BA launching LHR-MEL via KUL from January 2027 (BA33/BA34)

[PERLHR]

Not much different between First and Biz also...and cheaper than the above example ...

 

[dajop]

History is littered with the graves of airlines who tried and failed on the KUL-Oz routes over the past 40 years including Lauda, Ansett and QF when AirAsia was just a glint in Tony’s eye, not to mention now they are around.

Not forgetting Jetstar who also flew to KL early on in their long-haul life.

 

[justinbrett]

Getting capacity into LHR is probably more important to Qantas and the Australian government than SYD/MEL is to BA and the UK government.

Qantas won’t make a fuss about BA. They want their LHR slots without a fuss too.

And you can’t put BA in the same category as QR when it comes to QF. Their relationship is complex. BA currently codeshares on QF MEL-SIN amongst others.

Yep, probably one of the easiest routes to add. Rights already exist. LHR slots already allocated to KUL service. MEL slots not difficult to get.

Only other question is around fifth freedom for Australia/Malaysia does BA already have that?

The UK and AU agreements are very liberal - and already account for 5th freedoms - which is why QF was able to sell DXB-LHR and SIN-LHR.

It’s really just up to Malaysia to approve it if they hadn’t already. Given the old QF/BA JV I’m sure a number of agreements already cater for it, including Malaysia.

 

[markis10]

It’s really just up to Malaysia to approve it if they hadn’t already. Given the old QF/BA JV I’m sure a number of agreements already cater for it, including Malaysia.

Malaysia Australia went unlimited capacity this year following new agreements signed in 2024, effectively open skies

 

[AIRwin]

Malaysia Australia went unlimited capacity this year following new agreements signed in 2024, effectively open skies

I remember now

Thread 'Increased flight capacity to Australia from Canada, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Chile and more'

Nov 5, 2024

The article below is interesting as there will be potential new routes to Australia:

Open skies on the way for Canada and Malaysia

Canada and Malaysia will have unlimited passenger capacity to and from Australia starting in 2026, with an immediate increase to 50,000 weekly seats to Malaysia and 50 weekly flights to Canada.

australianaviation.com.au

- Canada and Malaysia will have unlimited passenger capacity to and from Australia starting in 2026, with an immediate increase to 50,000 weekly seats to Malaysia and 50 weekly flights to Canada.
- Passenger capacity for Hong Kong has been increased to 84 flights per week, up from 70, with no limits on cargo services;
- Passenger capacity to Chile will be doubled to 8,000 weekly seats by 2025;
- First...

• kamchatsky
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Travel News

• 

 

[justinbrett]

Malaysia Australia went unlimited capacity this year following new agreements signed in 2024, effectively open skies

I meant whether the UK can operate 5th freedom out of KUL but I expect that is also the case.

 

[Mattg]

And yet TK still isn’t selling seats between KUL and SYD.

 

[AIRwin]

And yet TK still isn’t selling seats between KUL and SYD.

Cold Türkiye

 

[justinbrett]

And yet TK still isn’t selling seats between KUL and SYD.

As far as I’m aware it’s approved from the Australian side - but would not be surprised if it’s blocked by the Malaysians. State carrier and all…

 

[Eastwick20]

With Qantas announcing that QF 9 PER/LHR will go back to originating in MEL from October, I wonder if they had a heads up that BA was going to do this and this has spooked them into reinstating it ex MEL

 

[jrfsp]

With Qantas announcing that QF 9 PER/LHR will go back to originating in MEL from October, I wonder if they had a heads up that BA was going to do this and this has spooked them into reinstating it ex MEL

It’s to rotate the aircraft through the system / utilization with the aircraft going through to LAX as it did previously.

 

[justinbrett]

With Qantas announcing that QF 9 PER/LHR will go back to originating in MEL from October, I wonder if they had a heads up that BA was going to do this and this has spooked them into reinstating it ex MEL

I’m not sure a single flight number is that important to most people.

MEL pax can already fly QF31/QF1 via SIN. Or sold by BA connecting to BA16.

 

[nonrev-jez]

Great to see more services returning to MEL after the complete abandonment by QF in MEL services

 

[jase05]

Great to see more QR owned services into Australia

 

[TomVexille]

Looks like a mix of configs loaded at the moment based on 2 random dates I picked

 

[JessicaTam]

A couple of years ago BA was looking at LHR-DOH-MEL. It would have taken some time to plan the KUL route, so they obviously went cold on the DOH connection some time before the current ME conflict. I doubt that QR kiboshed it as they are owned by the same parent company.

Prescient move.

 

[elanshin]

A couple of years ago BA was looking at LHR-DOH-MEL. It would have taken some time to plan the KUL route, so they obviously went cold on the DOH connection some time before the current ME conflict. I doubt that QR kiboshed it as they are owned by the same parent company.

Prescient move.

I have to assume they did analysis on it and eith QR picking up VA to expand services, they probably figured it wasn't worthwhile to utilise DOH and instead try to pick up alternate markets.

 

[elanshin]

History is littered with the graves of airlines who tried and failed on the KUL-Oz routes over the past 40 years including Lauda, Ansett and QF when AirAsia was just a glint in Tony’s eye, not to mention now they are around.

Perhaps. But we do have an increasing Malaysian population in Melbourne which is higher than ever before. On top of the fact that more Malaysians are rising into the middle class and its seen as a serious business hub right now. (There's droves of Chinese and Japanese investment going into Malaysia right now).

KLIA itself is trying to improve its various services and we saw slides that they were trying to attract airlines back to KUL. It's not an unreasonable attempt to move some more into this market.

Although I personally struggle to see the benefits of flying BA 787-9 (both configuration) over MH's new a330-900s. Those are actually pretty nice at the front and back.

 

[jase05]

Although I personally struggle to see the benefits of flying BA 787-9 (both configuration) over MH's new a330-900s. Those are actually pretty nice at the front and back

QFF’s might get some decent SC earn on it rather than the despicable offering they get on MH

 

[elanshin]

QFF’s might get some decent SC earn on it rather than the despicable offering they get on MH

I mean if I was seriously considering SC, I'd be hopping over to SIN from KUL.