WE’LL BE PRIDE OF THE SKIES
VIRGIN Australia is hopeful its domestic operations will be close to full capacity by July, allowing it to secure more than one-third of the airline market and make a bold attempt to resume international travel.
The nation’s second largest carrier is hopeful vaccine rollouts will prevent further state border closures and allow the airline to compete as a mid-market offering between its main rivals Jetstar and Qantas.
Virgin Australia chief
executive Jayne Hrdlicka said the next few months could be bumpy, but she was confident the airline’s revamp to target customers wanting a premium experience at a lower price point would pay off.
“We intend to be very competitive,” Ms Hrdlicka said in Brisbane ahead of the airline’s first ever Pride Flight to the Sydney Mardi Gras. “We intend to have 33 per cent of the market. We will be Australia’s most loved airline.”
The major domestic rival to Qantas intends to win
customers over with lounges at major transit hubs and premium food and beverage offerings. It is also looking to reinstall in-flight entertainment and Wi-fi across its three-tiered seating class options, which will be based on leg room.
The airline intends to roll out its new business class offering next month and also a new menu for purchasing food and beverages in economy classes.
“We’ll have the right mix of things that matter to the middle-market consumer” Ms Hrdlicka said.
How many words of three or more letters, including plurals, can you make using each letter only once? No foreign words or words beginning with a capital are allowed. There’s at least one five letter word.
Good 8 Excellent 11 Amazing
15
Across 1.
To make wider just ring “8” reportedly (6)
Some baste meat to stop the flow of blood (4)
What the pipe worker does makes it vertical (6)
9. No dirt in the Garden City bureau (6)
Photo ham? Golly! A study when not pleasing on the eye (13)
14. Solicit tactician to return to the loft (5)
To grip, a bird has a beak let alone a claw (5)
18. Could science try with bit to do with robotic technician (13)
20. See 23 Down
22. See 12 Down
24. Clothes dusty? May need to go back into the machine for some (4)
25. Yours truly reflexively (6)
Down 2.
Daughters-in-law never rewinds to find something funny to do (5,2)
3. See 20
5 & 21dn. Remnant of stage hand (but not ash) (3,3)
6. Go with the gent for fruit (5)
7. A joint for the bird (3)
8. Poem about IRA cops was unimaginative (7)
10. When cricket players lack energy some will relax ... (7)
12dn & 22ac. ... when the pitch is not correct (3,2,4)
13. Agent has the last two letters about the Asian river (7)
15. A vehicle for a left-handed Scot? (3)
17. Relaxing time for Elsie around the Ur (7)
19. Centre of boards not wanted in a china shop! (5)
20 & 3dn. There are no horses with toothbrushes in the spa bath (3,3)
21. See 5
23dn & 20ac. Bisected insects found on the rugby field (3,6)
NISSAN NAVARA ST-X DUAL-CAB AUTO PRICE From $60,790 drive-away
ENGINE 2.3-litre 4-cyl twin-turbo diesel, 140kw/450nm
WARRANTY/SERVICE 5 years/unlimited km, about $2900 for 5 years
SAFETY 5 stars, 7 airbags, auto emergency braking, lane departure warning, rear crosstraffic alert
THIRST 7.8L/100km (auto)
CARGO 1024kg payload, 3.5 tonne towing
SPARE Full size
Good looks, reasonable pricing and loads of features will draw in environmentally-conscious buyers but a longer warranty and capped price servicing would be welcome.
PRICE From about $36,000 drive-away
WARRANTY/SERVICING 5-year/unl’td km, $1495 over 5 years
ENGINE 1.6-litre turbocharged 4-cyl, 150kw/265nm
SAFETY 5 stars, 6 airbags, auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert
THIRST 6.8L/100km
SPARE Temporary spare
CARGO 474L