Virgin Blue seeks to launch US-Australia 777 flights next year

Virgin Blue filed an application with the US Dept. of Transportation to operate 10 weekly Australia-US flights beginning in November 2008, which would put it in direct competition with rival Qantas on lucrative transpacific routes. The Australian carrier applied for the traffic rights under the name "Virgin Blue International Airlines," a subsidiary of the Virgin Blue group of companies, but said it will choose a new name for its future transpacific operations prior to launch. It also is ...