Unfortunately, I think it is demand driven. Not that people like you are willing to pay $4200, but that many if not most senior gov (not angling at politicians) have PER-MEL/SYD/BNE/ADL as part of their contracts (and pay less than $4200 tbf) it is pretty much QF can do as they wish, if it is not my money then anything is better than Y is the mentality - to be fair I do know some people who are eligible for PER flights who just say that is crazy and go Y. But there few of them. Also I mean what is the choice, VA no, JQ no, fly SQ via SIN? NZ via AKL?

KF