MEL-LAX back! No more SYD-AUH

[ric_melb]

Think its been obvious for some time that VA can't make a go of Australia to AUH. Better to let their partner Etihad do the Middle East flying.

 

[anat0l]

Was looking forward to The Business in September for my wife and I to AUH. Will be asking for the A380 via Melbourne instead...

...except VA don't own any A380s. I suppose you'll ask for a reroute on EY instead; not sure if you'll have an easy time getting that change without significant coin.

Besides, between EY's A380 and their B787 the products don't look all that bad. The former just has a bar, is all.

Every time I've flown with EY between PER and AUH the flights have been very full.Every time I've flown with EY between PER and AUH the flights have been very full.

... Etihad cant even fill their b787

I flew AUH-PER last November and it was absolutely empty.

Now I don't know who to believe.

I thought that PER was quite the market so both EK and EY would be raking it in. After all, the Perthites keep complaining that they feel neglected, but there needs to be traffic to back that up (unfortunately not much of a terminal or a forward thinking government to go with that gusto).

and then they wonder why their share price is at it's lowest level ever :shock:

Let's not be too hasty. After all, wasn't the share price of VAH at one time down to 2 or 3 cents?

Think its been obvious for some time that VA can't make a go of Australia to AUH. Better to let their partner Etihad do the Middle East flying.

That's a shame - why couldn't they make a good go of it? With their A330 and B777 both sporting a competitive product (even in Y), and the case with B777 they have a bar, with the links they have in AUH why couldn't it work?

 

[grubbidok]

Now I don't know who to believe.

FWIW I've found this inconsistency in the 6-8 SYD-LAX I do each year. Half the time it's packed, the other half I get a whole row in Y to myself (as do others).

That's a shame - why couldn't they make a good go of it? With their A330 and B777 both sporting a competitive product (even in Y), and the case with B777 they have a bar, with the links they have in AUH why couldn't it work?

Wonder if it's because the Y product in EY is pretty sub-par when you've got SQ covering the same routes to Europe (most AUH traffic is connecting, and requires EY for the final hop)? The only people that seem to be enthused about EY Y are those who don't travel in EY Y. I know that that is one of the many reasons I avoid EY like the plague (the others I admit are political around worker treatment at AUH, but TBH I would choose SQ even if that were fixed). SQ flights in Y have also come down considerably in cost in the last ~2yrs, and EY has gone up.


TBH I think VA's partnership with EY is the weak link in their virtual alliance, at least as far as bread and butter customers are concerned. The fact that they seem to place more importance on their relationship with EY than over other partners (even owners) gives me the irrits.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

FWIW I've found this inconsistency in the 6-8 SYD-LAX I do each year. Half the time it's packed, the other half I get a whole row in Y to myself (as do others).



Wonder if it's because the Y product in EY is pretty sub-par when you've got SQ covering the same routes to Europe (most AUH traffic is connecting, and requires EY for the final hop)? The only people that seem to be enthused about EY Y are those who don't travel in EY Y. I know that that is one of the many reasons I avoid EY like the plague (the others I admit are political around worker treatment at AUH, but TBH I would choose SQ even if that were fixed). SQ flights in Y have also come down considerably in cost in the last ~2yrs, and EY has gone up.


TBH I think VA's partnership with EY is the weak link in their virtual alliance, at least as far as bread and butter customers are concerned. The fact that they seem to place more importance on their relationship with EY than over other partners (even owners) gives me the irrits.

I would rate EY's Y product above EK's high density Y product.

 

[grubbidok]

I would rate EY's Y product above EK's high density Y product.

I've not noticed a difference. They're both packing in them now, unless you go A380.

And EK aren't a VA partner. The point is there is little AUH demand, and there are now infinitely better options than AUH for Europe (in terms of airline and airport), so I'm just saying that I'm not surprised that VA are struggling with their AUH routes. There are better options even in their own alliance, let alone the stiff competition from competitors.

 

[TomVexille]

I would rate EY's Y product above EK's high density Y product.

Aren't they both 10 across on the 777s? And EK has an extra couple inches of pitch?

Not that I think either is a decent Y product

 

[scwappy]

The only people that seem to be enthused about EY Y are those who don't travel in EY Y.

I've flown EY Y and it was great value for the price $1,100 return to Europe. Great entertainment , great lounge (MEL) great wifi, Good food. AUH not great, but OK. Don't know how the value proposition could have been better.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

VA press release:

Virgin Australia has cancelled plans to launch flights between Perth and Abu Dhabi.

In September 2016, the airline announced that it planned to introduce three services each week between Perth and Abu Dhabi using Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

Subsequent changes in market conditions have made the route no longer viable for Virgin Australia.

Virgin Australia customers can continue to book travel on alliance partner Etihad Airways’ daily service between Perth and Abu Dhabi and all connecting services as usual.

Virgin Australia will continue to explore opportunities to bring choice and competition to travel from Perth.

Customers who are booked to travel on the route will be reaccommodated on Etihad Airways services between Perth and Abu Dhabi, with affected customers to be provided with new flight details by Virgin Australia.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

VA press release:

Shame they removed the "choice and competition" from Perth when they dropped the flights to Bali and coughet.

 

[eastwest101]

So with the PER-AUH route abandoned I guess the questions reverts to where or what are VA going to do with the extra A330 capacity? Right from the start a lot of the changes to VA's international long haul schedule seemed to revolve around increasing aircraft utilization (for both the B777 fleet and the A330 fleet).

Regarding the A330 fleet - given that they are probably having issues getting available slots for MEL-HKG that are compatible with existing A330 aircraft schedules and utilization, I would imagine that SYD-HKG would be even more of a PITA to schedule with the SYD curfew as well as tight HKG slot availibility. Maybe they will keep a lot of the A330 capacity on the domestic transcon routes after all? Its either that or parking them on the ground in Australia, or parking them on the ground for long periods in either China or in HKG - neither of which sounds like a quick way to make money to me.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

So with the PER-AUH route abandoned I guess the questions reverts to where or what are VA going to do with the extra A330 capacity? Right from the start a lot of the changes to VA's international long haul schedule seemed to revolve around increasing aircraft utilization (for both the B777 fleet and the A330 fleet).

Regarding the A330 fleet - given that they are probably having issues getting available slots for MEL-HKG that are compatible with existing A330 aircraft schedules and utilization, I would imagine that SYD-HKG would be even more of a PITA to schedule with the SYD curfew as well as tight HKG slot availibility. Maybe they will keep a lot of the A330 capacity on the domestic transcon routes after all? Its either that or parking them on the ground in Australia, or parking them on the ground for long periods in either China or in HKG - neither of which sounds like a quick way to make money to me.

Perhaps PER-HKG?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Perhaps PER-HKG?

I wouldn't hold your breath. At this stage it looks like the worst kept secret that it'll be MEL, given that the A330 crew are being told the PER base will be no longer (before it even started).

 

[grubbidok]

I wouldn't hold your breath. At this stage it looks like the worst kept secret that it'll be MEL, given that the A330 crew are being told the PER base will be no longer (before it even started).

From my recollection Borghetti used to talk up Perth as a new potential VA international hub to route a lot of international flights from other Australian cities to Europe, Africa etc. I'd imagine the QF announcement of potential direct PER-LHR flights has really taken the wind out of the sails of this strategy. I wonder if this has had any impact on VA's de-Perthment?

 

[AviatorInsight]

From my recollection Borghetti used to talk up Perth as a new potential VA international hub to route a lot of international flights from other Australian cities to Europe, Africa etc. I'd imagine the QF announcement of potential direct PER-LHR flights has really taken the wind out of the sails of this strategy. I wonder if this has had any impact on VA's de-Perthment?

Oh I have no doubt that this was definitely a cause of the de-Perthment. Since the flights went on sale in November, forward intakes have been well short of expectations in terms of both passenger volume and average fares reflecting weaker than expected demand.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Is VA still running direct services MEL-LAX? Just checked and all I could see were via BNE or SYD

 

[CPMaverick]

Is VA still running direct services MEL-LAX? Just checked and all I could see were via BNE or SYD

Yep. Not every day.

 

[Bagpuss]

Is VA still running direct services MEL-LAX? Just checked and all I could see were via BNE or SYD

Yes though it's not a daily service.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Thank you.. found them.. same price as QF

 

[Bagpuss]

Thank you.. found them.. same price as QF

With or without a promo code?

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Without.. Is there a promo code?