QF's COVID-19 minimal network schedule

[Melburnian1]

Deputy PM and Minister for Transport (Federal) today (7 June 2020) announced further govt assistance for the 'minimal network' of which (naturally) QFd will receive the bulk of funding rather than VAd (which gets some, despite questions over how long it can 'last.') ZL also receives some monies. These arrangements cover to 31 December 2020.

On Sunday 7 June, QFd operated a tiny schedule ex Melbourne.

The first flight by any airline, domestic or international, was QF773 at 0935 from MEL across to PER.

QF432 to SYD operated as a lunchtime 1230 hours, then QF1420 to CBR and SYD at 1400, although the same aircraft isn't always used on both legs.

The final QFd flight was QF482 to SYD at 1930 hours.

Note the paucity of destinations.

All up (every airline), there were two international and 12 domestic flights operated (or to be operated) on 7 June 2020, pretty much the lowest I've seen (although some days I have not monitored it).

QF's overall target was to 'lose $40 million per week' by the end of June 2020 with one sharemarket analyst a couple of weeks ago surmising it was losing '$80-90 million a week.' When the annual accounts are issued to the ASX, we'll have a clearer picture though these won't be split into pre and during COVID-19.

The only major Oz airport whose accounts are public is Sydney, as the rest are not public companies, but airports like MEL must be losing an enormous amount of money each week with the ongoing lack of activity.

The WA Premier remarked late this arvo or early this evening that he wants the WA border to stay shut (for eastern staters) for longer given (for example) how Victoria is still seeing new cases almost every day. This will not be pleasing to Qantas or any other airline.

 

[jakeseven7]

Meh QLD government will fold shortly then the idiot in WA will be left standing in the cold. He won’t last long by himself.

 

[Melburnian1]

Meh QLD government will fold shortly then the idiot in WA will be left standing in the cold. He won’t last long by himself.

What about Tassie and SA? Have I missed the latest from these two - are their states reopening by 1 July?

 

[dajop]

What about Tassie and SA? Have I missed the latest from these two - are their states reopening by 1 July?

Isn’t it obvious why their premiers aren’t criticised as much as the WA and Qld premiers?

 

[flydoc]

What about Tassie and SA? Have I missed the latest from these two - are their states reopening by 1 July?

Isn’t it obvious why their premiers aren’t criticised as much as the WA and Qld premiers?

Not forgetting the NT Labor Chief minister who is also maintaining a firm line on borders

 

[DC3]

... the idiot in WA will be left standing in the cold. He won’t last long by himself.

The idiot was actually refused entry into WA due to being too important to provide authorities with information about his proposed stay.

 

[Melburnian1]

Isn’t it obvious why their premiers aren’t criticised as much as the WA and Qld premiers?

WA and Qld are far bigger states, physically and economically. SA and Tassie don't (by and large) have the mineral wealth that adds huge amounts to our export income: iron ore and coal.

The NT, which has an ALP Chief Minister, is also 'little referred to' by media because it like SA and Tas is small economically speaking.

SA and Tas are also minnows when it comes to tourism compared to Qld, and the woman up there is facing an election so there's a huge suspicion that she's continuing to close the borders for political reasons while concurrently destroying tens of thousands of jobs, the full effect of which will be apparent in September 2020 when JobKeeper subsidies are said to be ceasing. While the only poll that matters is on election day, one out on MOnday 8 June is far from good news for the ALP government in Queensland, as it's a state that relies the most on interstate tourism but operators in Cairns, Townsville, Hamilton Island, Brissy and Gold Coast to name a few are missing out on huge numbers of potential visitors given we can't travel internationally.

While the prospect of a sojourn to Queensland may not tempt all of us, especially if we've 'been there and done that', and realise it's expensive compared to some o/s destos, that attitude is not shared by all southern staters, many of whom would like to visit north of Tweed Heads but cannot thanks to the Qld Premier.

All these border closures prevent a range of transport operators including QFd from implementing, even if they wanted to, a full network schedule, destination wise even if not matching the same frequencies published for a year ago during the same month.

For instance, QFd can carry mine workers across the country but it can't carry you or I from MEL, SYD or BNE to PER (or DRW) were we wishing to have a holiday or visit rellies. 'The Indian Pacific' transcontinental train apparently reopened bookings from July but cannot travel from Adelaide to either Sydney or Perth because of the border restrictions, and likewise 'The Ghan' cannnot journey from Adelaide to 'the Alice' and Darwin.

 

[get me outta here]

In a small attempt to stay on topic for QF I see the NZ prime minister who came in for a lot of strident criticism on AFF or being overly cautious with some warning of dire consequences, seems to have pulled it off. But we won’t get to go and spend our money in New Zealand for awhile:

Ardern to lift all coronavirus restrictions in NZ

“Wellington: New Zealand has eliminated transmission of the novel coronavirus and will lift all containment measures except for border curbs, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday, making the South Pacific nation one of the first countries to do so.

The government will drop social distancing restrictions form midnight on Monday as it moves to a level one national alert, Ardern said.

‘There are no longer any active cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand. On Monday health authorities reported the recovery of the last confirmed case, as well as no new cases for the 17th straight day’.
‘It is also a significant step on the road to elimination of the virus, which should be confirmed next week”.

Source : SMH

 

[DC3]

In a small attempt to stay on topic for QF I see the NZ prime minister who came in for a lot of strident criticism on AFF or being overly cautious with some warning of dire consequences, seems to have pulled it off ....

Ardern to lift all coronavirus restrictions in NZ

........

And what a great effort. The Kiwis certainly got it right.

 

[dajop]

And what a great effort. The Kiwis certainly got it right.

Yes, they've done well. Not having states, I am sure helps. The more states/provinces/territories etc you have the more difficult it seems to be. Although the UK seems to contradict that rule.

 

[Melburnian1]

Yes, they've done well. Not having states, I am sure helps. The more states/provinces/territories etc you have the more difficult it seems to be. Although the UK seems to contradict that rule.

The UK is probably because it was slower than Oz and NZ to impose severe restrictions, particularly on inbound travellers. Oz imposed such 'bans' on 1 February for mainland China: allegedly if we'd waited another week, our 'results' (not that they're final) wouldn't have been so good.

 

[jpp42]

Oz imposed such 'bans' on 1 February for mainland China: allegedly if we'd waited another week, our 'results' (not that they're final) wouldn't have been so good

I thought most of the cases in Australia came from Europe and North America, not directly from China? Wasn't the reason it got as bad as it did here in Australia, is due to travellers from places like Italy that were hit hard just after China?

 

[Melburnian1]

I thought most of the cases in Australia came from Europe and North America, not directly from China? Wasn't the reason it got as bad as it did here in Australia, is due to travellers from places like Italy that were hit hard just after China?

You misunderstood my point, which was that if Oz had delayed banning arrivals from mainland China for another week, the outcome would have been far worse.

It hasn't really been that 'bad' in Oz when one compares the normal annual death toll from influenza, or that which other nations have suffered.

 

[Melburnian1]

To what extent NSW Premier Gladys Berijiklian's warning or advice to NSW residents 'not to travel to Melbourne' (due to the latter's community transmission of COVID-19 cases) will have on travel demand is not yet clear.

On Wednesday 24 June, there are 44 flights (all airlines) shown as departing from SYD on the Sydney Airport website. Of these, 14 are Melbourne-bound.

QFd has 14 departures today, seven of which (50 per cent) are down to MEL. 50 per cent is a high dependence on one destination.

Apparently in some Melbourne suburbs that are in LGAs highlighted as 'problem areas', Woolies and Coles (and probably IGA/ALdi) are reporting a (to use a bad pun) run on toilet paper. This tells me that panic has set in, so if that's the case, fewer Melbourne residents will go on holidays if yet to book.

I don't perceive the situation as positive for any travel provider, with Ms Berijiklian having gone so far as to 'encourage' NSW tourism businesses not to accept Melburnians in hotels.

The attitude of the Federal Government remains that State borders should remain open, or where closed, should be opened up.

It's difficult as there's no vaccine, but conversely, how much damage does one do to economies given that so far Oz has only had just above 100 deaths when the usual flu season allegedly can see up to 3000?

 

[Melburnian1]

This quote is from 'The Australian' of Friday 3 July 20202 as part of an article about VA:

'...In the last week of June, flights climbed 34 per cent, from 87 a day to 117, still a long way off pre-COVID levels of 751 flights a day. '...'

The figures are for all carriers' domestic flights, not just QFd, but it's a useful figure to bear in mind. I assume it's for a selected weekday.

The continuing exclusion (unless quarantined for 14 days) of Victorians from Queensland has apparently already seen QFd (and JQd/VAd) cancel some planned flights on the MEL - BNE and other Vic-Qld routes.

 

[Melburnian1]

With the NSW/Victorian border to close from midnight on Tuesday 7 July - i.e. the start of Wednesday 8 July - one would expect QFd (plus JQd and VAd) will drastically reduce timetables from Wednesday.

Impossible to plan for, and very short notice. Costly to a whole range of businesses including airlines.

This will adversely affect passenger numbers and profits what is normally Australia's most lucrative airline route.

While the NSW and Victorian school holidays differ by one week, the border closure affects both.

 

[Melburnian1]

And it's even more severe than I indicated above, as from tonight at midnight, exemption-less Victorians cannot travel into NSW. (Emergency services personnel, and border residents who obtain a permit, which apparently takes three days, can).

 

[justinbrett]

NTL-MEL (which was not an essential traveller route, but recommenced a few weeks ago) has already been culled into twice-weekly flights (Mon & Fri) after this week.

There were no QF/JQ/VA routes out of NTL during the last few months so it's a little surprising its continuing at all.

 

[jb747]

You can get a permit, but the wording is vague, so even though I have one, I’m still apparently be at the whim of whoever is manning the crossing. I need to go to Albury tomorrow to have my car serviced. We’ll see how that works out. I cannot visit another dealer, as that will take me outside of the 50km border limit, and that will cancel my permit.

The queue from the causeway today was backed up for miles into Wodonga, and also along the freeway. Apparently two hours was the time this morning. The checkpoint should be north, or south, of the combined town. In the middle is madness. But, they’ve only had months to plan this.

I guess I’m going to find out if the cruise control can handle stop start traffic.

 

[DC3]

.... I need to go to Albury tomorrow to have my car serviced ...

Nothing like a bit of good old-fashioned punishment.