QANTAS resumes Gold Coast services

[Jon Harris]

QANTAS will announce resumption of OOL today...

http://www.airlinehubbuzz.com/qantas-resumes-gold-coast-services/

[Dave Dale]

Great news

[Steve S... 2]

Great!

However QF needs to be pro-active rather than re-active in its operations.

[Ryan K]

Steve, I agree. So much of what QF does is because it's responding to its competitors. Why can't they actually take the lead in something? For example, would a return of mainline to MCY and LST be on the cards as well?

[Sarah C]

For example, would a return of mainline to MCY and LST be on the cards as well?

Not if it isn't making money. THat is why JQ took over those routes in the first place, QF mainline couldn't operate at a profit.

[Brandon Giacomin]

Effective Sunday 28 October 2012

Sydney - Gold Coast
QF860 SYD 0710 OOL 0735 B738 x67
QF860 SYD 0900 OOL 0925 B738 67
QF862 SYD 1145 OOL 1210 B738 x67
QF862 SYD 1200 OOL 1225 B738 67
QF864 SYD 1635 OOL 1700 B738 D

Gold Coast - Sydney
QF861 OOL 0815 SYD 1035 B738 x67
QF861 OOL 1005 SYD 1225 B738 67
QF863 OOL 1250 SYD 1510 B738 x67
QF863 OOL 1305 SYD 1525 B738 67
QF865 OOL 1740 SYD 2000B738 D

A 48 hour sale is now on with fares from $48 one way!!

[Ben Smith]

I wonder if JQ will do a price beat on the $48 fare? The 10% discount would make it a stater fare with 20KG luggage for $43.20!

I booked a one-way fare from BNE to OOL via SYD for $140. When I tried to book OOL-SYD or SYD-OOL one-way or return fares the Qantas site was still redirecting to the Jetstar website.

I also noticed fares MEL-OOL and v.v. via SYD are on sale at $88.

[Craig Murray]

There is of course no way on earth that Virgin Australia's Lounge and Business Class offering for domestic passengers had anything to do with it? Surely not!

Watch the Jetstar lounge at Cooly be re-branded in Qantas colours!

Once the innovator, now the one lagging behind desperately trying to keep up. Qantas - A Great Airline Waiting To Happen!

[Thomas Collins]

Maybe Qantas is responding to competitive pressure. So what. That is what companies do.

By doing so, could place great financial risk to Qantas, if the market does not deliver acceptable yield.

Just because Qantas is returning to the Gold Coast market - does not mean it will deliver profitable returns.

Virgin operates a lower cost base than Qantas - it is that simple. Gold Coast might work for Virgin, but it may not work for Qantas.

Qantas had a Group airline on the market - so it is competing.

To say it is not "innovating" by simply not operating on the market - is poor consideration for the Group strategy.

[Dave C]

Virgin operates a lower cost base than Qantas - it is that simple. Gold Coast might work for Virgin, but it may not work for Qantas.

Is that really true of QF Shorthaul?

[Rowan McKeever]

Without knowing the specific numbers Dave it does make sense... Qantas/Australian has been around a long time so with salary progressions etc their costs will have crept up over that time. Add in the older fleet (734 and 767, even though the 767 offers some 'right-sizing' potential) with the fuel burn and maintenance that go with it.

[Adam.S]

Without wanting to sound immature; does today's announcement not further suggest that Qantas is aiming to become a 100% domestic operation; while leaving Jetstar to take over as the International carrier?


(or have these rumours already been confrimed?? I am a little behind on the news :o)


Or is it purely a reactive move to the competition?

Will Qantas now make use of Jetstar's maintenance facilities at OOL?
Hence why their Melbourne depot is becoming more.....'streamlined' ?

[Ash W]

So Qantas starts flying 1 route they gave to Jetstar and all of a sudden Jetstar is going to take over all of Qantas's international routes. Talk about out of left field that one.

As for Qantas maintenance it has already been announced where Qantas is going to be doing that. 737 will be going to Brisbane. Details in this media release.

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/media-releases/may-2012/5398/global/en

[Brock Little]

Jetstar do not have any maintenance facilities at OOL anyway. Great news nonetheless, four airlines now on SYD-OOL-SYD! :eek:

[Dave Dale]

So Qantas starts flying 1 route they gave to Jetstar and all of a sudden Jetstar is going to take over all of Qantas's international routes. Talk about out of left field that one.

As for Qantas maintenance it has already been announced where Qantas is going to be doing that. 737 will be going to Brisbane. Details in this media release.

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/media-releases/may-2012/5398/global/en

I hope one day to see all of Qantas based in Brisbane... headquarters and all! :)

[Steve S... 2]

So how many Jetstar SYD-OOL-SYD flights will be axed?

Remember QF only moves sideways lol.

[Adam.S]

So Qantas starts flying 1 route they gave to Jetstar and all of a sudden Jetstar is going to take over all of Qantas's international routes. Talk about out of left field that one.
Ha yes, I see your point :)


It was a little out there, but thought it may have had some merit.
I was under the impression that OOL was seen as Jetstar's home and if there was ever a need for additional flights, JQ would make the effort to cater for the demand.
I guess the change is more to target the business class passenger?
Those who wouldn't dare fly with a budget carrier, but would consider the likes of the improved Virgin Australia product, or the Qantas equivalent?


....maybe looking back in 5 years time perhaps, we may see the return of Gold Coast flights to the QF network as an impetus for a directional change in the company?



As for Qantas maintenance it has already been announced where Qantas is going to be doing that. 737 will be going to Brisbane. Details in this media release.

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/media-releases/may-2012/5398/global/en
Thanks for this, I had not seen this release.

[Rowan McKeever]

I guess the change is more to target the business class passenger?

Exactly, it's in response to DJ being the only carrier to offer J to OOL and to have a full service lounge offering in OOL.

Personally I'm not sure I see this working, the timings don't seem very business-focused. I guess QF has done its numbers though.

[Ryan K]

Rowan, don't be surprised if the times aren't that business friendly. The re-scheduling QF is about to do in HBA is ridiculous. Instead of the HBA-MEL Boeing 737 service leaving Hobart at 6.30am, this will now leave at 9am. How this is meant to help business passengers who want J class and a days business in Melbourne is beyond me. It's simply too late in the day to get to Melbourne to do business.

[Matthew Chisholm]

Yeah bad flight times for the specials :(

[Rowan McKeever]

They're bad all around for a setup that's meant to be targeting business travellers. Like the Tassie reshuffle, as Ryan said