Virgin Blue has unveiled how it intends to offset continuously growing fuel prices, first with an immediate fares hike, dropping four planes and cutting flights.
Services affected will be once weekly SydneyâProserpine and the direct thrice weekly DarwinâMelbourne, from July and August respectively.
âNo staff redundancies are necessary as a result of these initiatives,â? Virgin Blue has pledged.
Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue services will not be affected.
Fares will lift domestically around Australia by an average of $5 across more than half of available services, effective immediately.
The new world carrier has also announced a management salary freeze for the upcoming financial year.
Virgin Blue will withdraw four aircraft from the domestic network, though it is unsure whether this will be deployed elsewhere in the group or sold off.
The company also warned that it was still considering other cost-saving options.
âItâs not a case of planning interim measures to offset a spike in the cost of fuel, all airlines must come to terms with a new reality in our industry,â? said Brett Godfrey, Virgin Blue CEO.