Originally Posted by
sbiddle
Expansion was pretty much put on hold due to the terrible OTP and low loads. Grant Kerr (head of JQ NZ) walking from the company due it becoming a slow motion train wreck has then further delayed any decision. It wouldn't surprise me if nothing happens until they've appointed somebody new to that role and have OTP back up again. They've improved this by 10% - 15% in recent months but are still well below NZ.
There had been other regional routes mentioned but word had been they were more focused on Q400's for main trunk AKL-WLG to increase flight numbers. Load factors can't justify more A320 services which would simply be dumping seats into the market that they wouldn't be able to fill.
I think the extremely poor execution and launch of regional has done JQ no favours. Had they been able to execute this without all the issues they may have had an impact on NZ, but right now that impact seems to have been minimal (whether it's hit their bottom line in those routes is another issue entirely).
Honestly, with any due respect, are you just plain having a guess or having a laugh ?
OTP and loads have NOTHING to do with expansion. You couldn't be more wrong. The last few months jetstar regional have had better otp than air nz regional. Well below ???
The loads are absolutely FANTASTIC for a new entrant to the market, far outweighing their expectations.
Slow motion train wreck ??? What planet are you on mate !!
They are new. They have been here for 5 minutes. There will always be teething problems with any new operation be it an airline whatever. It was sorted pretty quick as people settled in.
If they could expand, they would. It has nothing to do with their performance which is actually 180 degrees opposite to what you claim.
Among many reasons the major fact is they simply don't have the available recourses, e.g PLANES ! You can't just go down to the corner dairy and get a few more,- they don't make the Q300 any more for a start.
They have been focusing on big brother back home which has unexpectedly been doing well. They just can't spare the resources.
Impact on air nz ??? FFS. This is a low cost carrier. They have come into the market at the perfect time, everything in NZ is on the up,- particularly tourism which is at highs not seen years. This time the tourists a cheaper (than say those of the 80s / 90s / early 2000s) traveling on a budget. Jetstar type tourists.
They aren't out to take passengers off air NZ, (well I suppose they are in a way) but they are there for a new and emerging market of travelers, The cheaper kind ! So though they are not necessarily taking away from NZ, they are taking new passengers, and lots of them.