JQ increase Darwin flights

[Stefan Perkas]

Originally Posted by Jarden S

Also you would have thought that Jetstar would have started an ADL-DPS service by now say 3 per week with an A320, maybe they totally overlook ADL when planning new routes. Perhaps Strategic may come to ADL and start something. Is ADL airport fees to high for airlines to open new routes.

In terms of fees i am not sure. I think they are reasonablly priced, from what i beleive.

The killer for Adelaide from what I undersand is the Curfew. I know Sydney has one too, but Adelaide is nothing like Sydney. EK signalled their intentions, but they wanted a late night slot, which could not happen due to the curfew.

DPS is an interesting one, Garuda were suppose to re-start 2-3 years ago, but never did. When PB started it preety much killed the Garuda option, as us spotters beleived the route couldn't handle 2 airlines on such a route. Basically now PB domnate that run, from what I undestand they are doing well with 3 a week. I am very suprised they haven't increased to 4 or 5 a week., every other city PB operates to DPS is Daily.

JQ again is interesting, They could do ADL-DPS via DRW, NZ is also an option. Or even a SIN with A332's.

Christchurch has been mentioned. Again NZ could do 4 a week AKL, 3 CHC. Or even PB do CHC.

China or Asia in general, is where Adelaide will get its new routes from I believe. CZ and VN are the 2 whcih we will most proably see in Adelaide.

QF now look to basing their international operations out of Sydney. Except for the US and LHR and the major Asian hubs SIN and HKG. All the other cities like PVG, Tokyo, JNB are all Sydney based. Which i think will stay like this for many years.

[Jarden S]

Jetstar has applied from the International air services commission for 531 seats per week between Darwin and Manila. This is equivalent to 3 flights per week using their A320 in an all economy 177 seat configuration. So the other 4 days per week will fit in nicely to do the extra DPS flights.

[Mark B]

Originally Posted by Stefan Perkas

Yes that is correct JQ already do double daily. One goes CNS-DRW-SIN JQ57/58, the other goes MEL-DRW-SIN JQ61/62.

Is it not winding back to once a day when the MEL-SIN route switches to using a non-stop A330?

[Stefan Perkas]

Originally Posted by Mark B

Is it not winding back to once a day when the MEL-SIN route switches to using a non-stop A330?

Yes, that is correct I forgot about that. the aircraft will just do MEL-DRW.

[Jarden S]

That may be the A320 now available to start the new DRW-MNL run and extra ADL flights. While the loss of the daily JQ A320 MEL-DRW will be partly offset by the new QF MEL-DRW starting around the same time. So still have 2Darwin based A320 originally JQ planned to have 5 based up there. Could potentially see a lot of new routes opened up now that the Airport and JQ have made a new agreement on pricing.

[Phillippe M]

Going by what was written in the NT News today, it seems that the hub still isn't fully certin.
Although you also don't normally take much notice or believe what they write in the NT News, unless its about a croc of course!!

Jetstar hub unconfirmed

NIGEL ADLAM | October 16th, 2010 | NT News

JETSTAR yesterday warned it may move its hub from Darwin.

Airline boss Bruce Buchanan said operating from Darwin was expensive and he may look elsewhere, such as Broome or another Territory site.

He said there was no guarantee that future services would be based in Darwin. His statement follows an announcement that Jetstar and the airport had finally come to a pricing deal.

Airport chief executive Ian Kew was stunned by Mr Buchanan's veiled threat.

"I thought we had a deal," he said. "We shook hands over it at a press conference. They said it was a breakthrough and that they were happy.

"I don't know what's going on."

The agreement over landing charges led to Jetstar announcing it would operate many more interstate flights out of Darwin and start a service to Manila early next year.

Qantas, which owns the budget airline, joined in the celebration by saying it would start a Darwin-Melbourne service.

The airport said the deal would allow a $33.5 million expansion of the terminal to go ahead.

The announcement appeared to end a long-running and sometimes bitter dispute.

But Mr Buchanan said yesterday: "It's not what I'd call a fantastic outcome.

"But we realise that in an environment where there's one provider of these services, we could continue to argue for years and years and years or we can say we understand the situation we've got.

"We've decided to negotiate a path that at least lets us deploy the existing aircraft we have committed in Darwin.

"But before we commit more capital to Darwin, we're going to have to have a serious think and discussion with the Northern Territory Government and Northern Territory airports again around what the competitive dynamics of that looks like."

Mr Buchanan said there were many other places that wanted increased services.

"We've got to weigh them up when we're thinking about the opportunities," he said.

Mr Buchanan said Darwin was one of Jetstar's most expensive airports and it was expected to become more so.

He said the so-called "virtuous circle" - where Jetstar would pay reduced landing fees per passenger as it increased capacity - was not working.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/201...51_ntnews.html

[Jarden S]

Originally Posted by Brock Little

ADL-CHC should be considered. If an A320 has the range for ADL-AKL, then why not ADL-CHC? JQ or NZ (or VC) would have a monopoly on that route.

What airline is VC do you mean DJ Pacific Blue?

[Brandon Giacomin]

VC is the IATA code for Strategic Airlines.

[Jarden S]

Thanks for that, I read on wiki VC was Voyageur Airlines of Canada but that must be out of date one can't always trust wiki...