No codeshare flights on NF at all

[freney]

I'm looking to book a flight through Vanuatu in a month. SYD --> VLI on a Wednesday, and then SON (Luganville) --> BNE (and then on to SYD) on a Thursday a week later.

Now in just a couple of days I'm flying SYD --> VLI return, operated by Air Vanuatu but QF tickets. But searching now, there's not a single QF ticket you can book for a couple of months on the SYD-->VLI route. Nothing at all! Air Vanuatu have plenty of availability on their site.

I could understand if there are a limited number of codeshare flights released and they're all sold out for my travel dates, but there's not a single flight for weeks and weeks and weeks. I'm not even sure if the SON-->BNE flight has a codeshare, but I'm sure about the Sydney one.

My searches earlier today on the Qantas site were just erroring out for Vanuatu. Now I get this result. Is something up on the Qantas website, or is there something else going on that I don't understand?

 

[AIRwin]

Air Vanuatu goes into administration

 

[freney]

OK!

Well, turns out this might be more relevant for my upcoming trip than any plans for next month...

 

[RSVKanga]

I think it wouldn’t be unrealistic to expect QF to purchase Air Vanuatu, just like how Telstra purchased DigiCell Pacific (Telco that serves pacific countries including Vanuatu) a couple of years ago. QF have been a trusted corporate and codeshare partner of Air Vanuatu for a long time.

I think the Australian Government may even lend QF financial assistance to acquire the airline. The Aus Gov was financially supportive of Telstra’s acquisition of DigiCell Pacific and I assume that this issue is not that different despite it being different industries. While Qantas and Telstra are both private companies, they are significant assets to our country and them having control over smaller businesses in the Pacific islands will be a win for the government and its interests.

 

[freney]

I'd appreciate it if they can sort all that out in the next day or two so I can make the trips I've got planned. How hard could it be?

 

[bussyboy]

I think the Australian Government may even lend QF financial assistance to acquire the airline.

I can already hear the cries to pay it back

 

[Spacetravel]

I am not so sure QF would be interested in buying the NF? I can't see there is a lot of opportunity for QF in the purchase, unless they got some really good deal. While not good for the inter island flights, I feel like QF would probably just prefer NF to go under and they commence their own service into VLI at 4x the price of NF flights today.

 

[antycbr]

I think it wouldn’t be unrealistic to expect QF to purchase Air Vanuatu, just like how Telstra purchased DigiCell Pacific (Telco that serves pacific countries including Vanuatu) a couple of years ago. QF have been a trusted corporate and codeshare partner of Air Vanuatu for a long time.

I think the Australian Government may even lend QF financial assistance to acquire the airline. The Aus Gov was financially supportive of Telstra’s acquisition of DigiCell Pacific and I assume that this issue is not that different despite it being different industries. While Qantas and Telstra are both private companies, they are significant assets to our country and them having control over smaller businesses in the Pacific islands will be a win for the government and its interests.

Virgin would rightly hit the roof as they operate service 4x weekly. I understand what you are saying regarding soft power in the Pacific but doing so through QF won’t be appropriate.

 

[henrus]

I think it wouldn’t be unrealistic to expect QF to purchase Air Vanuatu, just like how Telstra purchased DigiCell Pacific (Telco that serves pacific countries including Vanuatu) a couple of years ago.

The logic behind that was very different, The AU Gov gave Telstra the cash to purchase DigiCell on the basis of national security (letting digicel get picked up by some other foreign government was a concern). There is zero national security concerns with Vanuatu not having a national carrier and left to just be serviced by Virgin Australia (who currently hold contracts for AU diplomatic mail etc).

If QF did purchase NF then they'd have the lease to one broken 737, a bunch of forward bookings (but no cash as it's been spent) and a tiny regional network within the country.

QF have been a trusted corporate and codeshare partner of Air Vanuatu for a long time.

This has actually been significantly wound back in the last 5-10 years. Qantas used to do the maintenance on the NF 737 in Brisbane however due to cost this was outsourced to Hong Kong (if it was in Qantas' interest they would/could have offered a cheaper price to continue to help). Likewise there was a lack of QF flight numbers on some services and reward seats that were non existent post covid.

Virgin would rightly hit the roof as they operate service 4x weekly.

Virgin Australia fuel, cater, clean etc their flight return from Brisbane meaning there is zero ground handling service to the aircraft in Vila except for stairs and luggage. VA also have a full time engineer based in Vila to ensure these flights run to plan. For QF to come in and operate they would require a fair amount of work to get this off the ground.

 

[jase05]

I can already hear the cries to pay it back

The government shouldn’t give QF a red cent until they pay out the Covid credits owed to passengers

 

[freney]

In the midst of all of this, I just got the "It's time to check-in for your flight" SMS and email for my (cancelled) QF/NF flight tomorrow evening.

I've had the cancellation emails from Air Vanuatu. Nothing from Qantas.

 

[freney]

In the midst of all of this, I just got the "It's time to check-in for your flight" SMS and email for my (cancelled) QF/NF flight tomorrow evening.

I've had the cancellation emails from Air Vanuatu. Nothing from Qantas.

And then, 10 minutes later I get the Qantas 'update on your booking' messages.