QF confirms removal of PE to SIN

[markis10]

As expected Qantas have announced the remaining 744 service will cease in October:

Latest Qantas News
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[TD="width: 85%"]Change of Operating Aircraft Type Between Sydney and Singapore[/TD]
[TD="width: 15%, align: right"]11 July 2014[/TD]
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[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]
Effective 01 October 2014 there will be a change of operating aircraft type between Sydney and Singapore from a B744 three cabins, offering Business, Premium Economy and Economy, to an A330 two cabins, offering Business and Economy.

All Premium Economy customers will be progressively re-accommodated to the Economy cabin.

Business and Economy passengers will not be impacted.

The following options are available to affected Qantas Premium Economy cabin customers holding a valid commercial ticket excluding Qantas frequent flyer tickets issued on/before 06 April 2014 who are affected by the aircraft change for travel on/after 01 October 2014.

For customers holding a Qantas (081) issued ticket:

Passengers may, without (Change Fee):
Reroute/Rebook:

• to Business class cabin on the same flight and travel date as originally ticketed. Fare difference is payable.

Conditions

• All changes must be made prior to the original ticketed departure.
• Qantas will not be responsible for paying any other costs or expenses such as hotel or other ground operator fees arising due to events beyond our control, unless required by applicable laws.
• All other rules and conditions of the ticket remain unchanged.
• Customers are permitted to make changes as outlined in this policy. Any subsequent changes made after the ticket is reissued will be subject to the rules and conditions of the original ticketed fare purchased.

For customers with unticketed bookings:

For unticketed bookings, alternate flights/routings can be rebooked subject to availability and tickets issued in accordance with fare conditions.

Trade Information

Ticket Reissue:

All Qantas flight changes will need to be actioned (re-issued or revalidated) prior to travel, regardless of which airline the ticket is validated to.

Re-route/Re-book travel:

• The agent can reissue the ticket in-house if validated to Qantas (081).
• Ticket to be reissued with additional fare collection.
• Additional ticket taxes and change fees associated to the ticket do not apply.
• All details of the original ticket to be shown on the new ticket including fare basis and fare calculation.
• Authority number '567001' must be entered into the tour code box.
• For Net, APOSD and Private Fares tickets, move the existing data from the tour code box to the endorsement box.
• Net remit tickets will not require the NR indicator.
• For tickets validated to another carrier, please contact the Qantas Industry Centre for ticketing.

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[/TABLE]

 

[Himeno]

I guess they'll be pulling the 747 off NRT next...

 

[Shan Man]

I guess they'll be pulling the 747 off NRT next...

I hope not

 

[TomVexille]

I guess they'll be pulling the 747 off NRT next...

I hope not

Unfortunately the 747's will be retired at some point.

 

[Himeno]

Unfortunately the 747's will be retired at some point.

and replaced by aircraft configs that their customers don't want.

Qantas had better learn to listen to their customers before they discover they have none left.

 

[TomVexille]

and replaced by aircraft configs that their customers don't want.

Qantas had better learn to listen to their customers before they discover they have none left.

More likely they ignore the customer and just remove the route.

 

[love_the_life]

QF PE was one of their better offerings for the customer. It has had good write-ups and reviews. It is a real pity that they are not cutting back on routes offering this. "Not happy Jan" :evil:

 

[dajop]

QF PE was one of their better offerings for the customer. It has had good write-ups and reviews. It is a real pity that they are not cutting back on routes offering this. "Not happy Jan" :evil:

This has been done to death before, whilst it is a good product, it struggled to attract significant premiums on shorter routes like the runs to SIN. Whilst it's common to see QF PE pricing at 2-2.5x Y pricing on the longer routes (to LAX and LHR) and even to SIN when it was part of the LHR service, since being on SIN terminating services - with no through carriage to longer sector (like CX at HKG) it has struggled to attract a significant premium in terms of $ compared to Y. So whilst there are vocal supporters of QF PE, it would seem there are not enough travelling between SYD and SIN to make it worthwhile including this in A330 upgrades.

Even on BA I've travelled on PE on a fare between SIN and SYD that was one way PE + one way Y, which was cheaper than a return Y fare on BA, SQ or QF.

 

[Foreigner]

So that leaves just BA offering PE between SYD and SIN?

 

[dajop]

So that leaves just BA offering PE between SYD and SIN?

For now. SQ are looking at launching it on their long haul aircraft, which may see a couple of daily services on the route in 12+ months time.

 

[Himeno]

This has been done to death before, whilst it is a good product, it struggled to attract significant premiums on shorter routes like the runs to SIN. Whilst it's common to see QF PE pricing at 2-2.5x Y pricing on the longer routes (to LAX and LHR) and even to SIN when it was part of the LHR service, since being on SIN terminating services - with no through carriage to longer sector (like CX at HKG) it has struggled to attract a significant premium in terms of $ compared to Y. So whilst there are vocal supporters of QF PE, it would seem there are not enough travelling between SYD and SIN to make it worthwhile including this in A330 upgrades.

So CX, JL and soon SQ all have PE on flights into Asia from Australia, and QF can't make it work?
Does QF realize that many people are booking other airlines because QF no longer offers service people want?

 

[Aussie_flyer]

So CX, JL and soon SQ all have PE on flights into Asia from Australia, and QF can't make it work?
Does QF realize that many people are booking other airlines because QF no longer offers service people want?

Sq are only offering it as a connection from their hub and ONLY on long haul aircraft. So a330 to bne etc wont have it.

 

[dajop]

So CX, JL and soon SQ all have PE on flights into Asia from Australia, and QF can't make it work?
Does QF realize that many people are booking other airlines because QF no longer offers service people want?

How many times do we have to go through this? CX, JL, and SQ all have something QF doesn't have - that is connections from Australia to long haul flights via their hubs in Asia. It's the long haul flights that support the big dollar premiums for PE.

Geographically, Qantas does have PE to Asia, as in far western Asia, ie. DXB. But for its destinations in what we consider Asia (ie eastern part of Asia) it has no connections to long haul flights, and people (as in enough people, some do, but it seems not enough) don't seem to be willing to pay 2x-2.5x the price of an economy fare for a 7-8 hour flight. Maybe NRT will work as it is further, but I know between SIN & MEL I would not pay $2k to sit in premium economy for a 7 hour flight, if economy is $800. Now if PE was only $1k, I would, but is that profitable for an airline?

Maybe in 12 months time, when QF is back making lots of money (haha - although the capacity war does seem over), and sees a good return from the capital investment in upgrading the 330's to include PE , I will be happy to eat my words. But in the meantime, it seems the carriers most successfully deploying PE do so on the long 12hr+ journeys, with the ability to fill unfilled seats at the last minute by discounting shorter sectors (like BA do between SYD & SIN).

 

[codash1099]

We shouldn't be surprised at this move. QF is on a one way street and there are no turn-offs in sight.

 

[mannej]

Correct me if I'm wrong but SQ aren't placing PE in a number of their aircraft that fly to AU? It seems this fact gets glossed over a fair bit does it not?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Correct me if I'm wrong but SQ aren't placing PE in a number of their aircraft that fly to AU? It seems this fact gets glossed over a fair bit does it not?

Kind of like other things SQ does that get glossed over - SQ006 in TPE for example. There are people out there that would swear that SQ have never had a fatal crash.

 

[yohy?!]

Scoot and jq continue to offer pe products though

 

[dajop]

Correct me if I'm wrong but SQ aren't placing PE in a number of their aircraft that fly to AU? It seems this fact gets glossed over a fair bit does it not?

Yes, based on current schedules a couple of flights each to MEL and SYD that is all. The ones that by and large connect to or from Europe flights. And probably not for quite some time. To be fair to SQ they haven't exactly made a big song and dance about it yet either.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm just wondering if there was anything in the fare terms and conditions when purchasing tickets that allows Qantas to downgrade passengers? (You see it in CX fare rules for example that says 'where premium economy is not available passengers will fly economy).

I would suggest anyone 'being accommodated' in PEY is making sure they get proper compensation: this would be, at a minimum, the difference between the PEY fare and the lowest economy fare either at the time of ticketing, or on the day of the downgrade, whichever is greater. I would also suggest that any luggage allowances or seating allocations you might have relied on are also accommodated with notes to say these will be accepted free of charge (this might have an impact in situation where non-status members could choose seat without charge for PEY, but are charged in Y).

 

[Sprucegoose]

BA have a good PE product. Cheaper as well