Quantas Cutting Routes to Japan

[tripitaka 0]

Because of high energy prices, Quantas is cutting routes to Japan and dropping the Cairns and Melbourne routes. To what extent they will cut the Sydney route is unclear.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Originally Posted By: tripitaka

Because of high energy prices, Quantas is cutting routes to Japan and dropping the Cairns and Melbourne routes. To what extent they will cut the Sydney route is unclear.

Typical Qantas thought process...

...hmm it is getting expensive to fly to places because oil prices are going up. I know - let's fly there less! Yeah - that works.

[grungy-gonads 54]

Why don't they just charge more like everything else?

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Like I say....

 

 

[tripitaka 0]

Originally Posted By: Mamabear

Originally Posted By: tripitaka

Because of high energy prices, Quantas is cutting routes to Japan and dropping the Cairns and Melbourne routes. To what extent they will cut the Sydney route is unclear.

Typical Qantas thought process...

...hmm it is getting expensive to fly to places because oil prices are going up. I know - let's fly there less! Yeah - that works.

Mama, they're on very tight margins as it is. Every empty seat is chewing into their bottom light. Fewer flights will mean fuller planes as passengers take what's available.

[JA2340 16]

Understand the "bums on seats" theory, but if the flights are not convenient the people will vote with their wallets and go elsewhere. That, too is a tenet of marketing.

[2pints-mate 0]

How might that affect the big picture?

[thursday 1]

Fewer flights, fuller planes. Makes sense no?

[JA2340 16]

Might make a few of the other, lower fare units, a lot more attractive. It could also make it more likely for some of the peripheral airlines look at the opening created by the absence of quaintarse. (apologies to Alf Garnett)

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Well...my Qantas flight home from Narita in January was so full I was in a broken and dangerous seat for the entire flight (well it was my son's seat, but being the Mother I swapped with him for his safety.)

 

I was told by the Air Stewardess that there was not ONE spare seat on the flight in ANY class to move me to, so I would just have to put up with it. I had 3 weeks of physio when I got home.

 

Now I have not put it to the test on our other flights to Japan...but they all seemed pretty full to me.

 

In Flight service is crud, maintenance is below standard, customer service when you have a problem is non-existant....yet planes are very often FULL...and they want to reduce flights...yep. I get it.

 

I might come Cathay next time.

[thursday 1]

There's a jump seat in the cockpit.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Jump seats are only for flight staff - I got told that in no uncertain terms...plus a jump seat has got to be pretty uncomfortable for an overnight flight!

 

There is some legal case going on at the moment about a fellow who was made ot sit in a jump seat for his flight...he was on a standby or similar ticket, because there was one too many people on the plane - and I believe the extra body was a returning staff member...anyhooo he was forced to give up his seat for this extra body, and sit in the jump seat...apparently that was against the law, and heads are rolling.

[tripitaka 0]

There's some interesting views on how the airline industry works, but it's probably worth noting that if your major cost doubles in less than a year, you're going to have to take action. It's not simply a matter of "bums on seats" when you're struggling to fill up your gas tank and make a profit at the same time.

 

It's also worth noting that there are pedictions of U.S. airlines cutting flights by up to 20%, so Quantas' actions are fairly understandable. For the near term at least, you can expect to pay a premium to fly to Japan, particularly in ski season.

[Rag-Doll 0]

The only direct flights between Aust and Japan are going to be Qantas and JAL so there isn't a lot of competition or choice. The prices are already very high, much higher than they ought to be due to the lack of competition. Maybe it has changed recently, but a few years ago doing the schlep back to Oz from TY always used to cost a bucket load and be serviced by the crappiest planes around. I've had some great experiences with Qantas flight crew when traveling with a three little kids, but the company is a money sucking leech that takes every opportunity to screw its passengers. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Rag-Doll 0]

Originally Posted By: Mamabear

Jump seats are only for flight staff - I got told that in no uncertain terms...plus a jump seat has got to be pretty uncomfortable for an overnight flight!

There is some legal case going on at the moment about a fellow who was made ot sit in a jump seat for his flight...he was on a standby or similar ticket, because there was one too many people on the plane - and I believe the extra body was a returning staff member...anyhooo he was forced to give up his seat for this extra body, and sit in the jump seat...apparently that was against the law, and heads are rolling.

Mama, was that the case where the guy had to sit in the toilet for a few hours? He was on some sort of family free ticket thingo so effectively had a super cheap/free seat and the crew member who had been sitting in the jump seat apparently shared your view on how comfortable it was because after a while that person opted for a seat in the cabin, thus forcing the freeby flyier to take up residence in the loo. Kind of makes you think that, sometimes, just maybe, air rage might be justified!

[tripitaka 0]

Originally Posted By: Rag-Doll

The only direct flights between Aust and Japan are going to be Qantas and JAL so there isn't a lot of competition or choice. The prices are already very high, much higher than they ought to be due to the lack of competition. Maybe it has changed recently, but a few years ago doing the schlep back to Oz from TY always used to cost a bucket load and be serviced by the crappiest planes around. I've had some great experiences with Qantas flight crew when traveling with a three little kids, but the company is a money sucking leech that takes every opportunity to screw its passengers. Just my 2 cents worth.

Unfortunately, all the airlines are in the same boat right now, so it's going to be difficult for anyone to pick up the slack. However, the Aussie economy is good, people are prepared to pay, so you would think they can fill the planes, particularly in winter. I can't see it it having that much impact on the ski industry. It'll just be more difficult to book a seat and it will cost more.

[thursday 1]

Continental are cutting 69 flights and are laying off.

 

Virgin Blue are in big sheet too. Their shares dropped 75% since Jan.

[thursday 1]

My friend likes the jump seat. But only on short ones like NRT-HKG cos you can see the guiding lights on landing and it's all very exciting

[NoFakie 45]

The peak oil people all predicted that airlines would start going under or at least hit big problems at $100 a barrel. It's definitely playing out that way so far. Almost every airline is cutting flights and some big names are on their last legs.

 

Now the Aussie dollar is so high, there has been a big fall in Japanese tourism to Oz. That may be a big factor to these particular cuts, especially outside "powder season". My missus went twice when she was younger, but it was under 70 then.

 

As the contrarian way to read this, this could be good news for Japanese ski resorts. International tourism is a major revenue drain for Japan. Japanese demand built the local ski industry in the first place. If just 30% of the Japanese who fill the airports between Dec 25 and Dec 29 went skiing, that would be a massive boost.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

hmmm..Yeah Rag-Doll...I think I have 2 stories combined! But that is the one I was actually thinking of - I forgot it was a loo!!! Bizarre!

 

I understand that planes can be taking off part filled in an attempt to keep prices low. But people are still wanting to travel. The other option is to put the prices up to cover the costs.

 

What do cruise ships run on? Are they any better? Maybe we need to go back to the days of sail ships.

[kokodoko 67]

go jetfart like i do..

they are just fine imho..

[gifugill 0]

Quote:

a jump seat has got to be pretty uncomfortable for an overnight flight

Hey I must have sat on one of them every time. Or was that just economy cattle?

I just hate long flights, they really depress me.

[muikabochi 208]

How many flights do they do now before the cuts?

[Tommymitch 0]

Originally Posted By: kokodoko

go jetfart like i do..
they are just fine imho..

Qantas own Jetstar - Hence the Jetstar flights are cut too!

[JA2340 16]

Yeah, but not all of them! We are booked OOL - KIX in January, and the flights are still OK. Confirmed last night through the jetstar site.

 

The flights that are disappearing are the Melbourne-Narita flights, and some of the Cairns-Narita ones.

 

Coolangatta is closer than Sydney or Brisbane, in any case!! So, I'm cheering! Seat allocation made online too!