Scurrah said: "Our decision today is about securing the future of the Virgin Australia Group and emerging on the other side of the Covid-19 crisis.

"Australia needs a second airline and we are determined to keep flying."

It's one of the cheapest international destination in the sale (only beaten by flights to Dunedin) and with return fares starting at $449 return.

Flights from Brisbane for $449 return, from Melbourne, Sydney or Adelaide for $499 return and from Cairns for $649 return.

Flights are available between 10 June and 20 July 2019. And if people prefer to hold off a tad to organize or work on that holiday fund, flights are also available between 1 February and 7 March 2020.

The illegal broadcasts were made over several weeks at Melbourne's main Tullamarine and Avalon airports, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said.

Local media reported a portable radio may have been used to interfere with air traffic control.

The incidents did not pose a continuing threat to safety, the AFP said.

ABC News reported that a Virgin Australia plane changed altitude before aborting its landing after receiving instructions from a mystery person on 27 October.

RNZ reports services were suspended suddenly on Monday after a gap opened in the runway, only three months after repairs were completed.

In January, Air New Zealand, Qantas and Virgin Australia suspended their services over concerns about the safety of the runway.

The announcement saw the country's new government scramble to re-negotiate a World Bank loan to carry out emergency repairs which were completed in April.

Those repairs were supposed to last for as long as a year while the government sought a more permanent solution.

According to RNZ, the airline says it won't be flying until it has greater confidence in the maintenance of the runway, after staff spotted a hole in it on Monday.

Staff have been conducting regular inspections since remedial works were completed earlier this year.

The works were a temporary measure ahead of a full renovation funded by the World Bank which is hoped to take place this year.

When concerns were raised about the runway in January, Air New Zealand and Virgin halted flights, and Virgin began flying again in May following the repairs.