Virgin trimming the network. Farewell HBA-CBR, SYD-ROK...

[Tuddy]

It would appear that SYD-ROK and HBA-CBR are getting the axe from 29 April.

Virgin cancels direct flights between Rocky and Sydney | Rockhampton Morning Bulletin

No source available as yet for the cessation of the HBA-CBR route, though a forward booking search indicates that it also won't be operating from this date. I know the SYD-ROK flights could be quiet...but I was under the impression HBA-CBR could get quite busy, with a 737 operating on some days.

Bigger question is where will this E190 be redeployed? Beefing up a current market or creating a new link?

Thoughts?

 

[bullerdude]

Bigger question is where will this E190 be redeployed? Beefing up a current market or creating a new link?

Thoughts?

One posibility is it will replace the services currently operated by the two 737-700 jets being retired this year, or it will replace other planes to allow them to the shifted on the 737-700 routes.

 

[markis10]

GLT-SYD instead??

 

[Tuddy]

GLT-SYD instead??

Is there sufficient traffic on the route to warrant up to 3 direct flights/day on this route, considering QLink operating up to 2/day presently with Q400s...?

I'd like to see the re-addition of ADL-HBA to the route network, as well as beefing up of NTL routes and capacity (one midday NTL-MEL flight/day? Come on now...) and perhaps an additional SYD-TSV on certain busy days per week. Of course that's just my wish list. Realistically - where is this plane going!?

 

[eastwest101]

It would appear that SYD-ROK and HBA-CBR are getting the axe from 29 April.

Virgin cancels direct flights between Rocky and Sydney | Rockhampton Morning Bulletin

No source available as yet for the cessation of the HBA-CBR route, though a forward booking search indicates that it also won't be operating from this date. I know the SYD-ROK flights could be quiet...but I was under the impression HBA-CBR could get quite busy, with a 737 operating on some days.

Bigger question is where will this E190 be redeployed? Beefing up a current market or creating a new link?

Thoughts?

For the direct SYD-ROK flights for VA possibly a mixture of cutbacks to the coal mining industry and loss of FIFO traffic, tourism continues to be dead plus a bit of VA incompetence? I believe this was a route that VA refused to sell J class seats on - despite the Y cabin often being at 100% capacity on weekdays?

Good point - those E190s will be used elsewhere!

 

[Fruitcake]

Is there sufficient traffic on the route to warrant up to 3 direct flights/day on this route, considering QLink operating up to 2/day presently with Q400s...?

With operating costs ~20% lower per sector VA can probably tolerate a pretty ordinary load factor on an ATR if QF is setting the prevailing fare level based on the cost of their Q400s. However on a sector that length the ATR's dramatically slower cruise speed would start to bite pretty severely too.

If VA could rustle up an E190 they could use the "jets vs props" marketing angle but historically it's extremely rare for pax to actually pay a premium for jet service (which is why DJ's E170s were given the flick very early in their careers).

 

[markis10]

Is there sufficient traffic on the route to warrant up to 3 direct flights/day on this route, considering QLink operating up to 2/day presently with Q400s...?

Not sure, but with up to 6000 FIFO workers on Curtis Island over the next few years, I would not be surprised, unlike us many prefer to fly direct rather than connect.

 

[grubbidok]

What a shame. These kind of routes were really something VA had over QF. I would say the fact the SYD-ROK wasn't really at a convenient time for either end probably had more to do with load factors than the route not being viable. I would hazard a guess though and say that the Emerald and Gladstone routes probably cannibalised ROK traffic a bit, not to mention the Gladstone QF direct flight to Sydney.

 

[markis10]

One posibility is it will replace the services currently operated by the two 737-700 jets being retired this year, or it will replace other planes to allow them to the shifted on the 737-700 routes.

Possibly, although another 738 delivery and the A330 coming on to BNE PER will also add aircraft back into the pool.

 

[Whatever]

How about a day time Darwin flight ex Brisbane rather than that horror night flight. Scheduled 2040 departure the other day didn't leave until 2300. The poor buggers at the other end left Darwin after 0300.

 

[Simo]

Wow,

I wonder when they will cut the MKY to SYD route.

 

[eastwest101]

What a shame. These kind of routes were really something VA had over QF. I would say the fact the SYD-ROK wasn't really at a convenient time for either end probably had more to do with load factors than the route not being viable...

I agree with those sentiments - if VA want to replicate the QF route network, timetable and fleet then they should expect that their customers may start to wonder why we flying VA in the first place? Its lazy and formulaic management.

Given that VA have a slightly different fleet of E190s wouldn't it make sense to capitalize on that and offer more point to point services? We have seen VA be quite aggressive and reactive to QF's woes and mistakes (like putting A330s up against QF ageing B763 in the trancon markets) and its now clear that the QF Group will continue to throw more capacity into the entire market but VA should continue to see exactly where that capacity is being added and where that capacity is being reduced (or product downgraded) and work on that. After all - all else being equal VA must have a lower cost base than QFd. With the addition of TT to the stable they really will have their work cut out for them in the next few years.

For instance - the QFlink dash 8's have a reputation of being "the flying cash registers" for QF. Why is that so? Would they continue to be so if VA throws up a superior product?

Another example - more route specific - what are the yields like on SYD-OOL vs BNE-ISA? Now I recongnize that VA has re-entered the BNE-ISA market before but more food for thought?

Several different theories on how to deal with an incumbent competitor whom is prepared to lose money to retain market share and/or put you out of business. Brian Grey had a theory that to deal with predatory pricing, you have to cover enough of your competitors routes with a lower cost base so that the predatory pricing sends your competitor broke faster than yourself. In this case it becomes a case of whom has the deeper pockets and whom can tolerate losses longer. Unfortunately for Compass they mis calculated that.

Another theory is the "don't play their game" - play your own game and by your own rules and build your business that way, could also be described as the more "assymetric warfare" type - identify the key weaknesses of your competitor and what you competitor can and cannot do, and beat them on the battlegrounds that you select.

 

[Simo]

The other question is are they adding more capacity to some routes.

I would be guessing that it only probable once a day routes.(maybe)

 

[Chuq]

It would appear that SYD-ROK and HBA-CBR are getting the axe from 29 April.

What a pain... the wife and kids have never been to Canberra so was considering this for our next family trip... but the thought of shifting a 2/4/6 year olds through two flights each way is painful...

...but those family-pooled status credits ...

... That leaves only MEL, SYD and BNE with direct flights to Tassie... the pain could be eased if we finally got some international routes. I notice that there is a MCY-AKL direct flight, but still nothing between NZ and Tassie.

 

[smatho10]

What did you think will come first? Flights to NZ or cable car on Mt Wellington???

There is always talk but nothing happens...

 

[Chuq]

What did you think will come first? Flights to NZ or cable car on Mt Wellington???

There is always talk but nothing happens...

Well the flights to NZ happened in the 80s so I guess they came first

Can't we have both? :-/

 

[smatho10]

I was six years old when I went HBA to CHC.. That was 1989.. I remember being the lolly boy on Air Nz handing out the hard candy..

Back to topic..

Seeing the crew at the hotel I work at - they are pretty bummed that the flight is dropped - but not missing the 5am starts for transport to HBA is something they won't miss...

 

[hgwells01]

Ooooh pick me, another flight ex Newcastle to Melb pls, only get one direct flight a day at 2pm, but I have done a couple of flights via BNE to rack up some status credits recently. I hate having to come back Jetstar because they have a 4 and 7pmish flight.

 

[toowongman]

Ooooh pick me, another flight ex Newcastle to Melb pls, only get one direct flight a day at 2pm, but I have done a couple of flights via BNE to rack up some status credits recently. I hate having to come back Jetstar because they have a 4 and 7pmish flight.

This. I won't fly JQ on principle and the MEL-SYD-coughkansen route is getting tiring.

 

[smit0847]

Ooooh pick me, another flight ex Newcastle to Melb pls, only get one direct flight a day at 2pm, but I have done a couple of flights via BNE to rack up some status credits recently. I hate having to come back Jetstar because they have a 4 and 7pmish flight.

Based on the loads I've seen on this route recently I'm surprised they even have 1 direct flight a day - there were 70 pax on a 737 last weekend (CSM told me). Rows 3 and 4 completely empty. Don't know why they're not using an E170 on this route.