Air Asia to Hobart?

[ftm]

Dreaming?

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2012/07/27/349651_travel.html

I'd love to think it was possible, but Hobart has not been able to support direct international flights in the past, so am doubtful that this time would be any different. The outbound market and catchment area wouldnt be providing much support to the service in terms of bums on seats either.

FTM

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[pauly7]

Nightmaring

 

[Justchecking]

It is a pipedream I'm afraid. The resident population in Tasmania aren't the right demographic for that airline and there's not enough tourist attractions in Tasmania itself for people to make it their first port of call in Australia. More than anything TAS suffers from a tourism industry pitched at seniors (nothing wrong with that but they're not a highly mobile group nor are they avid spenders). The infrastructure there requires a car to get around and hotels and facilities which are sadly well behind in standard and high in price. They need a large resident population between the ages of 20-45 to get things moving. The weather there ensures there will always be a down season and the businesses must have trade all year round. They just need more people willing to make it their home and livelihood in order to support better tourism.

 

[ric_melb]

I think Justchecking sums it up very well. Just to add my comment because I feel like it! Will never happen.

 

[harvyk]

It is a pipedream I'm afraid. The resident population in Tasmania aren't the right demographic for that airline and there's not enough tourist attractions in Tasmania itself for people to make it their first port of call in Australia. More than anything TAS suffers from a tourism industry pitched at seniors (nothing wrong with that but they're not a highly mobile group nor are they avid spenders). The infrastructure there requires a car to get around and hotels and facilities which are sadly well behind in standard and high in price. They need a large resident population between the ages of 20-45 to get things moving. The weather there ensures there will always be a down season and the businesses must have trade all year round. They just need more people willing to make it their home and livelihood in order to support better tourism.

Right now I can hear all 3 people who work in Tasmania's tourism board screaming out in pain...
If it's any consolation, they are not the only international airport with no international flights (although the do have Antarctica flights from what I have heard).

 

[markis10]

I believe it will be a connection service, linking up all the international airports that dont have an international service:

C7123 KUL2300 – 1120+1 TSV 1230+1 – 1525 +1 CBR 1625+1 - 1800 HBA 333 x146
C7124 HBA1850 – 2050 CBR 2150 – 2355 TSV 0045+1 - 0845+1 KUL 333 x257 :mrgreen:

Service commences April 1st!

 

[harvyk]

I believe it will be a connection service, linking up all the international airports that dont have an international service:

C7123 KUL2300 – 1120+1 TSV 1230+1 – 1525 +1 CBR 1625+1 - 1800 HBA 333 x146
C7124 HBA1850 – 2050 CBR 2150 – 2355 TSV 0045+1 - 0845+1 KUL 333 x257 :mrgreen:

Service commences April 1st!

Interesting choice of date to commence the first service on...

 

[Obzerva]

Unfortunately can't see Air Asia in HBA, just not enough demand.

Hobart's best bet for international service is a resumption of direct flights to NZ, although even that I believe last time was Christchurch, so unlikely in the near to mid term.

maybe Virgin could do 2 days a week with a e-jet to Auckland with an obvious codeshare with Air NZ, even if it was seasonal like NZ's flights to MCY.
although I don't think the e-jets do international ops as far as I'm aware (apart from Cocos/Christmas Islands)

or Jetstar could jump in, but even an A320 might be too big a plane.
They could borrow Skytrader's A319 that's already in Hobart, the seating layout would be great

 

[fbrimfield]

It's never going to happen. But that's not to say that HBA doesn't have the facilities to handle it. At the moment, a yearly A330 Charter from SIN operates into Hobart... in october, I think? I've never seen it, just heard of it from friends that work at the airport. I've also been shown a small customs area just after the Virgin baggage claim area is.

HBA's runway could support a fully loaded A330-200, but nothing larger, and only just.

But yeah, there is no market. So even if HBA could support a plane full of chinese-malaysian tourists, they aren't likely to be filling up those planes on a regular basis.

 

[pauly7]

Hobart's best bet for international service is a resumption of direct flights to NZ,
D

HBA already has international services to MEL and SYD

 

[docjames]

The issue seems to be more the size of the market would mean an A320 is about the right sized aircraft. Look at how many connecting travellers connect in SYD and MEL to HBA.

Unfortuately for Tassie, A320/738s dont have the range to reach Asian destintions nonstop, so it'll continue as a pipe dream.

The best they could hope for would be a "tag" flight eg. KUL-SYD-HBA but then it'll be the wrong aircraft size anyway. Unless they offer super cheap overnight parking fees and take some a/c from MEL overnight.

 

[Sprucegoose]

The mercury is generally delusional as are some of their readers.

There are reports however of airport expansion and runway extension. However they will happen after Tony Abbott retires as PM.


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[Chuq]

Sorry to bump an old-ish thread, but I was googling and happened to find this one ..

I think that in the near future, HBA-SIN (or HBA-KUL) flights are a necessity for growing the tourism market in Tassie. We are currently seeing a boom in Asian tourists.

My knowledge of airlines is obviously a lot less than most of you, but my reasoning...

I expect it wouldn't take much more fuel, or much more time for a SIN-HBA flight than a SIN-MEL flight? Only around 30 minutes longer?

There is a good chance airport taxes are lower at a smaller airport?

As it stands, ANY international travel to/from Hobart has to transit via MEL/SYD, involving another $100-150 flight, and an extra 4 or so hours including check-in, boarding, flight, etc. when you've just come off a 10 hour flight it is understandable why many aren't that keen on the extra leg!

HBA already has existing international facilities for the occasional charter flight.

SIN is a major hub for travel to all of Asia and Europe. HBA-MEL is the 10th busiest domestic flight route in the country and MEL-SIN is Melbourne's busiest international route. There would easily be enough demand for 1-2 return flights a week.

One thing I am not sure of is what capacity aircraft HBA can handle. I know it can handle 747s (Google for "747 hobart airport").

Anyway... just my thoughts, as a local!

 

[dajop]

SIN is a major hub for travel to all of Asia and Europe. HBA-MEL is the 10th busiest domestic flight route in the country and MEL-SIN is Melbourne's busiest international route. There would easily be enough demand for 1-2 return flights a week.

The problem is the premium traffic in business class, it seems unlikely there would be enough demand for premium classes to/from HBA.

If there was to be international services at all from HBA I'd place my money on HBA-DPS :!:

 

[Simo]

I was at a function a few years ago in Tassie and the foreign visitors where surprised how hard it was to get to a Capital City. Mainly HBA.

They nearly didn't come to Aust because it was dearer to go From MEL to HBA than it was from KUL to MEL.

 

[jetlagger]

Sorry to bump an old-ish thread, but I was googling and happened to find this one ..

I think that in the near future, HBA-SIN (or HBA-KUL) flights are a necessity for growing the tourism market in Tassie. We are currently seeing a boom in Asian tourists.

My knowledge of airlines is obviously a lot less than most of you, but my reasoning...

I expect it wouldn't take much more fuel, or much more time for a SIN-HBA flight than a SIN-MEL flight? Only around 30 minutes longer?

There is a good chance airport taxes are lower at a smaller airport?

As it stands, ANY international travel to/from Hobart has to transit via MEL/SYD, involving another $100-150 flight, and an extra 4 or so hours including check-in, boarding, flight, etc. when you've just come off a 10 hour flight it is understandable why many aren't that keen on the extra leg!

HBA already has existing international facilities for the occasional charter flight.

SIN is a major hub for travel to all of Asia and Europe. HBA-MEL is the 10th busiest domestic flight route in the country and MEL-SIN is Melbourne's busiest international route. There would easily be enough demand for 1-2 return flights a week.

One thing I am not sure of is what capacity aircraft HBA can handle. I know it can handle 747s (Google for "747 hobart airport").

Anyway... just my thoughts, as a local!

I would pre judge that IMO would be an economic failure for any airline considering the demographics.

 

[JohnK]

Simple question.

Why?

 

[elbarto]

Simple question.

Why?

Especially since Canberra, which has a bigger population and plenty of government travel, doesn't have any international flights

 

[jetlagger]

Simple question.

Why?

For all obvious reasons.

 

[Mattg]

If there was to be international services at all from HBA I'd place my money on HBA-DPS :!:

Really? I wouldn't have thought that the majority of Tasmanians (retirees) would want to go to Bali, and I certainly can't see why people from Bali would go to Tasmania. Besides, for those who do want to go to DPS they can go through MEL.

HBA doesn't even serve many Australian destinations so I certainly can't see demand for direct international flights.