QF cancels QF95/96 and makes MEL-HKG a daily B747

[pauly7]

EK is stopping KUL/MEL. They've never done BKK/MEL. Trouble with BKK route is historically limited premium traffic compared to other places. For this reason for some years now it has been a JQ route.

Yes that is correct, however with QF's new cost base we are seeing them return to destinations previously marked as 'too leisure' so I'll hold out some hope

 

[serfty]

From memory in the late 90's/early 2000's it used to do MEL-BKK-FCO. I think it stopped around 2001 ish. I know in April 2002 to do MEL-BKK on QF I needed to go via SYD.

Actually, QF13 (?) used to operate SYD-xMEL-xBKK-FCO here and there as I caught the SYD-MEL afternoon segment a few time.

 

[tomlee1986]

Its good that they are increasing capacity, but not sure about the product with the new refurbishment from A330 to 747

 

[Isochronous]

QF to return to MEL-PVG would be a great win. Where has that been suggested?

 

[Melburnian1]

QF to return to MEL-PVG would be a great win. Where has that been suggested?

Isochronous, given that QF has a 'partner airline' with flights on that route in MU, do airlines proposing such new routes have an agreement to formally (or, earlier, informally) inform the partner ('sister') airline that they are considering or that they will do so?

I'm not doubting that the grapevine - Flyertalk and all that - might publicise the news first, but I wonder if in such commercial matters QF executives pick up the phone to MU executives (through translators if need be) and inform them 'Hey, we're looking at this route. Please keep it a secret but we just wanted to inform you out of courtesy that if we decide to proceed and seek government approval, marketing will start from XX/XX/2017 and the actual flights from XX/XX/17'.

 

[Mattg]

Isochronous, given that QF has a 'partner airline' with flights on that route in MU, do airlines proposing such new routes have an agreement to formally (or, earlier, informally) inform the partner ('sister') airline that they are considering or that they will do so?

I'm not doubting that the grapevine - Flyertalk and all that - might publicise the news first, but I wonder if in such commercial matters QF executives pick up the phone to MU executives (through translators if need be) and inform them 'Hey, we're looking at this route. Please keep it a secret but we just wanted to inform you out of courtesy that if we decide to proceed and seek government approval, marketing will start from XX/XX/2017 and the actual flights from XX/XX/17'.

It would be much more than a courtesy call. QF & MU would likely work through these things together very closely, and if QF were to launch MEL-PVG then MU would probably codeshare on it (as QF/MU do on each other's flights to PVG already).

These two airlines are allowed to coordinate because they have applied for, and been granted ACCC authorisation (i.e. anti-trust immunity): https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-authorises-qantas-china-eastern-coordination-agreement

It would be illegal for airlines without ACCC authorisation to discuss strategy.