Virgin Australia to partially wet lease 777 to alliance partner Etihad for Kuala Lumpur services

Virgin Australia will wet lease one of its Boeing 777-300ERs to alliance partner Etihad Airways during a once weekly 34 hour 55 minute layover in Abu Dhabi. Etihad has earmarked using the aircraft to bolster services to Kuala Lumpur, a popular market for Gulf travellers and one that competitor Emirates has been increasing capacity to.

The decision to wet lease the aircraft to Etihad once a week, from May-2012 subject to regulatory approval, finally allows Virgin to better utilise the once weekly extended layover as part of the carrier's three times weekly Sydney-Abu Dhabi services which commenced in Feb-2011. The other two services have 10 hour 55 minute layovers.