VA A330's almost completely gone from PER-BNE/SYD/MEL during June '17?

[Moopere]

This might have been posted about already. Had a quick look though and couldn't see anything about it.

I'm probing about for a flight in early June PER-CNS and noticed right away that the PER-BNE legs are all 73H ... yikes! Its a reasonably long flight to BNE from PER so wasn't going to do that. However, as I scanned about, even via SYD or MEL, almost all the weekday flights are now 73H.

Last time I paid attention a very large percentage of the transcon flights were serviced by the 332's during the week, sure, there were always a few 73H's scattered in there, and you had to be careful to not bump into them particularly on the weekends. But now, at least for early June ... where have all the 332's gone?

 

[TomVexille]

HKG...

 

[Moopere]

HKG...

well yes, I did wonder.

There has been some conjecture on the other thread as to whether this would happen.... maybe its really true? How many MEL-HKG flights per day are we talking about though? Has the new route potentially gobbled up the lions share of the platforms that used to service the transcon route?

PS: Oh, and big huge sad face if this is truly the future of transcon in Aus ... makes my newly minted Plat 4x J upgrade legs almost valueless as I'll never _ever_ pay 'freedom' fare rates for a bloomin 737. cry cry cry

 

[TomVexille]

They only have 6 as it is

 

[Justchecking]

Well they were losing so much money fling them transcon, might as well try and make some money with them somehow. Say goodbye to your lie-flat bed in transcon.

 

[Moopere]

Well they were losing so much money fling them transcon, might as well try and make some money with them somehow. Say goodbye to your lie-flat bed in transcon.

Is that right though? Admittedly I don't fly west-east as much as I used to but when I do, the loads look pretty good, on par with what they've mostly been for ages. Y packed full and J about 50-70%.

Anyway, theres only 6 of them eh? I thought there were 8 or more .. this really might be it then. The chatter a while back was one of the 330's going to the Fiji run, and I'm guessing 1-2 will end up on the HKG run leaving only a couple for the busiest timeslots transcon.

 

[soorox]

Anyway, theres only 6 of them eh? I thought there were 8 or more .. this really might be it then. The chatter a while back was one of the 330's going to the Fiji run, and I'm guessing 1-2 will end up on the HKG run leaving only a couple for the busiest timeslots transcon.

Well if VA launches both MEL-HKG and SYD-HKG daily, that will take atleast 2 frames. Leaving only 4 for transcon. My guess is that BNE-PER will say goodbye to the A330, whilst SYD/MEL-PER will have a reduced schedule. Haven't even touched on future China flying, that would probably take away 1 more frame.

 

[Jurahn]

This might have been posted about already. Had a quick look though and couldn't see anything about it.

I'm probing about for a flight in early June PER-CNS and noticed right away that the PER-BNE legs are all 73H ... yikes! Its a reasonably long flight to BNE from PER so wasn't going to do that. However, as I scanned about, even via SYD or MEL, almost all the weekday flights are now 73H.

Last time I paid attention a very large percentage of the transcon flights were serviced by the 332's during the week, sure, there were always a few 73H's scattered in there, and you had to be careful to not bump into them particularly on the weekends. But now, at least for early June ... where have all the 332's gone?

This has been happening progressively - my PER-SYD flight on Monday was downgraded to a 737, and it seemed to be happening more often from this month onwards. I'm hoping the same doesn't happen with my return flight in April, but as it's a connecting flight after travelling back from the US, there's not going to be much I can do about it - I'll just want to get back home to PER by that stage!

 

[oz_mark]

Well if VA launches both MEL-HKG and SYD-HKG daily, that will take atleast 2 frames. Leaving only 4 for transcon.

Virgin have an allocation of 7 return flights a week between Australia and Hong Kong. At launch, at least, it won't be a daily flight from both cities.

 

[Pleb Status]

This might have been posted about already. Had a quick look though and couldn't see anything about it.

I'm probing about for a flight in early June PER-CNS and noticed right away that the PER-BNE legs are all 73H ... yikes! Its a reasonably long flight to BNE from PER so wasn't going to do that. However, as I scanned about, even via SYD or MEL, almost all the weekday flights are now 73H.

Last time I paid attention a very large percentage of the transcon flights were serviced by the 332's during the week, sure, there were always a few 73H's scattered in there, and you had to be careful to not bump into them particularly on the weekends. But now, at least for early June ... where have all the 332's gone?

There appears to be a 'disconnect' between the aircraft shown operating in the timetables and the actual booking system. Looking at PER-BNE v.v, the timetables show almost no 332 operating after May but the booking system shows the 332 services operating as normal into 2018. All of my flights with confirmed upgrades operating after May are also still showing 'The Business' (at this stage).

One or two 332 may need to be trimmed from the transcon schedule due to the introduction of HKG. Hopefully at least one 332 has already been removed from the forward schedules due to the (now aborted) introduction of PER-AUH from June 2017.

Well they were losing so much money fling them transcon, might as well try and make some money with them somehow. Say goodbye to your lie-flat bed in transcon.

Do you have any proof for this statement (anything from VA themselves about the 'losses' on transcon) or are you just regurgitating the 'truth' from the VA haters over on Pprune.

 

[Moopere]

There appears to be a 'disconnect' between the aircraft shown operating in the timetables and the actual booking system. Looking at PER-BNE v.v, the timetables show almost no 332 operating after May but the booking system shows the 332 services operating as normal into 2018. All of my flights with confirmed upgrades operating after May are also still showing 'The Business' (at this stage).

I wonder if this is whats really going on? At the same time as the 332's are disappearing from the booking site for transcon they are _not_ likewise appearing on either SYD or MEL -> HKG ... they seem to have simply disappeared (I checked SYD/MEL->HKG for same period).

Perhaps VA are wary of not overselling the 332 if they might be pulled at any moment from the route? Selling 73H tickets instead and if you happen to get a 330 then yay! Upgrade for you!

All up though, I can't see this being good news for me however the cookie crumbles. I'm not going to fly the 737 transcon if there is any way to avoid it ...

 

[Jurahn]

All up though, I can't see this being good news for me however the cookie crumbles. I'm not going to fly the 737 transcon if there is any way to avoid it ...

Don't blame you - over the last 18 months or so, the transcon J trips I have done were all A332 - doing the PER-SYD leg in the 737 this week was woeful in comparison. Being on a revenue J fare, I wasn't impressed. Mind you, neither were a number of the other passengers in both J and Y - from the comments as they boarded, it seems none were advised/aware of the downgrade (which had actually happened a couple of months beforehand).

 

[Justchecking]

Do you have any proof for this statement (anything from VA themselves about the 'losses' on transcon) or are you just regurgitating the 'truth' from the VA haters over on Pprune.

Has the company made a profit in the years since they've been running the 330 transcon service? Was the company making a profit prior to running 330's? The overall bottom line as reported to market tells the story of a company's success or not, we are left to draw our own theories as to why that may or may not be.

It's an opinion, that's all.

 

[Pleb Status]

Has the company made a profit in the years since they've been running the 330 transcon service? Was the company making a profit prior to running 330's? The overall bottom line as reported to market tells the story of a company's success or not, we are left to draw our own theories as to why that may or may not be.

It's an opinion, that's all.

The domestic division of VA (the division where the 332 operates) has been making a profit for a few years now. EBIT was $80M* last half (to 31 December 2016).



The domestic division EBIT for the FY15 year was $111.1M* and for FY16 year is $162.0M*.

* Source - VAH financial filings with the ASX.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

PER-BNE legs are all 73H

Been flying BNE-PER for the last 7 months and all my flights have been 737...

 

[farstar]

if VA only have 737 then go QANTAS, VA have other priorities.

 

[Moopere]

Been flying BNE-PER for the last 7 months and all my flights have been 737...

Oh right. It's been at least 2 years since I last flew per-bne on my way to surfers paradise but at that time there were, from memory, several 332 choices.

It's a long flight on a 737

 

[Moopere]

if VA only have 737 then go QANTAS, VA have other priorities.

Yes, well, indeed. It's been a while since I've added any volume to my stash of qff points, but the prospect of transcontinental 737 on va will certainly have me looking over the fence to see if the neighbours grass is greener

Mind you. It's been many years since I've travelled without any status .... and I'm red with qf ... that might hurt hahaha

 

[Dannyism]

well yes, I did wonder.

PS: Oh, and big huge sad face if this is truly the future of transcon in Aus ... makes my newly minted Plat 4x J upgrade legs almost valueless as I'll never _ever_ pay 'freedom' fare rates for a bloomin 737. cry cry cry

I find the comp upgrades very hard / impossible to use. My works policy is a 'common sense' book the best non-refundable at the time you wish to fly. So the only way I could book a freedom fare is when Elevate fares are pretty expensive AND I can save a nights accommodation by flying a red-eye so it's a similar price overall. I was recently coming back from Perth and the red-eye was service by the 737. So I said cough* it and spent an extra night in Perth.

I'd never pay for a freedom fare to leisure travel and TBH I'd probably never fly to Perth for leisure. Ah well.

 

[hydrabyss]

On a flight early january I remember the FA mentioning that they would no longer service this route but cannot remember exactly when or where they would be going or if he mentioned the destination. Although thinking about it I do beleive it was international and remember being a little surprised but then I was surprised by the size or lack of with the J meal. Sorry I cannot remember any more detail but whenever I try and talk frequent flyer stuff in front of my partner she continually tries to change the subject if I go on for more than a few minutes.