News: Virgin offers to help in emergencies

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Virgin Australia Holdings Limited (ASX:VAH) is putting up its hand to assist in any future evacuations of Australians from international trouble-spots.

 

Qantas Airways Limited (ASX:QAN) remains the first point of call when the federal government needs a commercial airline to evacuate Australians caught up in strife-torn countries.

 

But Virgin's acting chief operating officer, Lawrie Turner, says Australia's second-largest airline had made clear to the government that it now had a fleet of long-haul aircraft capable of airlifting Australians out of conflict zones or areas struck by natural disasters.



Mr Turner says the airline wants to make sure that everybody understands that it is a vital part of Australia and the airline contributes to the social fabric of the country.

 

Virgin Australia announced a net loss of $98.1 million in the 2013 financial year.