3 new A330 in 1H2012

[ChrisCunard]

If VA send their 777's into Asian ports served by QF... QF is stuffed.

 

[The Rok]

If VA send their 777's internationally Qantas is stuffed.

I didn't realise that LAX and AUH were Domestic.

I am very curious about what the new J on the 777's will be like. I thought the existing fit out was just fine.

 

[ChrisCunard]

I didn't realise that LAX and AUH were Domestic.
I am very curious about what the new J on the 777's will be like. I thought the existing fit out was just fine.

lol - hadn't had my coffee - post edited to make sense

 

[notzac]

It also wouldn't make much sense to send a 777 to an Asian destination when an A332 would do the job quite nicely.

 

[dajop]

Really? I would expect to see a double daily from PER before seeing anything from ADL. PER has about double the amount of intl flights ADL has. As far as I know EK has absolutely no intention to do even a weekly flight to ADL even though they do, what, 90 flights a week to Australia? So I highly doubt EY is looking at ADL very seriously. Is PER-LAX too far for a 777 to do? (that would probably be the longest flight in the world I guess).

ADL suffers from geography (ie closeness to SYD/MEL) in a way that PER doesn't. Even QF struggle with ADL services, with only 3 international services a week (ADL-SIN) and could not /didn't want to make ADL-AKL work. However, in the absence of serious competition from SQ , EK or any of the middle eastern carriers, SQ seem to be making inroads, with 10/week over Xmas/NY/Chinese New Year period going to 10/week permanently from 02 July. With NZ's services, great opportunity for VA /Velocity to become the carrier/FF program of choice for ADL.

 

[chrisb]

Bring on PER-AKL/CHC. Only airnz once a day currently and it seems to be popular. I couldn't even buy J seats on it over Christmas.

 

[cavemanzk]

QF didn't have a very big Domestic market both in ADL & AKL to feed the service. Where as NZ has 27 domestic destinations with easy connections at AKL to feed there service.

Also the choice of using a 738 to operate the service, may have effect its profitability. DJ's AKL-CNS-AKL didn't last very long with a 738 either, where as NZ & JQ have both been operating A320s on this route very successfully.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Looking back on 2011. JB could do anything with these new aircraft.

Is there a chance he might send these aircraft to asia? Perhaps SIN, BKK, HKT or DPS?

I have it on very good authority that DPS will get an A330 service (didn't ask from which AUS port - and I shouldn't say anything about other destinations until VA makes a proper announcement), and that the 777 downtime is being used to train some of the 777 pilots on the A330 to operate such routes

 

[lovestotravel]

Bogans do like Bali!

 

[The Rok]

Well they have just increased the Perth to Denpasar from daily to 9 flights a week I think.

It would be a prime candidate for the bigger bird.

 

[pat25d]

Well they have just increased the Perth to Denpasar from daily to 9 flights a week I think.

It would be a prime candidate for the bigger bird.

Surely the SYD/BRI/MEL-DPS is a better candidate for the A330 given the flight length.

 

[markis10]

I have it on very good authority that DPS will get an A330 service (didn't ask from which AUS port - and I shouldn't say anything about other destinations until VA makes a proper announcement), and that the 777 downtime is being used to train some of the 777 pilots on the A330 to operate such routes

Pilots fly one or the other, they cannot be dual rated, so that does not make sense unless the 777 was not coming back.

 

[777]

Pilots fly one or the other, they cannot be dual rated, so that does not make sense unless the 777 was not coming back.

My thoughts exactly. Unless they over-hired 777 pilots for some reason.

 

[LiamR]

My thoughts exactly. Unless they over-hired 777 pilots for some reason.

They've always had an excess amount of 777 Pilots and Cabin Crew.

 

[smit0847]

They've always had an excess amount of 777 Pilots and Cabin Crew.

Agreed - I have a mate who is a 777 VA Cabin Team Leader. He accepted the 'extended leave' they offered to all 777 staff while they do their heavy maintenance/refurbs.

 

[Coathanger]

"The Virgin Australia spokesperson said while two more Airbus A330s due for delivery this year would sport the same 'seats and screens' changes, the airline's first two A330s would not be upgraded to remove the middle seat."

Virgin Australia: "new seats & screens" revamp for Airbus A330s - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

Well, that's a shame! I was hoping to have the new birds for my SYD-PER trip in Q3...