Any chances of VA providing services to HKG

[smit0847]

VA already operate their own metal between PER and HKT, not quite HKG...

On a woeful 737! I wish they would try A330s to DPS, HKT and NAN (don't Air Asia have 4 flights per day just PER-DPS?) but I guess they are leisure destinations so pax won't pay for J.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

VA already operate their own metal between PER and HKT, not quite HKG...

Sorry for going off topic,

But How long do reckon that Jetstar will also compete on that route?

Over the past 12 months Jetstar have quitely being adding routes, where VA had a very good run,

ie ADL > DSP & BNE > DPS.

I have never been to HKT, but by all accounts certainly appears to be a destination in strong demand from all the major ports.

 

[notzac]

I don't think VA will be able to make this profitable until they improve their A330 J product to be fully flat. They are competing with CX and QF A380 both who have fully-flat J products and unless they are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper high rev business pax will go for comfort and frequency.

I would imagine that any A330 they send to Asia would have a J seat that goes fully flat..

 

[markis10]

On a woeful 737! I wish they would try A330s to DPS, HKT and NAN (don't Air Asia have 4 flights per day just PER-DPS?) but I guess they are leisure destinations so pax won't pay for J.

I think you have answered the question with why they wont, Air Asia, especially once they ramp up the Thai ops.

 

[docjames]

Would seem like a tough route to break in to. Plenty of capacity from established players.

Unless their cost base is significantly lower than the competition, they are asking to lose money as they'll need to compete on price to break through.

So HKG would be challenging.

I'd prefer to see them improve some of their routes that are 3-4/wk up to daily first. But they'd need 777s for that, not A330s.

 

[Justchecking]

Anybody want to offer any odds and a brief reason for same ..... ?

VA Metal Aust to Hong Kong ... odds ?
VA Metal Aust to Singapore ... odds ?
VA Metal Aust to Shanghai ... odds ?
VA Metal Aust to any other Asian port other than Denpasar ... odds ?

None
Buckleys & None - how many flights day do SQ have? Enough.
1/1000
3/1000

 

[yohy?!]

None
Buckleys & None - how many flights day do SQ have? Enough.
1/1000
3/1000

JB is a chancer ....there's an opportunity to at the moment with QF cutting capacity to HKG and CX at saturation

Sure it might be break even at best but the long game and China market could make it attractive.

 

[Jousams]

Hadn't JB indicated that since QF gave such a long out indication of a330 product upg he would upg the VA offering?

I.e could the new a330 come with better seating?

Maybe SIA long haul style, or EY long haul, or maybe something like delta/CX/US new biz?

 

[jyh189]

Forgive the ignorance of this question, but would it be possible for VA to operate to HKG and using the same aircraft, fly onto PVG? Or would that tie up too many aircraft on the route.

 

[madrooster]

Forgive the ignorance of this question, but would it be possible for VA to operate to HKG and using the same aircraft, fly onto PVG? Or would that tie up too many aircraft on the route.

Two aircraft would be required for such a run. HKG return daily only requires 1 aircraft.

 

[gwilli1]

I don't know if its wishful thinking or a gut feeling but I think Japan maybe in their thinking . A few reasons for this ...

1. It is a missing link in their current in there worldwide virtual network ( if you exclude going via SIN)

2. It is ripe for the picking being monopoly OW carriers in QF/JQ & JAL ex Aust .

3. A partnership with ANA is the obvious choice . ANA currently doesn't have any of their own or codeshare services into Australia . There would be mutual codeshare opportunities for both VA & ANA in the both Australia for ANA & Japan for VA. This may extend to opportunities with codeshares to China , LHR & Europe destinations serviced by ANA. ( Although EY & SQ might have a negative view on this ) ANA already has codeshare agreements with NZ, SQ & EY

4. If a partnership with ANA , then i see VA flying into HND instead of NRT as point of difference to the OW carriers as being a better option .
a) HND is ANA hub , as well as NRT
b) closer to Tokyo than NRT , which could be more attractive to both business & leisure travellers.
c) HND international terminal expansion is due for completion around March 2014.
d) on a lesser note but worth a mention is the 2018 Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo , which will mean further investment by the Japanese government in both HND & NRT in the lead up to the Games .

5. ANA is member of *A ,which may be favourable in the future . SQ & NZ are *A members.

6. Japan is A332 capable from all cities in Australia , but I would favour VA looking at a service from the East Coast to Japan (HND). (Sorry ADL & PER friends ... it just comes down to economies of scale) .

7. Only 1 aircraft would be required on a daily rotation.

7. HKG could be stitched up with a codeshare with CX , as they already have the frequency , plus this would really P..S off QF. SIN is already covered with SG .

What does everyone else think ? Im sure there are some flaws in my thinking that id be more than happy to have pointed out to me.

 

[maninblack]

I think if they try a once a day one city pair assault into Asia it is highly unlikely to succeed. It will simply not be economic or competitive. You may see the A330's going SYD/MEL-DPS over winter.

VA already tried widebody services albeit 777's to HKT, NAD and JNB. All flopped.

 

[TomVexille]

I don't know if its wishful thinking or a gut feeling but I think Japan maybe in their thinking . A few reasons for this ...

1. It is a missing link in their current in there worldwide virtual network ( if you exclude going via SIN)

2. It is ripe for the picking being monopoly OW carriers in QF/JQ & JAL ex Aust .

3. A partnership with ANA is the obvious choice . ANA currently doesn't have any of their own or codeshare services into Australia . There would be mutual codeshare opportunities for both VA & ANA in the both Australia for ANA & Japan for VA. This may extend to opportunities with codeshares to China , LHR & Europe destinations serviced by ANA. ( Although EY & SQ might have a negative view on this ) ANA already has codeshare agreements with NZ, SQ & EY

4. If a partnership with ANA , then i see VA flying into HND instead of NRT as point of difference to the OW carriers as being a better option .
a) HND is ANA hub , as well as NRT
b) closer to Tokyo than NRT , which could be more attractive to both business & leisure travellers.
c) HND international terminal expansion is due for completion around March 2014.
d) on a lesser note but worth a mention is the 2018 Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo , which will mean further investment by the Japanese government in both HND & NRT in the lead up to the Games .

5. ANA is member of *A ,which may be favourable in the future . SQ & NZ are *A members.

6. Japan is A332 capable from all cities in Australia , but I would favour VA looking at a service from the East Coast to Japan (HND). (Sorry ADL & PER friends ... it just comes down to economies of scale) .

7. Only 1 aircraft would be required on a daily rotation.

7. HKG could be stitched up with a codeshare with CX , as they already have the frequency , plus this would really P..S off QF. SIN is already covered with SG .

What does everyone else think ? Im sure there are some flaws in my thinking that id be more than happy to have pointed out to me.

I like it. My only question is, can VA get HND slots?

 

[bass_ke]

I don't know if its wishful thinking or a gut feeling but I think Japan maybe in their thinking . A few reasons for this ...

1. It is a missing link in their current in there worldwide virtual network ( if you exclude going via SIN)

2. It is ripe for the picking being monopoly OW carriers in QF/JQ & JAL ex Aust .

3. A partnership with ANA is the obvious choice . ANA currently doesn't have any of their own or codeshare services into Australia . There would be mutual codeshare opportunities for both VA & ANA in the both Australia for ANA & Japan for VA. This may extend to opportunities with codeshares to China , LHR & Europe destinations serviced by ANA. ( Although EY & SQ might have a negative view on this ) ANA already has codeshare agreements with NZ, SQ & EY

4. If a partnership with ANA , then i see VA flying into HND instead of NRT as point of difference to the OW carriers as being a better option .
a) HND is ANA hub , as well as NRT
b) closer to Tokyo than NRT , which could be more attractive to both business & leisure travellers.
c) HND international terminal expansion is due for completion around March 2014.
d) on a lesser note but worth a mention is the 2018 Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo , which will mean further investment by the Japanese government in both HND & NRT in the lead up to the Games .

5. ANA is member of *A ,which may be favourable in the future . SQ & NZ are *A members.

6. Japan is A332 capable from all cities in Australia , but I would favour VA looking at a service from the East Coast to Japan (HND). (Sorry ADL & PER friends ... it just comes down to economies of scale) .

7. Only 1 aircraft would be required on a daily rotation.

7. HKG could be stitched up with a codeshare with CX , as they already have the frequency , plus this would really P..S off QF. SIN is already covered with SG .

What does everyone else think ? Im sure there are some flaws in my thinking that id be more than happy to have pointed out to me.

Love it, I'm absolutely biased toward wanting it to happen though and thinking about it with my own blinkers on.

 

[gwilli1]

Thanks for asking TomVexille ......... I actually found this article from Jan 7 2014, which I see as an opening for VA .

Gov't to give slots to int'l charter flights at Haneda airport | GlobalPost

[FONT=Georgia !important]The transport ministry will give departure and arrival slots to international charter flights at Tokyo's Haneda airport for the first time, ministry officials said Tuesday.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia !important]While the ministry plans to increase the airport's departure and arrival slots for international flights by 40 round-trip flights a day from late March, slots have been assigned to 31 regular flights.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia !important]The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism now plans to assign the unfilled quotas to charter flights, the officials said, adding that charter flights from foreign airports that do not have regular flights bound for Haneda are the target.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia !important]It wants to allot the unfilled quotas to charter flights "to prompt more foreigners to travel to Japan" via Haneda, a ministry official said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia !important]The ministry had planned to assign the nine slots to regular flights to and from U.S. destinations but talks between the ministry and various airlines over the terms of their use of the slots are experiencing rough going, they said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Georgia !important]If the ministry and the airlines agree to use the quotas for U.S.-bound regular flights by late October when the ministry reviews flight schedules, the allotment of the nine slots to charter flights will be good only through that period the officials added.[/FONT]

I like it. My only question is, can VA get HND slots?

 

[maninblack]

Looks like dangerous territory to me and whilst it sounds interesting they have no arrangement with ANA and who knows whether ANA are looking for one. I think it's going to be a more pedestrian utilisation. Maybe a MEL-HNL service as a code share with HA to reciprocate the SYD/BNE HA services. It's ripe for the picking. Dreaming!

 

[TomVexille]

I know that the Japanese government is slowly opening up HND to more international flights, and to more international carriers. And that airlines will fight for these precious slots as HND is much more desirable than NRT for most.

 

[docjames]

I like it. My only question is, can VA get HND slots?

I like it too.

Can HND (or any Japan destination) be served daily using one a/c rotation?

I guess that will be a factor (aircraft usage).

 

[markis10]

I think if they try a once a day one city pair assault into Asia it is highly unlikely to succeed. It will simply not be economic or competitive. You may see the A330's going SYD/MEL-DPS over winter.

VA already tried widebody services albeit 777's to HKT, NAD and JNB. All flopped.

I beg to differ, the 777s were a diffferent story where holiday traffic was the problem. An A330 will suit business traffic much better and the right city pair can make all the difference, something not from Sydney.

 

[AIRwin]

d) on a lesser note but worth a mention is the 2018 Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo , which will mean further investment by the Japanese government in both HND & NRT in the lead up to the Games .

Summer Olympics will be hosted by Rio in 2016 and then Tokyo in 2020?