Qantas COVID-19 Group Update

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media ... esponse-2/

To be phased in from the end of March 2020 onwards:

Total Group International capacity will be cut by around 90 per cent until at least the end of May 2020. This is up from a 23 per cent reduction for the fourth quarter of FY20 announced last week and largely reflects the demand impact of severe quarantine requirements on people’s ability to travel overseas.

Total Group Domestic capacity will be cut by around 60 per cent until at least the end of May 2020. This is a major increase from the 5 per cent reduction for the fourth quarter of FY20 and reflects a rapid decline in forward travel demand due to government containment measures, corporate travel bans and a general pullback from everyday activities across the community.

This represents the grounding of around 150 aircraft, including almost all of the Group’s wide-body fleet.
Previously announced cuts in place from end-May through to mid-September remain in place and are likely to be increased, depending on demand.
The route-by-route detail of these changes across Qantas and Jetstar is currently being worked through and will be announced in coming days.

QF grounding all widebodies until May, 90% international reduction, 60% domestic reduction.

Unprecedented times now and ahead folks, thoughts out to everyone who will be doing it tough.

Alice can land them but not sure the capacity given there are a heap of Max there now.

I would suggest the cheapest places possible so not the main centres.

My uneducated guess will be Richmond, Avalon, maybe Alice and some regional locations for smaller like Mildura. Dont forget Wellcamp as well.

Avalon would be a start for the A380's give the space available.

Maybe a good time to do all of those non critical but important maintenance works?

Just a thought....

Hopefully, some aircraft will be sent and parked at the painters to be painted in the silver roo livery.

Air NZ has also advised that it is suspending all trans-tasman services (an 80% reduction) except for five routes being:

Auckland to Sydney: Reduced to seven return services per week
Auckland to Brisbane: Reduced to five return services per week
Auckland to Melbourne: Reduced to seven return services per week
Christchurch to Sydney: Reduced to two return services per week
Wellington to Sydney: Reduced to two return services per week

Source: Executive Traveller

They talk about aviation having boom and bust periods but this is the bust period to end them all. Hopefully, things pick up after the end of May with the coronavirus being contained following the government's measures.

My flight to Wagga Wagga (QF2231) yesterday evening only had a pax of 21 out of 70 (Q400).

Also never seen Terminal 3 so quiet on a Monday evening, reminded me of a very early Sunday morning during the quietest time of the year!

Looks like us spotters will be dusting off our CD/DVD and Portable HDD collection of unpublished photographs in the coming months. It is going to become very quiet spotting wise.

It's not only QF

Rex pleads for government help in face of coronavirus downturn

Regional Express Airlines is in a trading halt pending an announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange on Thursday that’s expected to reduce flying by 25 per cent.

The trading halt was requested on Tuesday morning, following the release of an “open letter” to the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack by Rex chief operating officer Neville Howell.

The letter highlighted the collapse of UK regional carrier Flybe, and urged Mr McCormack to take “vigorous, swift and unprecedented action” to ensure that regional aviation in Australia was not destroyed by the impact of the coronavirus.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/bus...-90erGWOVleFJg

Interesting times ahead

I don’t think they will be spending money on paint jobs when they are trying to protect the business from collapsing or massive job losses.

What I heard is that some of the 380’s will go to USA, some to Alice, 2 to keep flying and 2 are in heavy maint at various locations around the world.

A google Earth image of Alice Springs Airport dated mid December shows 1 x 777 and 10 narrow bodies in storage already.

ASP had a F100 added yesterday.

Also heard the USA storage rumor, the reasoning was that the a/c can be cycled (pre/post storage) through LAX