Re: Australian Aviation - April 2024

Just a thought - and totally from an amateurs perspective so by all means counter me - but, noting the hopeless state of the 737-10 and how unlikely it will be in the Virgin fleet for several years, would it be better for them to simply lease in a bunch of newish (ie. wingletted) A321s to give VA th...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - December 2023

Looking at random date in 2024 OOL-AKL NZ is listing the taxes and fees as: Close to $150 worth of fees and taxes just to cross the Tasman seems extreme. Insane But what’s the alternative? Are we sure that those fees can’t be justified? The alternative is to treat NZ as a domestic service. And yeah...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - December 2023

LoganTheBogan wrote:

Anyone know why there is a KC-10 and KC-46 at SYD?

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - December 2023

Not sure if many Sydney spotters on here but if anyone is keen, there's a magnificent US KC10 parked up against the fence at the private jet terminal today. Was quite the sight in the Uber on the way to domestic this morning - a reminder of how awesome trijets are and, sadly, how dull modern airline...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - November 2023

Surely not - this makes no sense. The Indonesians won’t take kindly to this kind of work around, remember when Tiger got caught using charter rights, but selling tickets openly into DPS and Indonesia responded by banning them. Also surely the restriction is measured on a per seat basis, thus just d...

Re: Dubai Air Show 2023 - Boeing Orders and General Discussion Thread

Again, I'm not saying to lock this thread, please understand what you are replying to. I'm saying have a locked thread with just the confirmed announcements and these other threads can continue to argue and counter argue the announcements made. Some of us just want the content without the bread and...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - November 2023

If I was QF I wouldn't muck around with uniforms and livery until other customer service issues are better progressed. So it probably means QF will muck with uniforms and livery... Heh, this made me LOL on a boring Monday. Thanks. Jetstar has about 4 to 5 iterations of its livery schlepping about s...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - October 2023

Had my first experience of the T3 Virgin Check in / T4 Security / T3 Departure on Friday. What an absolute disaster! Will be a major part of flight decisions - not that either Virgin or Melbourne Aurport will miss my one or two visits a year. Curious why you think it was a disaster? I actually find...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - October 2023

The whole T3-T4 precinct is an afterthought. Melbourne is really a case study of what happens when airport are privatized with little oversight. No major investments, necessary expansion done on the cheap to maximise short term profits over long term vision. Like the T2 and T4 expansion. I still re...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - October 2023

I haven't seen this mentioned here but there was an article on 7 News last week. MEL and VA have agreed to an $81M expansion of the MEL T3 Arrival Hall which will almost double its capacity. The expansion will use the current empty space under the walkway between T3 and T4 which was, at one stage, ...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - October 2023

I haven't seen this mentioned here but there was an article on 7 News last week. MEL and VA have agreed to an $81M expansion of the MEL T3 Arrival Hall which will almost double its capacity. The expansion will use the current empty space under the walkway between T3 and T4 which was, at one stage, ...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - October 2023

I don't totally understand why it's the government's (ie. the Australian public) or any airline's responsibility to offer full repatriation to anyone in these circumstances. Some Auatralian-Israeli dude was on the ABC this week bemoaning the fact the government wasn't offering full evacuation fligh...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - October 2023

I don't totally understand why it's the government's (ie. the Australian public) or any airline's responsibility to offer full repatriation to anyone in these circumstances. Some Auatralian-Israeli dude was on the ABC this week bemoaning the fact the government wasn't offering full evacuation flight...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - October 2023

EY is reducing some of its frequencies to SYD and MEL from 777-300ER to 787-9. Quite the drop in capacity, I wonder if its because they couldn’t fill the planes. Quite bad if so considering current demand and ticket prices. Interesting because from what I've seen/heard the 77Ws are full and with fa...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - October 2023

Good luck with GE’s getting them for free… I’m highly expecting NZ to charge a seat select fee for them. They already charge a seat select fee for preferred seats in PE, what’s to stop them from doing it in J? Wait, really? You book PE and you have to pay extra to select a seat? Oh dear. Coupled wi...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - October 2023

Not sure if any of you follow Jayden Wong (Youtube airline reviewer - https://www.youtube.com/@JaydenWong); his latest review is of the CX 4-class 777-300ER in the config NZ is getting - and he sits in first class (albeit for a business class service). Looks super nice. A decent and very spacious u...

Re: Saudia new livery

I really like this back-to-the-future livery with its vibrant colours! I also thought the 1996 livery looked really good because of the contrast between the sand-coloured fuselage and the colourful design on the fin with vibrant colours: 653468 Aa result really didn’t like the simplified version th...

Re: New Zealand Aviation Thread - September 2023

While the New Zealand government is a majority shareholder in NZ, the only control it has over the airline is in board appointments, and once such board members are appointed, their duties are to the company and not to the government. The airline is operationally independent of government, and take...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - September 2023

What a bunch of thugs! Love him or hate him, he performed his duties as a CEO admirably. Calling up the CEO of an airline for a senate cost of living enquiry was at best gamesmanship, allowing the CEO' s worst known enemy the stage to vent his outright hatred was an absolute travesty. This ultimate...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - September 2023

Wow, so on top of the hurricane of terrible news for Qantas, they do an immediate u-turn on their $500m credits expiry and are now being sued by the ACCC for selling tickets on 8,000 already-cancelled flights! THE SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA! https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/aussie-regulat...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - August 2023

Speculation on a possible PR campaign is one thing but, if there has been any behind the scenes manoeuvrings, it would likely only have been at the very start of this issue. I have my doubts Qatar or Virgin have had to do anything as the issue has gathered steam of its own accord. Nonsensical and ch...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - August 2023

So, in a nutshell - Qatar is lobbying the Government for more access, Qantas may be lobbying for less access. Every business group, company or union is constantly lobbying to improve or protect its position. It's not scandalous, it's not corruption, it's how things work every day of the year. Why a...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - August 2023

The ASA with the UAE is pretty clear evidence that Qantas’ lobbying efforts don’t really amount to much. Qantas was furiously trying to block Emirates’ expansion in Australia, yet both sides of politics under Howard and Rudd/Gillard repeatedly granted the UAE more capacity. Despite this, we are now...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - August 2023

[threeid][/threeid] https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230811-kenw23lh KE 747-8 to SYD Oct 29th Jan 15th. Been a while since they were there. Best news I've seen this year. The 748 is a gorgeous aircraft. Agreed. Are we down to counting on one hand how many pax 747 operators are left yet? Korean, Luftha...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - August 2023

Other than online speculation, there isn’t any indication that Qantas are wholly, or even substantially, responsible for the limitations of the Qatar ASA. These things aren’t negotiated in a vacuum, and the ‘national interest’ is much broader than the lobbying of one company. Strategic competition ...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - August 2023

Agreed. As qf002 said, they’re complying with the letter of the agreement but not the spirit. The Australian government’s intention is very clearly to increase service to regional Australia. QR are making a mockery of this by (a) serving an existing market, and (b) making it so undesirable that the...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - August 2023

Agreed. As qf002 said, they’re complying with the letter of the agreement but not the spirit. The Australian government’s intention is very clearly to increase service to regional Australia. QR are making a mockery of this by (a) serving an existing market, and (b) making it so undesirable that the...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - August 2023

Doing what they do on the MEL/ADL sector, sure wouldn't be helping their cause either. Agreed. As qf002 said, they’re complying with the letter of the agreement but not the spirit. The Australian government’s intention is very clearly to increase service to regional Australia. QR are making a mocke...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

Oh, come on now! While it's true that the aviation industry is highly competitive, suggesting that Qantas/Jetstar should be broken up simply because it limits the growth of airlines like Rex and Bonza seems unreasonable. If Bonza and Rex want to thrive and achieve success, perhaps they should focus...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

Oh, come on now! While it's true that the aviation industry is highly competitive, suggesting that Qantas/Jetstar should be broken up simply because it limits the growth of airlines like Rex and Bonza seems unreasonable. If Bonza and Rex want to thrive and achieve success, perhaps they should focus...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

Sydney Airport is claiming that Qantas' margins are growing ten times the rate of Woolies - . Sydney Airport complaining about another companies margins. Lol You've got to remember the $ billions Qantas lost over Covid. Without making some profit they can't afford to buy new planes that they frankl...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - July 2023

So I've now seen two articles on domestic aviation (AFR and SMH - both the same stable of papers) noting that Virgin and Qantas Group have a combined domestic RPT share of 95%, a staggering number even with REX and Bonza. And Sydney Airport is claiming that Qantas' margins are growing ten times the ...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - July 2023

TBH the government can hold any stance it likes but at the end of the day its desires about what type of tourist it wants and what it gets is frankly moot. If an individual wants to visit NZ and has the means to do so then they can, regardless of whether they are at the backpacker end of the market...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - July 2023

We tend to forget that the Indian market is potentially huuuge. It arguably has the largest middle class of any country on the planet - at least 200 million plus. Does the New Zealand Government’s current tourism stance, support ‘middle class tourism’? I though since the boarders re-opened the gove...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - June 2023

JQ just doesn't have the bank of extra staff like QF does when pilots/cabin crew call in sick. Right. So that’s what I call Management incompetence. It's not. Absenteeism is still well above pre-COVID levels and as the JQ boss indicated last week there was a worldwide shortage of APUs so when a pla...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - May 2023

An interesting comment at the bottom of the article. What killed Freedom from the provincial cities was the move from the 130 seat 737 to the 320 as it was too many seats to fill. Sounds likely the situation and a regional jet size suits best for the smaller cities. A half truth at best. Freedom wa...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - May 2023

Qantas has provided a market update today, forecasting a profit of $2.425-2.475 billion https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-group-market-update-strong-performance-supports-fleet-investment-shareholder-returns/ Wow. If ever there was any doubt that Qantas has been milking it via ...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - May 2023

Qantas has provided a market update today, forecasting a profit of $2.425-2.475 billion https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-group-market-update-strong-performance-supports-fleet-investment-shareholder-returns/ Wow. If ever there was any doubt that Qantas has been milking it via ...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - March 2023

I think being premium heavy is a point of difference for QF and they probably realised this when the 787s were launched. Hence, Sunrise. They’ll never be able to compete on price not do they really try to especially when they have a QFF base that are addicted to points and status. One thing QF has ...

Re: New Zealand Aviation - February 2023

Ugh just announced all departing flights now cancelled today.

Re: New Zealand Aviation - February 2023

aaaand all flights cancelled again for remainder of today at AKL. Air NZ domestic only at this stage. International is supposed to still be happening but baggage handling on hold pending wind gusts reducing. Have just connected from Dallas and awaiting Melbour flight so fingers crossed. Overflowing...

Re: Delta Adds Nonstop Service to New Zealand

DL is interested in markets with limited and no competition with a fare premium. This started with Africa (JNB, CPT, LOS, ACC, DSS) and now in Oceania. Since when is AKL limited/no competition with ANZ and UA? Not sure about fare premium given they are putting an ex-LATAM A359 on the route that doe...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - January 2023

But when Qantas (pre-Covid) committed to launching CNS-NRT if they received the rights for BNE-HND, it’s not even clear that there is a regional benefit angle. To be clear, I’m on the fence about whether VA should be allowed to squat on these rights, or whether they should be reallocated to Qantas ...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - January 2023

Interesting. Paying QF and VA for what is effectively a decline in seats between QLD and Japan compared to 2019 is profoundly stupid. Not if there's a regional development angle. Profoundly stupid is paying to get a monopoly service from a carrier that would otherwise fly to the same destination, j...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - January 2023

BNE-HND with A333 would be nearly 93k extra seats between QLD and Japan compared to VA’s offering if it were to offer their full 170 seats. I’m no mathematician but the QF is more compelling and probably wouldn’t require any incentives from the QLD government. So apart from slot sitting this just r...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - January 2023

Yeah the QF boosters conveniently forget this kind of context. Arguably the Cairns connection actually has more impact for a regional Australian destination that has struggled for years to reignite its international tourism base, which would be entirely overlooked if left to Qantas and its Sydney/M...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - January 2023

Almost seems odd that VA are able to waste 33% of Australia’s allocated slots with a 737-8. Doesn’t seem like that benefit Australia that much. Still better than QF simply shifting NRT flights to HND leading to a net 0 seat increase. This was part of the reason why VA got the slot in the first plac...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - December 2022

Nope. Pete Buttigeg, the US Transport Secretary has already told WN that he expects the airline will compensate passengers for their lost tickets and compensation for accommodation, lost luggage etc. Obviously WN lobbyists don't have the Chairman's Lounge membership card to play which QF has to use...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - December 2022

There is not being surprised at the usual piss poor then there is surprise when you find out you're turning back most of the way into your flight because someone forgot to get clearance to land. There is almost an innuendo in some of the comments that QF/JQ are having a laugh about this. This is a ...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - December 2022

Hopefully the government looks seriously at tightening the consumer laws around what compensation airlines have to offer (EU style) I think we have seen some good examples this year of where our airlines have really dropped the ball and the passengers have been left to pick up the pieces. Under the...