QF launching PER-BQB

[jrfsp]

Qantas (Link) will fly between Perth and Busselton 4 X weekly from June.

Qantas announces Perth-Busselton flights in boom Margret River, WA tourism - Travel Weekly

Qantas will launch a new route between Perth and Busselton in June, connecting the WA hub to the stunning Margret River region.

travelweekly.com.au

Cant see many PER locals flying down, but could be useful for pax connecting.

 

[Harrison_133]

This is essentially selling a repositioning FIFO flight where the aircraft would otherwise need to be flown empty down to Busso, so many as well open it up for sale.

Looking at the schedules, it doesn't look like they're the FIFO repositioning flights opened up for sale. They're standalone RPT flights that operate as a turn.

Schedule:

QF1750 PER 1200 BQB 1245 Mon
QF1751 BQB 1325 PER 1410 Mon

QF1750 PER 1300 BQB 1345 Fri & Sun
QF1751 BQB 1425 PER 1610 Fri & Sun

 

[jrfsp]

Looking at the schedules, it doesn't look like they're the FIFO repositioning flights opened up for sale. They're standalone RPT flights that operate as a turn.

Schedule:

QF1750 PER 1200 BQB 1245 Mon
QF1751 BQB 1325 PER 1410 Mon

QF1750 PER 1300 BQB 1345 Fri & Sun
QF1751 BQB 1425 PER 1610 Fri & Sun

Ah yes it does - didnt check the schedules....I guess that would be downtime in the middle of the day between FIFO flights.

Be curious to see how popular the flights are, QF know how the JQ flights into BQB are performing - definitely seems like targeting connections from east coast rather than local pax.

 

[CaptJCool]

Seemed a bit curious given the distance between is 230kms (2.5 hour drive)

It’s an interesting question of
Time, speed and distance as well as price

 

[jrfsp]

Seemed a bit curious given the distance between is 230kms (2.5 hour drive)

It’s an interesting question of
Time, speed and distance as well as price

Particularly as the new Bunbury bypass has just opened, which has shaved "20 mins" off the drive.

 

[Ade]

FIFO

flights

Apologies for the OT - I always wanted to ask, do FIFO flights qualify for SC and points earn? Also, are they eligible for any promos, such as DSC etc.

 

[Daver6]

Looks like only 3x weekly, not 4x?

Seemed a bit curious given the distance between is 230kms (2.5 hour drive)
It’s an interesting question of
Time, speed and distance as well as price

I think the market for this is for folks who live down their making their life a whole heap easier. Instead of driving to PER to start a journey, they can leave from BQB.

I don't see this being of any use to PER based folks. BQB airport is still far from Margaret River. You'd still need to hire a car. Uber doesn't service Margaret River but does service Busselton and Dunsborough. However, there are very few drivers so it's not a reliable form of transport.

Apologies for the OT - I always wanted to ask, do FIFO flights qualify for SC and points earn? Also, are they eligible for any promos, such as DSC etc.

I cant comment about all of them, but at least some do. Plenty of FIFO workers who are WP from their FIFO flights

 

[hugamuga]

Apologies for the OT - I always wanted to ask, do FIFO flights qualify for SC and points earn? Also, are they eligible for any promos, such as DSC etc.

Varies between companies, individual contracts ect. I work as a contractor and I am generally booked on RPT flights so they get full flexi earn for SC and points and get DSC (even when booked by clients). Roy Hill charters to Ginbata (QF) get SC and points at Flexi rate, Chevron charters to Onslow (VA) earn nothing.

I haven't been on any BHP charter flights personally but I am pretty sure they get SC/points based on talking to colleagues.

I am surprised flights to BQB haven't happened earlier, seems hugely beneficial to bussleton locals and visitors from eastern states/overseas.

Would be great if they could overnight a fokker there and do a flight to Perth at 5am for people connecting to flights to KTA/PHE/ZNE/PBO/KGI/LEA. Would provide a safer alternative to people driving up at 2am for a swing.

Would also be helpful doing PER-BQB in the evening at 8pm

 

[eastwest101]

It might be handy for FIFO workers who live in BQB but have a charter flight leaving PER to work on WA mine sites early on Mon or Tues morning and who fly from site back into PER on Mon or Fri (so there might be some sort of 5/2/3/4 or 8/6 or 7/7 or 14/7 roster that this would work for and would save driving and having to leave a car at PER somewhere).

As well as QF connections from elsewhere via PER to BQB. Its probably a nice drive to do once in your life, but every week would be a different matter and maybe it will work for QF....

 

[Daver6]

It might be handy for FIFO workers who live in BQB but have a charter flight leaving PER to work on WA mine sites early on Mon or Tues morning and who fly from site back into PER on Mon or Fri (so there might be some sort of 5/2/3/4 or 8/6 or 7/7 or 14/7 roster that this would work for and would save driving and having to leave a car at PER somewhere).

As well as QF connections from elsewhere via PER to BQB. Its probably a nice drive to do once in your life, but every week would be a different matter and maybe it will work for QF....

Suspect FIFOs from that area are on the FIFO flights out of BQB already.

 

[hugamuga]

I have worked with a number of people from different companies who drive to Perth from Margs, Bunbury, or Bussleton. Either staying the night in a hotel, or doing a drive in the early hours to catch a morning flights to the Pilbara.

Anyone who works at a consultancy/contractor without a regular swing needs to commute through Perth.

I think the timings are too inconvenient for most common FIFO flights/rosters except maybe in situations where you are an independent contractor who can book flights to match those exact days

 

[eastwest101]

Suspect FIFOs from that area are on the FIFO flights out of BQB already.

You are probably right, there are a number of charter flights to a surprising number of destinations/mine sites from BQB already, I hadn't realised there were that many.