New VAustralia Flights to Phuket/Johannesburg

[Daniel M]

Daniel - Please refrain from quoting the entire above post in your reply, thank you - mod

So in essence, it's an 8+ hour flight in an A320...not direct, but still, 8+ hours in an A320 with an tech stop...

[Andrew P]

Why I think VA is losing the plot, or in desperate times do desperate things!

It seems to me in deciding which routes to open, VA staff have got a map of the world and stabbed pins into for ports that where people travel to/from Australia, then out string on the map for any route that is currently operate by an airline:- mainly QF, JQ, DJ and D7

Then VA has said any missing connection, great we will fly these routes.

Take MEL-HKT for example
This is a point to point route; no-one would take a plane to Phuket with the immediate intention to connect to another port (especially international).

The only reason to go to Phuket is for tourism, (and maybe a conference), not for business. Also as Phuket does not have any industrial zones, there will be little cargo upload to/from Phuket.

So what does VA do, it sends a plane once a week to Phuket from Melbourne, with a Thursday departure and a Friday return.

That stops anyone who wants to go for a short holiday over weekend eg Thu to Tue. Also does not help anyone trying to use the weekend to add to their holiday 9 days off for 5 days annual leave.

So the travellers are there for a week, so that tends to indicate the travellers will be on a package tour for a week’s accommodation.

Will VA be able to attract the clientele from the higher socioeconomic zones needed to be able to fill both International Business and International Premium Economy seats? And then if they do, stay in Phuket for a week? At least with TG, you can get BKK & HKT in the fare price.

Is a 777-300ER aircraft configured in a three class configuration, with full IFE etc, the right aircraft to fly what is in reality a holiday route? Simple answer is no.

Time will tell if it is successful?

Banjo

Ps I will admit JQ appears to do well out of Phuket, as indicated by JQ often not having SYD-HKT listed on the weekly emails they send out about Friday and other sales they have. But this is on a LCC service offering 3 services a week, with a preference for weekend travel.

[NickN]

Andrew your posts always seem to be some sort of anti-VA advert.

Simply put, they are making the most of what they have to fill in time and generate revenue in a tough climate.

If you owned these aircraft you'd be doing exactly the same thing to reduce losses.

[Lukas M]

It seems to me in deciding which routes to open, VA staff have got a map of the world and stabbed pins into for ports that where people travel to/from Australia, then out string on the map for any route that is currently operate by an airline:- mainly QF, JQ, DJ and D7

Yep, stupidest thing read on this forum so far..

So what does VA do, it sends a plane once a week to Phuket from Melbourne, with a Thursday departure and a Friday return.

When you book a flight to HKT, you can also go via BNE on either legs, so there is a choice of three flights per week, all at about the same price. Wouldn't you rather go via BNE than another International Airport in Asia?

Is a 777-300ER aircraft configured in a three class configuration, with full IFE etc, the right aircraft to fly what is in reality a holiday route? Simple answer is no

Well what would you rather, heh? VA has the best International product for Y and Y+, well from experience anyway

I think you will also find that these flights will be full of high school leavers, most defiantly in the first month of ops. Traffic to these destinations have been surging lately.

I will admit JQ appears to do well out of Phuket

It was mentioned somewhere that JQ only were making a profit of A330 Bali Services...

In the end of things, If you dont like, dont fly it. Plenty of others will.

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by Andrew P

Is a 777-300ER aircraft configured in a three class configuration, with full IFE etc, the right aircraft to fly what is in reality a holiday route? Simple answer is no.

But it's the aircraft they have!

VB has also announced PER-HKT in a 737. 6.5 hours. Groan. To me that is the opposite end of the scale in terms of matching the aircraft to the route.

As for the Thursday/Friday departure - That would suit me fine as it gives you time before returning to work. My only concern would be how they'll handle cancellations. I'm sure the LAX flights will have priority and they'll be working on the assumption that the tourists heading for HKT can be delayed, rerouted and stuffed around if the aircraft is needed elsewhere, because they're just tourists...

[Jarden S]

I think a good route to start up would be SYD-RIO for V Australia. There is no direct competion just LA and AR with transfer market, maybe they could start some new long haul routes with the 6th 777 but that delivery has been pushed back . Arn't the economics of a 777 better on long haul than shorthaul. Will be interesting so see what happens with the last 2 777's i.e. where they send them too. We will have to wait and see.

[Montague S]

Originally Posted by Andrew P

Why I think VA is losing the plot, or in desperate times do desperate things!

I am inclined to agree, if you look at the population of Saffa's that live in Melbourne, well, it doesn't even show on the figures from the census because it is so minor.

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/4484/ethnic1uh4.jpg

I can understand the WC part in 2010, but the WC is only 4 weeks. I can also see the RTW link with VS, but who in their right mind wants to stop-off at JNB in order to get to London? for a start it's about 5hrs longer than going via Asia & the conditions aren't exactly salubrious.

having been to JNB, I would say that it would be the least favoured option of getting to Europe.

[Andrew P]

Lukas M - if you feel my comment is the stupids thing read – look up the definition of sarcasm!

Well MEL-JNB, MEL-HKT, BNE-HKT are all virgin routes todate.

Via BNE

Sure you can, go thru immigration/customs, collect your bags then get the local train from international to domestic recheck in and then fly to Melbourne – not a really good option- especially for frontend clients

best international product for Y and Y+ in my opinion.

But who is their customer base, schoolies – great – there goes the family travellers once the word is out your plane will be full of schoolies.

Plenty of others will

as I said time will tell.

Banjo

[Erik H. Bakke]

A route to Penang might make more sense than Phuket, as there would be a significant cargo volume going back.
There's also more industry and business there and some tourism.

Would combining that with a stop in Phuket be a viable option?

Phuket could also be a transit point to Europe if Virgin Atlantic were to open a service there as well.

[Michael Morrison]

So VA decide to start new routes.... and all we can do is slam them for giving them a go???

We always complain that the airlines don't fly x-y-z route or are SYD centric... along comes an airline thinking outside the box and we just slam them..... come on guys, give them a break and lets see how things pan out...