QF to return to OOL [$48 SYD fares until 3pm Wed 15Aug12 ($88 MEL)]

[LiamR]

Thanks Virgin

Qantas returns to the Gold Coast Local Gold Coast News | goldcoast.com.au | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

 

[markis10]

Be interesting to see what QF means - Mainline or QFLink nee Cobham

 

[kamchatsky]

Thanks Virgin

Qantas returns to the Gold Coast Local Gold Coast News | goldcoast.com.au | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Probably 1 flight per day or something like that

 

[markis10]

Probably means the JQ lounge (canteen) will revert back to a QP, albeit with out the view it once had!

 

[Saab34]

Fare war!

 

[LiamR]

Probably means the JQ lounge (canteen) will revert back to a QP, albeit with out the view it once had!

Considering it's whole point was a placeholder until QF return, I think it'll change very soon!

 

[oz_mark]

Thanks Virgin

With a touch of thanks Commonwealth Games!

 

[TheInsider]

Considering JQ was going to withdraw the lounge a year or so back, wouldn't be surprised if QF take it back.

 

[smit0847]

With a touch of thanks Commonwealth Games!

Comm Games are 6 years away - whats the rush for QF to return to OOL?

 

[anat0l]

With a touch of thanks Commonwealth Games!

Or if you believe the propaganda, thanks also to Gold Coast tourism!


Alright everyone. You know who you are. Come out, say it, you know you want to. Everyone now... one, two, three... "Told you so, AJ." Breathe in, and relax.


I do have to confess I originally thought this day would never, ever come, unless it was really kicking and screaming so to speak. So I'm eating a hat here.


What will be interesting is that we have a somewhat "reverse" situation here. Now it is DJ/VA which is the stolid incumbent, which QF (mainline) will have to break into. Will QF actually be successful in any way?

Suffice to say, irrespective of how much we don't mind or do not like JQ, I wonder how the existing JQ services were doing anyway (i.e. were they successful, were they failing, etc.)

Also, even if QF break back in, I don't expect them to give OOL a good berth compared to DJ/VA. It could be an infrequent schedule to SYD; you'd be lucky if they get MEL. Let's not even entertain the possibility of OOL-CBR, OOL-PER, OOL-CNS, OOL-TSV/MKY, or, dare I say it, OOL Trans-Tasman! Then there's QP (will there be one? A J lounge?) and NGCI. Then, I'm guessing that most of the aircraft will be 734s, with some 738s (and the older ones) if you're lucky (viz. using the 734s basically as air ferries, disregarding attention to product). Dare I say it, someone upthread could also be right in that it could be just QantasLink services, so Q400s or 717s at best (I don't mind these aircraft, but some might be taken aback in having to fly 1 h 40 min or so in a Q400 propeller aircraft). Also, do QF have any bases for staff / FAs / pilots at OOL, otherwise they will need to establish one there.


On that note, how much more traffic and space can OOL accommodate? I don't see QF substituting the existing JQ traffic with their new QF services, unless they were forced to because there is no space nor time in the day to be able to add more services.

 

[markis10]

Also, even if QF break back in, I don't expect them to give OOL a good berth compared to DJ/VA. It could be an infrequent schedule to SYD; you'd be lucky if they get MEL. Let's not even entertain the possibility of OOL-CBR, OOL-PER, OOL-CNS, OOL-TSV/MKY, or, dare I say it, OOL Trans-Tasman! Then there's QP (will there be one? A J lounge?) and NGCI..

QF are not breaking back in per se, they have never had the majority of traffic at OOL when there was two well established airlines at the port, although it is fair to say AN gave them a free quick in 2001, the advantage was quickly lost foom mainline.

 

[oz_mark]

Comm Games are 6 years away - whats the rush for QF to return to OOL?

I did say a touch, and while the games may be 6 years away, there must be some traffic before then for officialdom to visit and check on progress and the like....

 

[Simo]

That will be good for some competition in the OOL.

It has been awhile since QF has come to a new market in awhile.

 

[Saab34]

Tiger have just come out of nowhere also and added 4 Daily SYD-OOL, so the market is well and truly about to be flooded.

 

[anat0l]

QF are not breaking back in per se, they have never had the majority of traffic at OOL when there was two well established airlines at the port, although it is fair to say AN gave them a free quick in 2001, the advantage was quickly lost form mainline.

So DJ/VA have always been the dominant incumbents?

I guess the point is that if QF start to fly from OOL again, then what we don't want is that they "give it a go", they don't see any "return", and then they withdraw them again. To make it worth their while re-establishing services, they either have to (a) reclaim a decent portion of the market away from the other carriers (and given that it's pretty much all DJ, that means them), or (b) do it for the sake of posture. And I highly doubt QF are going to do it for the latter.

That also all said, I'm sure if QF said that we'll start only with 2 daily services to SYD, most people here would claim that's a waste of time.


And finally, dare I bring up another can of worms and painful spanners, this strategy of re-entering OOL is a bittersweet stroke to those in CNS who have lost most of QF mainline services (even though the population of OOL is approximately 4 times that of CNS).

 

[markis10]

I would not be surprised to see destinations beyond SYD, gives QF a chance to take some of the BNE traffic away to an airport without the infrastructure issues BNE has, and relieves pressure on their own facilities like the J and QP lounges.

 

[brad330]

I would say the schedule would look like this

QFxx_ 0600 OOL-0730 SYD
QFxx_ 0810 SYD-0930 OOL
QFxx_ 1010 OOL-1235 MEL
QFxx_ 1315 MEL-1520 OOL
QFxx_ 1600 OOL-1730 SYD
QFxx_ 1810 SYD-1930 OOL

 

[medhead]

I want OOL-BNE


Sent from the Throne

 

[Must...Fly!]

I would not be surprised to see destinations beyond SYD, gives QF a chance to take some of the BNE traffic away to an airport without the infrastructure issues BNE has, and relieves pressure on their own facilities like the J and QP lounges.

First thought that popped in to my head too. Be very interesting to see what they take up route-wise.

 

[anat0l]

I want OOL-BNE

If that happens, I doubt you'll be able to book it at a "fair" price (viz. look at OT operating SYD-NTL). And burning 8,000 points for it, hmmm......

That said, the train service is rather insufficient to connect OOL and BNE airports, and a taxi will set you back at least $200 (plus 11% for credit card fee).

Perhaps they might do a milk run, e.g. BNE-OOL-NTL (which will suck for the few used to just BNE-NTL, again usually going for near $200). Then again, they might incentivise FQ to do it for them (using their noisy little cigars).