FlyingScientist

I have done DOH-AKL in J, and I found it rather pleasant, having slept for the first 11 hours. QR's dining-on-demand was an important factor in this, and flying EDI to AKL with just one stop in between added to the attractiveness.

I would not have wanted to do that in Y, though...

FlyingScientist

St Petersburg is the best city in Russia, isn't it?
[and don't tell me it's in Florida...]

Mwenenzi

Stopped Sept 2023 when QR restarted DOH-AKL non stop after CV19

The Kangaroo route is very different to 2006. That is when the ME3 prominence started. EK got is first A380 in 2009. QR had an big aircraft orders in 2003 & 2007. QR's first flight to AU (MEL) was in 2009
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar_Airways and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirates_(airline)
UK & Australia are at the end of the line. From the ME3 home airports 3-5-7-9 hrs flying time gets to very population. And SQ and other Asian-Chinese airlines can offer 1 stop flights, The Asian-Chinese airlines compete for the low airfare market. Airlines at the end of the line cannot compete (QF & BA).

Cannot see BA return to MEL. Or to BNE. A second SYD flight a very remote possibility, but would be good marketing. But the LHR & SYD night curfews limit and slots are very limiting.

QF have ultra long hauls MEL-PER-LHR and SYD-PER-FCO with B787. When QF start SYD-PER-CDG the B787 on MEL PER B787 will stop. Just then a MEL-PER domestic flight, often a B737. QF seem to pinning some hope on ULH, but limited by aircraft.

Edit
AU govt Australia's air services agreements & arrangements

AU UK link --> http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/d...S/2012/12.html

CHCflyer

PER does load a lot of passengers onto the flight. I would reckon on about 75% start in PER, though a surprisingly large number of passengers connect to BA domestic and Ireland services (PER-ABZ being the largest flow, followed by DUB).
Note the MEL, and soon SYD-SIN route has been joined by TK. Although they too have ambitions to go non-stop, I can see TK offering some very attractive AUS-SIN fares. TK could grow rapidly and match QR given their cap on expansion.

Koru Flyer

Remember the profitability of SYD to BA is (a) pax, (b) cargo and (c) maintenance base (not just BA planes), to make MEL work on the same lines you would need to offer the same profitability across the three domains, which may not be there. I do not know what the profit mix is.

it is though interesting that from at least what I can see BA do close to zero advertising in AU

although they do codeshare into AU with CX and QR so would have a handle on volumes outside of SYD.

orbitmic

I have (done it in Y!) and to make it worse, it was in the longer direction (AKL-DOH) and for a trip from London where I had only spent less than 48 hours in New Zealand. I can't say it was the best flight of my life, but it was far from the worst too, and I think I resented the follow up DOH-LHR (still in Y) more.

I have to say that personally, even (and perhaps even more) if flying in Y, if given the choice, I'd pick a single 18-20 hour flight over two consecutive 10-12 hour flights any day. In J, I'd similarly pick a single 18-20 hour flight in J over two flights that would involve any connection in a domestic (including US or Australian non fully flat) C/F connection. In my personal view, there was relatively little difference in the unpleasantness of my 18 hour Y flights (I have done several) compared to the unpleasantness of a 14 or 10 hour Y flight. By contrast, I do feel that knowing you'll need to take a second one after you arrive at your transit point feels really daunting, even if it is a short 8, 6, or even 2 hour flight.

If I have time to do a proper stopover and have a decent night sleep in a hotel, whether flying Y or J, then things are different, but to be honest, if I am on a work trip, that is not always a realistic option, or it is one which will cost me time at home which in some cases I'd rather not sacrifice.

DYKWIA

Some airlines keep the toilets clean and tidy, even on ultra long haul.