Originally Posted by
Cedar Jet
With GF clearly the only airline in the Gulf operating totally on a commercial basis one can really not reasonably compare GF to EK, EY or QR..the latter 3 can be compared as all are heavily subsidized; GF is not. How can one truly know what EK QR or EY's financial situation really is??
True, I never thought about it that way. But I think GF's stragety is still quite flawed. For example, look at KHI-JNB C class fares for off peak travel.
[KVS Availability Tool 2.8.1/Platinum - Sabre: Fares/ZUJ/SG-USD]
Code:
KHI Karachi Quaid-E-Azam Int'l PK [OPKC]
JNB Johannesburg Int'l ZA [FAJS]
RT Apr-Mar
Carrier From To Fare Cur Expiry Min Max Fare Basis
--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- ---- ----------
GF KHI JNB 921 USD CRTPK
QR KHI JNB 1331 USD 31 Jul 12M JRTPK
EY KHI JNB 1517 USD CRTPK
EK KHI JNB 1584 USD CRTPK1
MH KHI JNB 1632 USD 31 Dec 12M J1YPKU
PK KHI JNB 1711 USD 12M JRT
KQ KHI JNB 1780 USD JRT
SA KHI JNB 1869 USD CR
EK KHI JNB 1936 USD JRT
EY KHI JNB 1962 USD JRTPK
QR KHI JNB 1962 USD 12M JRT
MH KHI JNB 1995 USD 31 Dec 12M C1YPKU
MH KHI JNB 2104 USD 31 Dec 12M P1YPKU
SA KHI JNB 2242 USD C
GF is charging only 66% of the price that EK is charging but offers similar convienience and (in my opinion) a better product. If the lack of subsidies were the problem GF's prices should be higher not lower!
I think another problem with GF is that it has two hubs neither of which are particularly up and coming. Muscat and Bahrain are both amazing places, but Dubai has really become a popular destination in the last decade resulting in lots of OD traffic. If GF had stayed in AUH (if it were allowed to - im not sure whether it left by choice or not) and ditched MCT it would have been more succesful.
Cheers