Virgin Australia locks in AFL travel for another five years

By Andrew Curran.

Virgin Australia has inked another five-year partnership agreement with the Australian Football League (AFL). While the terms of the agreement were not disclosed, the airline is understood to have seen off a push by rival carrier Qantas to snare the business.

“This partnership is extremely important to Virgin Australia,” said CEO Dave Emerson. “AFL is Australia’s favourite sport, and we think being involved in that has been good for Virgin.”

Virgin Australia will continue to be the only airline used by AFL players, coaches, and support staff who shuttle around Australia every weekend throughout the winter AFL season. However, the airline doesn’t typically make a lot of money (or any money at all) from the partnership.

The bounce comes from the number of fans flying on the airline to attend away games.

“Last year, over half a million fans travelled all around the country to support their teams,” said Emerson.

AFL is Melbourne-based, but it has teams in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, the Gold Coast, Brisbane, and later this decade, Hobart.

“We’ve seen double digit growth (in flying fans) and we’re really excited to lean in as that continues to grow strongly,” added Emerson.

Virgin Australia had the lowest cancellation among Australia’s domestic carriers last year, and Emerson said that helped get their bid across the line.

“That was a key bit of what the AFL was looking for… someone who is going to get them there on time and reliably – that was important,” he said.

Virgin Australia sees off Qantas bid

Qantas, which has a denser domestic network and usually more frequencies than Virgin Australia, could not persuade the AFL to break away from Virgin Australia. Aero South Pacific is told that Qantas campaigned hard to win the contract.

However, Virgin Australia has been the AFL’s partner airline since 2011. Since then, it operated over 5,000 flights (providing over 180,000 seats) specifically tasked with carrying AFL teams around Australia.

As anyone moving through Virgin Australia’s terminal and lounges on a weekend morning in winter will know, there are usually AFL teams passing through.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillion says the number of fans who travel each season to attend away games is “amazing.”

“I think what they get a buzz out of is when you are on a flight with your club, and I think the players like the interaction with the fans as well,” he said.

Dillion says Virgin Australia’s history of working with the AFL meant the airline understood what is important to the individual clubs.

“All of our clubs and players have particular needs, and the history we have with Virgin Australia allows those needs to be meet – and that’s super important for us.”

Players point out what's important

“The things we love when we travel are reliability and being on time,” said Geelong Captain Patrick Dangerfield. “Interstate clubs travel every second week, and I think people are realising that you can travel with the team. There are so many states you can visit, watch footy, and really enjoy the experience.

Brisbane Lions player Charlie Cameron is one of the players who flies every second weekend. His comments accompanying the partnership renewal announcement give some insight into what Virgin Australia does to accommodate the players – access to the lounges and putting the bigger players in Economy X and exit row seats.

"The big boys get the exit rows," he said. "Us smaller boys are normally in the regular seats... It is what it is, you've got to look after the big boys."

Cameron also commented on the number of fans who travel with the team, noting that Virgin Australia was giving away game tickets and merchandise to passengers travelling to the grand final last year.

Virgin Australia’s AFL partnership, now extended through 2031, also covers the AWFL and VFL competitions.

Photo: Virgin Australia.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com