SilkAir launches DRW flights

[Justin L]

I remember once while in transit at Changi about three years ago there was a Silk Air flight on the departure board to Christmas Island. Would that have been a charter also? The reason I ask is that Silk Air's press release says Darwin is their first Australian city destination. Although Christmas Island technically is an external territory of Australia so I guess it could be excluded.

[J Brown]

Christmas Island flights were open charters for AustAsia Airlines if I remember correctly, SilkAir just operated them.

[Jarden S]

QF will do 2 DRW to HKG charters if they do well they could make them permanent and base a 73H for new international flying. I would have expected by now that Jetstar would have opened more points eg KUL, BKK along with HKG from DRW they seem to be hesitant at any new expansion lately, the days the MNL flight does not operate the A320sits on the ground for 12+ hours. But ofcourse the question is every new route proposed is a financial risk will the flight break even.

[Wesley D]

As far as I know, the QF charters to HKG are for Chinese new year. Doubt there will be anything permanent come of it.

[Ash W]

Originally Posted by Gareth U

I am still confused as to why Qantas completely turn their back on this market. The daily 747SPs were full. Surely a 4pw 73H (in addition to JQ - which does have a place in this market) would have suited? Silk Air seems to think so!

You have to remember that Silkair has access to the whole SIA network from Singapore, but Qantas has London and Frankfurt. It makes a difference in how many planes you can fill and how often. This is also the reason why Qantas appears to 'under serve' Australia.

For example look at how many Thai Airways flights a day go to Bangkok compared to Qantas and from which cities. Same too with SIA to Singapore who have a clear frequency 'advantage' over Qantas. All for good reason.

[Gareth U]

Originally Posted by Ash W

You have to remember that Silkair has access to the whole SIA network from Singapore, but Qantas has London and Frankfurt.

I agree in that the Qantas network ex-SIN is no match for SQ and its partners. LHR or FRA are not insignificant markets out of Darwin. Add Helsinki, India, Narita, Haneda, Shanghai and Paris via codeshare partners, as well as access to the JQAsia network. And the reasonable DRW-SIN O&D market. This is enough to sustain a full service market presence, in my opinion.

[Radi K]

I think it's just PR hype. I don't know who would fly SYD-DRW-SIN with Virgin/Silk Air in the middle of the night. Especially with Scoot starting flights soon, and the many other direct options.

[Ash W]

Originally Posted by Gareth U

I agree in that the Qantas network ex-SIN is no match for SQ and its partners. LHR or FRA are not insignificant markets out of Darwin. Add Helsinki, India, Narita, Haneda, Shanghai and Paris via codeshare partners, as well as access to the JQAsia network. And the reasonable DRW-SIN O&D market. This is enough to sustain a full service market presence, in my opinion.

Singapore airlines flies to 60 odd destinations, Silk Air 30+, so that is 90 destinations or about 10 times what Qantas has access to, and that is not counting codeshares etc.

So if 90+ destinations can support 1 A320 flight out of Darwin how can a dozen generate the same demand for a DRW-SIN flight for Qantas?

[Andrew P]

Originally Posted by Radi K

I think it's just PR hype. I don't know who would fly SYD-DRW-SIN with Virgin/Silk Air in the middle of the night. Especially with Scoot starting flights soon, and the many other direct options.

especially when you have to go thru customs/immigration in Darwin, problem with Jetstars Vietnam flights

[Jarden S]

There be very little connecting traffic from SYD to SIN via DRW when cheaper to fly non stop. It will be good for people on holiday coming in from the SIN hub to have a stopover in the NT for a few days before continuing to other places in OZ i.e. doing side trips using the Virgin domestic network.