Qantas Expands International Network - Commences Flights To Seoul & Bengaluru

[Melburnian1]

Experience with the ceased QF67/68 and the current QF69/70 from SYD and MEL respectively to DEL and back "express" would indicate that allowing an hour 40 minutes turnaround in Bangalore is optimistic given that the outbounds from Oz have so often run late.

Granted, Melbourne has a larger Indian-born population than Sydney, but if QFi couldn't make SYD-DEL and return attract sufficient punters at acceptable yields for the flights to continue all year, whar are the chances that this new Indian route won't last?

QFi has a powerful, well regarded albeit indirect competitor in SQ whose SQ238 from MEL or (an hour more to wait as of today, but this may change) SQ212 from SYD connects nicely with the daily SQ510 SIN - BLR via the world's #1 large airport, Changi.

As with those looking at QF's booking engine, I couldn't find the QFi new flights showing on ITA Matrix yet, although to be fair QF is not the only airline that announces new timings or routes and doesn't seem to have them available on this publicly accessible tool. Are these flights on travel agents' GDSs or other distribution means?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Experience with the ceased QF67/68 and the current QF69/70 from SYD and MEL respectively to DEL and back "express" would indicate that allowing an hour 40 minutes turnaround in Bangalore is optimistic given that the outbounds from Oz have so often run late.

Granted, Melbourne has a larger Indian-born population than Sydney, but if QFi couldn't make SYD-DEL and return attract sufficient punters at acceptable yields for the flights to continue all year, whar are the chances that this new Indian route won't last?

QFi has a powerful, well regarded albeit indirect competitor in SQ whose SQ238 from MEL or (an hour more to wait as of today, but this may change) SQ212 from SYD connects nicely with the daily SQ510 SIN - BLR via the world's #1 large airport, Changi.

As with those looking at QF's booking engine, I couldn't find the QFi new flights showing on ITA Matrix yet, although to be fair QF is not the only airline that announces new timings or routes and doesn't seem to have them available on this publicly accessible tool. Are these flights on travel agents' GDSs or other distribution means?

QFi will be more expensive than either SQ or MH. Their advantage is the lack of stoppover, and perhaps their reputation?

But I agree they couldn't make SYD>DEL last barely 6months, I think BLR might have a better chance, but not much better.

 

[auriga]

QFi will be more expensive than either SQ or MH. Their advantage is the lack of stoppover, and perhaps their reputation?

But I agree they couldn't make SYD>DEL last barely 6months, I think BLR might have a better chance, but not much better.

I cannot imagine QF's reputation being an advantage, vs SQ

 

[dairyfloss]

Has anyone actually flown IndiGo? Is it like Jetstar, VA2 or more like EasyJet or RyanAir?

I have flown BLR<>HYD, and the Airbus product and service is actually quite good.

I opted for every bell and whistle when booking (a few extra dollars only, on their marketed option), so up front, meal, baggage and priority boarding. I found it quite adequate, and would place above JQ, & Tiger, but probably not VA.

A challenge for QF codeshares might be the lack of premium check in and lounge options if commencing and connecting with IndiGo. Indian airports are much improved on what they once were, but checking in can be unpleasant and a lounge is still pretty important for your sanity - and sometimes your senses - a lot of the time.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[HS-TQE]

QF's new SYD-BLR and SYD-ICN flights, as well as JQ's SYD-ICN flights are partially subsidised by the NSW Government and the SAC under NSW's version of the 'Aviation Attraction Investment Fund', where they have a taxpayer funded war chest of $60 million in subsidies to attract new airlines and routes.

NSW will now be joining join Victoria and Queensland into approaching airlines to start up international service and/or new routes.

Source: Aviation Attraction fund lands India and Korea routes

 

[HS-TQE]

I have flown BLR<>HYD, and the Airbus product and service is actually quite good.

I opted for every bell and whistle when booking (a few extra dollars only, on their marketed option), so up front, meal, baggage and priority boarding. I found it quite adequate, and would place above JQ, & Tiger, but probably not VA.

Indigo does sound a bit like Scoot. Base fare, but also have packages Seat+Bag, Seat+Bag+Meal, etc.

I'm guessing Priority Boarding, Streaming IFE (BYOD), etc are add-ons to the base or packaged fare?

 

[SeatBackForward]

I cannot imagine QF's reputation being an advantage, vs SQ

Fair call, perhaps I should've been more specific - QF's safety reputation...

 

[SeatBackForward]

@jakeseven7 Not sure if the original article here: New Qantas Routes from Sydney to Seoul & Bengaluru was written by you? But it says Vistara as the Codeshare partner in one paragraph.

 

[MathNerd]

Has anyone actually flown IndiGo? Is it like Jetstar, VA2 or more like EasyJet or RyanAir?

Yes, plenty of times domestically in IN (ex-BLR too, to boot).
Nothing special, you get a seat and that's it - think of it like a glorified flying bus.
AFAIK there was no J offered too - it's all purely Y (could have been the destinations that caused this?). YMMV.

 

[MathNerd]

@jakeseven7 Not sure if the original article here: New Qantas Routes from Sydney to Seoul & Bengaluru was written by you? But it says Vistara as the Codeshare partner in one paragraph.

I picked up on that too.
Matt Graham @support - maybe look into this?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Yes, plenty of times domestically in IN (ex-BLR too, to boot).
Nothing special, you get a seat and that's it - think of it like a glorified flying bus.
AFAIK there was no J offered too - it's all purely Y (could have been the destinations that caused this?). YMMV.

My first ever Domestic flights in India on Kingfisher and Jet Airways was always a good experience, I felt the whole experience was actually somewhat better than even QF was. Mind you this was close to 20yrs ago, things may be very different now that Air Travel has grown significantly within India

 

[MathNerd]

Granted, Melbourne has a larger Indian-born population than Sydney, but if QFi couldn't make SYD-DEL and return attract sufficient punters at acceptable yields for the flights to continue all year, whar are the chances that this new Indian route won't last?

IMHO, this QF route is "too little, too late". There will of course be a few pax who'd prefer a direct MEL/SYD - DEL/BLR route to avoid connections and make the journey in the shortest time possible, but doing that on a QF A333 is really pushing it.

This would've been a hit prior to March 27 (the day that the IN DGCA [Government entity overseeing civil aviation matters] lifted the "ban" on international flights that were not part of the "air bubble agreements).
The way the ban worked was that bubbles were created with a whole list of countries (it was effectively the whole world), however - and this is a big however, the wording made it so that you had to fly directly between IN and the bubble country. Which is why QF's direct SYD-DEL did so well, they basically had a monopoly on AU-IN travel as they were the only option (AI may have had a seat at that table too, not sure).

The usual carriers SQ, TG, MH (and to a lesser extent CX, EK, EY, QR) were basically prohibited from selling tix AUS-xx_-IN due to this "ban".

QF releasing this route prior to March 27 would 100% have seen this route succeed (well until the other carriers were allowed to sell tix on their respective transit itineraries).

On a slightly related note, UL somehow managed to flout the ban and fly MEL/SYD-CMB-BLR daily (source: my wife flew MEL-CMB-BLR twice, in Feb and Mar 2022, before the ban lifted). No idea how they managed that, surely TIMATIC would've thrown errors upon check-in? @madrooster any idea what could've been the case?

QFi has a powerful, well regarded albeit indirect competitor in SQ whose SQ238 from MEL or (an hour more to wait as of today, but this may change) SQ212 from SYD connects nicely with the daily SQ510 SIN - BLR via the world's #1 large airport, Changi.

Funny you mention this, I was on SQ238 at the time you posted your comment.
When I connected to BLR on SQ510 that same evening, I noticed a lot of the same faces at the gate of SQ510 that I recognised as being on SQ238 a few hours prior (I'd imagine there would've been a large chunk also connecting from SQ212 ex-SYD).

QF is going to have a really hard time trying to snatch pax over from SQ who have really dominated in the AUS-IN market, IMO. Just ask anybody of Indian descent who they fly with and the answer will predominantly be "Singapore Airlines"!

Anyway sorry for the essays, as someone who flies to BLR from MEL semi regularly and for all sorts of reasons, seeing QF start up a new route to BLR ex-SYD made me wonder "what the hell are you trying AJ, can't you read the room"?

 

[MathNerd]

My first ever Domestic flights in India on Kingfisher and Jet Airways was always a good experience, I felt the whole experience was actually somewhat better than even QF was. Mind you this was close to 20yrs ago, things may be very different now that Air Travel has grown significantly within India

Oh it has indeed changed @SeatBackForward. Flying within IN has become a lot more accessible these days with the advent of Air Asia, Spicejet, Indigo, etc.
With that brings crowds and a general reduction in quality. What used to be only available as a trascon train ride is now possible for a similar price by flying.
Last I flew Indigo, the only request that was actioned on board was "Can I have a cup of water please". Very friendly attendants though.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Oh it has indeed changed @SeatBackForward. Flying within IN has become a lot more accessible these days with the advent of Air Asia, Spicejet, Indigo, etc.
With that brings crowds and a general reduction in quality. What used to be only available as a trascon train ride is now possible for a similar price by flying.
Last I flew Indigo, the only request that was actioned on board was "Can I have a cup of water please". Very friendly attendants though.

Whatever options, I will avoid AI like the plague...and I still prefer train travel where possible in India, well, if I have the time capacity.

 

[Daver6]

Since the announcement I've been looking at options to get to Pune. This is still the result. Do they expect me to call and wait on hold for half a day in order to give them money?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Since the announcement I've been looking at options to get to Pune. This is still the result. Do they expect me to call and wait on hold for half a day in order to give them money?

View attachment 274655

You'd want to go PER>SYD>BLR? you're halfway there already..but then again, this is AFF!

BLR flights only begin from 14th Sept 2022, so that's one reason why the above search isn't working. But I've been playing around with dates in 2023, and get the same result anyway.

 

[Daver6]

You'd want to go PER>SYD>BLR? you're halfway there already..but then again, this is AFF!

BLR flights only begin from 14th Sept 2022, so that's one reason why the above search isn't working. But I've been playing around with dates in 2023, and get the same result anyway.

I'm more interested in the codeshare with Indigo. I don't need to go to BLR. I want to get to PNQ. I would have thought QF would send me PER-ADL-DEL-PNQ. Seems to be beyond the booking system.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I'm more interested in the codeshare with Indigo. I don't need to go to BLR. I want to get to PNQ. I would have thought QF would send me PER-ADL-DEL-PNQ. Seems to be beyond the booking system.

the SYD>ADL>DEL service ended on 26th March, I don't recall seeing any notice about this, but the QF website now describes it :

Asia

Sydney (via Adelaide) <> Delhi Delhi <> Sydney (non-stop)

Seasonal service until 26 March 2022

Which is now replaced with:

Asia

Melbourne (via Adelaide) <> Delhi Delhi <> Melbourne (non-stop)

Now flying

So the ADL>DEL>PNQ option is viable, BUT

Even the Indigo website timetable looks all screwed up. Perhaps they're respectively updating things? lets call it a conjunction of Indian IT technology and Qantas' airline strategy on display.

 

[AIRwin]

I would have thought QF would send me PER-ADL-DEL-PNQ. Seems to be beyond the booking system.

Looks like MEL-DEL will be operating non-stop after 17 July...

 

[support]

I picked up on that too.
Matt Graham @support - maybe look into this?

Easiest way to alert Matt to this would be to tag him, not me

@Mattg to the white courtesy phone.