Flights/Airlines you want from MEL?

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soorox

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Melbourne has quite a few holes in it's International network, most noticeably NE Asia, West Asia, Africa, Pacific, Nth America & Sth America. What destinations and airlines would you like to see in Melbourne. Why? And how viable do you think these flights would be?

Some Suggestions:

MEL-YVR: AC
MEL-TPE: CI/BR
MEL-CMB: UL
MEL-ICN: KE/OZ
MEL-PEK: CA
MEL-HAN: VN
MEL-JNB: SA/QF
MEL-SCL: LA/QF
MEL-EZE: AR/QF
MEL-MRU: MK
MEL-SFO: UA/QF
MEL-APW: VA
MEL-DFW: QF
MEL-MLE: LV

Some airlines on the list have stated their desire to operate to MEL in the future, such as AC, UL, LV.

Current routes, for reference:

MEL-NRT: JQ
MEL-CNS-KIX: JQ
MEL-BKK: JQ/TG
MEL-HKT: JQ
MEL-HNL: JQ
MEL-SIN: JQ/SQ/QF/EK
MEL-KUL: EK/MH/D7
MEL-HKG: CX/QF
MEL-MNL: PR
MEL-SGN: VN
MEL-PVG: MU/FM
MEL-PVG-PEK: CA
MEL-CAN: CZ
MEL-CTU: 3U
MEL-BWN: BI
MEL-CGK: GA
MEL-DPS: GA/JQ/VA
MEL-DOH: QR
MEL-DXB: EK
MEL-DXB-LHR: QF
MEL-AUH: EY
MEL-DEL: AI
MEL-LAX: UA/QF
MEL-NOU: SB
MEL-VLI: NF
MEL-NAN: VA/FJ
MEL-AKL: NZ/QF/JQ/VA
MEL-CHC: VA/NZ/JQ
MEL-WLG: NZ/QF
MEL-ZQN: JQ/NZ
 
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I barely had any international departures ex MEL in recent years. While I don't mind the short flight to SYD, I do think it's disappointing that such a major city doesn't have many options.
 
With the South American destinations, MEL already has a good one stop option via AKL or SYD and given its such a long route, it might be difficult to be profitable (just ask AR on their now discontinued SYD-EZE service).

MEL-SFO is a route perfect for a 788 sized a/c so I think UA will operate it in the future.

The other Asian routes, especially to PEK and ICN were previously operated by CA and KE respectively so these routes might happen more quicker.
 
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MEL is well served to a good range of ports if one is not "shackled" to QF. When I lived in MEL, I rarely had to transit SYD to get anywhere, so I don't know what the problem is. North Asia is probably the weakest region where more non-stops would still be practical, but is very well served via HKG on CX/KA. Forget India, as much more convenient to fan out from SIN or KUL than actually fly directly to a single Indian city and have to transfer at an Indian airport, but CMB may have merit as a good access point to India for the same reason SIN & KUL are good.

Given the ETOPS restrictions to South America and Africa, services to those continents are probably uneconomic ... 4 engine plane is probably too big, and with a 2 engine plane -routing too long, as VA experienced.

Probably the biggest gap is a "lower hassle" option in North America (SYD has DFW, SFO & YVR) The extra 400 miles to DFW (vs SYD) would make MEL-DFW difficult economically, but the alternatives would be PHX for the AA/US/QF camp, SEA for the DL/VA camp or SFO for UA.

Closer to home, struggling to think of any. WTB? LOP?

Oh, and IIRC there are three non-stop destinations that you can't fly non-stop to from SYD!
 
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MEL-HND (JL)

Given the ETOPS restrictions to South America and Africa, services to those continents are probably uneconomic ... 4 engine plane is probably too big, and with a 2 engine plane -routing too long, as VA experienced.
Those issues only effect Australian carriers. It would be easily fixed by CASA allowing more then ETOPS 180. An African or South American carrier could do those routes with 2 engine aircraft so long as their home regulator allows over 180.
 
I'd love to see TPE but am very doubtful it would happen. Furthermore if the TPE-BNE/SYD fares are anything to go by, these direct flights usually seem to be more expensive than other carriers via HKG or SIN, but I guess that's the premium you pay for the convenience of a direct service.
 
MEL-YVR: AC
MEL-TPE: CI/BR
MEL-CMB: UL
MEL-ICN: KE/OZ
MEL-PEK: CA
MEL-HAN: VN
MEL-JNB: SA/QF
MEL-SCL: LA/QF
MEL-EZE: AR/QF
MEL-MRU: MK
MEL-SFO: UA/QF
MEL-APW: VA
MEL-DFW: QF
MEL-MLE: LV

Some airlines on the list have stated their desire to operate to MEL in the future, such as AC, UL, LV.

MEL-YVR: could well be possible given AC has expressed interest in either MEL & BNE.
MEL-TPE: will not come from BR, they have stated no new AU destinations until BNE gets to daily. With QF now codesharing with CI it may come from them soon
MEL-CMB: I think is one of the most likely. I believe MEL has a large Sri Lankan community, not to mention the connections to India available.
MEL-ICN: KE pulled out last year so I don't know if enough has changed for them to return
MEL-PEK: is actually available as a direct flight on CA but not non-stop (it stops in PVG). I guess CA wants to help fill seats with PVG pax.
MEL-HAN: unlikely when you already have MEL-SGN and there's no SYD-SGN either
MEL-JNB: is a big unserved market but as other stated is a difficult one to operate - not enough demand for a large quad and a long detour for a smaller twin
MEL-SCL: is a very long flight to serve two cities an hour apart. QF no doubt needs connections from MEL for SYD-SCL. I could see LA changing to SCL-AKL-MEL and QF upping SYD-SCL to 5x weekly.
MEL-EZE: is wishful thinking. AR is a mess and so is their economy.
MEL-MRU: is too far for a largely leisure route. Best served via PER.
MEL-SFO: could be on the horizon. UA no longer has the option of flying MEL-SYD-SFO, if MEL-LAX does well for them they may consider MEL-SFO in a few years.
MEL-DFW: is too far for any plane to reach with a reasonable load. QF don't have anything that can fly that far and neither do AA.
MEL-MLE: is another long leisure route though it is a premium destination. Given there's no more flights to PPT from Australia I don't see a flight to MLE forthcoming.

Those issues only effect Australian carriers. It would be easily fixed by CASA allowing more then ETOPS 180. An African or South American carrier could do those routes with 2 engine aircraft so long as their home regulator allows over 180.
Not true. CASA regulates any flights to and from Australian soil so foreign carriers are not exempt from CASA's ETOPS restrictions. The only way around it is an intermediate stop in a foreign country. This is how LA plan to use their 787 to SYD by stopping in AKL. CASA can only regulate the SYD-AKL portion not the AKL-SCL leg.
 
Melbourne has the largest Mauritian community in Australia - it used to have direct flights but these were pulled in favour of PER.
 
Not true. CASA regulates any flights to and from Australian soil so foreign carriers are not exempt from CASA's ETOPS restrictions. The only way around it is an intermediate stop in a foreign country. This is how LA plan to use their 787 to SYD by stopping in AKL. CASA can only regulate the SYD-AKL portion not the AKL-SCL leg.
Prove it.
ETOPS requires 2 types of approval. Type and Operator. Type approval comes during the testing and certification process of each new airframe type. Operator approval comes from that operators own country's aviation regulator.
CASA doesn't get a say in DL's ETOPS approval any more then the FAA gets a say in QF ETOPS approval.
 
Irrespective of ETOPS these southern routes probably would need quite a lot of fuel. Not quite as long as MEL-DXB or MEL-LAX but longer than a simple flight up to eastern half of Asia, and therefore would need good yields to be economic.
 
My top 10 wishlist:

MEL-BOM
MEL-SUV
MEL-IST
MEL-HND
MEL-CMB
MEL-SAN
MEL-POM
MEL-ICN
MEL-CEB
MEL-APW
MEL-YVR

.....ok 11
 
My top 10 wishlist:

MEL-BOM
MEL-SUV
MEL-IST
MEL-HND
MEL-CMB
MEL-SAN
MEL-POM
MEL-ICN
MEL-CEB
MEL-APW
MEL-YVR

.....ok 11

You have quite a unique list there!
BOM is definitely in the pipeline, theres also sufficient numbers for a non-stop, however today SQ, MH covers this segment, and also AI too. HND will depend on economic conditions, NRT is only flown by JQ, but it is increasing Japanese traffic to MEL by 50-60%~ each month, I think the same situation with ICN too as these are leisure orientated routes especially out of Australia. I got my fingers crossed for AC launching MEL-YVR with 789's!

I think MEL-CMB on UL is the most likely of the routes suggested.

I heard this it pretty much going ahead as UL is very eager to launch MEL-CMB, its just a matter of timing and aircraft.
 
MEL is well served to a good range of ports if one is not "shackled" to QF.

Fully agree. If you aren't chained to Qantas for whatever reason, MEL is a perfectly grand international airport. I myself haven't flown QF for 15+ years internationally (barely fly domestic anyway) and it hasn't been a issue whatsoever. SQ, TH, EK, UA et cetera have all been worthy recipients of my money for having the silly idea of not thinking that funnelling people through SYD is a convenient and desirable means to travel internationally.

I would like to see some more NE Asia routes added, from a selfish point of view. CA could help out by changing the timing or adding an overnight service for MEL-PEK. The current service arrives far too late to get connections to other northern Chinese cities. Having other Asian *A airlines OZ, BR, ZH and NH come to MEL would also be great.
 
I think MEL-CMB on UL is the most likely of the routes suggested.

If this happens the fear is they offer cheap fares and the boganization of parts of Sri Lanka will begin! Hopefully it will be a few hours too far for that. But personally I find the Sri Lankan countryside and beaches superior to lots of more famous destinations such as Bali and coughet.
 
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