Virgin Australia unveils luxury jet set to transform the journey to mine sites for WA FIFO workers

Virgin Australia has ushered in a new era for WA’s charter flight market, introducing the first brand-new aircraft of its kind in the State this century — and it promises to redefine comfort for the State’s fly-in, fly-out workforce. The sleek Embraer E190-E2, named Coral Bay, marks a major milestone as the first newly purchased aircraft for WA’s charter market since 1985. Virgin Australia Regional Airlines executive general manager Nathan Miller described the plane as a game-changer for both the airline and its FIFO passengers. “This airplane is the new generation,” Mr Miller said. “The aircraft it’s replacing, which is the Fokker 100, has been a wonderful airplane for Western Australia, but between them and their early variant, they’ve been around since 1969, so 56 years. It’s time to move on.” The first flight took off for a Rio Tinto minesite on Monday, and according to Mr Miller, mining staff are already eager for their next trip on what’s being hailed as “the Tesla of the skies”. “The Fokker’s have been the back bone of the FIFO industry for 50 years but now the Embraer will take over,” he said. “The existing Fokker aircraft is like a Holden VL Commodore, compared to the Embraer which is like a Tesla. “We truly believe this is the only airplane that fits the build for everything we need in terms of airport capability, sustainability credentials, comfort, efficiency and performance.” The E190-E2 boasts wider seats with no middle seat, generous overhead storage, USB ports at every seat, and a noticeably quieter cabin. The aircraft is also 30 per cent more fuel-efficient than its predecessors and capable of flying longer routes. It features business class seats and a premium economy product known as Economy X. Mr Miller said the new plane has been purpose-built for WA’s unique regional conditions, including short runways and high temperatures, with about half of its use dedicated to FIFO transport. “We brought it for our FIFO customers because it gets into the WA regional ports that you can’t get bigger aircraft into,” he said. “We really appreciate the life of FIFO worker. You know, we are getting them to site, to work and back home again, and their comfort is really important to us as much as it is to their employers. “So first and foremost, making sure that it’s reliable... and when you use airplanes that are 20 or 30 years old, that becomes more challenging, this airplane is new so we can expect a new standard of reliability. “(And) being quiet, it means that they can enjoy a more comfortable aircraft and more quiet aircraft, so their journey is really the top of its class. For them, this is like when you order the Uber X, but the Tesla turns up.” Virgin Australia has ordered eight Embraer E190-E2 aircrafts, but Mr Miller hinted there could be more to come. “We will have a look at going beyond that,” he said.