Qantas international routes not resumed

QF should launch:

SYD-KIX
BNE-HKG
PER-HKG
HKG-LHR
MEL-BKK
BKK-ATH
PER-JNB
BNE-ORD
MEL-HNL
HKG-LHR - QF currently don't have the slot, it is leased to some other airline for millions of dollars.
BKK-ATH - won't happen, more likely for a seasonal ex PER. But still highly unlikely
MEL-BKK - JQ couldn't make much money on this route, unlikely for QF to ever do it.
PER-JNB - Will probably happen again.
PER-HKG - Probably happen with the new aircraft in the next few years.
MEL-HNL - No aircraft, very leisure heavy route, unlikely for QF.
 
JQi PER to Asia will have 3 more new routes, all narrow bodied, ie no J.
Another downgrade to PER residents who want to fly to Asia a bit cheaper than QF but with a bit of lux than $$$.
Not so bad if PER - BKK is a 787, but will be 220xlr.
 
Last edited:
Is Jetstar's Thai cabin crew base in BKK? If so that probably makes MEL-BKK operationally important for JQ since a large portion JQi's cabin crew are Thai based.
 
Why on earth would *QF* fly BKK-ATH?

ATH is hardly a business destination. Very much a holiday and VFR destination imo.

It's competitor, SQ flies there. Oh wait, they send you on a codeshare on their Jetstar equivalent - Scoot from SIN onwards. So absolutely agree with you. JQ, using Asian crew would be the only way QF would fly to ATH via SIN, SGN or BKK, but not sure why they would bother.
 
I’m surprised by MEL-BKK. QF SYD-BKK is daily(?) and near on impossible to get CR seats. We’re in BKK now but had to book SIN-SYD CR to get home…
 
I think QF SYD-HNL is underserved, it could either support going daily or expanding to BNE or MEL. BNE is 1.5 hours shorter so much more feasible (ie short enough to keep bouncing between BNE/HNL daily, whereas a return mission from MEL is more than 24 hours). HA pulled out of BNE so it's wide open - but previous service indicates the demand was there (HA has gone cold on our market due to the low AUD & NZD exchange rate, considering they have to compete with QF & NZ - although they've now pulled out of AKL too).

Australia doesn't have 5th freedom rights for Greece.
 
re SYD-HNL. I take your points @justinbrett. I think HA pulling out of routes due to the lower South Pacific Pesos in this part of the world is fairly valid. I also wonder if fewer folks "north of the [ nsw/qld ] border" have less desire to go to a tropical destination given... well... it is quite tropical where they are to one extent or another. Also HA codeshares on VA out of BNE, TSV and CNS (according to a quick search I did) to feed its own metal to HNL out of SYD.

Another thing I was thinking though is that QF may be quite happy with the high demand/yield route ex SYD. Yes, JQ does MEL-HNL too, but that of course is a different market segment/focus in general. I also figure if QF ran their own metal from say MEL it would drive down their own yield - even if it was every other day alternating or something. I also wonder if QF feel the relative lack of "major" competition for direct flying is a factor - HA is an OK airline (and their new 789 config looks pretty nice), but it's not one of the big 3 US majors, or other competition. Otherwise you're looking at at least one stop connections to get to Hawaii via AKL (NZ) or NAN (FJ) - QF is probably happy enough for lower yielding pax to take those options while cheaper (and/or sell codeshares on FJ as case may be).

The reason SYD-HNL is so tight for reward space is due to the high paid demand - maybe there's a factor of lack of knowledge of HA as a viable option or that QF handcuff (or just arrogance). Whatever the reasons, QF do command a fair old yield premium on the route. I suspect putting more metal into the market (and mostly a leisure one at that) is probably not high on the bean counters agendas.

At least they're upgrading the 332 to a 789 which is a boost to capacity.
 
Maybe a few years? could seem them move to Mainline QF if the uptake seems right and they get more aircrafts?

It's a very leisure heavy destination with coughpy domestic JL connections, but reasonable GK connections, so JQ makes some sense. I think the CTS seasonal would be more likely to come back before QF take over KIX
 
I'm agnostic on BKK-ATH but think they should run from BKK to somewhere in Europe. Perhaps FRA? As a continuation of the MEL-BKK leg.

I think they'd be more likely to run this out of SIN instead and attempt to capture a slice of the business traffic. Can't see Qantas launching any ex BKK fifth freedoms.
 
I think they'd be more likely to run this out of SIN instead and attempt to capture a slice of the business traffic. Can't see Qantas launching any ex BKK fifth freedoms.
But there must have been a reason that QF1/2 operated that way for years?

I’m in Thailand at the moment (first extended visit for ages) and I’d forgotten just how many Europeans are here.

Friends from the US flew home last night via DOH on a QR A380 BKK-DOH!
 
Read our AFF credit card guides and start earning more points now.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Qantas are moving away from fifth freedom flights not adding them. No real benefit to adopting them. They take up valuable aircraft time and dilute the earning unless really good margins - such as LHR and JFK.

There’s also a reason no continental European carriers operate from Europe to Australia (other than under wet leases 🤣 ). It’s expensive to operate such services.

QF 1/2 operated via BKK to LHR in an era when the ME3 hadn’t yet reached their full stride. In fact before it was discontinued 1/2 via BKK was one of four QF 4-engine jet services to LHR (along with 9/10 and 31/32 via SIN and 29/30 via HKG). Now QF have 1 A380 and 1 787 a day, and soon won’t even bother with providing a same plane connection from MEL with the intense competition from the ME3 and various Asian carriers.
 

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.
Back
Top