DJ route review - Bye Bye NTL-OOL, SYD-Port Vila, Increase freq PER-HKT

[markis10]

Today Virgin Blue Group of Airlines would like to advise of some changes to our flight routes. Firstly,
these changes will include the addition of several international services.

Service increases as follows:
Auckland - Rarotonga - From 8 May to 1 October, we will be adding an additional seasonal flight
frequency between Auckland and Rarotonga, taking the total return flights per week to five.
Return flights currently operate on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturdays. The new extra flight
will operate on Sundays.

Perth-coughet - Due to the strong popularity of Pacific Blue’s Perth-coughet service, from 7 April,
we will be adding an additional return flight, taking the total to four return flights per week.
There will be a phased introduction of the new flight schedule with changes to the days of the
week flights will operate.
Flights currently depart Perth on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – with flights ex-coughet on
Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
To minimise the impact of the phased schedule change on Guests with existing bookings, from 7
April to 1 June, a fifth supplementary flight will operate from PER-HKT on Tuesdays and returning the
same night from coughet to Perth at 1.10am Wednesday morning.
From 2 June, the four flights per week will depart Perth on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and
Sundays – with flights ex-coughet on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The new schedule will deliver significantly improved aircraft utilisation.
Further, these changes will include the cessation of two direct domestic flight routes.


It is important to note we are not withdrawing from any city.
In the instance of Sydney-Port Vila, we will still be able to offer our guests travel between these cities
via connecting services.
It is very important that we routinely monitor the performance of every route we operate based on
its revenue performance and ongoing sustainability.
The changes are as follows.
The following routes will cease direct flight operations:
o Newcastle- Gold Coast - effective 7 April 2011
o Sydney-Port Vila - effective 6 May 2011

 

[JohnK]

Perth-coughet - Due to the strong popularity of Pacific Blue’s Perth-coughet service, from 7 April, we will be adding an additional return flight, taking the total to four return flights per week.

Sorry to go off-topic but my thinking must be way off the mark.

Just goes to show that some people would just about do anything to have a cheap holiday.

 

[oz_mark]

Sorry to go off-topic but my thinking must be way off the mark.

Just goes to show that some people would just about do anything to have a cheap holiday.

For a lot of people the choice is a cheap holiday or no holiday.

 

[JohnK]

For a lot of people the choice is a cheap holiday or no holiday.

Yes there is that to consider as well.

Don't know whether I will ever get that desperate but I would much rather reduce my spending in Australia (no eating out, cut down on drinks at bar prices etc) and save money for my overseas trips on comfortable aircraft.

 

[StevePER]

For a lot of people the choice is a cheap holiday or no holiday.

That's the reality, but I've never seen particularly good prices offered by DJ on this route. For some random dates in June, a return trip is $834 on DJ (including luggage) and $868 on TG. I know which one I would choose.

 

[oz_mark]

That's the reality, but I've never seen particularly good prices offered by DJ on this route. For some random dates in June, a return trip is $834 on DJ (including luggage) and $868 on TG. I know which one I would choose.

I know which I would choose as well - but the downside with TG is that while PER-HKT exists as a flight, there is no HKT-PER.

Having said that, I would think that out of PER, many of the folk going to HKT are on packages, and probably care little about which airline it is.