Rexit because QF wrecks it?

[Dennis Colquitt]

I wish they would pay some attention to the NTL-SYD route. Costs are usually prohibitive.

 

[Mattg]

I wish they would pay some attention to the NTL-SYD route. Costs are usually prohibitive.

I'm surprised Qantas/QantasLink aren't having a go at NTL-MEL.

 

[dajop]

I'm surprised Qantas/QantasLink aren't having a go at NTL-MEL.

They used to once upon a time as well as WOL. Maybe the economics are not as attractive, in terms of the revenue per mile. ADL-KGC is 78 miles, SYD-OAG is 124 miles. MEL-NTL is 519 miles. That's 20-30 mins from wheels up to wheels down vs probably 1.5hrs.

 

[justinbrett]

I'm surprised Qantas/QantasLink aren't having a go at NTL-MEL.

Qantas needs to put a 717 type aircraft on the BNE route. There’s a lot of business travellers who would fly business but their only option is virgin. QLK often sell tickets on the Q400 for $800+ one way and people still buy them - to avoid flying Jetstar.

It wasn’t that long ago QLK flew NTL-MEL, from memory they stopped around 2006ish. It was on a -300, it was very slow and they often offloaded bags if they were overweight. I think there’s always been more demand for BNE than MEL.

At this rate we’ll see a gulf carrier in NTL before QF mainline. I’d settle for a QLK NTL-SYD service as flying internationally out of NTL is a pain, you either go via BNE with fewer destinations, JQ to MEL and recheck your bag, or fly Rex to Sydney which is weight limited, low frequency and very expensive. Driving to Sydney is usually the best option.

 

[N860CR]

At this rate we’ll see a gulf carrier in NTL before QF mainline. I’d settle for a QLK NTL-SYD service as flying internationally out of NTL is a pain, you either go via BNE with fewer destinations, JQ to MEL and recheck your bag, or fly Rex to Sydney which is weight limited, low frequency and very expensive. Driving to Sydney is usually the best option.

Could fly to Auckland on VA and pickup an SQ flight from there. Probably better than the drive to Sydney! (damn I hate that road!)

 

[justinbrett]

Could fly to Auckland on VA and pickup an SQ flight from there. Probably better than the drive to Sydney! (damn I hate that road!)

The VA flight is seasonal and only 3-4 days a week. It would make much more sense to fly to BNE anyway.

 

[Tamerton]

I use Rex from Orange Airport regularly and service by Rex is not good. Flights are frequently delayed or cancelled and are unreliable. They often divert to Dubbo or Parkes and then they bus you home, and the cost is outright extortion.
For people going to Sydney for work it’s not good enough.
I think the whole town cheered when QANTAS made their announcement.
If they want people to be loyal they need to lift their game.

 

[jb747]

Flights are frequently delayed or cancelled and are unreliable. They often divert to Dubbo or Parkes and then they bus you home, and the cost is outright extortion.

What navigation aids has the owner of these airfields (presumably the local shire) installed? Weather that will force a Rex diversion will almost certainly have exactly the same effect on Qantas or Virgin.

 

[Tamerton]

Some are caused by weather and I understand that, but a lot are caused by using the plane on another route or can’t find crew. It might have happened on another route and has a snow ball effect. Another symptom of cost cutting.

 

[Dennis Colquitt]

Could fly to Auckland on VA and pickup an SQ flight from there. Probably better than the drive to Sydney! (damn I hate that road!)

Exactly, the main reason I've de-camped to Nelson Bay. I'd rather suffer 3 hours on the train than take my chances on that road.

 

[stoney]

Rex: Just shut the %$#@ up. Anti-competitive nonsense wont help with your overpriced rusty little buckets. This is clearly good for regional Australia and actually good for customers. It might be not good for Rex but hey, who cares.

Sorry to be blunt but a monopoly in any business is a bad thing for the consumer and if you believe prices won’t go up then you probably believe in Santa.

 

[stoney]

Rex had a monopoly on the ADL-PLO leg for a number of years and to boot the road distance being 650km vs a 50 minute flight is a no brainer if you are solo or even a couple. Boy did they make hay. Along came QF and strange things happened with price. The monopoly every day price was about $350 for 252km one way, now with QF competition Rex month in advance is $109 previously not available, if seats available 24 hrs prior departure at $109. $253 now price.

So there you have it. The real world economics at work.

 

[CaptJCool]

A lil problem in the convo here is that kangaroo island is an island. Kinda makes it tough to drive the car over water.... similar issue with PLO...... or Perth to LHR (for that matter). Oh. And we haven’t talked Barcaldine to longreach not Christmas to Cocos....

time v speed v price - all have upsides and downsides. No airline is going to fly a short distance especially over land when the competition, (car, boat, bus, train or taxi or Uber donkey or combinations thereof) will do the similar trick

 

[jase05]

A lil problem in the convo here is that kangaroo island is an island. Kinda makes it tough to drive the car over water.... similar issue with PLO...... or Perth to LHR (for that matter). Oh. And we haven’t talked Barcaldine to longreach not Christmas to Cocos....

time v speed v price - all have upsides and downsides. No airline is going to fly a short distance especially over land when the competition, (car, boat, bus, train or taxi or Uber donkey or combinations thereof) will do the similar trick

Sealink running a promo at the moment where the ferry to KI is just $15pp and vehicles for $98. For a couple or family it makes plenty of sense, a couple for instance would be $256 compared to around $600 and you have the added benefit of having a vehicle on the island which is a must IMO

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

This worked the other way when VA expanded into the regional QLD destinations that were previously QF/QFLink only - BDB went from being $225 each way to $109 each way as soon as VA announced their daily service.
REX's tendency to fly the niche markets/destinations (and therefore have a monopoly) is always going to see them run the risk of having QF/QFLink come in and provide competition.

 

[stoney]

Captain cool, I do not understand your comment? Maybe you can help me.

Of course there is a minimum distance that an airline will fly in order to compete with alternative transport and yes the time is also a factor but I do not see the relevance of this when looking at a monopoly as apposed to competition affecting price of a commodity.

 

[Melburnian1]

I wish they would pay some attention to the NTL-SYD route. Costs are usually prohibitive.

That route shouldn't exist on any carrier.

Passengers can easily travel by train (including a connection to Sydney Airport at Central) or drive.

All a short route like that does is chew up landing or takeoff slots at Australia's busiest airport, slots that during peak times are in short supply.

 

[Melburnian1]

Apart from those whose fares are paid by employers or under some contract, I struggle to see how "ordinary" folk in rural Australia afford the super high airfares that QantasLink, VA Regional, Rex and others like Sharp and flyPelican charge on these minor routes.

QF may have an opening special of about A$129 each way SYD - OAG or vice versa but wait until the sale ends. Fares will be jacked up.

 

[dajop]

Apart from those whose fares are paid by employers or under some contract, I struggle to see how "ordinary" folk in rural Australia afford the super high airfares that QantasLink, VA Regional, Rex and others like Sharp and flyPelican charge on these minor routes.

QF may have an opening special of about A$129 each way SYD - OAG or vice versa but wait until the sale ends. Fares will be jacked up.

At some airports, in cooperation with the airport operators (local councils) Rex does offer Community Fares. Not alway super cheap, but pricing comparable to the lowest SYD-MEL fares that QF offer FWIW ( )

Community Fare

For comparison, MEL-MIM and SYD-GFF are similar length, Rex monopoly routes. MIM does not have community fares, the MEL-MIM lowest fare seems to be about $174, whilst SYD-GFF is $129.

 

[justinbrett]

That route shouldn't exist on any carrier.

Passengers can easily travel by train (including a connection to Sydney Airport at Central) or drive.

All a short route like that does is chew up landing or takeoff slots at Australia's busiest airport, slots that during peak times are in short supply.

A) Most people do drive or take the train
B) Newcastle airport serves a much greater area than the City of Newcastle, and places like Nelson Bay are an hours drive from Newcastle train station - and then the train is another 3 hours. Yet its a taxi distance from Newcastle airport
C) Canberra is only 30 minutes further away vs Newcastle. Shouldn’t they be getting the train or driving? In fact the drive from Canberra is easier as it’s all on motorways - we have to contend with the mess that is the Pacific Highway.
D) We have a capitalist country. As long as people are willing to buy seats on NTL-SYD and the airline prioritises the route within its allocation and pays the landing fee, it has just as much right to exist than any other route.