Tigerair (Tiger Airways Australia) Boeing B737-800 VH-VUD Pops into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport

Certainly a surprise arrival into Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airport on Friday 10 August with Tigerair (Tiger Airways Australia) operating Boeing B737-800 VH-VUD into the Whitsundays on their scheduled TGG394/397 service from and back to Sydney.

VH-VUD at Adelaide Airport recently  (File photo)

This is the first ever that I believe that one of the Tigerair’s three current 180-seat Boeing B737-800s has operated the flight with it usually flown by one of their 12 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft.

Word around the Airport suggested that this change of equipment on Friday flights could occur for some weeks into the future.

Of interest – and I love this stuff! – VH-VUD has had an interesting history.  While it is currently flown by Tigerair within Australia, the aircraft is registered to their parent company, Virgin Australia Airlines where it has been with the airline for over a decade.

The aircraft was originally ordered new by Virgin Blue and rolled off the production line and was then registered as VH-VUD in October 2004.  After being delivered in November, in the full titles and colours of 'Pacific Blue' Airlines - Virgin Blue's New Zealand based subsidiary airline - and it was noted wearing the name ‘Bewitching Broome’.  VH-VUD entered service with Virgin Blue soon after. 

VH-VUD in Pacific Blue livery at Brisbane Airport in 2006  (File photo)

After three years, VH-VUD was withdrawn from Virgin blue service and ferried to Christchurch in New Zealand where it was then re-registered as ZK-PBG and leased to Pacific Blue.  It operated its first service with Pacific Blue in November 2007 on a New Zealand domestic flight and over the years it was a regular at Airports on the Eastern seaboard.

Now registered ZK-PBG at Brisbane Airport in 2008  (File photo)

After Pacific Blue was incorporated in the ‘Virgin Australia’ company name, ZK-PBG operated its final service with its New Zealand registration marking in March 2015.  It was then re-registered once again as VH-VUD and had the name ‘Tallows Beach’ applied.  VH-VUD then re-entered service with Virgin Australia and operated both domestic and international flights until October 2016 when it was once again withdrawn from service.

ZK-PBG on approach to Brisbane Airport in full Virgin Australia livery in 2014  (File photo)

VH-VUD parked at Brisbane Airport in 2016  (File photo)

VH-VUD 'Tallows Beach' on approach to Adelaide Airport  (File photo)

VH-VUD then flew to Townsville and was re-painted into the Tigerair livery by Flying Colours at Townsville following the announcement that Tigerair would be the low-cost off-shoot of Virgin Australia.

VH-VUD in full Tigerair livery at gate at Adelaide Airport  (File photo)

After a period of storage and crew training out of Melbourne (Tullamarine), VH-VUD finally entered domestic service with Tigerair in February 2017 and continues to operate on the Tigerair domestic network.

Photos taken by Tony Haynes  ©

Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPN Departs Australia For Good

On Monday 14 August, Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPN looked to have departed Australia for good, flying out of Brisbane for Apia (Tonga) as VOZ9901.  It has since continued to Honolulu (Hawaii), Van Nuys (California) and Nashville (Tennessee) for post-lease maintenance.  Its departure from Australia comes just 10 days after fellow E-190 VH-ZPR also departed for Nashville - see Blog Post HERE.

VH-ZPN arrives into Rockhampton Airport  (File photo)

VH-ZPN is the latest in a long line of Virgin Australia E-190 jets that have been withdrawn from the fleet (for now) and be transferred to other operators or storage.  It follows VH-ZPD, VH-ZPF, VH-ZPE, VH-ZPG, VH-ZPJ, VH-ZPL, VH-ZPB, VH-ZPA, VH-ZPM, VH-ZPI ,VH-ZPC, VH-ZPQ, VH-ZPK and VH-ZPR which have all departed Australia since February 2016.

It's probably now easier to post that three E-190s remain in the Virgin fleet - VH-ZPH, VH-ZPO and VH-ZPT.

VH-ZPN was the last of three additional aircraft ordered new by Virgin Blue in February 2007.  It entered the Australian register and was delivered to the airline in Brisbane in August 2009.

VH-ZPN in Pacific Blue colours at Gladstone Airport in 2012  (File photo)

Despite being registered to and operating for Virgin Blue, VH-ZPN wore the full titles and colours of Pacific Blue Airlines - Virgin Blue's New Zealand-based subsidiary.  VH-ZPN also wore the name 'Kanga Blue'.

With Virgin Blue being renamed and rebranded as Virgin Australia Airlines in May 2011, VH-ZPN was rolled out in 2013 in full Virgin Australia livery and looked to take up the name 'Arrawarra Beach'.

VH-ZPN at Brisbane in 2013 soon after repainting  (File photo)

Of interest, VH-ZPN was only withdrawn from service two days prior to its departure overseas.  It appears that its final flight into Central Queensland was back on Sunday 30 July when it operated in to Mackay Airport and back from Brisbane as VOZ605/608.

VH-ZPN arrives into Mackay Airport last year  (File photo)

The decision to reduce Virgin’s Embraer E190 regional jet fleet, as well as its ATR fleet, was first announced in June 2016.

Sad to see them go!

Photo taken by 'IAD' and Brendan Berry  ©

Final Virgin Australia Flight to Touch Down at Rockhampton Airport Sunday - Alliance Airlines Fokkers from Monday!

From Sunday 18 June, local plane spotters will no longer see Virgin Australia coloured aircraft landing at Rockhampton Airport as it appears that the airline has brought forward plans to operate wet-leased Alliance Airlines Fokker F-70 and F-100 jets into the beef capital.

File photo

File photo

It was originally thought (certainly by me) that the airline would only be ceasing flying the ATR 72 turboprop aircraft on their regional Queensland services from July, however the Virgin Australia website suggests that from Monday 19 June, all flights to and from Rockhampton Airport will be operated by Alliance Airlines.

Alliance Airlines Fokker F-100 jet VH-FKJ is currently scheduled to arrive into Rockhampton Airport late on Sunday 18 June on the scheduled VOZ1251 service from Brisbane and remain overnight before returning to the capital early on Monday 19 June as VOZ1230.

VH-FKJ at Rockhampton Airport  (File photo)

The final Virgin Australia aircraft to call into Rockhampton Airport appears to be Boeing B737-800 VH-YFU which is scheduled to operate the VOZ1249/1252 scheduled service from and back to Brisbane on Sunday 18 June.  The final Virgin Australia turboprop flight into Rockhampton Airport will be operated by ATR 72-500 VH-FVU on the VOZ1245/1248 scheduled service from and back to Brisbane also on Sunday 18 June.

VH-YFU  (File photo)

VH-FVU  (File photo)

It has been reported previously that these changes to regional Queensland services have been brought about by Virgin Australia wanting to consolidate its turboprop operations to routes within the ACT, New South Wales and Victoria as it prepares to reduce the number of ATRs in the fleet from 14 to six.  As a result, the airline would end ATR 72 turboprop operations in Queensland.

It has also been reported that all six ATR 72-500s - VH-FVH, VH-FVI, VH-FVL, VH-FVM, VH-FVU and VH-FVX - along with two ATR 72-600s - would be withdrawn from service.  I'm told that VH-FVH could be leaving Australia as early as this week!

VH-FVH operating the first ever Virgin Australia flight to Emerald Airport in 2012  (File photo)

Virgin Australia was reportedly going to withdraw ATR 72 services from Brisbane to Central Queensland destinations including Moranbah, Gladstone, Bundaberg and Rockhampton, as well as to Port Macquarie in New South Wales from July.  ATR 72 services were withdrawn from Emerald Airport in 2016.

The downturn in the resources sector has led to a a drop in demand on a number of these Central Queensland regional routes.

The decision to reduce Virgin’s ATR fleet, as well as its Embraer E-190 regional jet fleet, was first announced in June 2016.

Photos taken by 'IAD'  ©

Virgin Australia (ex Tigerair) Boeing B737-800 VH-VOR Calls into Mackay Airport in an All White Colour Scheme

Early on Monday 13 March, a surprise arrival into Mackay Airport was Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VOR.  It operated the early morning VOZ601/604 service from and back to Brisbane.  VH-VOR has recently returned to service with the airline and has been re-painted into an all-white colour scheme.  It was spotted at the Brisbane Airport terminal as it prepared for its next flight after earlier arriving back from Mackay Airport. 

Until late February, VH-VOR was operating flights for Tigerair (Tiger Airways) Australia which, at one point, flew four B737-800s of parent company Virgin Australia.  It also wore the livery of Tigerair and operated flights from Australia to Bali until these were discontinued in 2016.

VH-VOR was positioned to Townsville earlier in March and emerged from the paintshop in an all white colour scheme on Thursday 9 March.

Of interest, VH-VOR has worn a wide variety of colours schemes - and a different registration while it operated in New Zealand and South Pacific.  VH-VOR was originally delivered to Virgin Blue in a full Pacific Blue colour scheme in April 2004.  It also wore the name 'Territory Tinkerbelle'.  VH-VOR eventually operated with Virgin Blue from May 2004 until October 2006 when it was withdrawn from service in Australia and ferried to Christchurch (New Zealand).

Shortly after its arrival into Christchurch, the B737-800 was placed on the New Zealand-register as ZK-PBF which Pacific Blue Airlines (NZ) as the registered operator.  By the end of October 2006, ZK-PBF was sub-leased to, and was repainted at Christchurch, into the standard Polynesian Blue livery.  It was also renamed 'Tapu Itea'.  It operated its first flight for Polynesian Blue (Pacific Blue) a the end of October 2006.

Eventually, in May 2011, Virgin Blue was re-named Virgin Australia and consequently, in December 2011, Polynesian Blue was re-named Virgin Samoa.  ZK-PBF was repainted into a Virgin Samoa livery in February 2012 and retained the name 'Tapu Itea'.  

ZK-PBF operated its last revenue service under this registration marking in early March 2015 and very soon after, it was re-registered as VH-VOR to Virgin Australia and was reconfigured to seat 8 Business and 168 Economy passengers.  Days later, VH-VOR entered service with Virgin Australia.  It operated in the Virgin Samoa livery for some time before it was eventually repainted into the standard Virgin Australia livery.

VH-VOR operated its final service for Virgin Australia in late January 2016 - from Hamilton Island to Brisbane no less - before it was then ferried to Townsville where it was repainted into the standard Tigerair livery.  In early February 2016, VH-VOR ferried out of Townsville for Melbourne (Tullamarine) and in late March 2016, it flew the inaugural Tigerair flight to Bali from Melbourne as TGW1.

Photos taken by Kepler Mulder, 'IAD' and Dave   ©

Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPM Departs Australia For Good - That's 9 Gone Now!

On Monday 6 February, Virgin Australia Embraer E-190 VH-ZPM looked to have departed Australia for good, flying out of Brisbane for Apia (Tonga) as VOZ9901.  It has since continued to Honolulu (Hawaii), Van Nuys (California) and Nashville (Tennessee) for post-lease maintenance.

VH-ZPM is now the ninth Virgin Australia E-190 that has been withdrawn from the fleet (for now) and be transferred to other operators or storage.  VH-ZPD, VH-ZPF, VH-ZPE, VH-ZPG, VH-ZPJ, VH-ZPL, VH-ZPB and VH-ZPA have already left Australia.  VH-ZPA departed Australia just less than a month ago!

VH-ZPM was one of three new-production E-190 aircraft that were ordered in 2007 by (at the time) Virgin Blue.  It rolled off the production line and was delivered shortly after to the airline at Christchurch in New Zealand in May 2009.

VH-ZPM at Rockhampton Airport in 2011

VH-ZPM was delivered in the full livery of 'Pacific Blue' Airlines which was Virgin Blue's New Zealand based subsidiary airline that flew mostly services across the Tasman Sea.  VH-ZPM was joined by VH-ZPN is wearing this livery but they both never actually flew services for Pacific Blue despite wearing the livery.

VH-ZPM was noted wearing the name 'Emma-braer' and completed a series of 'demonstration' flights in New Zealand before flying across to Australia.  It operated its first revenue service for Virgin Blue / Virgin Australia in late May 2009 when it operated as DJ1245 from Brisbane to Rockhampton.

VH-ZPM continued to operate for the airline in full Pacific Blue colours until 2011 when the airline was re-branded as Virgin Australia and eventually the E-190 was repainted and then re-named as 'Maroochydore Beach'.

It's sad to see the E-190s disappearing - and as we have been reporting - Virgin Australia will eventually withdraw all remaining Embraer E-190 jets, as well as between four and six ATR 72 turboprops, on a cost-cutting program across all parts of the airline which will also include an unspecified number of job losses.

It was interesting to note that VH-ZPM's final visit to CQ was on its last day of operations for Virgin Australia on Sunday 5 February when it paid Mackay Airport a visit, operating as VOZ607/610 from and back to Brisbane.  VH-ZPM also visited Rockhampton Airport on Friday 3 February.

File photos taken by 'AC' and 'IAD'  ©

Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VUH at Gladstone Airport Wednesday Morning

Making a surprise arrival into Gladstone Airport early on Wednesday 29 June was Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 VH-VUH which operated the VOZ1707/1710 service from and back to Brisbane.

Of interest, VH-VUH wears the name 'Lady Rebecca' as the result of a charity auction soon after the aircraft was delivered in August 2006.  It also operated for Pacific Blue Airlines as ZK-PBI from June 2008 until February 2015.

All photos taken by Col  ©

Virgin Australia re-Registered B737-800 VH-VUB (ex ZK-PBJ) Finally Calls into CQ at Mackay Airport!

Finally, the 'rego' spotters (like me) can rejoice, with the final Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 aircraft that saw service in New Zealand finally calling into Central Queensland this week.  VH-VUB (ex ZK-PBJ) called into Mackay Airport on Monday 11 May, operating the scheduled VOZ613/614 service from and back to Brisbane.

VH-VUB at Adelaide in February  (Photo taken by Tony Haynes  ©)

This means that all 10 of the former Virgin Australia aircraft that were based in New Zealand on trans-Tasman services has visited at least one Central Queensland Airport since they rejoined operations in Australia earlier this year.

Of interest, only one Virgin Australia aircraft is yet to visit CQ with brand new B737-800 VH-YIY noted mostly operating trans-Tasman services since it was delivered in early March.

Recently Returned (ex-New Zealand) Virgin Australia B737-800s Continue to Call into CQ Airports

Over the last week or so, we've continued to note the recently returned Virgin Australia Boeing B737-800 aircraft calling into Central Queensland Airports.

On Tuesday 14 April, VH-VUQ (ex ZK-PBL) called into both Mackay and Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) Airports.  It was captured at a dark and gloomy Mackay as it arrived from Brisbane as VOZ605.

On Thursday 16 April, I spotted VH-VOO (ex ZK-PBA) at Hamilton Island Airport operating VOZ1281/1282 from and back to Sydney.

File photo

Meanwhile, also at Hamo, on Sunday 19 April, VH-VUD (ex ZK-PBG) made what I believe to be its first visit in CQ since it re-entered service in Australia in early March when it operated the VOZ1497/1496 service from and back to Brisbane.

And also on Sunday 19 April, a pair of ex-New Zealand B737-800s called into Mackay Airport with VH-VUH (ex ZK-PBI) visiting from and back to Brisbane as VOZ607/610, while VH-VUO (ex ZK-PBM) called in later also from and back to Brisbane as VOZ613/614. 

At Rockhampton Airport VH-VOP (ex ZK-PBB) and VH-VUP (ex ZK-PBK) called in operating the morning VOZ1235/1238 service from and back to Brisbane on Friday 17 April and Saturday 18 April respectively.

File photo

Finally, VH-VOR (ex ZK-PBF) which continued to wear the titles of Virgin Samoa following its re-entry into Australian service (as shown above), had these titles removed and replaced with Virgin Australia titles at Townsville at the start of this month re-entering service with Virgin Australia on Saturday 4 April.

Photos taken by 'AC'  ©

Virgin Australia (Virgin Samoa) Boeing B737-800 VH-VOR (ex ZK-PBF) Also at Rockhampton Airport Friday

Making a surprise and very welcome visit to Rockhampton Airport also late on Friday 13 March was Virgin Australia (Virgin Samoa) Boeing B737-800 VH-VOR.

The B737-800 has only this week entered service with Virgin back on Australian routes, after operating as ZK-PBF for Virgin in New Zealand.  As shown, VH-VOR still wears the titles of Virgin Samoa - which was preceded by Polynesian Blue - for operations also into Western Samoa.  It also wears the name 'Tapu'itea'.

On Friday, VH-VOR operated the scheduled VOZ1245/1248 service from and back to Brisbane.

Of interest, Virgin has also recently re-painted fellow B737-800 VH-YID into the titles of Virgin Samoa and re-named that aircraft also 'Tapu'itea'.  I would assume that VH-VOR will soon be re-painted into the titles of Virgin Australia so this visit into Rocky was might be its one-and-only!

Sincere thanks to local plane spotters Don W and 'IAD' who ventured to Rockhampton Airport to catch this lovely aircraft!

Photos taken by 'IAD' and Don Williams  ©

Virgin Australia re-Registeted B737-800 VH-VUO (ex ZK-PBM) Calls into Mackay Airport Friday

Making its first visit into CQ since it's was re-registered to Virgin Australia was Boeing B737-800 VH-VUO which called into Mackay Airport on Friday 20 February.  It operated the scheduled VOZ613/614 service from and back to Brisbane.

VH-VUO at Mackay Airport in 2008  (File photo)

VH-VUO was the second of ten Virgin aircraft that wore New Zealand registration markings which are now in the process of being re-registered in Australia. VH-VUO was ZK-PBM.

ZK-PBM departs Brisbane late in 2014  (File photo)

Of interest, fellow Virgin B737-800 VH-VOO which has also recently returned to the Australian registration (ex ZK-PBA) called into CQ again, this time flying into Proserpine / Whitsunday Coast Airport on Wednesday 18 February operating the scheduled VOZ1117/1116 service from and back to Brisbane.

Finally, at the time of writing, VH-VOP (ex ZK-PBB) and VH-VUB (ex ZK-PBJ) have entered service with Virgin on Australian routes, while the fifth B737-800 VH-VOY (ex ZK-PBD) is receiving pre-service maintenance (seating re-configuration) in Brisbane.