New ATR routes announced

[Tuddy]

It appears you may have forgotten some elements of the Sydney-Port Maquarie schedule...
As I indicated on another thread, the schedule for this route is as follows...
Sydney-Port Macquarie
DJ1187 1234567 8:40/9:40
DJ1189 6 11:55/12:55
DJ1191 123457 16:25/17:25
Port Macquarie-Sydney
DJ1186 6 10:20/11:25
DJ1188 1234567 12 end_of_the_skype_:55/14:00
DJ1192 123457 17:55/19:00

In my opinion they should can one of those Canberra flights and replace it with an E190 or a 737 (which they could fill I'm sure) and have an ATR overnight up in Port Macquarie. They're trying to compete for a larger share of the business market. The schedule for Sydney-Port Macquarie flightts doesn't exactly lend itself to those in Port who want to spend a day in Sydney for business or leisure. If they want to effectively compete for the business market and against Qantas on this route, it would be best for the airline to overnight an ATR there as opposed to Canberra...just my two cents worth.

 

[awilcockson]

Airline route is indicating the schedules have been loaded into the GDS:

Brisbane – Gladstone eff 17OCT11

Now we just need them to go on sale

 

[markis10]

Now we just need them to go on sale

Ask and ye shall receive good sir:

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA ATR FARES TAKE OFF FOR GLADSTONE;
PORT MACQUARIE AND CANBERRA
Date: 15 August 2011
The Virgin Australia Group of Airlines has today announced the schedule and fares, on
sale today, of new regional and intrastate services to be operated by ATR aircraft, subject
to regulatory approvals.
The 68-seater turboprop ATR would operate:

Double daily week-day return Brisbane to Gladstone from 17 October;

Daily return Brisbane to Port Macquarie from 19 October;

Double daily Sydney to Port Macquarie from 19 October; and

Up to six daily return services between Sydney to Canberra from 19 October.
The fares for flights between Brisbane and Gladstone would commence from $89.00
one way* and from Brisbane to Port Macquarie from just $99.00 one way*.
Under its alliance with Virgin Australia, Skywest will operate and maintain the ATR
aircraft on behalf of Virgin Australia using Virgin Australia’s branding and quality inflight
product and service.

 

[MarkD]

From a variety of sources, I've managed to find the new ATR schedules...at this stage it doesn't look like they can be booked on Virgin's website - but at least the schedules are nice to know.
On some sites, the Sydney-Port Macquarie flight times have been changed from 19 October. Sourced from an Amadeus search, the times for new services are as follows...
Sydney-Port Macquarie
DJ1187 1234567 8:40/9:40
DJ1189 6 11:55/12:55
DJ1191 123457 16:25/17:25
Port Macquarie-Sydney
DJ1186 6 10:20/11:25
DJ1188 1234567 12:55/14:00
DJ1192 123457 17:55/19:00
From airliners.net Brisbane Expansion Civil Aviation Thread Reply 113...
Brisbane-Gladstone
DJ1709 12345 6:15/7:35
DJ1715 123457 15:40/17:00
Gladstone-Brisbane
DJ1712 12345 8:05/9:25
DJ1718 123457 17:30/18:50
Brisbane-Port Macquarie (Please note implication of daylight saving...)
DJ1766 1234567 10:00/12:25
Port Macquarie-Brisbane
DJ1763 123457 10:10/10:30
DJ1765 6 13:25/13:45

The only Canberra flights I can find seem to show an overnighting aircraft there. This was also found on Amadeus.
DJ629 Canberra-Sydney 7:15/8:05
DJ672 Sydney-Canberra 20:05/21:00

As I said before, these flights aren't yet bookable on the Virgin site, and there may be errors either from the given sources or a slip of the hand in typing...it looks like an acceptable enough schedule, although the Sydney-Port Macquarie schedule, in my opinion, isn't really accommodating to the business travleer (whom it seems Virgin are now chasing) as daytrips to Sydney aren't really possible with the proposed schedules - perhaps they need to overnight an aircraft in Port Mac? For the time being though, I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts on it all...

So both atrs will be in port at around 1230 to 1300 each day. Am i reading that correctly?
That really is extreme utilisation of the aircraft obviously maintenance will be done in bne at night with ac swapping between bne and syd via port changeovers. What are they going to do if one goes us with no spare. I know they are brand new but they are really unproven in australia / routes they will fly and there is bound to be teething problems


Damn you iphone and fat fingers. Sent from my iphone and AFF app )

 

[awilcockson]

The fares for flights between Brisbane and Gladstone would commence from $89.00
one way*

bah, not really any cheaper than QF

 

[Justchecking]

bah, not really any cheaper than QF

Don't you mean not any cheaper than QF since competition? Or have forgotten already the exorbitant fares they charged pre-strategic? And in any case what did you expect, less than a bus fare? It's still a plane and one would expect more expensive than driving a car. I really don't get how it is people expect $30 fares on a plane. My weekly public transport ticket costs more than that.

 

[markis10]

bah, not really any cheaper than QF

QF is $99 so it's 10%, the lounges will be interesting .

 

[Deleted member 29185]

As Justchecking said, QF were extortion fares until Stategic started their service. QF then seemed to go into "compete" mode and undercut Stategic (some cruel people may even be inclined to suggest anti-competitive pricing mode) and now we have DJ which will certainly make it harder for both Stategic and QF. I can foresee some cheap BNE-GLT fares in coming months.

What always amazes me, is how so many people blindly support QF after they price gouge us whenever they can get away with it and at every turn. I for one am really looking forward to reasonable GLT fare structures.

 

[markis10]

What always amazes me, is how so many people blindly support QF after they price gouge us whenever they can get away with it and at every turn. I for one am really looking forward to reasonable GLT fare structures.

I dont think some people had a choice, and those that did in GLT often drove to ROK, I posted an example in another thread a while back where the plane leaving ROK for BNE via GLT was considerably cheaper to catch in ROK than when it got to GLT prior to the competition starting. Got to hand it to the local council, they have made it happen and even got Jet ops happening which I did not think the could do in time, its good to see progressive thinking!

 

[day-heg]

If I may change the direction of this thread slightly... the points earn on Skywest is dramatically lower... I don't think this has been mentioned but forgive me if it's posted elsewhere.

The DJ website shows a DJ flight number but an icon showing tha the flight is operated (as we know) by Skywest - does this mean that flights will earn as per Skywest or DJ allocation - there is a big difference!

Firstly, in terms of SCs (so important!) there is no mention of Skywest that I can see on the relevant Velocity page!! See here - How It Works | Velocity Rewards

And putting aside status bonus, a typical SYD - CBR discount saver flight at $100 would earn 500 points (@5 points per $) on a DJ flight. If it was considered a Skywest flight, it could earn as little as 75 points, depending on fare class!! (@0.5 points per mile, about 150 miles from SYD - CBR)

See here - Points Earn | Velocity Rewards

Any one know how it's gonna be calculated, or can any of the Virgin Australia reps help us out please!

 

[antycbr]

The DJ website shows a DJ flight number but an icon showing tha the flight is operated (as we know) by Skywest - does this mean that flights will earn as per Skywest or DJ allocation - there is a big difference!

I would think that the earn would be as per a normal DJ sector - from the customer perspective the flight is a full DJ service, operated under contract by Skywest. This would be similar to the arrangements Qantas have with National Jet Systems aka Cobham Aviation to operate 717 flights across the north and west of Australia. From a consumer perspective these are full QF flights. Cobham also have flights that are not QF flights as well, which is similar to Skywest having flights that are not DJ flights too.

 

[notzac]

Virgin appears to work on the basis that if you book their code, you earn as if you flew their metal. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[MarkD]

In my opinion they should can one of those Canberra flights and replace it with an E190 or a 737 (which they could fill I'm sure) and have an ATR overnight up in Port Macquarie. They're trying to compete for a larger share of the business market. The schedule for Sydney-Port Macquarie flightts doesn't exactly lend itself to those in Port who want to spend a day in Sydney for business or leisure. If they want to effectively compete for the business market and against Qantas on this route, it would be best for the airline to overnight an ATR there as opposed to Canberra...just my two cents worth.

I can see what you mean, however with all due respect, i do think that the pqq routes would be considered a leisure route rather than business, and the canberra- syd would definately need the appropriate business times over pqq. I do see your reason re day trips from port, but think the demand would be almost non existant, except for the occasional local business person who has a syd meeting or a person who has a medical appt.
I guess its the old story, you will never please everybody




Damn you iphone and fat fingers. Sent from my iphone and AFF app )

 

[RB]

I can see what you mean, however with all due respect, i do think that the pqq routes would be considered a leisure route rather than business, and the canberra- syd would definately need the appropriate business times over pqq. I do see your reason re day trips from port, but think the demand would be almost non existant, except for the occasional local business person who has a syd meeting or a person who has a medical appt.
I guess its the old story, you will never please everybody




Damn you iphone and fat fingers. Sent from my iphone and AFF app )

The PQQ-SYD route is apparently the 3rd fastest growing domestic route and PQQ is over 220,000 passengers per yr now. While there are many leisure users, Country Energy, business consultants & medical staff are big users & it is now more than the occasional local business person now

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I dont think some people had a choice, and those that did in GLT often drove to ROK, I posted an example in another thread a while back where the plane leaving ROK for BNE via GLT was considerably cheaper to catch in ROK than when it got to GLT prior to the competition starting. Got to hand it to the local council, they have made it happen and even got Jet ops happening which I did not think the could do in time, its good to see progressive thinking!

Yes I think that was me you pointed that out to! I'm a simple person I'm afraid, if I wish to fly point A to point B that's what I look for......except the GLT route. I used to always fly into ROK hire a car and drive to GLT.

Do you think the council has anything to do with it, or simply the HUGE infrastructure builds planned for the next x number of years in GLT?

 

[Virgin Australia]

For the plane spotters; VH-FVH is about to land in Kupang (KOE) for fuel, then heads straight for BNE.

 

[markis10]

The PQQ-SYD route is apparently the 3rd fastest growing domestic route and PQQ is over 220,000 passengers per yr now. While there are many leisure users, Country Energy, business consultants & medical staff are big users & it is now more than the occasional local business person now

Not sure where those figures come from, they are not growing much at all based on year to year comparisons for the latest data for what is the 40th busiest route:

[TABLE="width: 561"]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD]City-Pair[/TD]
[TD]May 2010[/TD]
[TD]May 2011[/TD]
[TD]% Change[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Melbourne - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 632 436[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 644 570[/TD]
[TD]1.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 337 139[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 363 403[/TD]
[TD]7.8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Melbourne[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 226 159[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 251 744[/TD]
[TD]11.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Adelaide - Melbourne[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 188 154[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 195 854[/TD]
[TD]4.1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Gold Coast - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 194 927[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 171 826[/TD]
[TD]-11.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Melbourne - Perth[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 129 429[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 157 016[/TD]
[TD]21.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Adelaide - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 135 919[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 142 769[/TD]
[TD]5.0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Perth - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 121 767[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 136 921[/TD]
[TD]12.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Gold Coast - Melbourne[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 126 388[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 118 780[/TD]
[TD]-6.0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Canberra - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 94 775[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 99 279[/TD]
[TD]4.8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Hobart - Melbourne[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 98 004[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 94 581[/TD]
[TD]-3.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Canberra - Melbourne[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 93 878[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 93 737[/TD]
[TD]-0.2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Cairns[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 89 858[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 87 281[/TD]
[TD]-2.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Townsville[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 75 759[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 83 851[/TD]
[TD]10.7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Mackay[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 61 163[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 72 192[/TD]
[TD]18.0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Perth[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 59 830[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 70 003[/TD]
[TD]17.0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Cairns - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 62 572[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 63 370[/TD]
[TD]1.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Launceston - Melbourne[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 66 151[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 62 921[/TD]
[TD]-4.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Adelaide - Brisbane[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 57 905[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 56 508[/TD]
[TD]-2.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Karratha - Perth[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 47 473[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 55 951[/TD]
[TD]17.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Rockhampton[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 54 280[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 54 005[/TD]
[TD]-0.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Adelaide - Perth[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 47 335[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 48 879[/TD]
[TD]3.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Newcastle[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 45 465[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 47 249[/TD]
[TD]3.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Canberra[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 45 994[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 47 053[/TD]
[TD]2.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]Cairns - Melbourne[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 30 200[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 41 908[/TD]
[TD]38.8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]26[/TD]
[TD]Sunshine Coast - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 35 307[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 36 575[/TD]
[TD]3.6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]Melbourne - Newcastle[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 28 753[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 34 939[/TD]
[TD]21.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]Hobart - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 36 468[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 33 510[/TD]
[TD]-8.1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Darwin[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 31 486[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 33 131[/TD]
[TD]5.2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]Melbourne - Sunshine Coast[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 27 645[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 32 245[/TD]
[TD]16.6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]31[/TD]
[TD]Perth - Port Hedland[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 27 849[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 30 796[/TD]
[TD]10.6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]32[/TD]
[TD]Broome - Perth[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 28 570[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 30 247[/TD]
[TD]5.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]33[/TD]
[TD]Coffs Harbour - Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 25 056[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 24 894[/TD]
[TD]-0.6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]34[/TD]
[TD]Darwin - Melbourne[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 21 516[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 24 742[/TD]
[TD]15.0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]35[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Gladstone[/TD]
[TD]..[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 23 944[/TD]
[TD]NA[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]36[/TD]
[TD]Kalgoorlie - Perth[/TD]
[TD] 19 225[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 21 228[/TD]
[TD]10.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]37[/TD]
[TD]Newman - Perth[/TD]
[TD] 16 204[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 20 963[/TD]
[TD]29.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]38[/TD]
[TD]Albury - Sydney[/TD]
[TD] 20 058[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 19 543[/TD]
[TD]-2.6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]39[/TD]
[TD]Ballina - Sydney[/TD]
[TD] 18 628[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 18 798[/TD]
[TD]0.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]Port Macquarie - Sydney[/TD]
[TD] 17 671[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 17 733[/TD]
[TD]0.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]41[/TD]
[TD]Melbourne - Mildura[/TD]
[TD] 16 971[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 16 907[/TD]
[TD]-0.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]42[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Proserpine[/TD]
[TD] 16 519[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 16 223[/TD]
[TD]-1.8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]43[/TD]
[TD]Sydney - Wagga Wagga[/TD]
[TD] 16 078[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 16 009[/TD]
[TD]-0.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]44[/TD]
[TD]Cairns - Townsville[/TD]
[TD] 14 405[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 15 975[/TD]
[TD]10.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]45[/TD]
[TD]Adelaide - Port Lincoln[/TD]
[TD] 15 501[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 15 931[/TD]
[TD]2.8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]46[/TD]
[TD]Dubbo - Sydney[/TD]
[TD] 15 650[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 15 628[/TD]
[TD]-0.1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]47[/TD]
[TD]Launceston - Sydney[/TD]
[TD] 14 961[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 15 595[/TD]
[TD]4.2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]48[/TD]
[TD]Adelaide - Canberra[/TD]
[TD] 15 377[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 15 296[/TD]
[TD]-0.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]49[/TD]
[TD]Sydney - Townsville[/TD]
[TD] 13 229[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 14 766[/TD]
[TD]11.6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]50[/TD]
[TD]Adelaide - Gold Coast[/TD]
[TD] 20 292[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 14 532[/TD]
[TD]-28.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]51[/TD]
[TD]Darwin - Perth[/TD]
[TD] 13 003[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 13 152[/TD]
[TD]1.1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]52[/TD]
[TD]Hamilton Island - Sydney[/TD]
[TD] 13 085[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 12 468[/TD]
[TD]-4.7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]53[/TD]
[TD]Alice Springs - Melbourne[/TD]
[TD] 11 847[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 12 091[/TD]
[TD]2.1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]54[/TD]
[TD]Brisbane - Hamilton Island[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 11 698[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 10 929[/TD]
[TD]-6.6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]55[/TD]
[TD]Ayers Rock - Sydney[/TD]
[TD]..[/TD]
[TD="align: right"] 10 422[/TD]
[TD]NA[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD]Total domestic network[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]4 232 201[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]4 463 998[/TD]
[TD]5.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[docjames]

For the plane spotters; VH-FVH is about to land in Kupang (KOE) for fuel, then heads straight for BNE.

Straight or non-stop? Seems a long leg nonstop for an ATR? Any idea where else (if) it's stopping?

 

[markis10]

Yes I think that was me you pointed that out to! I'm a simple person I'm afraid, if I wish to fly point A to point B that's what I look for......except the GLT route. I used to always fly into ROK hire a car and drive to GLT.

Do you think the council has anything to do with it, or simply the HUGE infrastructure builds planned for the next x number of years in GLT?

The council has been proactive in getting better facilities in place, including significant roadworks to fit the runway extension, the fact they did it before its needed rather than after (thinking PER) is significant. ROK is similar, not many councils build 747 capable regional strips.

 

[medhead]

The council has been proactive in getting better facilities in place, including significant roadworks to fit the runway extension, the fact they did it before its needed rather than after (thinking PER) is significant. ROK is similar, not many councils build 747 capable regional strips.

Is the nearby training area significant in relation to ROK?