Emirates wins battle to double flights to Australia - a positive sign for SQ's bid?

[KeithMEL]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...338547321.html

Emirates wins Canberra support as Qantas falters

Katharine Murphy, Canberrra, and Meaghan Shaw
February 27, 2007

THE Emirates airline has picked up critical political support in Canberra for its once controversial proposal to double flights to Australia.

After private talks with Emirates executives in Canberra yesterday, Federal Tourism Minister Fran Bailey told The Age she was a strong supporter of more competition.

"Emirates offers great opportunities for attracting more big-spending tourists to Australia from the Gulf countries and from Europe," she said.

"Given the importance of tourism to Victoria, a good case can be made for more aviation capacity to Melbourne Airport, the gateway to regional Victoria."

...

Source: The Age, Melbourne

Time for SQ to ramp up its own campaign for transpac access!

[jjpb3]

First SQ has to solve the capacity issue created by the delayed A380s.

As a follow-up question, though: would it be easier for SQ to get transpac rights from MEL? Would it make sense (i.e., would people be willing to fly SYD-MEL to connect to an SQ flight)?

[KeithMEL]

As a follow-up question, though: would it be easier for SQ to get transpac rights from MEL? Would it make sense (i.e., would people be willing to fly SYD-MEL to connect to an SQ flight)?

This editorial should provide some interesting background:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/editor...919209142.html

Currently, MEL only sees 1 direct daily to LAX on QF, the rest (QF, UA, NZ, FJ etc) go via another hub (SYD, AKL etc). Don't know enough about pax numbers to comment further, but I'm advised that QF93/94 MEL-LAX-MEL enjoys extremely high loads. The other flight QF25/26 goes via AKL but previously originated from BNE and has only recently been transfered to MEL in response to growing demand for LAX flights from MEL (and no doubt, seats across the tasman). So taking a somewhat vague guess, I'd say that there's enough demand for O/D MEL-LAX traffic in its own right for a direct SQ service.

As for SYD people making a connection in MEL - that could be viable as the SYD-LAX flights can be chokers during peak periods. Further, MEL serves as a natural international hub for pax from other state capitals like Adelaide, Hobart and perhaps even Perth if we're talking about a direct service to North America.

And lastly, unlike SYD or BNE, a dom-intl connection at MEL is relatively stress-free as it does not involve a terminal change on airport buses.

[jjpb3]

Wow, QF hires very good lobbyists, eh?

[KeithMEL]

Wow, QF hires very good lobbyists, eh?

The former Minister for Transport, John Anderson was nicknamed 'Minister for Qantas.'

[AndrewSQ011]

Rise of Emirates and fall of Qantas?

[singaporeairlinesboi]

yea this topic was one of the big one on airliners net.
I really doubt that Ek will crush SQ on the kangaroo route.

[KeithMEL]

SQ might be a competitor, but the real enemy here is archaic Australian international aviation policies.

[SQ744]

I agree KeithMEL. In particular, the lack of direct MEL international services by QF is a disgrace. Qantas do not service MEL with international flights and it really is time for foreign airlines to enter the market here.

Let Qantas service SYD and we'll have SQ

Regards
SQ744

[KeithMEL]

I agree KeithMEL. In particular, the lack of direct MEL international services by QF is a disgrace. Qantas do not service MEL with international flights and it really is time for foreign airlines to enter the market here.

Let Qantas service SYD and we'll have SQ

Regards
SQ744

It sometimes seems like SQ is the defacto home carrier at MEL. 3 flights weekly to SIN which connect to so many other places. Most of QF's pitiful range of 'direct' international services out of MEL stop in another port like SYD, SIN or HKG anyway.

Interesting discussion happening on QF board at TOF as well as AFF. There's a chain of thought that QF's fleet planning is similarly screwed by the A380 delays and the airline therefore decided to shaft MEL and BNE in favour of SYD. "At least" we still get same plane services via SYD.... Makes for a pleasant 90 mins flight with Skybeds and AVOD on those Cityflyer hops though!