Tokyo Haneda slot - how will Virgin Operate it?

[FL360]

So is the bet MEL gets a Haneda service from QF?? Hoping!!

This make sense from a business pax prospective, don't forget QF MEL was going to HND, got moved to NRT because QF added another HND flight from SYD.

 

[PERLHR]

they can't allow Y pax to have two empty seats next to them, hence the high density schedule change operation.....

Lost me on this one..who can't allow who to do what? ..what high density change? ...can you simplify? ,

 

[henrus]

Lost me on this one..who can't allow who to do what? ..what high density change? ...can you simplify? ,

I think it was a joke?

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
A new thread regarding the 2025 HND slot allocation has been started:

Tokyo Haneda slot - 2025

IASC has posted a notice that this slot is now available for allocation to be utilised from 25 February 2025 and aim to have it allocated to an Australian airline by October 10

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

[/mod hat]

 

[Harrison_133]

VH-8IA is currently bound for Haneda on the final VA77.

 

[PERLHR]

VH-8IA is currently bound for Haneda on the final VA77.

And so it ends. Actually a friend of mine who is CC on VARA was on it last week. Said loads were good.

 

[markis10]

Wonder what sort of load they get on the last flight

 

[sudoer]

Wonder what sort of load they get on the last flight

Pretty full, surprisingly

 

[simmomelb]

I was on this route 2 weeks ago, was only 1 seat left for sale a day out HND back to CNS and sold out CNS to HND 2 days before departure.
But this is during the ski season, not so sure it was that great outside of that.

 

[Harrison_133]

The final VA78 is now taxiing for departure from Haneda.

Pretty full, surprisingly

The return is even fuller

 

[Saab34]

Probably heavy with staff travel also before its demise.

 

[PERLHR]

Probably heavy with staff travel also before its demise.

Probably!

 

[Rembrandt]

So considering Japan is a very popular destination at the moment why would VA give up their Haneda slot?

 

[justinbrett]

So considering Japan is a very popular destination at the moment why would VA give up their Haneda slot?

Because they don’t have the aircraft to service it properly.

A 737 via CNS is not competitive.

 

[HS-TQE]

So considering Japan is a very popular destination at the moment why would VA give up their Haneda slot?

VA's service was partially subsidised by the Queensland Government and was largely aimed at inbound tourism into North Queensland (Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef) as part of the subsidy, leaving VA to compete for the outbound low yield scraps as most outbound passengers preferred to catch the non stops from the Capitals on the two established carriers; Qantas and JAL. Keeping in mind that ANA was also struggling for loads ex-Australia due to the reverse problem of lack or brand recognition in Australia (except for the Star Alliance loyalists), although the freight on ANA may have been subsidising their low loads.

Due to outside events such as the low Japanese yen, the gamble didn't pay off foe the Queensland Government, NQ Tourism, VA and Bain.

 

[Happy Dude]

Because they don’t have the aircraft to service it properly.

A 737 via CNS is not competitive.

Nor is CNS a desirable airport for VA elites.

 

[PERLHR]

Nor is CNS a desirable airport for VA elites.

To be fair...none of the airport that VA fly from on international services are really ideal for elites....no lounges!! Not even a domestic one at CNS though...fair point. Maybe ADL is the exception if I recall?!!

 

[elanshin]

So considering Japan is a very popular destination at the moment why would VA give up their Haneda slot?

On top of what the others have mentioned, out of CNS, theres 2 JQ services to Japan on 787s. Yes it's JQ and it's NRT not HND, but JQ has a lot of brand power for Japan (both Aussie and Japanese) and having taken the JQ 787, its effectively the same seat as Qantas mainline economy which is much preferred over a narrow body for 7h.

 

[HS-TQE]

To be fair...none of the airport that VA fly from on international services are really ideal for elites....no lounges!! Well maybe except for ADL if I recall?!!

Also to be fair, the entirety of VA's Short Haul "International" routes are outbound leisure, mainly focused on Bali, Fiji and Queenstown (NZ). Not exactly for "elites" and is more focused on outbound leisure passengers going on holiday overseas 'not far' from Australia.

The only exception to VA's leisure-focused short-haul International network was the now ended government subsidised CNS-HND, a gamble taken by multiple parties (VA, Queensland Government taxpayers (through the AAIF), NQ Tourism, Bain) which didn't work for all parties involved to numerous factors inside and outside (low JPY).

 

[Rembrandt]

ANA was also struggling for loads ex-Australia due to the reverse problem of lack or brand recognition in Australia

Interesting. I would've thought due to the demand from Australia to visit Japan that ANA would at least put on some Melb-Tokyo flights. The last few times I've been to Japan I've had to either fly via Cairns or Singapore as I couldn't find any economy (or business) direct from Melbourne or any other eastern capital. I guess the seats were available if I just paid in cash...