henrus

Today has seen a few updates...

Virgin Australia has finally issued an update for those that had a VA marketed NZ operated service.
https://www.virginaustralia.com/cs/g...p/p_056442.pdf

Unsurprisingly Trans-Tasman pax will be moved to VA operated services. Those with NZ domestic connections will keep the connection however it'll be rebooked as a NZ marketed/operated service (almost the exact same of what NZ is doing for those with AU domestic connections).

NZ have also said they'll honor all airpoints/status credits for the previously booked flights on NZ tickets that might have been operated by VA if booked prior to 4 April.

I guess we'll see the status benefits released soon if they're already figuring out points/status credits etc.

NZbutterfly

I'm getting them flying VA domestically in Oz as well so I think it's just an addition to figuring out customer satisfaction.

Actually I'm receiving 'before your flight' type emails from Qantas now too. I receive them from NZ. I swear airlines are copying each other.

johnnyfive

Indeed time will tell. Crews on the DUD-BNE route have told me that the flight is packed during school holiday periods throughout the year with people based on both sides of the Tasman. Probably visiting family friends etc. Other times though it probably is making a loss. I was on it once off-peak and it was at about 50% capacity.

Lot's of people complain about the schedule, but it actually works well for those connecting through BNE to other destinations. For example, it's a great way to get to LAX early in the morning, rather than NZs afternoon arrival. Not to mention you're dealing with a more comfortable 9-abreast Y class vs 10-abreast. Would be a shame to loose the service IMHO, but can't blame them if it isn't good for business.

southpac

Just because the aircraft are full in school holidays don't mean the route is making money. Hadn't thought about the feed to BNE/LAX services.

southpac

changing terminals at AKL is as bad as at SYD. Very time consuming also.

henrus

Numbers for 2017 say that enough people are flying the route. Virgin Australia has 3 to 4 weekly flights (in each direction) with their 737 aircraft carrying up to 176 people.

Last year 23,195 people flew DUD-BNE and 22,157 flew BNE-DUD for a total of 45 352

I've said 3.5 flight per week as some months they operate 3 flights and others get 4.

Taking DUD-BNE 23,195 / 52 = ~446 people per week / 3.5 flights = ~127 people per flight / 176 seats = an average load factor of ~72%

With BNE-DUD 22,157 / 52 = ~426 people per week / 3.5 flights = ~121 people per flight / 176 seats = an average load factor of ~68%

To put those numbers in perspective VA's network-wide load factor was 80.2% in 2017 meaning both routes are below the average load factor. However, as others have pointed out the route is doing well during holidays (also happens to be the time with 4 flights per week) so maybe it would make sense to turn Dunedin into a seasonal route over June/July and December/January. The rather odd thing is that during 2017 VA didn't carry a single kilogram of freight which means the route relies on paying passengers only.

southpac

Doesn't tell you anything about the yield.

eg. A full flight could hsve lots of freeloaders, whereas a flight with 50% load factor moght be mostly business types paying high fares.

NZbutterfly

I have the option of a nice walk between domestic and international in Auckland. I don't actually remember the last time I took a bus transfer at Auckland as the weather has always been good enough to walk.

In Sydney I hate the transfer bus. Find VA a bit better than QF for space but kinda cool QF is airside so get to see the planes up close.

sopwith7

VA bus transfer in SYD took almost 40 minutes last week around 6:30pm; AKL's 10 minute walk is vastly better. I probably even prefer the packed airside QF bus to the interminable wait for a VA bus.

southpac

better still avoid bloody awful SYD & AKL all together. If people going to or from DUD go thru AKL & don't support the nonstops BNE/DUD then chance BNE/DUD will be reduced or cut or made seasonal only. Surely Tiger will operate it very soon. Can't believe VA want to keep operating it. All it takes surely is a quick decision from VA & Tiger will be operating it & everyone booked on VA, will get an email to say you are now flying Tiger.

NZbutterfly

What about DUD - WLG - BNE? Nicer transit point, or even DUD - CHC - BNE? You could fly via CHC and still get to BNE in time for the VA BNE - LAX departure. Little bit screwed if there's long delays but short delays there's some wiggle room.

I realise direct is nice but, if they put Tiger on the route for that length of flight will people still want to fly it? Maybe that's one time will tell.

southpac

& if people don't fly nonstop BNE/DUD/BNE, the nonstops will disappear. Nothing wrong with Tiger at all. As with Jetstar, it's just travel snobs wanking on about what class they travel.

BTW
There used to be a sizeable market flying BNE/DUD who then drove to ZQN. Do you have any idea how many people drive from CHC to ZQN to save money ? It's huge. DUD is approx. 3 hours drive closer, which means you don't waste 2 days of your holiday driving.

The old timing of BNE/DUD which was arrived DUD at around 1500 & returned to BNE at around 1600, was perfect. You arrived & got out of DUD fast & could be in ZQN by 1900. Going back to BNE you could leave ZQN at 1100 & be at DUD by 1400 or leave ZQN earlier & stop on way.

NZbutterfly

LCCs are ok when things go well but they make the news when everything doesn't go according to plan because in their fine print is "We don't/can't look after you" - essentially. I don't read any fine print on my e-tickets and suspect there's other people that don't either. I have an idea of what I'm getting into if I book a LCC and I make back up plans before I actually make the booking. Not sure how many others do.

Aside from that legroom can be an issue on LCCs for tall people. Even on NZ down the back of an A320 my +1s knees are knocking on the back of the seat in front. They start to ache. Can't remember if he said that was after domestic or TT so I now make an effort to seat him in the right place. I don't want him packing pain relief drugs just so he can survive a flight. Sometimes when you add up costs of bags, seating etc it's not too far off the cost of the full service carrier - but you may have had lounge access with that and free food which increases the value of flying with that carrier.
It's not all about snobbery. There's cost and comfort to factor in. Many are lured in by the initial LCC fares which may exclude bags, seating selection, food etc but after they've added all of those features in they haven't then gone back to compare to the Full service carriers fares. Some people prefer to pack light and travel carry on only. Great if that's an option but it's not always an option.

I did see it previously mentioned that people were using DUD as an alternative airport to get to ZQN (which is smart). But if competition heats up and ZQN prices drop those people will probably fly to ZQN instead of DUD so won't be supporting the DUD - BNE route anyway. Time will tell if DUD-BNE survives.

nzkarit

There is the talk of using DUN as a ZQN alternative. Those people will be the price sensitive travelers, only book the cheap fairs etc, might the family holiday flight using miles etc. How many business travelers and on the flight booking last minute and flexible fares are on the route, as these are the profit customers while the other fares cover the bills.

johnnyfive