virgin australia callsing change

[sirsteve]

If you listen to Australian ATC then you will hear a new call-sign from Monday. No more Virgin , but going to hear  VELOCITY .

with thanks to JamesW on Sydney spotters for the info.

• Effective 28 Oct 12 0000UTC, a new group ICAO code & call-sign will be introduced.
• The code will remain as VOZ, however the call-sign will change from “Virgin” to “Velocity”.
• For the wet lease operations, VBH will be replaced with VOZ and the current call-sign “Bluey” will
become “Velocity”.
• During the transition phase for the wet lease operations, flight crew must ensure they verify and use the three letter designator and associated call sign as depicted within the flight plan i.e. if flight plan has VBH then use “Bluey” and if flight plan has VOZ then use “Velocity”.

[tyketto]

If you listen to Australian ATC then you will hear a new call-sign from Monday. No more Virgin , but going to hear  VELOCITY .

with thanks to JamesW on Sydney spotters for the info.

• Effective 28 Oct 12 0000UTC, a new group ICAO code & call-sign will be introduced.
• The code will remain as VOZ, however the call-sign will change from “Virgin” to “Velocity”.
• For the wet lease operations, VBH will be replaced with VOZ and the current call-sign “Bluey” will
become “Velocity”.
• During the transition phase for the wet lease operations, flight crew must ensure they verify and use the three letter designator and associated call sign as depicted within the flight plan i.e. if flight plan has VBH then use “Bluey” and if flight plan has VOZ then use “Velocity”.

Is this to reduce confusion with VIR and its use of the Virgin callsign? Also, with Pacific Blue being brought in, would this change take effect for them as well?

Also, does this have any effect on VAU? Finally, have a link to the NOTAM for this?

BL.

[sirsteve]

Its more that the airline can not use "virgin" on overseas flights, and as all arms of the group, V-Australia, Virgin, Pacific blue , have all amalgamated into Virgin Australia it was thought a new common call-sign would come into effect,  so V-Australia looses V-OZ, pacific blue looses "bluey" and all become Velocity.

[Paulbc]

Velocity is already the name of V Aus' Frequent Flyer / Rewards program, which makes sense:
http://www.velocityrewards.com.au/content/index.htm

Paul

[tyketto]

Its more that the airline can not use "virgin" on overseas flights, and as all arms of the group, V-Australia, Virgin, Pacific blue , have all amalgamated into Virgin Australia it was thought a new common call-sign would come into effect,  so V-Australia looses V-OZ, pacific blue looses "bluey" and all become Velocity.

got it, and very interesting..

I'm also hoping I could find the NOTAM on that, so various flight tracking sites (read: FlightAware) could update their info. Some places are even still trying to use the callsign "Kanga" for VAU.

Also good to note that VRD is untouched..

BL.