Article: International Airlines Not Returning to Brisbane

[AFF Editor]

International Airlines Not Returning to Brisbane is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

Major International Airlines Not Returning to Brisbane

From next month, Qatar Airways will increase its Brisbane-Doha flights from 3x weekly to daily. The Qatari airline will also switch the stopover for its

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can discuss this topic or leave a comment below.

 

[HS-TQE]

Queensland Government press release on the joint Taxpayer - Airports aviation fund on attracting international airlines.

$200 million to fly international visitors to Queensland

On a side note: Qantas should be resuming BNE-LAX for passenger services soon. They'll be the only carrier on the non-stop route, whereas previously pre-COVID-19, it was a double-daily LAX/SFO on QF/AA and LAX on VA/DL.

The later VA/DL has since withdrawn from the BNE-LAX market completely, with that partnership ending in April

 

[jakeseven7]

Can’t the QLD gov as a shareholder of VA2 force them to fly some places?

 

[HS-TQE]

Can’t the QLD gov as a shareholder of VA2 force them to fly some places?

With only a 2% stake, they have as much influence as RB's 5% stake

It's more likely our (Queensland) taxpayer money is going to be thrown at the likes of UA to subsidise/pay for the 'charter' of their jets to provide 'Tourism and Competition'' for Queenslanders, which is 'Good for Tourism in Queensland' to use one of the Queensland Premier's quotes.

 

[henrus]

Can’t the QLD gov as a shareholder of VA2 force them to fly some places?

Remember VA only have 737's so aren't going to get very far. Most of the destinations that a 737 can reach from BNE are realistically outbound tourism destinations.

I guess they could do stuff like BNE-DPS-BKK or BNE-GUM-ICN but it'd have to be really cheap to convince people to do that sort of length in a 737.

The main logic behind the $200m is bringing back routes that have the potential to drive inbound tourism.

 

[HS-TQE]

Another option that has been not discussed as option is VA actually using the HND slot and bundling that with BNE-LAX flights on behalf of UA under a upgraded JV. This would mean leasing up to 3-4 widebodies for those flights. However chances of both happening would be close to zero unless if the Queensland Government gets even more involved. For now VA/UA are happy to keep it as a simple codeshare and FF reciprocation agreement.

Getting back on topic, the Queensland Government would be aware of wanting higher yielding traffic as part of the taxpayer's $100million contribution. Let's not forget the failures of Air China, Thai Air Asia, Hainan and Hong Kong Air, although the later 2 had financial problems on their own on top of the (reported/rumored) largely low yielding/VFR crowd that patronised the BNE-Asia flights on the Asian carriers that were subsidized under the AAIF arrangement.

 

[henrus]

Another option that has been not discussed as option is VA actually using the HND slot

No point even talking about that slot until Japan opens up to all.

 

[AIRwin]

No point even talking about that slot until Japan opens up to all.

QF already resuming HND next month?

 

[Melburnian1]

All Australian governments need to cease 'giving incentives' to international airlines (including QFi) to 'encourage tourism'.

The demand, and profitable yield (including cargo/mail) is either there or it isn't.

The $100 million would be better spent in abolishing or lowering some obscure State taxes. That would benefit (in this case) Queenslanders directly, and allow them to have more moolah to (if they chose) fly somewhere for a holiday or on business, and create demand that way. Airlines monitor demand and what their competitors do, and respond accordingly.

 

[rezzadogs]

Dear Queensland,

You made it abundantly clear that we weren't welcome.

We listened.

 

[Mattg]

QF already resuming HND next month?

Nope (at least, definitely not from BNE). Qantas has pushed BNE-HND back again.

 

[Steve N]

"For passengers travelling from Europe, for example, the only usable international flights to Brisbane are with Qatar Airways, Emirates or Singapore Airlines. Otherwise, a transit through Sydney or Melbourne is required."

Whoops! Must've forgotten DRW-BNE does have flights. It can be booked as a Multi-city fare.

 

[AFF Editor]

"For passengers travelling from Europe, for example, the only usable international flights to Brisbane are with Qatar Airways, Emirates or Singapore Airlines. Otherwise, a transit through Sydney or Melbourne is required."

Whoops! Must've forgotten DRW-BNE does have flights. It can be booked as a Multi-city fare.

You are of course correct. While most of the options on other airlines are via SYD/MEL, there is also Qantas via Darwin. I guess technically you could also fly Malaysia Airlines via ADL, etc.

I've updated the wording in the article.

 

[HS-TQE]

Hearing reports that QF's BNE-HND has been pushed to 22 July .

QF's BNE-LAX should be double daily from May (in absence of the SFO flights), but with QF15/16 and QF55/56 swapping numbers. QF55/56 forms the day departure from BNE and QF15/16 does the evening departure.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

In a similar vein, I expect when NZ borders finally open many airlines that flew to NZ pre-covid will not return.

 

[jb747]

It's going to be many years before some of these routes, and frequencies, reappear. If ever.

 

[bpcmemorial]

"For passengers travelling from Europe, for example, the only usable international flights to Brisbane are with Qatar Airways, Emirates or Singapore Airlines. Otherwise, a transit through Sydney or Melbourne is required."

Whoops! Must've forgotten DRW-BNE does have flights. It can be booked as a Multi-city fare.

I would very strongly advise against booking an international multi-city fare with Qantas at the moment.

Based on my experience having done so recently, if there is any change to any part of your itinerary, because it is a multi-city fare you are not given the option to accept the changes online. This includes those Clayton's changes, where "your departure time was 1700. It is now 1700", presumably because of some invisible system change.

You have to call the call centre. But as we know, you cannot get though to the call centre.

After over a day of my life on hold I ended up going with Singapore Airlines instead, which was a much better result all round. And by June or so I may even have my four grand back from Qantas.

 

[HS-TQE]

It's going to be many years before some of these routes, and frequencies, reappear. If ever.

Despite the Queensland Government announcement of the Aviation subsidy, I can see some international carriers return (through the subsidy), however saying that, I can't see most (if not all) of the subsidised carriers operating past the agreed subsidised contract period.

Saying that Japan services might work initially under the subsidy, maybe Korea, but can't see it working for North American competitors/services (UA, AC, etc) apart from the existing QF services.

 

[dajop]

Despite the Queensland Government announcement of the Aviation subsidy, I can see some international carriers return (through the subsidy), however saying that, I can't see most (if not all) of the subsidised carriers operating past the agreed subsidised contract period.

Who knows what market conditions may prevail when the subsidised contract period ends (4 years from memory?). Anything could happen between now and then. Aside from guessing how long the pandemic recovery will take I’d say geopolitically we’re at the most uncertain period since about 1990.

 

[jakeseven7]

It's going to be many years before some of these routes, and frequencies, reappear. If ever.

If ever. Seriously could you dial the drama up some