Virgin Blue is celebrating today after its V Australia longhaul offshoot was granted its Air Operators Certificate by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

The carrier’s first 777-300 has now undergone the required trials making V Australia the first Australian operator to receive approval for this aircraft type.

Receiving the AOC means it’s all systems go for the carrier’s first commercial flight to Los Angeles, which will depart Sydney at 3pm next Friday 27 February.

Inaugural junkies take note - Executive General Manager Scott Swift said there are still a 'handful of seats' available on the historic first flight.

The carrier is also offering a celebratory $1199.00 international economy return fare for flights from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Los Angeles on sale until midnight next Friday.

V Australia’s first Brisbane-Los Angeles non stop will take off on Wednesday 08 April, while the recently announced Melbourne-Los Angeles flights will debut 15 September 2009.

Emirates says there has been a sharp increase in the number of passengers using its in-flight mobile phone service, this week registering its 100,000 user.

Emirates has 31 AeroMobile-fitted planes, the most of any airline.

The Japan Airlines Group has asked for approval from the Japanese authorities to decrease its fuel surchage on international tickets issued for the three month period starting 01 April 2009.

The new fees will represent decreases of between 75% and 92%, with per person per sector charges on tickets from Japan to the United States (excluding Hawaii), Europe and more down from 22,000 yen (A$364.00) to just 3,500 yen (A$58.00).

See www.jal.com/en/press