Tokyo Haneda slot - how will Virgin Operate it?

[TMP]

I think Australia can support the airlines it has, and I agree that VA is much better managed now post administration from an airline perspective (jury out on how it treats its employees!)

 

[simmomelb]

Is VA that poorly managed though? They reported their first profit in 11 years last year. It think this CNS-HND decision rather vindicates the idea that Australia cannot sustain more than one major international airline.

The current management clearly disagreed with this, until this announcement, as the current management was convinced it would work or they wouldn't have gone through with it only 12 months ago, when it commenced.

 

[eastwest101]

Slot squatting by Bain who thought that they were the cleverest in the room. Not looking so clever now by missing the IPO window with presumably the capacity handed back to Qantstar just in time for the profitable ski season. Facepalm moment for Bain and the management at Virgin who dealt themselves out of any optionality by getting rid of the VAi B777 and A330 fleet. As others have said - even those B737s could have been making more $$ flying domestically if they had half a brain between them.

 

[simmomelb]

Slot squatting by Bain who thought that they were the cleverest in the room. Not looking so clever now by missing the IPO window with presumably the capacity handed back to Qantstar just in time for the profitable ski season.

The height of the ski season is finishing when VA cease their HND flights, just to clarify

 

[HS-TQE]

As a Queensland taxpayer and the 3rd AAIF failure (after the Scoot and to a lesser extent the AirAsiaX year-round failures) I'd also have to question how much was spent on the failed AAIF cases including this one.

 

[RSVKanga]

failed AAIF cases

Is Jetstar's current CNS-NRT 787 service under AAIF support, or does that flight stand on its own two feet?

 

[simmomelb]

Is Jetstar's current CNS-NRT 787 service under AAIF support, or does that flight stand on its own two feet?

AAIF supported, all listed here: Attracting Aviation Investment Fund
Scroll to the bottom.

 

[elanshin]

Is Jetstar's current CNS-NRT 787 service under AAIF support, or does that flight stand on its own two feet?

It is under the support but I'd say it can stand on its own too. Just maybe not as many ridiculous priced (cheap) fares from time to time.

 

[Himeno]

Some people will continue to argue the idea that we can sustain two long haul airlines, and I'm sure that Ansett Australia, VA1 and now VA2 will completely agree with them.

AN was able to run long haul flights just fine prior to international airlines buying into it and pulling anything of value out, combined with throwing excessive amounts of money at sponsorships.

 

[HS-TQE]

HKG and KIX were the mainstay of ANi's long haul operations from day 1 until their administration/liquidation.

The now defunct VAi Long Haul only had LAX as the mainstay which was propped/assisted by the now dissolved DL joint venture.

 

[Steady]

I have flights booked after Feb on VA to HND

Looks like it's refund only, no rebooking (on ANA)

As did I - they were cheaper then premium economy on other airlines when I booked them. Now it looks like I will need to fork out an extra 4-5K or fly economy

 

[simmomelb]

As did I - they were cheaper then premium economy on other airlines when I booked them. Now it looks like I will need to fork out an extra 4-5K or fly economy

Are you flexible with dates? They moved mine forward and all is solved

 

[Steady]

Are you flexible with dates? They moved mine forward and all is solved

No, mine were booked for late April and there is no movement

 

[simmomelb]

No, mine were booked for late April and there is no movement

"No movement" as in you aren't flexible with dates?

 

[Must...Fly!]

If you do not wish to move your dates proactively, I would wait until advice comes through via the agency hub, which will clearly outline your options.

Post automatically merged: Jul 22, 2024

If you do not wish to move your dates proactively, I would wait until advice comes through via the agency hub, which will clearly outline your options.

Actually it's just gone up, but there's no additional detail. Refund may be your only option, if travel dates are not flexible.

https://www.virginaustralia.com/content/dam/vaa/documents/agency-hub/trade-releases/TR22July24-Cairns-Haneda-Update.pdf

 

[hwy]

Yes. I'm doing PER-BNE-CNS-HND-CNS-BNE-PER all in "biz" for just under AUD2,500. That's good help maintain platinum and have some fun in Tokyo for a few days.

That's a great price! Well booked.

 

[AFF Editor]

I had a look at the load factors (percentage of seats filled) from July 2023 (the first full month of operation) until April 2024. That's the last month for which BITRE data is currently available.

VA had consistently lower load factors than all other airlines flying between Australia and Japan, except in August 2023 when it was the second-lowest:



Full details here:

Virgin Australia Gives Up Cairns-Tokyo

Virgin Australia will stop flying from Cairns to Tokyo in February 2025. We examine why Virgin couldn't make flights to Japan work.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[sudoer]

This route was always going to be quite reliant on JP based pax visiting Cairns, which will have become prohibitively expensive for many with the tanking yen....

 

[justinbrett]

I had a look at the load factors (percentage of seats filled) from July 2023 (the first full month of operation) until April 2024. That's the last month for which BITRE data is currently available.

VA had consistently lower load factors than all other airlines flying between Australia and Japan, except in August 2023 when it was the second-lowest:

View attachment 398752

Full details here:

Virgin Australia Gives Up Cairns-Tokyo

Virgin Australia will stop flying from Cairns to Tokyo in February 2025. We examine why Virgin couldn't make flights to Japan work.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Interesting that ANA is so much lower than JAL.

I'm guessing there's more pax outbound in Australia wanting to credit to QF.

You'd think QF & JL had a JV by those stats.

 

[Human]

Those ANA load factors are not too hot either. I wonder how many Star Alliance pax fly to Japan via Singapore?