Perth - Forgotten again

[Coxyb76]

It seams that Perth is forgotten again!!..

New flights and Code share to Hong Kong and into China - only if you live on the East Coast.

If Virgin wanted to capitalise on Perth's citizens perhaps they could offer flights from here.

No Virgin flights to BALI
No Virgin Flights to coughet (god knows how they didn't make money on this one)
No Virgin Flights to Singapore
No Virgin Flights to KL.

Yes some will say SA fly to some of these destinations but at additional cost if you are chasing sectors and they are also not one way.

Mining may have slowed here but there is still some cashed up people wanting to travel into Asia and beyond on a non LCC airline.

 

[mannej]

Considering VA's current plight, do you really think they would run the HKG flights out of PER?

They shot themselves in the foot with DPS, as for the others perhaps the fleet isn't suitable for expansion. Apart from SIN, those destinations you have mentioned would be point to point traffic.

It is great to have a wishlist, but you do have to ask does it make sense given their current state?

 

[Bagpuss]

If Virgin wanted to capitalise on Perth's citizens perhaps they could offer flights from here.

No Virgin flights to BALI

Being in Perth myself, I have now idea how they justify a Port Hedland <> Bali service and not a Perth one. (Kindly note, Bali isn't a choice destination for me.)

The biggest issue I actually think is getting anywhere internationally in Premium Economy, with the exception of Cathay Pacific which doesn't help.

 

[dasheighty]

Being in Perth myself, I have now idea how they justify a Port Hedland <> Bali service and not a Perth one. (Kindly note, Bali isn't a choice destination for me.)


The PHE-DPS justification is that it is not much dearer (some dates are actually cheaper) for the "week off" in Bali than going to Perth. I have met a few FIFO workers that do the trip regularly. They can "live it large" there for a whole lot less than they can in Perth.
The PER-DPS run has too many operators on it now, (especially after the "administrative requirements" from the locals canning the VA flights and the new Batik Air services starting up). The yields probably don't stack up.

BTW- I'm no fan of Bali.

 

[clazman]

Love how the airport has been branded as PH international airport...

 

[Moopere]

I've been trying to get to DPS from PER for a while now - assumed something funny was going on routing wise and it would just sort itself out ... but months now and there is nothing from PER on VA. Whats the deal? Can go PER-MEL-DPS or PER-BNE-DPS or PER-SYD-DPS or on SQ PER-SIN-DPS, but direct? Nothing ... only LCC.

This seems artificial to me, like red-tape or something ... surely there would be enough potential traffic for VA to fly at least a couple of flights direct? Why no MEL-PER-DPs for example?

 

[Mr Pumblechook]

With Indonesia Air Asia, Malindo, Garuda and Jetstar all on a purely leisure route, I'd say there's just no way that VA can compete and make money.

 

[andrewpf]

Just my 2c ....

Lets be realistic here.

The finance, tertiary education, and government (between Canberra, NSW, VIC and QLD Govts) industries are centered on the east coast. Meanwhile, the mining industry is in decline. Between the three east coast capitals, each within 1.5 to 2.5 hours flight time of each other, there is a total population of some 12 million. Perth has just reached over 2 million. I would also imagine that the main tourist draws for Australia are the barrier reef and beaches in northern QLD, and Sydney Harbour (Opera House/Bridge). There is also short flight times across to NZ.

All together, it would seem to make sense to me that both from an outgoing and from an incoming market perspective that the east coast makes far more sense for the HK/China flights than Perth.

 

[Pleb Status]

With SQ operating four widebodies a day from PER, most Asian ports (and beyond) are covered pretty well.

And unlike some other FF schemes, VFF SC earn is generally carrier neutral so you can book directly with the partner airline and earn full SC like VA were operating the service themselves.

Imagine not earning a single SC when you book direct with your biggest alliance partner....

 

[fewings85]

Andrew makes pretty good sense of it, have to agree when you look at it that way. I'm travelling to Singapore in October on Singapore air from Perth and return. I'll earn the SC and points etc and I am happy and I do love flying Singapore Air. Service is always great. I did book direct with Singapore Air.

 

[cosi]

Strong rumour is Japan Airlines are considering direct from Tokyo to Perth

 

[pauly7]

Strong rumour is Japan Airlines are considering direct from Tokyo to Perth

That would be nice. Nicer if QF would codeshare

 

[Lemon_Party]

Picking up guests from PER last night I was surprised at how many times DPS was listed on the arrivals board. Looked it up and 11 flights a day (each way) between PER-DPS.

With the bulk of them being on true LCC's with Asian cost bases I'm not surprised VA has decided to leave it alone...

 

[Jurahn]

Strong rumour is Japan Airlines are considering direct from Tokyo to Perth

This was first mentioned in various media reports in December 2015, as apparently All Nippon Airways were considering doing the same, but nothing has come of it to date - it would be fantastic if either airline decided to go ahead with this route as Mr Jurahn has been talking about visiting Japan for several years, and a direct flight would be brilliant, so keeping fingers crossed that this may actually happen!