Why Doesn't Qantas fly to Kuala Lumpur?

[Lucass]

Bit of a random question... but why don't Qantas fly to Malaysia/Kuala Lumpur, I thought they would ad least have a service from sydney/melbourne, is there a particular reason for this?

 

[SYD]

They used to up until 1999 but apparently pulled out due to poor loads.

Presumably they would have operated several flights if the proposed QF/MH partnership went ahead but QF ditched that idea in favour of EK.

Slightly embarrassing because QF had already started the sponsorship of MH into OW.

 

[AIRwin]

They used to up until 1999 but apparently pulled out due to poor loads.

Poor loads and/or yields?

 

[SYD]

Poor loads and/or yields?

I read “loads” somewhere but JB says “not economically viable” - which would be a range of loads, yields, freight etc.

https://www.travelweekly-asia.com/Travel-News/Qantas-has-no-plans-to-resume-flights-to-Kuala-Lumpur

 

[AIRwin]

I remember QF also operated fifth freedom between KUL and SIN

 

[Quickstatus]

In order to be successful into KUL you need a LCC paying Malaysian/indonesian wages.

 

[elanshin]

Also as strange as it is SIN has also now been established as a OW hub now despite MH bring the OW carrier.

A lot more OW connections from SIN than KUL.

 

[jase05]

MH are going to 3x daily’s into MEL and SYD so they obviously believe the demand is there but as mentioned above, to make it work they would be relying on Malaysian wages.

 

[Quickstatus]

Also as strange as it is SIN has also now been established as a OW hub

Makes sense to me as SIN is a massive trading and financial hub. Singapore = Business.

 

[RSD]

MH are going to 3x daily’s into MEL and SYD so they obviously believe the demand is there but as mentioned above, to make it work they would be relying on Malaysian wages.

Back in about 2005 I flew KUL-MEL on a MH 747-400 - with a grand total of 8 passengers.

 

[moa999]

Definitely SIN has much higher business travel versus KUL.. and competing against D7 (AirAsiaX), MH (Malaysian) and OD (Batik Malaysia/ Malindo) has been difficult.

That said recently I've noticed TR (Scoot) has been very cheap for some routes

 

[Archipelago]

I remember QF also operated fifth freedom between KUL and SIN

Crikey, how long ago was that?!

 

[milehighclub]

JQ previously did SYD/KUL starting in September 2009

 

[Rabs97]

Could be a destination for the A321XLR in the future

 

[Himeno]

I flew on QF to KUL in 2009.
QF32 LHR-KUL-SIN

We diverted to KUL for fuel and to wait out the storm at SIN.
Of course, my plan for that day was to have a day trip into Singapore, then get the evening JL SIN-KUL flight to spend a few days in Kuala Lumpur. (at the time, JL had KIX-SIN-KUL and NRT-KUL flights. the aircraft would rotate to the other route at KUL.)

 

[jase05]

Could be a destination for the A321XLR in the future

JQ perhaps might return one day but I’d be surprised if QF bothered.
KUL is pretty well served to Australia by MH and I’m just not sure it would be viable for QF

 

[747sp]

MH are going to 3x daily’s into MEL and SYD so they obviously believe the demand is there but as mentioned above, to make it work they would be relying on Malaysian wages.

I am not sure that KL is the final destination for most of the passengers. A friend flew recently and most of the passanger were from India.
I think MH is cashing in on on the India and perhaps China and Europe market.

 

[jase05]

I am not sure that KL is the final destination for most of the passengers. A friend flew recently and most of the passanger were from India.
I think MH is cashing in on on the India and perhaps China and Europe market.

Most definitely. I reckon most times we have flown from ADL with MH it seems like many are transiting.
We love KL so will always do a day or 2 there though

 

[jb747]

Crikey, how long ago was that?!

It was a 767 operation. Last one I can find in my logbook was in 98. It was a fun little sector, that you had to brief the arrival for at the same time as the departure. There were no slips in KL. You operated through to Singapore or Oz. My only slip in KL was around 1990, when we operated a 747-400 up there, with a fifth pod. That trip may have been a one off, as QF had engineering contracts to do work on MH’s engines in Sydney.

 

[SeatBackForward]

My only slip in KL was around 1990, when we operated a 747-400 up there, with a fifth pod.

Is that the same as doing this?

(article about this)