A friend join the industry sent me this from today's issue of the Travel Daily newsletter;

Peter McNally, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of fledgling domestic carrier Bonza (TD 26 Oct 2021) has left the startup airline before it even took to the skies. A Bonza spokesperson confirmed to Travel Daily that the airline and McNally had “parted ways,” but added that “he leaves behind a very capable team who have been, and will continue to be, leading our regulatory application process.”

That doesn't sound good at all!

Qantas and the WA Government has joined forces to promote “wonder out yonder” campaign enticing interstate travellers back to WA, from NSW, VIC and QLD economy flights start at $299 return subject to a minimum of 2 tickets are purchased

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-ne ... 3441358fa0

Jayne has joined Alan and John S in their scepticism of Bonza's point to point leisure market, with Jayne questioning whether if the Australian market is large enough for such a carrier when compared to Europe or USA.

https://australianaviation.com.au/2022/ ... ess-model/

SCFlyer wrote:

Jayne has joined Alan and John S in their scepticism of Bonza's point to point leisure market, with Jayne questioning whether if the Australian market is large enough for such a carrier when compared to Europe or USA.

https://australianaviation.com.au/2022/ ... ess-model/

Adding to that, Bonza's COO walked out today for unknown reasons.

kriskim wrote:

oskarclare wrote:

kriskim wrote:

Great news! Finally MEL is connected non-stop to HAN, I think it will be a very successful route for the airline!

Vietnam routes from Australia:

Bamboo Airways:
Melbourne - Hanoi
Melbourne - Ho Chi Minh City
Sydney - Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam Airlines:
Melbourne - Ho Chi Minh City
Sydney - Hanoi
Sydney - Ho Chi Minh City

Jetstar Airways:
Melbourne - Ho Chi Minh City
Sydney - Ho Chi Minh City

3 airlines competing on both MEL/SYD-SGN, whilst QH has edged out VN to launch HAN from MEL.

I am surprised Bamboo or Vietnam have still not launched SGN-BNE. BNE could very easily support a 2x weekly flight there building up to 4x weekly. I wonder if also VN or QH or even VJ could operate SGN-PER with 321neo's

I thought there was something around VJ launching services to BNE in the past, they have A330’s now so can possibly give it a crack. Does anyone know more about this?

If the outbound market grows in the next couple of years, I can see BNE, PER, ADL all connected to Vietnam. For the time being it’s very SYD and MEL focused mainly due to the high VFR, O&D and student traffic between the two cities, 3/4 of all Australian Vietnamese are concentrated there. Plus business traffic is growing too.

There was some MOU signed with BNE airport and at one point they sent out an RFP to appoint an Australian GSA for sales activities, but it was put on the backburner and never signed.

It seems that AI is going daily on both of their Delhi-Sydney and Delhi-Melbourne for the coming Summer 2022.

Additionally, it seems like Qantas will keep their tech stop at Adelaide for their Melbourne-Delhi flights.

I guess SQ/TG/MH not being able to sell tickets on the route has had its perks.

atal17 wrote:

It seems that AI is going daily on both of their Delhi-Sydney and Delhi-Melbourne for the coming Summer 2022.

Additionally, it seems like Qantas will keep their tech stop at Adelaide for their Melbourne-Delhi flights.

I guess SQ/TG/MH not being able to sell tickets on the route has had its perks.

Last I read MEL-DEL would operate a split schedule with some days via ADL and the remaining non stop.

Will be interesting though if AI and QF can maintain their level of service to DEL from Australia once SQ/TG/MH start to ramp up their networks again. The attractiveness of the non-stop flight certainly is very good for many, with some currently likely willing to pay a premium for it, but as competition intensifies, will be interesting to see how things go.

IndianicWorld wrote:

atal17 wrote:

It seems that AI is going daily on both of their Delhi-Sydney and Delhi-Melbourne for the coming Summer 2022.

Additionally, it seems like Qantas will keep their tech stop at Adelaide for their Melbourne-Delhi flights.

I guess SQ/TG/MH not being able to sell tickets on the route has had its perks.

Last I read MEL-DEL would operate a split schedule with some days via ADL and the remaining non stop.

Will be interesting though if AI and QF can maintain their level of service to DEL from Australia once SQ/TG/MH start to ramp up their networks again. The attractiveness of the non-stop flight certainly is very good for many, with some currently likely willing to pay a premium for it, but as competition intensifies, will be interesting to see how things go.

For the moment, it seems as though all of Qantas’s Melbourne-Delhi flights are via Adelaide.

It does seem like both AI and QF are making hay while the sun shine. Anecdotally, my family spent $2500 each on economy tickets from India to Melbourne, whereas pre-COVID those flights would’ve cost $1300 RT.

QF leasing another 4 planes from Alliance, bringing the total wet-leased to 14.

https://www.theage.com.au/business/comp ... 5a2im.html

Interesting article in The Australian (paywall) where ACCC has released market shares for airlines in January. Surprisingly VA has the highest individual share (34%) though behind the combined QF/JA (31% each). Obviously January may be a strange month due to both the low level of corporate travel due to holidays and the effects of Omicron.

Whilst ongoing competition is forecast to keep prices down, the effect of soaring fuel prices will be felt as current hedging contracts expire.

Virgin passenger loads have always increased over the holiday period and if I remember correctly January has always been a quieter month for QF.

I suspect the roles could be reversed in February and March.

Interesting to see Rex has secured 4% of the market. Typically three 737 size aircraft represents 1% of market, the regional arm makes the back of the envelope numbers for REX 7373's hard to quantify.

Qantas to resume flights to HND from late April

Daily SYD flights from 27 April
3 weekly BNE from 27 April
4 weekly MEL from 29 April

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news ... n-april-27

Emirates to increase PER flights

4 weekly from 1 April
Daily from 1 May

77W operating

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news ... ly-flights

qf789 wrote:

Qantas and the WA Government has joined forces to promote “wonder out yonder” campaign enticing interstate travellers back to WA, from NSW, VIC and QLD economy flights start at $299 return subject to a minimum of 2 tickets are purchased

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-ne ... 3441358fa0

Given the COVID bile coming out of WA over the past 2 years aimed at those of us on the East Coast, and in NSW in particular, it will be interesting to see if tourism numbers return to pre-pandemic levels. Tourism WA as a brand has been very badly tarnished.

qf789 wrote:

Qantas to resume flights to HND from late April

Daily SYD flights from 27 April
3 weekly BNE from 27 April
4 weekly MEL from 29 April

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news ... n-april-27

Is this on the basis of tourists being allowed in by then? Japan doesnt seem in any hurry, 6 weeks from now seems optimistic.

martinjc wrote:

qf789 wrote:

Qantas and the WA Government has joined forces to promote “wonder out yonder” campaign enticing interstate travellers back to WA, from NSW, VIC and QLD economy flights start at $299 return subject to a minimum of 2 tickets are purchased

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-ne ... 3441358fa0

Given the COVID bile coming out of WA over the past 2 years aimed at those of us on the East Coast, and in NSW in particular, it will be interesting to see if tourism numbers return to pre-pandemic levels. Tourism WA as a brand has been very badly tarnished.

I think it will take time to rebuild confidence. There will be lots of competition for the tourist dollar both locally and internationally. $299 return is a very attractive fare but tourists are naturally nervous about sudden border closures etc so people may hold off for the time being and look for places that seem more stable in their decisions.

tullamarine wrote:

martinjc wrote:

qf789 wrote:

Qantas and the WA Government has joined forces to promote “wonder out yonder” campaign enticing interstate travellers back to WA, from NSW, VIC and QLD economy flights start at $299 return subject to a minimum of 2 tickets are purchased

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-ne ... 3441358fa0

Given the COVID bile coming out of WA over the past 2 years aimed at those of us on the East Coast, and in NSW in particular, it will be interesting to see if tourism numbers return to pre-pandemic levels. Tourism WA as a brand has been very badly tarnished.

I think it will take time to rebuild confidence. There will be lots of competition for the tourist dollar both locally and internationally. $299 return is a very attractive fare but tourists are naturally nervous about sudden border closures etc so people may hold off for the time being and look for places that seem more stable in their decisions.

It would seem that Qantas are expecting demand to remain quite soft after the initial rush when the border lifted. I had flights booked with QF SYD-PER in May, but they’ve been cancelled in both directions.

jrfspa320 wrote:

Is this on the basis of tourists being allowed in by then? Japan doesnt seem in any hurry, 6 weeks from now seems optimistic.

It must be, there's no way they would return to so much service if it was still under the current restrictions. No doubt information has been passed around in the background. Good news either way, I'm due to transit through HND on the way to SYD on JL in July and I'll be happier if I don't have to transit. Apparently the restaurants and food options land side in HND are amazing!

ClassicLover wrote:

jrfspa320 wrote:

Is this on the basis of tourists being allowed in by then? Japan doesnt seem in any hurry, 6 weeks from now seems optimistic.

It must be, there's no way they would return to so much service if it was still under the current restrictions. No doubt information has been passed around in the background. Good news either way, I'm due to transit through HND on the way to SYD on JL in July and I'll be happier if I don't have to transit. Apparently the restaurants and food options land side in HND are amazing!

One of the Japan YouTubers seems to think that it won't be too long til tourists are allowed back in based on the talk in the media, and what the Japanese PM has been saying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfcGuGLutVk

Around 13 minutes in, this guy is normally on the ball as far as travel in Japan is concerned.

A bit late but VH-ZNG flew a nonstop charter from Melbourne to Islamabad, carrying the Australian cricket team en route to their tour of Pakistan.

QF301 left MEL on Saturday 26th Feb at 2140 EDT, arriving in ISB on Sunday at 0503 PKT.



First Aussie tour on Pakistani soil in 23 years.

Quick history for anyone who doesn't know: Due to the security concerns in Pakistan after the 1999 coup and US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Test series were moved to venues outside the country. The Oct 2002 1st Test was in Colombo, and the 2nd/3rd Tests were in UAE (Sharjah).

CA tried again with a Test series scheduled for March 2008 on Pakistani soil, but that was called off due to the worsening security situation in the country from late 2007--Musharraf declaring the a state of emergency that got Pakistan suspended from the Commonwealth, Benazir Bhutto's assassination, suicide bombings before the February general elections, the attack on SL cricketers in Lahore, etc.--so they played the ODIs in April 2009 in the UAE, and the Test series and T20Is in England in July 2010. The next cricket tours (2012, 2014, 2018) were all in the UAE.

I was so gutted when NZ and Eng called off their tours of Pak. At least NZ had a credible reason (the imminent threat to the players), but the ECB decided to be cowards and cite "player fatigue" for their cancellations. Mike Atherton, beloved former Eng captain and Times chief cricket correspondent, rightfully called out the ECB on this.

From an aviation standpoint, I'm pleasantly surprised how the Aus-South Asia sector has grown, there are nonstop flights instead of dumping all the traffic into EK or SQ. AI and UL began nonstops from DEL, BOM and CMB; Qantas returned to India after a 9 year absence. I can't see direct flights to Pakistan being viable, sadly, even with Sydney and Melbourne's large Pakistani and Bangla communities. Not with the return of Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan and certainly not now with the invasion of Ukraine and COVID still around. As much as I'd like to see MEL-CCU, SYD-BLR or MEL-DAC, I don't think there's enough premium O&D demand that can't be handled by EK, TG, SQ, CX, etc.

An interesting visitor to MEL, a Euro Atlantic 772ER due in shortly from PPT. Obviously a charter of some sort.

https://www.flightradar24.com/MMZ791/2b152d35

leftcoast8 wrote:

A bit late but VH-ZNG flew a nonstop charter from Melbourne to Islamabad, carrying the Australian cricket team en route to their tour of Pakistan.

QF301 left MEL on Saturday 26th Feb at 2140 EDT, arriving in ISB on Sunday at 0503 PKT.



First Aussie tour on Pakistani soil in 23 years.

Quick history for anyone who doesn't know: Due to the security concerns in Pakistan after the 1999 coup and US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Test series were moved to venues outside the country. The Oct 2002 1st Test was in Colombo, and the 2nd/3rd Tests were in UAE (Sharjah).

CA tried again with a Test series scheduled for March 2008 on Pakistani soil, but that was called off due to the worsening security situation in the country from late 2007--Musharraf declaring the a state of emergency that got Pakistan suspended from the Commonwealth, Benazir Bhutto's assassination, suicide bombings before the February general elections, the attack on SL cricketers in Lahore, etc.--so they played the ODIs in April 2009 in the UAE, and the Test series and T20Is in England in July 2010. The next cricket tours (2012, 2014, 2018) were all in the UAE.

I was so gutted when NZ and Eng called off their tours of Pak. At least NZ had a credible reason (the imminent threat to the players), but the ECB decided to be cowards and cite "player fatigue" for their cancellations. Mike Atherton, beloved former Eng captain and Times chief cricket correspondent, rightfully called out the ECB on this.

From an aviation standpoint, I'm pleasantly surprised how the Aus-South Asia sector has grown, there are nonstop flights instead of dumping all the traffic into EK or SQ. AI and UL began nonstops from DEL, BOM and CMB; Qantas returned to India after a 9 year absence. I can't see direct flights to Pakistan being viable, sadly, even with Sydney and Melbourne's large Pakistani and Bangla communities. Not with the return of Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan and certainly not now with the invasion of Ukraine and COVID still around. As much as I'd like to see MEL-CCU, SYD-BLR or MEL-DAC, I don't think there's enough premium O&D demand that can't be handled by EK, TG, SQ, CX, etc.

On a sidenote - I heard PIA put out a tender for ground handling agents in SYD, sounds like they maybe further along in their planning than expected…. Good luck to them!

melpax wrote:

An interesting visitor to MEL, a Euro Atlantic 772ER due in shortly from PPT. Obviously a charter of some sort.

https://www.flightradar24.com/MMZ791/2b152d35

That one also came through last week, from PPT as well. Not sure where it went after.

A350OZ wrote:

melpax wrote:

An interesting visitor to MEL, a Euro Atlantic 772ER due in shortly from PPT. Obviously a charter of some sort.

https://www.flightradar24.com/MMZ791/2b152d35

That one also came through last week, from PPT as well. Not sure where it went after.

It's done four SCL-PPT-MEL/MEL-PPT-SCL trips in the past few days.

BNEFlyer wrote:

A350OZ wrote:

melpax wrote:

An interesting visitor to MEL, a Euro Atlantic 772ER due in shortly from PPT. Obviously a charter of some sort.

https://www.flightradar24.com/MMZ791/2b152d35

That one also came through last week, from PPT as well. Not sure where it went after.

It's done four SCL-PPT-MEL/MEL-PPT-SCL trips in the past few days.

Interesting, so I assume SCL originating with PPT being a tech/fuel stop.

Just saw it left MEL again a few minutes ago heading back to PPT now.

x1234 wrote:

The PPT stop is because they don't have ETOPS 330 for the SCL-AKL crossing. Is it repatriating Aussies from South America?

Repatriation flights haven't run since last year, as there's no longer a need for them. More than likely carrying freight as it seems to be doing regular runs. Pre-COVID LAN had direct flights from SCL-MEL.

Airbus A320 VH-VKQ (ex-VH-VNO and 9V-TAL) had just been registered with VARA and has been reported as parked.
I would assume VKQ was just delivered in PER after being in storage in France for some time?

Regarding future A220 operations for Qantas: staff have been told that intended routes are a mix of existing domestic routes flown by Qantas aircraft, 717 routes as well as routes flown with E jets by Alliance. Western Australia destinations primarily from the East Coast and ASP/DRW were mentioned. Internationally, NZ, PNG and Pacific Islands were mentioned but the A220 will first need to be approved by CASA to fly more than 60 mins from a usable airport (other regulators have approved it to fly up to 180 minutes from a usable airport already).

Beyond those, "flying into Asia" was also mentioned. It would seem as though Qantas want to have far more than just the 20 A220s they announced in December.

As part of its administration, VA gave up the three gates it had in the F concourse at MEL meaning they were down to just the 10 Concourse E gates. With the recovery in its domestic operations, I wonder if that is now looking like a too conservative measure. I'm currently in the International departures lounge looking over the VA gates and 4 737s have been held up waiting for gates to become available. A flight in from PER has been waiting for over 20 minutes.

The 3 gates it gave up are now designated as Common User but basically used exclusively by REX's 737s.

Does anybody know what has happened to QF9 today? It has been cancelled and VH-ZNI is currently flying to DRW from MEL as QF6001.

SIGWX wrote:

Beyond those, "flying into Asia" was also mentioned. It would seem as though Qantas want to have far more than just the 20 A220s they announced in December.

Flying into Asia? What Asian destinations would be within comfortable A220 range of Australia's cap cities? Unless we are talking of major Nth Qld regional cities like Cairns. I mean, I'm all for the possibility that a narrow-body could change the economics of many routes which could not support a wide-body, but I would have thought that was more for something like am A321LR or XLR rather than an A220.

tullamarine wrote:

As part of its administration, VA gave up the three gates it had in the F concourse at MEL meaning they were down to just the 10 Concourse E gates. With the recovery in its domestic operations, I wonder if that is now looking like a too conservative measure. I'm currently in the International departures lounge looking over the VA gates and 4 737s have been held up waiting for gates to become available. A flight in from PER has been waiting for over 20 minutes.

The 3 gates it gave up are now designated as Common User but basically used exclusively by REX's 737s.

And I’m here wondering where Bonza will be parking it’s planes.

kriskim wrote:

tullamarine wrote:

As part of its administration, VA gave up the three gates it had in the F concourse at MEL meaning they were down to just the 10 Concourse E gates. With the recovery in its domestic operations, I wonder if that is now looking like a too conservative measure. I'm currently in the International departures lounge looking over the VA gates and 4 737s have been held up waiting for gates to become available. A flight in from PER has been waiting for over 20 minutes.

The 3 gates it gave up are now designated as Common User but basically used exclusively by REX's 737s.

And I’m here wondering where Bonza will be parking it’s planes.

Given that there are additional gates that TT used to fly through on that pier, I think there must be more non-jet bridge equipped gates for Bonza, and for VA to use as a secondary option.

What will be very interesting to watch though will be how any significant rebuild of the main VA pier can be achieved.

CraigAnderson wrote:

SIGWX wrote:

Beyond those, "flying into Asia" was also mentioned. It would seem as though Qantas want to have far more than just the 20 A220s they announced in December.

Flying into Asia? What Asian destinations would be within comfortable A220 range of Australia's cap cities? Unless we are talking of major Nth Qld regional cities like Cairns. I mean, I'm all for the possibility that a narrow-body could change the economics of many routes which could not support a wide-body, but I would have thought that was more for something like am A321LR or XLR rather than an A220.

Could be more regional routes - PHE<->DPS, DRW<->DIL, CNS>->POM kind of thing. But an A220 would have range to do a fair bit of Indonesia/Singapore/Malaysia directly from Perth wouldn't it?

dredgy wrote:

CraigAnderson wrote:

SIGWX wrote:

Beyond those, "flying into Asia" was also mentioned. It would seem as though Qantas want to have far more than just the 20 A220s they announced in December.

Flying into Asia? What Asian destinations would be within comfortable A220 range of Australia's cap cities? Unless we are talking of major Nth Qld regional cities like Cairns. I mean, I'm all for the possibility that a narrow-body could change the economics of many routes which could not support a wide-body, but I would have thought that was more for something like am A321LR or XLR rather than an A220.

Could be more regional routes - PHE<->DPS, DRW<->DIL, CNS>->POM kind of thing. But an A220 would have range to do a fair bit of Indonesia/Singapore/Malaysia directly from Perth wouldn't it?

Good point re PHE-DPS forgot that VA used to do that one, I’m assuming that’d still be a while away from returning, just haven’t heard it mentioned in the other DPS resumptions in a few weeks.

CraigAnderson wrote:

SIGWX wrote:

Beyond those, "flying into Asia" was also mentioned. It would seem as though Qantas want to have far more than just the 20 A220s they announced in December.

Flying into Asia? What Asian destinations would be within comfortable A220 range of Australia's cap cities? Unless we are talking of major Nth Qld regional cities like Cairns. I mean, I'm all for the possibility that a narrow-body could change the economics of many routes which could not support a wide-body, but I would have thought that was more for something like am A321LR or XLR rather than an A220.

Cairns to Hong Kong, Japan and (I think) mainland China has been serviced by widebodies in the past, so in these recovery times perhaps A321XLR with a cabin appropriate for the 10 hour endurance of that aircraft is a financially safe way to fly to destinations in east/north Asia. New routes could be flown from Cairns and Darwin by the A220 to Japan/Sth Korea/eastern China or to add frequency in tandem with the A321XLR but these routes need the A220 to be approved to fly more than 60 minutes from a usable airport, routes into SE Asia do not.

Darwin-Dili, Port Hedland-Denpasar do not require approvals as they are always within 60 mins of a usable airport. Perth to Singapore/western Malaysia/western Indonesia/Thailand will require the approval I think.

tullamarine wrote:

As part of its administration, VA gave up the three gates it had in the F concourse at MEL meaning they were down to just the 10 Concourse E gates. With the recovery in its domestic operations, I wonder if that is now looking like a too conservative measure. I'm currently in the International departures lounge looking over the VA gates and 4 737s have been held up waiting for gates to become available. A flight in from PER has been waiting for over 20 minutes.

The 3 gates it gave up are now designated as Common User but basically used exclusively by REX's 737s.

Was at the VA terminal today. They had 87 flights out of their concourse in MEL, the ground crew told me this was a record for VA in MEL, including pre covid times. The place was very very crowded!

Hello Aussie friends,

This afternoon San Diego time, but around noon Sydney time, our skies welcomed a Qantas flight!

The flight number is/was QQ9810. Supposedly it was heading from Brown Field, almost at the border with Mexico, over to Honolulu. But it flew, not much higher than 1800feet, circled, and came back to Brown Field.

It was flying very low! It was hard not to notice. Checking flightradar, it didn't fly much higher than 1800ft.

Here's a link to the flightradar replay: https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flig ... 0#2b241261

I don't know if there was an issue with the plane itself. The registration is shown as N961UW. It had come in from Los Mochis, Mexico (also strange).

Anyway, it was exciting to see something that rare here.

This is a picture of the plane: https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/10472146

Maybe an Aussie friend can fill us in on why it was here? It was strange that the plane didn't fly to San Diego airport instead.

A new, international terminal a mile south of Brown Field will open in two months. It's on the Mexico side of the border but can be accessed by a pedestrian bridge from the USA side. I'm thinking Qantas representatives were here to take a look.

I can’t speak to why it flew through Brown Field or why it had to return, but it is a delivery flight for Alliance Airlines who have purchased the entire AA E190 fleet, along with a significant number of Copa E190s as well. Presumably this aircraft was stored in Mexico, or at least repainted there. QQ (ICAO: UTY) is Alliance.

I thought that only ex-Copa aircraft were going to be flying as QantasLink, but clearly that isn’t the case as this is an ex-AA frame.

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news ... -australia

PIA is SYD bound - interesting once weekly, with aircraft overnighting... be interesting to see how they last.

SCFlyer wrote:

Airbus A320 VH-VKQ (ex-VH-VNO and 9V-TAL) had just been registered with VARA and has been reported as parked.
I would assume VKQ was just delivered in PER after being in storage in France for some time?

VKQ was delivered into MEL as OE-INN, don't believe it has yet positioned to PER
Another 320 was delivered into MEL yesterday as OE-IMY (ex VH-VNK) also due to VARA (unsure of the rego yet).
I am speculating that there is some MX to be done by https://www.aviat.com.au/aircraft-maintenance-2/ (as they have a picture of a VARA 320 on that page)
Hoping someone can correct/confirm.

Cheers.

tullamarine wrote:

Does anybody know what has happened to QF9 today? It has been cancelled and VH-ZNI is currently flying to DRW from MEL as QF6001.

-ZNB AOG in DRW, operated QF9 MELDRW on Sunday and hasn’t departed since.

-ZNI positioned yesterday to form the delayed QF9.

Heard the re-routing of the LHR flights (due to Russia/Ukrainian war) is taking a big hit on the payload too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

smi0006 wrote:

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/pia-pakistan-flights-lahore-sydney-australia

PIA is SYD bound - interesting once weekly, with aircraft overnighting... be interesting to see how they last.

It will be interesting to see if SQ take a hit on numbers with this, and to a lesser extent MH, TG and the Middle Eastern airlines. With one flight a week, I expect not too much, but if it takes off (pun intended), who knows! I don't know how big the market is either. Just rambling here ...

myki wrote:

smi0006 wrote:

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/pia-pakistan-flights-lahore-sydney-australia

PIA is SYD bound - interesting once weekly, with aircraft overnighting... be interesting to see how they last.

It will be interesting to see if SQ take a hit on numbers with this, and to a lesser extent MH, TG and the Middle Eastern airlines. With one flight a week, I expect not too much, but if it takes off (pun intended), who knows! I don't know how big the market is either. Just rambling here ...

I don't think SQ has serviced Pakistan for many years. They ceased services there a number of years ago following concerns about providing safe locations for overnighting crew in country. ME3 didn't have to worry about this as they could turnaround and operate the return service with the same crews.

smi0006 wrote:

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/pia-pakistan-flights-lahore-sydney-australia

PIA is SYD bound - interesting once weekly, with aircraft overnighting... be interesting to see how they last.

Only Thai & Malindo served the Pakistan market.

EK413 wrote:

Heard the re-routing of the LHR flights (due to Russia/Ukrainian war) is taking a big hit on the payload too.

We could see a return to MEL-PER-LHR pretty soon.

evanb wrote:

EK413 wrote:

Heard the re-routing of the LHR flights (due to Russia/Ukrainian war) is taking a big hit on the payload too.

We could see a return to MEL-PER-LHR pretty soon.

I doubt MEL-PER-LHR would make much of a difference but I could be wrong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

EK413 wrote:

I doubt MEL-PER-LHR would make much of a difference but I could be wrong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I could be wrong, but didn't PER-LHR go around to South Africa, then follow a similar route to any Southern Africa - London route?

AdvancedBikkie wrote:

EK413 wrote:

I doubt MEL-PER-LHR would make much of a difference but I could be wrong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I could be wrong, but didn't PER-LHR go around to South Africa, then follow a similar route to any Southern Africa - London route?

Absolutely not. A route like that would probably take the flight to 25 hours and include a fuel stop in the Central African Republic!

PER-LHR usually met the Indian coast line before crossing Iran and Turkey before reaching Europe.

And yes, QF9 is currently taking taking a significant payload hit with the adjusted routing. I believe pax are being accommodated on EK and QR.