bensyd

I have been pondering this route for a while....it would make sense...anyone who has flown LA on this route would be familiar with the sardine can conditions in Y. my theory is that QF could have a two class flight taking holiday makers to EZE then picking up some business and leisure travel from EZE to LHR, it could also make a novel stopover for pax flying to LHR instead of the BKK or SIN....
I think BA currently fly EZE-GRU-LHR...
what do you think? should I get on the phone to Geoffrey?
bensyd

millionmiler

If there was solid business traffic on the EZE-LHR route then BA would be flying it nonstop. I guess I could see a QF flight on the SYD-EZE route sometime.

ozstamps

Don't forget Aerolineas also fly SYD-EZE via AKL, (and on to LHR) and with their lowball fares anyone else entering that limited market would also need to lowball the fares.

hauteboy

QF already had service SYD-EZE a few years back.. it was cancelled after 9/11?

number_6

It was cancelled around 9/11 but wasn't a result of it; rather it was part of Oneworld alignment, with the Aerolinas partnership replaced by LA and the flight to SCL instead of EZE. For whatever reason southern hemisphere flights have never done well for any airline (I guess there just isn't enough traffic and premium loads).

virtualtroy

I've said it before elsewhere on the forum but the sooner QF (or CX for that matter) wakes up to the opportunity of direct flights from Asia-Pacific to South America, the better. Forget the bargain hunters in the back of the bus, China is on a shopping frenzy, particularly when it comes to the very natural resources South American countries such as Chile offer in seeming abundance. That = healthy loads up front for pax who would give anything for a route to South America which didn't involve the inconvenience of a transit stop in North America.

That said, any alternative to LAN would also be welcome on this route.

QF NB

I remember reading on another board, that Qantas recently held some sort of half-yearly staff/financial meeting where DFW and profitable routes in South America were discussed. Qantas has acknowledged that they're losing ex-Australia market-share and need to curb this down-spiralling trend.

Qantas would best look at Sao Paulo [GRU]/Rio de Janeiro [GIG]. EZE is Aerolinea's territory and Oneworld/Codeshare partner Lan's is SCL. If I'm not mistaken a large proportion [i.e. 50-60%+] of AR/LA's AUST. bound passengers are Brazilian. Currently Brazilian passengers have to fly via SCL or EZE then onto AKL to get to Australia. QF could offer a one-stop [direct] SYD-GRU/GIG service via AKL. This would certainly place a dent in Air New Zealand's plans for South America...

Didn't the Australian and Brazilian Governments recently sign a bilateral agreement? Perhaps there is something in it for Qantas?

Guess with the new 787 family delivery to QF and a possible 772L/R order, South America may be high on the wish list for QF. Although, Dixon is intent on regaining market-share ASAP and has identified South America as a good market, so perhaps next year with the freeing up of 744E/Rs we may see some sort of SYD-AKL-South America route?

Regards

spotwelder

Well, LAN are not that bad in my experience. I did take the SYD-AKL-EZE and as you said it makes an interesting change, although all that happened was I changed for SCL, arrived so late that I missed my meeting, nightstopped for 9 hours, then went SCL-GRU-LGW. I tend to spend a bit longer in South America these days.

I would welcome additional south america services, as getting a seat on the AKL to SCL can be difficult on RTW trips. I do not really want to add a continent and go via LAX in order to get to Bogota or Lima.

You have to compete with their cost base as well. Therefore, it might be better to discuss a more comprehensive agreement with LAN than just start punting 744ERs across the southern pacific.

virtualtroy

Glass 1/2 empty, 1/2 full... Those J seats are seriously uncomfortable on an 11-hr flight such as this. The new lie-flats will be a welcome improvement, but I haven't head what the timescales are for the SCL-AKL-SYD run.

ozstamps

Well if they did, hope it reduced VISA costs. I had to pay about $100 a year for 3 years running to fly to rio for NYE. AND endured easily the rudest consult staff in SYD. Absurd. In the end I wrote to consul-general here and said unless they gave me a 5 year business visa I'd go somewhere else. they did.

That kind of cost will deter a LOT of potential tourists. There are no visa costs for EZE but Chile is also pretty extortionate - I recall it was $US60 for oz visitors my last couple of visits. Only oz, US, NZ and Canadians paid - and all different $$$ levels.

Greenbacks only which was even more insulting. Their own currency on arrival not accepted.

Dave Noble

Awww.. diddums.

The reason why Chile charges Australians to visit Chile is because Australia charges for Chileans to visit Australia. Brazil has a quid pro quo approach to visas too which is why a UK passport holder needs no visa whilst US an Ozzians need a visa. The fee for an Ozzian to enter Chile is USD30

If Australia elects to allow them in on ETAs, I suspect that the visa requirements will change

Dave

ozstamps

Dave we all know the REASON.

I was complaining about the PRICE which AFAIK bears no relationship to what WE charge Brazilians.

Dave Noble

Brazil fee for Visa for Australian USD35 approx AUD48

Australia fee for Visa for Brazilian AUD70

I agree with you, it does bear no relationship since Australia charges Brazilians nearly 46% more than Brazil charges

Dave

bensyd

I could live with GRU/GIG ^ ....if im not mistaken the majority of business traffic would be going to GRU while the back end of the plane would be more interested in GIG. Maybe OW should look at getting TAM on board another carrier in South America would be very handy for those RTW tickets that make you have to route everything through SCL or pay the extorniate fares Latin carriers charge not latins...

ozstamps

Duplicate