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V Australia launch stifled by strike

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VH-VGA-PAE.jpg
V Australia, Virgin Blue's new international arm, is one of the most visible casualties yet in the IAM strike.

The fledgling airline, announced today that it will have to postpone its first service from Sydney to Los Angeles:

Virgin Blue Airlines Group announced today that an ongoing strike at The Boeing Company's Seattle plant has forced a delay to the planned 15 December, 2008 launch of its long haul international airline V Australia.

The announcement comes after Boeing advised its customers including V Australia that it cannot predict the duration of the dispute and therefore cannot guarantee the delivery date of the airline's launch aircraft.

The brand new 777-3ZGER has been sitting on the Everett flight line since August 21st when it first left the paint hangar in the new livery. The aircraft, named Didgeree Blue and registered VH-VGA, has yet to fly.

Service between Australia and the United States will now begin February 28, 2009. The new launch schedule will first start the daily VA1 (SYD-LAX) and VA2 (LAX-SYD). The following day, V Australia will start a thrice weekly service from Brisbane to Los Angeles with VA7 and the reverse on VA8.

Photo credit: FlightBlogger - VH-VGA on the eve of the strike vote.

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