Virgin Blue, Hawaiian Airlines move toward codeshare partnership

Virgin Blue is set to announce another significant partnership, this time with Hawaiian Airlines. Addressing the Australian-British Chamber of Commerce in Sydney on Wednesday, Virgin Blue CEO John Borghetti said the airline was in the "process of having advanced discussions with Hawaiian Airlines" on codeshare flights to Hawaii.

The Australian carrier has successfully completed alliances with Etihad (ATW Daily News, Feb. 4) and Air New Zealand (ATW Daily News, Dec. 22, 2010); a third partnership with Delta Air Lines is awaiting US regulatory approval (ATW Daily News, Oct. 18, 2010).

Borghetti also flagged a big move into Asia, saying "We're not going to leave it alone." But he added it was too early make announcements. He also served up a warning to Qantas that the "born again" low-cost airline will increase its share of the corporate market from 12% to 20% within three years.

A key platform for that increase is the launch of Virgin Blue’s first flights with business class on May 26 on the Sydney-Perth route using its new Airbus A330s (ATW Daily News, Aug. 26, 2010).

"Virgin has it in its DNA to break monopolies, or near monopolies, and that is exactly what we are going to do," Borghetti told the Sydney Morning Herald. "We want to be the best airline and the airline of choice in this country and we will be within three years."