[Confirmed] Qantas to return to Gold Coast?

[LiamR]

You do realise that QF flights from OOL (assuming they materialise, and I fully expect that they will) will just be filled with cashed up bogans? I can just see it now, being yelled down the the aisle to row 23 from the hallowed turf of row 3:



Virgin has or will have much the same problem.

I disagree with you here, as somebody who has lived on the Gold Coast my whole life, and a frequent at OOL. I think the bogans will tend to be in the minority, and we won't hear them back in Row 28. Most will almost always go on Jetstar and Tiger IMO.

That scenario you described, well, it sounds like you've spent a lot of time in the Security Checkpoint line at OOL. :mrgreen:

 

[notzac]

Except we usually see QF advertise with a higher price point. This helps discourage most bogans.

To an extent - however if QF re-enters the market at a higher price point, I'd expect VA to raise their prices to suit .. and unless other operators enter the market, there simply won't be the same number of cheaper seats. Bogans, cashed up or otherwise, will pay extra $$ because travel is their God-given right! Or something..

Cashed up bogans, despite namesake, have some modicum of order above other bogans. Besides, CUBs tend to be more as you go West. OOL isn't overrun by such yet.

I don't think a bogan acts any better for having some money. Examples here: bogan tourists: when bogans go to Europe, trouble ensues warns travel groups | Back in a Bit

And if bogans won't settle down, the other pax with a degree of order will do it for them. Just as we look down on the insolent business man trying to keep talking as long as he can on his mobile before he's told to turn off his device a tenth time by the FAs.

What will more likely happen is there will be a few people that get uncomfortable with the Bintang wifebeaters, the barely decent boardshorts and lack of footwear being worn, disgusted by the fact that these people are invading "their" airline rather than flighting with VA and JQ (does TT even fly to OOL?), then finally they'll probably get passive agressive about it and maybe join AFF to share their outrage.

What I'm trying to get at is that the total flying market at OOL is a good 85-90% bogan, and it simply won't happen that QF comes in and picks up the remaining 10-15% without having a fair percentage of bogans on board as well.

 

[LiamR]

What I'm trying to get at is that the total flying market at OOL is a good 85-90% bogan, and it simply won't happen that QF comes in and picks up the remaining 10-15% without having a fair percentage of bogans on board as well.

I completely disagree with you here, in the last year, there has been a SIGNIFICANT increase in business travellers. I'd estimate 10-20 Golds/Plats per flight on Virgin, sure the LCCs attract the bogan travellers, but they aren't the only ones. Virgin has more Plats living on the Gold Coast than anywhere else in Australia. That's why they are building a lounge there.

 

[notzac]

I completely disagree with you here, in the last year, there has been a SIGNIFICANT increase in business travellers. I'd estimate 10-20 Golds/Plats per flight on Virgin, sure the LCCs attract the bogan travellers, but they aren't the only ones. Virgin has more Plats living on the Gold Coast than anywhere else in Australia. That's why they are building a lounge there.

I might be exaggerating to a degree..

[size=-2]Actually, it's been a very very long time since I've been anywhere near OOL, but it's fun to conjure up vast hordes of bogans for the sake of making a point! *runs*[/size]

 

[markis10]

I completely disagree with you here, in the last year, there has been a SIGNIFICANT increase in business travellers. I'd estimate 10-20 Golds/Plats per flight on Virgin, sure the LCCs attract the bogan travellers, but they aren't the only ones. Virgin has more Plats living on the Gold Coast than anywhere else in Australia. That's why they are building a lounge there.

On the assumption that any visitor to the Gold Coast not on business is classed as a bogan, than I would have to disagree with you, while there was a 30% increase in business visitors in FY11, they still only represented 340000 of the 3.3M annual visitors that year.

 

[BVT]

My QF insider says that if QF return to OOL, it will be QLink and limited flights, most likley to SYD and MEL.

Interesting business model! Perhaps the price point will be set to divert leisure travellers to J* and business and bogan adverse travellerse to QLink. Real enhancments to the already exceptional QLink service might make such a model work.

 

[markis10]

717s to points South and North would work!

 

[LiamR]

My QF insider says that if QF return to OOL, it will be QLink and limited flights, most likley to SYD and MEL.

Interesting business model! Perhaps the price point will be set to divert leisure travellers to J* and business and bogan adverse travellerse to QLink. Real enhancments to the already exceptional QLink service might make such a model work.

It would be a good way for Qantas to try out the market, and see if it could be susuccessful not. I'll have to keep an eye out for any 717/Q400 markings on the tarmac.

 

[Casual Class]

Isn’t all this talk of bogan a bit of a non-sequitur? Surely they are not unique to the Gold Coast. I could given my own pointless anecdotal evidence such as having seen street beggers in Sydney and Melbourne but not on the Gold Coast or the GC having the most expensive Uni in country but that is beside the point.


The Gold Coast has been awarded the Commonwealth Games and a big part of the bid was that we already had an international airport where Hambantota did not. While its not the greatest airport, a cough airport beats no airport. The games will attract visitors from various levels of socio-economic status, including the athletes themselves. As such I would expect investments to made into the airport itself and number of addition (LLC and Full service) airlines to take an interest in OOL. I would assume that elite athletes would occupy the pointy end of the plane and would not be interested in LLCs. Under the current situation that could be a bit problematic while I suppose those travelling from the east (of GC) could take Air New Zealand, I would not expect athletes traveling from the west (of GC) to be happy to take Air Asia X to OOL. So I would expect a number of international full service airlines to take a interest in OOL, even if it just for temporary stint during the games.


Now QANTAS is in an interesting position as they were sponsors/official airline for the Melbourne 2006 game. Do they want to be the official airline again, when the games are on in a city that they don’t currently service and while Virgin has just rebranded to a more premium Virgin Australia and putting a lounge in OOL. I would like to see QANTAS come back but guess I have to wait and see.

 

[Casual Class]

My QF insider says that if QF return to OOL, it will be QLink and limited flights, most likley to SYD and MEL.

Interesting business model! Perhaps the price point will be set to divert leisure travellers to J* and business and bogan adverse travellerse to QLink. Real enhancments to the already exceptional QLink service might make such a model work.

Excuse my ignorance how does the QLink model work?

 

[markis10]

Excuse my ignorance how does the QLink model work?

No J, different staff awards, different catering and aircraft that have a lower operating cost in terms of seating capacity.

 

[LiamR]

Isn’t all this talk of bogan a bit of a non-sequitur? Surely they are not unique to the Gold Coast. I could given my own pointless anecdotal evidence such as having seen street beggers in Sydney and Melbourne but not on the Gold Coast or the GC having the most expensive Uni in country but that is beside the point.


The Gold Coast has been awarded the Commonwealth Games and a big part of the bid was that we already had an international airport where Hambantota did not. While its not the greatest airport, a cough airport beats no airport. The games will attract visitors from various levels of socio-economic status, including the athletes themselves. As such I would expect investments to made into the airport itself and number of addition (LLC and Full service) airlines to take an interest in OOL. I would assume that elite athletes would occupy the pointy end of the plane and would not be interested in LLCs. Under the current situation that could be a bit problematic while I suppose those travelling from the east (of GC) could take Air New Zealand, I would not expect athletes traveling from the west (of GC) to be happy to take Air Asia X to OOL. So I would expect a number of international full service airlines to take a interest in OOL, even if it just for temporary stint during the games.


Now QANTAS is in an interesting position as they were sponsors/official airline for the Melbourne 2006 game. Do they want to be the official airline again, when the games are on in a city that they don’t currently service and while Virgin has just rebranded to a more premium Virgin Australia and putting a lounge in OOL. I would like to see QANTAS come back but guess I have to wait and see.

I find generally it's not the Gold Coast people themselves that aren't bogans (Although there may be many exceptions) it's the people travelling TO the Gold Coast on holidays that are already in party mode on the plane.

 

[Casual Class]

No J, different staff awards, different catering and aircraft that have a lower operating cost in terms of seating capacity.

From the perspective of the pax however how is it different. It is still full service (is food, entertainment and baggage included in the cost of ticket), are there QC at Qlink ports? If not can pax that normally would be able to use the QC at a port where there is one, use it when travelling on QLink (eg a QC member traveling on hypothetical QLink flight SYD-OOL, could they use the QC at SYD)?

 

[anat0l]

From the perspective of the pax however how is it different. It is still full service (is food, entertainment and baggage included in the cost of ticket), are there QC at Qlink ports? If not can pax that normally would be able to use the QC at a port where there is one, use it when travelling on QLink (eg a QC member traveling on hypothetical QLink flight SYD-OOL, could they use the QC at SYD)?

All QantasLink flights include food/refreshments and baggage. The QantasLink fleet has no IFE fitted to them (i.e. Q400s, 717s have no IFE).

Not all QantasLink ports served have Qantas Clubs or any compatible lounge. However, anyone who can normally access a lounge can do so on a QantasLink ticket (needless to say, QantasLink tickets are sold and marketed as QF, with very rare exceptions).

In some sense to the passenger, the actual model doesn't manifest a whole lot of difference at the facade.

 

[LiamR]

Not all QantasLink ports served have Qantas Clubs or any compatible lounge. However, anyone who can normally access a lounge can do so on a QantasLink ticket (needless to say, QantasLink tickets are sold and marketed as QF, with very rare exceptions).

This rasies another question, will we see the Jetstar Lounge turned back into a Qantas Club. We all know Qantas have been keeping it to stop Virgin from using the space.

 

[markis10]

From the perspective of the pax however how is it different. It is still full service (is food, entertainment and baggage included in the cost of ticket), are there QC at Qlink ports? If not can pax that normally would be able to use the QC at a port where there is one, use it when travelling on QLink (eg a QC member traveling on hypothetical QLink flight SYD-OOL, could they use the QC at SYD)?

Its a lot different, the meals tend to be better, there is no IFE or newspapers, massive leg room if your lucky to be in Row 1 and generally a very pleasant crew.

 

[BVT]

Its a lot different, the meals tend to be better, there is no IFE or newspapers, massive leg room if your lucky to be in Row 1 and generally a very pleasant crew.

And free drinks, IIRC.

I have been told that QLink could have a better standard of catering without making any structural changes to the galley etc.

M

 

[anat0l]

This rasies another question, will we see the Jetstar Lounge turned back into a Qantas Club. We all know Qantas have been keeping it to stop Virgin from using the space.

Not sure about that.

QP members might not be happy with JQ having pay-per-use privileges at the lounge. Plus, although it may be a "location sensitive item", having instant cup noodles in the QC would be rather interesting... (Yes, I know that they have these in many CX lounges as well as on board SQ First...)

They could split the lounge in half, but that might not suit. In theory it's probably enough space for a OOL QP (i.e. a shoebox like in LST and HBA), but that probably makes the JQ lounge then too small.

If Qantas have been keeping the JQ Lounge to stop the VA one from expanding, they're not doing entirely a great job.

 

[LiamR]

If Qantas have been keeping the JQ Lounge to stop the VA one from expanding, they're not doing entirely a great job.

I'd say they are, rather than using existing space they have to build a whole new floor, delaying the project by 12mths. It must be costing them a hell of a lot of too.

 

[anat0l]

And free drinks, IIRC.

I have been told that QLink could have a better standard of catering without making any structural changes to the galley etc.

M

I think the (free) booze only comes out in the afternoon / evening. Before that there is none to be had. I could be wrong, though when I've flown QantasLink outside of the mainline QF free alcohol time, I've never asked for alcoholic drinks, nor have I noticed them.

QantasLink used to have small plastic packs (not unlike a plastic sushi container, just deeper) that contained a small sandwich and a chocolate/biscuit. Now, it's usually just the refreshment item similar to QF refreshments (e.g. sbc snack/biscuit, cupcake or muffin-in-a-box).

In fact, when I think about it, can you get the full complement of juices / soft drinks at QantasLink? Or is it just tea, coffee and water?