Qantas rejigs flights to Tokyo

[Yada Yada]

Qantas rejigs flights to Tokyo
Scott Rochfort
July 22, 2006

QANTAS has announced a major rejig of its services to Japan, in an attempt to reverse its declining passenger loads and mounting losses on the route.

Faced with an ongoing decline in passenger numbers from Japan, Qantas will increase flights from Sydney to Tokyo this October but scale back direct flights from Melbourne to Tokyo. The changes will result in the net loss of 349 seats a week.

The rearrangement will see Qantas increase the number of flights from Sydney to Tokyo from seven to 11 a week. But it will cut back its daily Melbourne to Tokyo service to three direct flights a week, with the fourth weekly service flying through Sydney.

The reduction in seats is largely a result of Qantas replacing an ageing 450-seat Boeing 747-300 on the Sydney route with its 307-seat Airbus A330-300s.

Qantas declined to say on which route the 747-300 would be redeployed or if the aircraft would be retired.

The changes will see the belated introduction of Qantas business class SkyBeds on the Tokyo route, three years after they were first introduced on other services.

The changes will precede the launch of Jetstar services to Osaka in late November.

Full Story...

Interesting point later in this report says that Japan is Qantas's third worst performing international route in terms of loads, after Indonesia and New Caledonia.

 

[serfty]

There's more to it than just Japan; they have to get the 333's from somewhere. Have a look at this FlyerTalk thread: QF Intl Schedule Changes (HKG NRT)

 

[Yada Yada]

There's more to it than just Japan; they have to get the 333's from somewhere. Have a look at this FlyerTalk thread: QF Intl Schedule Changes (HKG NRT)

Thanks Ross - interesting info.

Sounds like this is indeed a competitive move, perhaps to shore up QF's position against JL. I don't know what equipment JL use between Australia and Japan but I travelled on a few of their 767's a few months ago (between SIN and KUL) and they beat the pants off QF's tired old 767's. The cabins looked much newer and there were PTVs in economy.

 

[Commuter]

Yada yada, Last time I flew BNE-NRT on JL (on QF codeshare), it was 743 from memory. JALways (JAL subsidiary) operated KIX-BNE on a 743, I think. I suspect that might still be the same.

 

[jasonja3]

This is a good thing, loosing the Dreamtime experience!! Bring on the Skybed, finally!!

 

[NM]

This is a good thing, loosing the Dreamtime experience!! Bring on the Skybed, finally!!

Might be good for SYD-NRT flights, but bad for BNE-HKG and PER-HKG flights which lose Skybeds and revert to Dreamtimes.

 

[jasonja3]

Might be good for SYD-NRT flights, but bad for BNE-HKG and PER-HKG flights which lose Skybeds and revert to Dreamtimes.

Don't mind me , its just been a long time coming, and once again, it would seem Brisbane is being treated like the poor cousin.

 

[Mal]

My friends wonder why I don't fly BNE-HKG direct, but instead fly through SYD.

With the BNE-HKG Qantas service being "enhanced", I see no reason to change that trend.

 

[jasonja3]

A little OT, what product does CX offer to HKG from BNE and SYD?

 

[Mal]

A little OT, what product does CX offer to HKG from BNE and SYD?

HKG-SYD, 3 class longhaul service. Proper "beds" in Business.
HKG-BNE, 2 class regional service. No beds in Business - just reclining seats.

 

[NM]

My friends wonder why I don't fly BNE-HKG direct, but instead fly through SYD.

With the BNE-HKG Qantas service being "enhanced", I see no reason to change that trend.

My thoughts and travel patterns exactly. Except that I also consider MEL as the HKG-MEL QF30 is a nice daytime 3-class service.

 

[drron]

B***** flying NRT-SYD at end of september.

 

[Yada Yada]

B***** flying NRT-SYD at end of september.

Did you say "Bl00dy"?

 

[serfty]

B***** flying NRT-SYD at end of september.

Did you say "Bl00dy"?

I thought that, then I remembered that Qantas are taking Skybeds and AVOD to SYD-NRT and perhaps ddron meant "Bl••dy Beaudy!".

Then I had another look and saw the word september and realised there was no Beaudy! intended.

 

[Mal]

I thought that, then I realised the Qantas are taking Skybeds and AVOD to SYD-NRT.

Perhaps ddron meant "Bl••dy Beaudy!".

I think he misses out by a week or so as the timetable still shows 743's operating the route. I'd be a little miffed too!

 

[drron]

Yes miss by a week.Was thinking of the toyota ad.

 

[oz_mark]

Yes miss by a week.Was thinking of the toyota ad.

That was a classic ad. Pretty clever that they only used one word in the ad.

Bugger certainly fits here!

 

[serfty]

That was a classic ad. Pretty clever that they only used one word in the ad.

Bugger certainly fits here!

100% concurrence!!!

 

[jasonja3]

It would seem QF have no award J seats available for the next twelve months on this A330-300 service which is a real pain as I have been searching for some seats for a while.

I wonder how I would go waitlisting as a WP?

 

[NM]

It would seem QF have no award J seats available for the next twelve months on this A330-300 service which is a real pain as I have been searching for some seats for a while.

I wonder how I would go waitlisting as a WP?

Waitlisting for award seats is not available, even to Platinum members.

The only option for waitlisting is to pay for an economy class ticket and waitlist for a points upgrade to business class.