Delta will introduce seasonal BNE-LAX flights

[HS-TQE]

Will start around the same time as UA's seasonal flights (assuming UA restarts). LAX-BNE will become 'congested' for the summer as DL goes after the Queensland Disneyland/Theme Park crowd for the School Holidays.

Another question is whether DL will operate past February (considering UA wasn't able to make it work and had to end the LAX-BNE seasonal early).

Delta is Brisbane-bound with a brand-new flight from LAX

Starting Dec. 4, 2024, Delta will launch a seasonal route from Los Angeles to Brisbane, Australia, which will operate three times per week through March 28, 2025.

news.delta.com

Delta is building on its largest-ever winter schedule to the South Pacific with the launch of a seasonal route from Los Angeles to Brisbane, Australia, that begins Dec. 4, 2024. Flights to the capital city of Queensland will operate three times per week through Mar. 28, 2025.

 

[Mattg]

We'll some have some more new competition between Brisbane and North America, albeit only over summer.

Delta will fly BNE-LAX 3x weekly between 4 December 2024 and 28 March 2025 using A350-900s. The exact schedule is not yet released.

Delta is Brisbane-bound with a brand-new flight from LAX

Starting Dec. 4, 2024, Delta will launch a seasonal route from Los Angeles to Brisbane, Australia, which will operate three times per week through March 28, 2025.

news.delta.com

 

[twiningb]

I would happily fly this in Delta One if there were award space (although there are fewer obvious partners through whom to redeem) but from their perspective I'm not sure what the imperative is here? In the absence of having either of the two large domestic airlines as a partner, why do BNE and not the bigger market of MEL? The 359 certainly has the range for the latter.

 

[Mattg]

I would happily fly this in Delta One if there were award space (although there are fewer obvious partners through whom to redeem) but from their perspective I'm not sure what the imperative is here? In the absence of having either of the two large domestic airlines as a partner, why do BNE and not the bigger market of MEL? The 359 certainly has the range for the latter.

I also don't understand why DL would pick BNE over MEL, especially without a major partner based there. (An interline agreement with Rex doesn't count as a major partnership.)

 

[RSVKanga]

The QLD Government’s Attacting Aviation Investment fund might seem to be working in this election year. The State Government has now erased the opposition’s lead in Queensland and is polling 50-50 now in a poll released this morning.

It’s a major concern for Qantas as they fly the ageing A332s on this route, can’t they can easily fix this problem by taking the 787 off SYD-HNL and deploying it on BNE-LAX?

 

[RSVKanga]

I also don't understand why DL would pick BNE over MEL

Say hello to the Queensland Government’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund (AAIF) combined with an election year in Qld where the result is projected to be very close.

That said, I would appreciate it if the Qld Government secured new routes rather than increasing competition on existing routes - maybe attracting airlines like BA with a LHR-SIN-BNE 787 service.

 

[HS-TQE]

Apparently there are reports that the Queensland Government has approached DL with the AAIF, which would no doubt p** off both UA and QF, considering the former couldn't make their seasonal flights work in February and March when the School Holidays ended.

You would think the Queensland Government would approach QF instead to replace the A330 with the 787 in a '"Rob Paul to pay Peter" situation. Queensland has done that before by paying $$$ to take away 3x MEL-HND frequencies in order to start the short lived BNE-HND, so this would've been no different.

If that is the case, it would be second to approaching a Indonesian airline with AAIF cash to start DPS-BNE flights! (Cue the Social Media's "Why are we subsidising bogans to go to Bali?")

 

[RSVKanga]

You would think the Queensland Government would approach QF instead to replace the A330 with the 787

That’s the outcome we all would’ve preferred, but the average person who will be voting in the Qld October election doesn’t know cough about aircraft types, however they would appreciate more airlines and new routes for BNE and could potentially reward the government for that at the ballot box.

It makes Brisbane look more and more like a global city now that they are served by all 3 US carriers, all they need is a BA LHR-SIN-BNE 787 for the final nail in the coffin for MEL who can’t even get a rail link to its airport.

 

[jrfsp]

Didn’t see that coming!
I can’t see how this would qualify for any support from the QLD gov, it’s an existing route.

 

[levelnine]

Amazing news. May the fares continue to drop and the award seats continue to flow.

 

[elanshin]

That’s the outcome we all would’ve preferred, but the average person who will be voting in the Qld October election doesn’t know cough about aircraft types, however they would appreciate more airlines and new routes for BNE and could potentially reward the government for that.

It makes Brisbane look more and more like a global city now that they are served by all 3 US carriers, all they need is a BA LHR-SIN-BNE 787 for the final nail in the coffin for MEL who can’t even get a rail link to its airport.

I can see them trying to work on NH/JL instead for more JP routes. DPS is hard because it's capacity restricted and thry would have to convince or pay QF for it to increase.

BA likely won't run a second kangaroo route especially in the face that QF and SQ both fly that exact route.

Nice to see BNE getting more flights. Now if only they can upgrade the lounges there. Maybe QF will build a Int'l F there to compete too. As for QF's 332 - I don't think there's any problems with it if QF puts that in the refurbishment line first and we see the updated 330s get put to BNE-LAX.

 

[lovestotravel]

It makes Brisbane look more and more like a global city now that they are served by all 3 US carriers, all they need is a BA LHR-SIN-BNE 787 for the final nail in the coffin for MEL who can’t even get a rail link to its airport.

Yeah MEL doesn't get much love these days

As for the rail link, yeah a disaster and it's not even built

 

[Mwenenzi]

I also don't understand why DL would pick BNE over MEL, especially without a major partner based there. (An interline agreement with Rex doesn't count as a major partnership.)

Simple. QLD taxpayer $$$$$. So not a 100% airline commercial decision. Link --> Attracting Aviation Investment Fund
DL yet to be added to list

<snip>
Supported services
Resumed and new services secured as part of the fund include:

• United Airlines - San Francisco to Brisbane - three services per week growing to daily
• Scoot - Singapore to Gold Coast - three services per week
• Jetstar - Narita to Gold Coast - three services per week
• Air Canada - Vancouver to Brisbane - four services per week growing to daily
• Qatar - Doha to Brisbane - seven services per week
• Qantas Haneda/Narita to Brisbane - three services per week growing to daily
• China Airlines - Taipei to Brisbane - four services per week growing to daily
• EVA - Taipei to Brisbane - four services per week growing to six per week
• Virgin Australia - Haneda to Cairns - seven services per week
• AirAsia X - Kuala Lumpur to Gold Coast - three services per week growing to five per week
• Qantas - Auckland to Brisbane - daily services growing to 14 per week
• Jetstar - Auckland to Brisbane - four services per week
• Qantas - Christchurch to Brisbane - four services per week growing to daily
• Air New Zealand - Auckland to Gold Coast - daily services growing to 10 per week
• Emirates - Dubai to Brisbane - daily services growing to 14 per week
• Philippine Airlines - Manila to Brisbane - five services per week
• Korean Air - Incheon to Brisbane - five services per week
• VietJet - Ho Chi Minh to Brisbane - two services per week growing to four per week
• Jetstar – Osaka to Brisbane – four services per week
• Jetstar – Incheon to Brisbane – three services per week
• Jetstar – Osaka to Cairns – three services per week growing to daily
• Jetstar – Narita to Cairns – three services per week growing to daily
• Singapore Airlines – Singapore to Cairns – increased capacity
• Cathay Pacific – Hong Kong to Brisbane four services growing to six services per week
• China Southern Airlines – Guangzhou to Brisbane – four to seven flights per week
• China Southern Airlines – Guangzhou to Brisbane – flights increase to meet holiday demand
• China Eastern Airlines – Shanghai to Brisbane – three to five flights per week
• China Eastern Airlines touches down in Brisbane
• China’s biggest airline has resumed its flights into Brisbane
• Increase in Singapore Airlines services for 2024
• Direct Jetstar flights from Brisbane to Tokyo, Osaka and Seoul
• American Airlines takes flight for Brisbane

<snip>

Still looking for that AU to ORD flight !

A map from the Great Circle Mapper

A map from the Great Circle Mapper

www.gcmap.com

 

[jrfsp]

Yeah MEL doesn't get much love these days

As for the rail link, yeah a disaster and it's not even built

BNE is cheaper to operate (two hours nearer) and probably has better inbound demand from the US where as MEL is more of an outbound market.

MEL rail link don’t get me started….

 

[HS-TQE]

BNE is cheaper to operate (two hours nearer) and probably has better inbound demand from the US where as MEL is more of an outbound market.

MEL rail link don’t get me started….

Yet reportedly the UA seasonals were largely outbound aimed at the Disneyland/Theme Park crowd during the Queensland school holidays.

Most of the inbounds into BNE/Queensland will likely be via the hubs (SFO for UA, DFW for AA/QF). LAX is largely O&D with QF wrapping up most of the premium/business J demand on the route, even with the older A330s.

 

[jrfsp]

Yet reportedly the UA seasonals were largely outbound aimed at the Disneyland/Theme Park crowd during the Queensland school holidays.

Most of the inbounds into BNE/Queensland will likely be via the hubs (SFO for UA, DFW for AA/QF). LAX is largely O&D with QF wrapping up most of the premium/business J demand on the route, even with the older A330s.

Be interesting to know how many people are booking UA as VA codeshare or due to velocity FF. DL will have a harder time selling AU point of sale id imagine no partner airline.

 

[henrus]

DL will have a harder time selling AU point of sale id imagine no partner airline.

So much for that Rex partnership.

 

[HS-TQE]

That other 'airline blog' by that author just confirmed that DL's LAX-BNE will be funded by the Queensland Government's AAIF in partnership with the BAC, so there would be no doubts that both QF and UA would be ticked off by the situation.

Taking into consideration the later wasn't able to complete the full NW season when forward sales were weak in February and March (after the end of Queensland School Holidays) leading to the later ending their seasonal flights early.

 

[Tiki]

Yeah MEL doesn't get much love these days

As for the rail link, yeah a disaster and it's not even built

I'd gladly trade you DL for TK any day!

 

[HS-TQE]

Simple. QLD taxpayer $$$$$. So not a 100% airline commercial decision. Link --> Attracting Aviation Investment Fund
DL yet to be added to list

Now added

Queensland’s tourism and export industries Delta a massive boost

Can't see BNE-ORD (or SYD/MEL-AKL-ORD) started anytime soon, but with Premier Miles in a election year for Queensland, who knows. It would be a "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" situation as a existing 787 route would need to be downgauged in order for the 787s to serve a Queensland-USA route funded by the Queensland taxpayers.

I would think the Queensland Government would have better chance approaching QF to replace the pair of A330s on BNE-LAX with the 787 then start ORD. Would allow Queensland to mention the "national carrier" and their Queensland roots plus advertise the "flagship, premium" aircraft and service in such a scenario