767-300
Sep 4, 2012, 3:51 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Palm Springs ca
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Posts: 747
Because a very similar thing is happening on that route.
NZ-Japan has always been primarily an inbound discount economy package tourist market, but with much less outbound VFR and student travel than the China routes. The number of NZ residents travelling to Japan is miniscule, but the government (main shareholder in Air NZ) needs the Japan and China flights to continue to bring in tourists.
Consequently the 777 with lie-flat beds is being used on routes where there is actual demand for lie-flat beds. That means North America and Perth, where Kiwi miners typically earn around $150-300,000 per year, and hence have high levels of disposable income.
NZ-Japan has always been primarily an inbound discount economy package tourist market, but with much less outbound VFR and student travel than the China routes. The number of NZ residents travelling to Japan is miniscule, but the government (main shareholder in Air NZ) needs the Japan and China flights to continue to bring in tourists.
Consequently the 777 with lie-flat beds is being used on routes where there is actual demand for lie-flat beds. That means North America and Perth, where Kiwi miners typically earn around $150-300,000 per year, and hence have high levels of disposable income.
Sep 4, 2012, 5:56 pm
#18
Ambassador: Air New Zealand
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Sep 4, 2012, 8:34 pm
#19
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: QF Gold
Posts: 1,242
The nature of their shifts (20 days in a row on, 10 days off is typical I believe), combined with the high amount of disposable income miners can generate makes them a good target to market at for connections to the US I think.
As it is, plenty of miners make the trip between PER-AKL once every 3 weeks.
As it is, plenty of miners make the trip between PER-AKL once every 3 weeks.
Sep 4, 2012, 10:12 pm
#20
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 52
My cousin is a good down to earth Taranaki boy who is a electrical contractor on the mines in WA. He comes back to New Plymouth once a month to see his young family. He had never been in a premium cabin in his life till he got his first upgrade cert with status. He hasn't been back down the back since. There must be many like this.
Sep 4, 2012, 11:05 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2004
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It's not uncommon for Kiwi miners in remote parts of Australia to continue to live wherever they live in NZ and commute to Western Australia.
They will typically in a four week period work 17 days with 12 hour shifts, then have 13 days off. And they will generally be paid anywhere between $15,000 and $25,000 for that month's work.
The flight from Perth to Auckland is an overnight flight which is 6 hours 20 minutes long, while the return flight to Perth is a daylight flight.
One-way fares are currently $900 in Premium Economy and $1700 in lie-flat Business Class. US-style Economy with no inclusions costs $660, or Economy with included food, drinks and IFE costs $730.
As a result, Air NZ struggles to meet demand for Business Class on the night flight whereas on the day flight Premium Economy is more popular. And many of the passengers on the day flight into Perth consume heroic quantities of the free alcohol which is available to everyone other than those on the $660 and $690 tickets.
In contrast, the pasengers to/from Japan and China have nothing like the disposable income that Australia-based miners enjoy.
My only disappointment is that Air NZ shows no sign of developing the initiative to buy a 777-200LR fleet to connect Perth onwards non-stop to London and Johannesburg. With those salary levels it's reasonable to assume that an aircraft as small as the 77L could make serious money long-haul from Perth, but of course neither Qantas nor Virgin Australia owns such an aircraft.
They will typically in a four week period work 17 days with 12 hour shifts, then have 13 days off. And they will generally be paid anywhere between $15,000 and $25,000 for that month's work.
The flight from Perth to Auckland is an overnight flight which is 6 hours 20 minutes long, while the return flight to Perth is a daylight flight.
One-way fares are currently $900 in Premium Economy and $1700 in lie-flat Business Class. US-style Economy with no inclusions costs $660, or Economy with included food, drinks and IFE costs $730.
As a result, Air NZ struggles to meet demand for Business Class on the night flight whereas on the day flight Premium Economy is more popular. And many of the passengers on the day flight into Perth consume heroic quantities of the free alcohol which is available to everyone other than those on the $660 and $690 tickets.
In contrast, the pasengers to/from Japan and China have nothing like the disposable income that Australia-based miners enjoy.
My only disappointment is that Air NZ shows no sign of developing the initiative to buy a 777-200LR fleet to connect Perth onwards non-stop to London and Johannesburg. With those salary levels it's reasonable to assume that an aircraft as small as the 77L could make serious money long-haul from Perth, but of course neither Qantas nor Virgin Australia owns such an aircraft.
Last edited by DCF; Sep 4, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Sep 4, 2012, 11:34 pm
#22
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
If air nz wanted to do Perth to London they would need the Australian govt approval. With qantas struggling on Sydney-London I guess they will lobby the govt to prevent air nz from establishing such route.
Not sure about the miners in Aussie, but the oil field workers in Canada does 6 was followed by 1-2 wk off. Most of them fly transcon
Not sure about the miners in Aussie, but the oil field workers in Canada does 6 was followed by 1-2 wk off. Most of them fly transcon
Sep 5, 2012, 4:26 am
#23
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: LCY
Posts: 1,222
Air NZ already have blanket government approval to operate any international route from Australia, and Qantas (and any other airline) any international route from New Zealand.
Sep 5, 2012, 5:01 am
#24
Join Date: Apr 2008
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PER-LHR or JNB? I am not convinced this would be a money winner? Why would cashed-up miners regularly fly to Sth. Africa or the UK? Do they not fly back to NZ, fairly consistently?
Not certain these numbers would warrant such a schedule, hence the lack of Air NZ initiative? Perhaps?
Cheers,
AG. :-:
Not certain these numbers would warrant such a schedule, hence the lack of Air NZ initiative? Perhaps?
Cheers,
AG. :-:
Sep 6, 2012, 11:48 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 35
flying pvg -akl
Wish I had seen these posts before ticketing in early august, I would have avoided these flights completely. Had option of flying through narita and would have gotten better metal for a shorter flight. I will pray for an equipment change to the 777. I can't believe that such a long flight would have such bad seats.
Sep 6, 2012, 3:19 pm
#26
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: SYD & 35K ft.
Programs: UA Gold, *A Gold - Qantas Club/Silver - Virgin Atlantic Silver
Posts: 1,911
Wish I had seen these posts before ticketing in early august, I would have avoided these flights completely. Had option of flying through narita and would have gotten better metal for a shorter flight. I will pray for an equipment change to the 777. I can't believe that such a long flight would have such bad seats.
Cheers,
AG. :-:
Sep 7, 2012, 9:59 am
#28
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Oct 18, 2012, 4:46 pm
#29
Formerly known as fsa_ea
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Oct 19, 2012, 8:26 am
#30
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