Tokyo Haneda slot - how will Virgin Operate it?

[Mattg]

I checked each day in the first week of April but no A330 between BNE and MEL/PER/SYD yet...

Looks like we now have an answer to this. VA has been scheduling A330s on the following BNE-MEL flights:

VA309 MEL 07:00 - BNE 09:10
VA322 BNE 09:55 - MEL 12:20

 

[Must...Fly!]

Yeah that rotation will help yields....

Meanwhile, VA down to 4x daily on some days on MEL-PER while QF have 9.

VA normally 2, sometimes 3 X A330 with the remainder B737.

QF 7 X A330, 1 X 787, 1 X 737 on a random weekday I checked in February.

I really hope HND works for them, because I'm not sure what's next if it does not. DPS during holidays I guess.

 

[HeavyElectricity]

Is this on more days than I discovered back in my post? It would be interesting if they've updated the schedules again.

 

[Mattg]

Is this on more days than I discovered back in my post? It would be interesting if they've updated the schedules again.

Oops, I didn't see your post, sorry! I just came across this when booking a BNE-MEL flight earlier.

(Obviously I chose VA322 )

 

[thompo]

Partner and I are going for 10 days in May irrespective to visit friends, and I'm in two minds: do I pounce on the sale fare for a pretty decent status run (SYD-BNE-HND) with partner pooling to me, or wait with fingers crossed that SYD-HND codeshare becomes reality with 2 reward seats up the front and blow the points on that?

Just thought I'd update, we've booked a cash fare SYD-KIX on QF in Y (daytime so not the end of the world) since our friends are staying in Osaka, then 2 weeks later HND-BNE-SYD in J with points overnight.

 

[kearvaigskewer]

Some more details about codeshares here.

ANA customers will be able to travel on these Virgin Australia services with ANA tickets, having their bags checked all the way through to their destinations and with one seamless booking experience. Later this spring, the carriers will further expand their partnership by commencing domestic and international codeshare routes in Japan and Australia. As part of this expansion, ANA and Virgin Australia will provide members of their frequent flyer programs with reciprocal benefits across both airlines.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Some more details about codeshares here.

Hopefully the straight NH PER and SYD to Japan (one way) flight, and then allow us to get the VAi flight back to BNE, and allow us VFF members to get VFF points and SC, without having to slot into dep Aust from BNE with VA.
I do like the idea of leaving ADL at 4pm, after getting some time off work, and get to SYD to get the 9.30pm/21.30 NH flight to HND, and then come back via BNE with VAi.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Just thought I'd update, we've booked a cash fare SYD-KIX on QF in Y (daytime so not the end of the world) since our friends are staying in Osaka, then 2 weeks later HND-BNE-SYD in J with points overnight.

Careful, QF might just slot you onto their JQ partner, SYD - CNS with JQd and then CNS - KIX also with JQ but JQi.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Certainly the noises around this partnership are positive. Can't imagine the arrangements will extend beyond domestic Japan, but still a positive. Hopefully it doesn't drag on and on like the AC announcements and implementation did.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Now, if they somehow extend this up for NH flights, Japan to Canada, I am sure a lot of flyers would do to avoid having to fly with AC without majority of VFF SC earn, or to avoid flying via the US if their main aim is just to fly Au to Canada.
**Lets navel gaze for a while**, imagine, Au - Japan - Canada or Au - Japan - UK, or even Russia (!).
Pity (Air)NZ and UA (airline) can still veto if VA is allowed to join *A, after all, we already have a lot of agreements with some of the *A partners as it is.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Can't see that happening, DL would stand in the way and I very much doubt VA have any interest in ceding any Trans-Pacific traffic, at all, to anyone.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Just had a look, thought ANA flew to Moscow and UK, but turns out they don't.
They only fly to and from YVR and the US.
Sorry for the waffly though, we have to just wait and see how this "progresses".

 

[Must...Fly!]

Just had a look, thought ANA flew to Moscow and UK, but turns out they don't.
They only fly to and from YVR and the US.
Sorry for the waffly though, we have to just wait and see how this "progresses".

Moscow is starting later this year once the move of more flights to HND happens, 3x weekly with a B767.

They do fly daily to LHR from HND.

And the US will have a big expansion soon with the shift to HND.

https://www.ana.co.jp/en/us/promotions/tyo-hnd/?cid=anaustop201912376

But I think if you were a VA SG/WP and wanted to go to Moscow or the UK, EY or SQ is still the better option.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Moscow is starting later this year once the move of more flights to HND happens, 3x weekly with a B767.

They do fly daily to LHR from HND.

And the US will have a big expansion soon with the shift to HND.

https://www.ana.co.jp/en/us/promotions/tyo-hnd/?cid=anaustop201912376

But I think if you were a VA SG/WP and wanted to go to Moscow or the UK, EY or SQ is still the better option.

I still do like the 767 though, even though the bird is a very old sort of thing, and some don't like her compared to her modern counterparts.
2 by window, AB or FG better than 3 across on windows.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Japan's ANA tightens bond with Singapore Air as market grows

Carriers seek approval to align schedules and fares, battling budget rivals

asia.nikkei.com

ANA & Singapore Expected To Form Joint Venture

It's being reported that All Nippon Airways and Singapore Airlines plan to form a joint venture. What implications would this have for consumers?

onemileatatime.com

SQ & ANA seeking a JV between Singapore and Japan.

Wonder if that might be an indication of a potentially more progressive relationship between VA & ANA, with SQ not standing in the way as much as I had thought.

 

[Bagpuss]

Japan's ANA tightens bond with Singapore Air as market grows

Carriers seek approval to align schedules and fares, battling budget rivals

asia.nikkei.com

Wonder if that might be an indication of a potentially more progressive relationship between VA & ANA, with SQ not standing in the way as much as I had thought.

I thought the same, it could turn into a pretty good partnership.

Next up will be the rumours of HNA selling their VA ownership to ANA if this happens.

 

[HS-TQE]

I thought the same, it could turn into a pretty good partnership.

Next up will be the rumours of HNA selling their VA ownership to ANA if this happens.

The ANA 'rumour' has happened before, back in September 2018 (roughly 12 months before the Turkish Airlines 'rumour' around the same month the following year).

Corporate Travel Community

Welcome to the Corporate Travel Community. CTC is a network of corporate travel buyers who manage their organisations' travel portfolios.

blueswandaily.com

 

[Bagpuss]

Corporate Travel Community

Welcome to the Corporate Travel Community. CTC is a network of corporate travel buyers who manage their organisations' travel portfolios.

blueswandaily.com

It's a pretty accurate article (remembering it is dated September 2018)... "Adjustments to Virgin Australia’s international operation – potentially the launch of services to Japan but reductions elsewhere "

 

[Inlander]

Paul Scurrah did say they would focus on viable holiday desto's . No doubt the Japanese market will boom post Olympics. Can the remaining Hong Kong and refocus on Japan . You can see something like that happening

 

[Must...Fly!]

The Etihad stake looks increasingly safe as they continue to shore themselves up financially. ANA buying a stake in VA would be a smart move, maybe not now but in the next 12-18 months as Scurrah's decisions begin to (maybe) bear fruit. Again the question is what VA's ability to finance Capex on new aircraft is but the priority is clearly on finding a use for the A330s. Otherwise they will be an all narrow body fleet once the leases are up (excluding the stand alone operation that is LAX).