Qantas & Jetstar reduce capacity

[ric_melb]

I sometimes wonder what to make of Qantas reducing capacity through Cairns. The local tourist industry complains of how reduced flights will reduce tourism, but on the other hand if tourists wanted to come to Cairns surely Qantas would add capacity to meet demand. Is it a lack of demand or a lack of supply. I'm not sure.

Having recently flown through OOL where Jetstar plan to increase International flights, the one thing that strikes me is the total inadequacy of the airport. If Queensland wishes to attract tourists maybe they need to look at the facilities. Just a thought.

 

[Platy]

Perhaps Cairns needs to get back to basics and start marketing things properly both to Australians and other nationalities. .

Bang on the money, Mal.

In fact, industry leaders do now appear to be galvanising into some sort of action. They now have $8m ($4m state and $4m fed) made available to rejig marketing and woo other airlines. Head of Tourism Australia was here yesterday, local MP Desley Boye is quite active, an action group is already formed, had meetings, etc. I'll probably see my local (Barron River) MP at a function tonight and ask what's going on!!!

Now it would be nice if Fed Gov stopped this blatant protectionism of the rude roo...

 

[oz_mark]

Perhaps Cairns needs to get back to basics and start marketing things properly both to Australians and other nationalities. Not just trying to attract Japanese tourists by the plane load, who are just herded around the place and can leave with a poor or relatively poor impression. Tourism extends far wider than just Japan, and other markets (eg Hawaii, Fiji and many other places) are getting more and more accessible/welcoming to these tourists.

Agree whole heartedely with this. When I visit parts of Qld, I am a bit dismayed at their focus on Japanese tourists, and the short sightedness of their actions in focussing on such a specific segment to the detriment of others.

 

[Platy]

Is it a lack of demand or a lack of supply. I'm not sure..

If there is lack of demand, you need to ask why. Many contributing reasons have already been mooted in the above posts (demand depends on getting your product, marketing and price right).

Remember two things are needed - the right local tourism product (hotel plus tour plus restaurant) and the right airline product (cabin class, service, schedule, etc). These are inter-dependent.

Qantas has not worked properly with local business (and vice versa) and various levels of government have been caught napping whilst attention has focused on the building boom...

 

[Platy]

Agree whole heartedely with this. When I visit parts of Qld, I am a bit dismayed at their focus on Japanese tourists, and the short sightedness of their actions in focussing on such a specific segment to the detriment of others.

Yes, you are right. Successful local businesses I know here in Cairns are smart enough to focus primarily on local clientele, thus any tourist business is a bonus and the custom is guaranteed year round, not just the "season" (July-Sept).

In fact our local restaurant was run by an excellent couple (who used to work for Richard Branson on Necker Island) and they were full most nights and mostly with local people.

Similarly, another downtown restaurant runs successfuly on mostly local people.

Basically, good quality and value and an eye for the local market can work wonders (you don't need to sit through a Gordon Ramsay TV show to know tha!!!).

Other places I now avoid like the plague owing to bad experiences. I tell all my friends and colleagues not to go there too. Word of mouth is the strongest marketing, whether a recommendation or a warning.

 

[kamchatsky]

Yes, you are right. Successful local businesses I know here in Cairns are smart enough to focus primarily on local clientele, thus any tourist business is a bonus and the custom is guaranteed year round, not just the "season" (July-Sept).

In fact our local restaurant was run by an excellent couple (who used to work for Richard Branson on Necker Island) and they were full most nights and mostly with local people.

Similarly, another downtown restaurant runs successfuly on mostly local people.

Basically, good quality and value and an eye for the local market can work wonders (you don't need to sit through a Gordon Ramsay TV show to know tha!!!).

Other places I now avoid like the plague owing to bad experiences. I tell all my friends and colleagues not to go there too. Word of mouth is the strongest marketing, whether a recommendation or a warning.

Doh! Should have asked for your opinions on places before going to Cairns/Port Douglas last week

 

[Platy]

Doh! Should have asked for your opinions on places before going to Cairns/Port Douglas last week

It would have been my pleasure to make recommendations! In fact, one or two correspondents on this blog have already enjoyed a meal out with me at one nice place!!!

 

[ANstar]

From ASX:

- the accelerated retirement of QantasLink's six remaining Dash 8 100 36-seat aircraft by August2008;the closure of QantasLink's Mildura maintenance base on 15 August 2008;
- exiting the loss-making Melbourne-Wollongong route from 18 July 2008; and
- the permanent withdrawal from previously suspended QantasLink services between Newcastle andboth Melbourne and Sydney.

Seems the 100's are gone in a couple of months

 

[possumoz]

It would have been my pleasure to make recommendations! In fact, one or two correspondents on this blog have already enjoyed a meal out with me at one nice place!!!

I'm heading up to CNS in early July. After many disapointing meals over previous visits over many years I'd love to know where the good ones are.

On another note, whilst QF is reducing flights through ports like CNS they're trialling extra flights into others. As an example they've just announced a trial adding a 9:00 am flight TSV- BNE. Much more civilised than the usual 5:55 I used to have to take regularly.

 

[Platy]

I'm heading up to CNS in early July. After many disapointing meals over previous visits over many years I'd love to know where the good ones are..

PM me if you would like some suggestions.

 

[Platy]

It is reported in today's Cairns Port that the daily CNS-NRT Jetstar service to replace the twice daily QF flights has yet to secure landing rights in NRT. The QF slots do not transfer to Jetstar. The Japan authorities may decide to "sell" the landing rights to the highest bidder meaning the future of the announced Jetstar service is yet to be made certain.

Is the release of this information a set up by QF Group to give itself a "reason" to weasel out of its commitment to run the Deathstar scarebus on the CNS-NRT route

Jetstar Tokyo route is not guaranteed - Local News - Cairns, QLD, Australia

 

[turtlemichael]

It is reported in today's Cairns Port that the daily CNS-NRT Jetstar service to replace the twice daily QF flights has yet to secure landing rights in NRT. The QF slots do not transfer to Jetstar. The Japan authorities may decide to "sell" the landing rights to the highest bidder meaning the future of the announced Jetstar service is yet to be made certain.

Is the release of this information a set up by QF Group to give itself a "reason" to weasel out of its commitment to run the Deathstar scarebus on the CNS-NRT route

Jetstar Tokyo route is not guaranteed - Local News - Cairns, QLD, Australia

It also explains why you as yet can't book any Japan-CNS direct transportation after December. This in itself is doing the tourism industry immense damage. 0 out of 10 for how you've managed this situation, QF

 

[Platy]

You have to to marvel at the arrogance of the Qantas Management announcing a product and service, at the same time knowing full well that they are not in a definite position to deliver...:shock:

 

[ANstar]

Interesting.... If JQ dont get slots, I reckon QF will probably keep 1 x CNS flights with their own metal.

 

[oz_mark]

You have to to marvel at the arrogance of the Qantas Management announcing a product and service, at the same time knowing full well that they are not in a definite position to deliver...:shock:

They are not the only airline to play this game. Why do you think all announcements come with a 'subject to regulatory approval' footnote? If they get caught out, they would not be the first airline caught out either.

 

[turtlemichael]

They are not the only airline to play this game. Why do you think all announcements come with a 'subject to regulatory approval' footnote? If they get caught out, they would not be the first airline caught out either.

If you are introducing a new service such as VAustralia Oz-LAX it's one thing to announce it "subject to regulatory approval". If you are ditching around 20 services a week, as JQ and QF are from CNS to Japan, it is another thing to announce the ditching and not have your ducks lined up before hand.

It would have been quite reasonable to keep the CNS-KIX-NGO service live until the regulatory approval on CNS-NRT was finalized. They would then have avoided spooking the market and losing some business for ever. You cannot book any direct flights from CNS to Japan now and have not been able for several weeks. Inbound operators from Japan would be in the process of "making alternative arrangements". That smells of QF incompetence and is making a bad situation worse.

 

[bacchus]

Interesting.... If JQ dont get slots, I reckon QF will probably keep 1 x CNS flights with their own metal.

Interesting indeed... I currently have an X award in late Dec on QF69 CNS-NRT, called qantas last week and apparently there is no change to the booking.

Hopefully the flight stays QF, dont want to waste my hard earned NB points on a JQ award (will be requesting reroute via sydney if that happens)

Anyone else out there with CNS-NRT? has your booking changed, or still on QF69?

 

[NM]

It would have been quite reasonable to keep the CNS-KIX-NGO service live until the regulatory approval on CNS-NRT was finalized. They would then have avoided spooking the market and losing some business for ever. You cannot book any direct flights from CNS to Japan now and have not been able for several weeks. Inbound operators from Japan would be in the process of "making alternative arrangements". That smells of QF incompetence and is making a bad situation worse.

And then other people would be complaining that they did not provide enough notice of the change and that they should have announced it as soon as they started the planning. Its a no-win situation for an airline.

 

[turtlemichael]

Anyone else out there with CNS-NRT? has your booking changed, or still on QF69?

Similarly, I have QF69 BNE-CNS in April as the second leg of an award from US to home. The sector is still in the booking as QF69 but the flight is no longer in the timetable. QF will no doubt advise their intentions when they have a flight to put us in!

 

[Platy]

And then other people would be complaining that they did not provide enough notice of the change and that they should have announced it as soon as they started the planning. Its a no-win situation for an airline.

Yes, those poor poor Qantas manager folk, having to cope with customers who expect a product to be delivered rather than just talked about, or promised and part delivered

Goodness me, those poor folk are definitely not paid enough to leave their ivory tower and consult effectively with tourism and business agencies

They can't be incompetent can they, the airline makes a profit

Surely the total inability for the airline or associated tourism industry to engage in ANY forward looking associated commerce is the fault of the Japanese authorities daring to sell the Qantas landing slots to the highest bidder whilst snubbing the golden child of Australian aviation

Obviously Geoff Dixon deserves the extra $2 million personally (instead of the 1,500 engineers) for having to cope with such an ungrateful marketplace...