Will be a lot of interest in VBA next week (both good and bad) if this is true:
BRITISH entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson will fly to Australia next week to announce major changes - including a new name - for the Virgin Blue group. Branson and Virgin Blue Group of Airlines CEO John Borghetti will unveil the "new face'' of the group at Sydney Airport on Wednesday.
There have been unconfirmed reports the new name will be Virgin Australia after a logo with that name filed by Branson's Virgin Enterprises was discovered on the federal government's intellectual property website, IP Australia.
At the moment the airline has four brands - Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue.
Branson indicated he has ambitious plans to give major competitors such as Australia's flagship airline Qantas a run for its money on several new routes, including several European cities, at Virgin's 10th birthday party in Melbourne last September.
The airline will also launch a new domestic business class in May, which will include a menu designed by celebrity chef Luke Mangan.
Qantas also faces competition from fast expanding new carrier Strategic Airlines, which wants to extend its network to more Asian cities, Europe and the United States.
It wants to use Phuket in Thailand, which it flies to from Australia, as a base to offer flights with through codeshare partnerships with other airlines.
The airline is expected to start flying to Hawaii later this year before introducing flights to mainland USA.
VBA Price at posting:
28.5¢ Sentiment: LT Buy Disclosure: Held
