A range of cheap US airfares

[ozfflyer]

just got this email from a snow holiday wholesaler. They went on to say, how easy it was to get from USA west coast to Colorado over dozen or so different routes.

>>>


$750 return to LAX & SFO is back.



That’s BNE, SYD or MEL to LAX or SFO return, available for departure in February 2020.



You can also fly into one & out of other.



Since Sunday am, many clients who were sitting on the fence have grabbed these fares online & have booked few weeks in Colorado USA cos everything is so incredibly cheap. Cheaper than almost anywhere else.

>>>

 

[ozfflyer]

this deal meant to end tonight, but will it. Still seems to be many seats around this price. Some have gone up a few dollars to $778. Virgin nonstops for $887 !!!

 

[ozfflyer]

mate just got 6 seats return syd lax in Feb for $778. After he booked them, he looked & every single date in February had at least 9 seats at that price. At what point do airlines start cutting flights ?

So ok, February is low season. Schools have gone back & only unis are still on holidays for 1st 3 weeks in February I think.

Looking at SYD/Fiji. There are lots of nonstops, but apart from Virgin, all are Qantas group. Fiji Airways, Qantas & Jetstar. Surely at some point, they should get together & reduce the number of flights. Why would anyone fly on an old Qantas 738, when they could fly on a brand new A350 ? Perhaps Qantas metal will be seasonal only ?

Will Fiji Airways cut 1 service a week NAN/LAX/NAN ?

Presume that per seat, the A350 would be cheaper to operate NAN/LAX/NAN than an A330, but with those extra 60 seats, the A350 might be a lot harder to fill.

Maybe instead of cutting 1 flight per week, they might, switch an A350 for an A330-200, so 2 flights per week A330s instead of 1.

Reminded me of an Alliance charter flight quote to Melbourne Essendon. The 100 seat F100, was cheaper per seat, but the 80 seat F70 was cheaper in total.

Doing a search on skyscanner, saw a virgin ticket SYD/NAN/LAX which was on Virgin SYD/NAN & NAN/LAX was a Air NZ flight number, but on the Fiji Airways aircraft, with poor connecting time at NAN in both directions, especially coming home. Luckily, you can leave the airport at NAN & come back later & not sit in transit lounge for 1/2 day.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

They will start cutting flights when they are no longer profitable. Like when people stop needing to sending freight.

Passengers are just one component of profit on aircraft.

'getting together' to cut flights or any other sort of commerical deal - unless officially sanctioned - may potentially be anti-competitive and could attract very large fines.

 

[ozfflyer]

They will start cutting flights when they are no longer profitable. Like when people stop needing to sending freight.

Passengers are just one component of profit on aircraft.

'getting together' to cut flights or any other sort of commerical deal - unless officially sanctioned - may potentially be anti-competitive and could attract very large fines.

other considerations. Many business people who pay their own fares, fly Fiji Airways SYD/LAX as often much cheaper + can upgrade from any fare to business class with low cost bids. As soon as lose daily service, might end up losing some business types, so maybe they might use smaller aircraft such as A332 more than 1 day a week.

 

[BAM1748]

They will start cutting flights when they are no longer profitable. Like when people stop needing to sending freight.

Passengers are just one component of profit on aircraft.

'getting together' to cut flights or any other sort of commerical deal - unless officially sanctioned - may potentially be anti-competitive and could attract very large fines.

Passengers are self loading freight.

 

[ozfflyer]

They will start cutting flights when they are no longer profitable. Like when people stop needing to sending freight.

Passengers are just one component of profit on aircraft.

'getting together' to cut flights or any other sort of commerical deal - unless officially sanctioned - may potentially be anti-competitive and could attract very large fines.

Fiji could simply say to Qantas/Jetstar, we won't let you in at present, but we will let you codeshare. That's nothing authorities can do anything about.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That's nothing authorities can do anything about.

The Australian authorities can place a similar prohibition on Fiji Airways flying to Australia.

 

[ozfflyer]

The Australian authorities can place a similar prohibition on Fiji Airways flying to Australia.

they would never ever do that. Aid to Fiji would have to go thru roof, besides Qantas & Jetstar don't want to compete with Fiji air if too much capacity, which it seems there is. From 1 Jan there will be an extra 400 seats roughly a week SYD/NAN when they switch from an A330 to A350.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Aid to Fiji would have to go thru roof...

Which is exactly why Fiji will never ban QF and JQ flying to Fiji just to protect revenue on Fiji Airways

 

[ozfflyer]

Which is exactly why Fiji will never ban QF and JQ flying to Fiji just to protect revenue on Fiji Airways

plenty of ways to skin a cat. Don't think it's illegal for 3 airlines in Qantas group (Fiji air is roughly 46% qantas) to discuss & adjust flights to demand.

 

[ozfflyer]

not sure if this has just happened & is recent news, but was looking to fly from USA west coast to BNE in late January.

Always prefer flying out of SFO rather than LAX.

Have flown Fiji Airways quite a few times before in business class over the last 10 years & they were excellent & the price was generally much cheaper than nonstops to Australia, especially when they got their A330s, so looked at flying them again, but could not see any flights that connect in Fiji, departing SFO after 25 January.

On closer inspection, it seems Fiji Airways have cut nonstop flights from Fiji to BNE & return from daily to 5 days a week from around end of January, but one of the flights they have cut means that after 25 January, you cannot fly SFO/BNE on Fiji Airways unless you spend roughly 15 hours during the day in Fiji, or night or more.

As far back as I can remember Fiji Airways(Air Pacific) has flown year round Fiji/BNE nonstop daily, as quite a few times have had wonderful stopovers in Fiji & usually tried to get on the evening flights, which operated twice a week, instead of the 8am flights the rest of the week.

This seems like a mistake, as the only other relatively quick options to get from SFO to BNE or vice versa, seem to be 2 stops via LAX, SYD, MEL or AKL.

Has anyone else noticed cutbacks to flights, eg. in low season, when obviously airlines have trouble filling flights on a profitable basis ?

 

[ozfflyer]

just read this on Victorian snowboarders club facebook page

Victorian Snowboarders Club

Victorian Snowboarders Club is a online Club where Male and Female snowboarders can connect. Based in Victoria, Australia although welcome to national & international snowboarders in unity....

www.facebook.com

Know some people who spend 5 nights in NSW skiing who spend more than this.

>>>

Here’s a deal for Victorians
For a total of AUD$1939 ,each, a group of 4 friends (adults) going in February just got

1. return airfares to USA (MEL to LAX & SFO back to MEL-they had the option of a few nights in Fiji – not sure what they decided – they booked this part, we told them how to)
2. 2 x 24 hour, one way Hertz car hire in Colorado (so they have a car for 2 nights & can explore the local areas)
3. 10 nights on snow at Copper Mt, in a studio with full kitchen & 2 separate sleeping areas(definitely NOT 5 star or enormous, but rather 3 star & big enough), including one weekend.
4. 9 days out of 14 unlimited lift passes

NOT INCLUDED:-
LAX TO DENVER – they all used 11,800 Virgin frequent flyer points
VAIL AIRPORT TO SAN FRAN – they used 12,000 Qantas ff pts
OPTION:-
They might extend there lift passes to 10 days for an extra AUD$53 each, as there flight out of Vail on check out day, doesn’t go to 5.20pm, which means, even though they’ll probably have to check out by 10am(although the night before they can ask about a late check out, which all depends on if unit is occupied that night) they could ski or board until no later than about 2.30pm, have a quick shower at the Athletic Club (no cost for guests) & leave Copper by 3pm ish to get to Vail airport by 4pm. As never any queues at Vail airport, they could cut it a little bit finer, but better to play it safe. Told them to leave a bit earlier if any snow around. Part of the drive on the interstate hwy is 70 mph (112 kmh)
They are having a few days in LA before Colorado & a few days in San Fran area after Colorado (they haven’t decided where, but they did say they might drive up to the Napa Valley for a day or more. It’s roughly an hours drive from San Fran)

>>>

am going to see if can get a breakdown of costs. If I do, will post them here.

>>>

ok this is what I found out

SYD/LAX & back SFO/SYD in February Au$785 by credit card

Hertz car for 1 day AU$100 divided by 4 people is $25 (x 2)

10 nights studio on snow AU$2540 ($635 per person)

9 days lifts AU$477

comes to a total of AU$1947 (must be a few dollars credit card fee on the airfare maybe)

Asked how much for 5 star & they said AU$165 more per person per stay, not per night, but for only another $73 per person on top of that, get a much more spacious 2 bedroom apartment with 2 bathrooms.

Asked how far from the lifts, thinking would be a 20 min bus ride & they said 150 to 250 metre flat walk.

They went on to say, this was an earlybird deal & selling really well & might not be any of the cheaper condos left soon.

 

[ozfflyer]

got this in my facebook feed yesterday .....................................

contacted them & they said it's not a race to the bottom, but rather a reaction to the seemingly great value season passes(Epic & Ikon) which claim to be the same price as 5 one day lift passes, but aren't actually very good value unless you ski 6 or 7 weeks a year.

Bloody cheap at average of less than AU$10/day/person for lift passes.

>>>

Snow holiday Colorado deal-latest

For 1 week only until 5pm AEST next Friday 14 June 2019

2 adults & up to 8 kids can get daily lift passes for all 10 people for a total of AUD$99/day !!!!

Yes $99 total not each.
When you book on snow accommodation for a total of 10 nights, from only AUD$193/night for a 3 star apartment with full kitchen & 4 beds, 200 metres flat walk from lifts at Colorados best resort
(no you can’t get 10 people into this apartment, but you can get up to 6, so if you actually have 10 people, you will either need to get a bigger apartment OR, get 2 apartments.
You can still fly to USA in February or March from AUD$778/adult & AUD$576/child. Some families are taking kids out of school for a week.

>>>

Victorian Snowboarders Club

Victorian Snowboarders Club is a online Club where Male and Female snowboarders can connect. Based in Victoria, Australia although welcome to national & international snowboarders in unity....

www.facebook.com

 

[ozfflyer]

just got word the crazy low $777 fare has been extended now until 17 June, presumably 11.59pm AEST.

Travel dates are 10 May to 10 Dec & 1 Feb to 30 April with blackout dates attached (typo 15-29SEP 10 should obviously read 15-29SEP 19)

Fare is $850 if booked directly with airline & $777 with Flight Centre online (Aunt Betty website).

 

[ozfflyer]

interesting that FJ have cut BNE/NAN nonstops from 1 February, from daily to 5/week (roughly 30% reduction in seats) & still doing $777 return to LAX or SFO from BNE from 1 February

 

[ozfflyer]

just saw this on gumtree

BNE, SYD or MEL to HNL from January 6, then back from LAX or SFO 2-3 weeks later. $1299 sounds very cheap.

airfares to USA early January 2020-HURRY (edited 1pm Fri 14 June) | Bus, Train & Plane | Gumtree Australia Inner Sydney - Sydney City | 1220646864

now only 1249 each for each adult 999 if kids, for last 7 seats they were all sold, but one family cant agree to USA depart early Jan, back 2 to 3weeks ..., 1220646864

www.gumtree.com.au

 

[levelnine]

Who on earth buys an airplane ticket from a person advertising on Gumtree?!?!

 

[ozfflyer]

Who on earth buys an airplane ticket from a person advertising on Gumtree?!?!

kind of makes sense. Travel agents advertising free on gumtree, when their margins are so tight. It wouldn't be hard to check them out. I'll contact them tomorrow & see what I can find out.

 

[ozfflyer]

Phoned them.



They are a wholesaler, who mostly sells to travel agents. Girl I spoke to said they buy blocks of seats from airlines.

Said gumtree ads generate a lot of emails & calls, but many are not for what they advertise.

I said tyre kickers & she implied yes.

On quizzing her more, she told me, sales of seats a bit slow & they wanted to move some fast.

She said many people want to go to USA mainland, but have a stop in Hawaii. Guess this means Hawaiian would be the only airline, that could do both.

(From my experience, as soon as you involve more the one airline, the price goes up significantly.)

Lastly she said many people have only a few hundred thousand frequent flyer points & they don’t realise they can use them on domestic U.S. flights & flights from USA to Canada. Eg. from 4 hawaiian ports to many mainland ports.