Future ATR deliveries & VA Regional expansion

[gwilli1]

Does anyone know the delivery schedule for the 6 ATR's the VA/Skywest still have on order ?

With 12 already delivered are they being optimised to there capabilities ?

What is the future for ATR route expansion ? Northwest NSW has been a talking point with TMW & ARM , clearly markets where VA can make a difference with QF having a monopoly on these routes. What other key routes would you like to see VA make a move into with an ATR service ?

 

[Simo]

I would be guessing VA would be looking at regional towns that are experiencing huge industry growth or even season growth like ski season.

I wonder if VA will do a milk run up the QLD Coast????

 

[bass_ke]

More QLD would be great!

Horn island would be nice, as would longreach

 

[here2go]

I would be guessing VA would be looking at regional towns that are experiencing huge industry growth or even season growth like ski season.

I wonder if VA will do a milk run up the QLD Coast????

The boom has gone, so it will be interesting to see where VA creates growth where demand exists but opportunities at present are few. Toowoomba springs to mind, and with the new airport under construction it will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[samh004]

More QLD would be great!

Horn island would be nice, as would longreach

While I appreciate QFLink recently added an extra service (Q300) on Thursdays to LRE, surely there'd be better spots for VA to look to. Would be interesting, flying VA to visit the spiritual home of Qantas, well, close enough to Winton.

HID certainly seemed busy when I was there, but about the same as LRE?

WEI, MOV, EMD, GLT expansion/routes would seem better.

 

[markis10]

While I appreciate QFLink recently added an extra service (Q300) on Thursdays to LRE, surely there'd be better spots for VA to look to. Would be interesting, flying VA to visit the spiritual home of Qantas, well, close enough to Winton.

HID certainly seemed busy when I was there, but about the same as LRE?

WEI, MOV, EMD, GLT expansion/routes would seem better.

Neither HID or LRE would get VA services, they are exclusively for QFlink being QLD Government contracted services. So you can rule out VA for the following:


Skytrans


Western 1 (Brisbane – Toowoomba – St George – Cunnamulla – Thargomindah)
Western 2 (Brisbane – Toowoomba – Charleville – Quilpie – Windorah – Birdsville – Bedourie – Boulia – Mount Isa)
Gulf (Cairns – Normanton – Mornington Island – Burketown – Doomadgee – Mount Isa).




REX (Regional Express)


Northern 1 (Townsville – Winton – Longreach)
Northern 2 (Townsville – Hughenden – Richmond – Julia Creek – Mt Isa).




QantasLink


Northern 3 (Townsville – Cloncurry – Mt Isa)
Central 1 (Brisbane – Roma – Charleville)
Central 2 (Brisbane – Blackall/Barcaldine – Longreach)
Horn Island (Cairns – Horn Island)
Weipa (Cairns – Weipa).

 

[here2go]

Neither HID or LRE would get VA services, they are exclusively for QFlink being QLD Government contracted services.

It would be good to see a "Milk Run" DRW-Katherine-Tennant Creek-ASP like the ones on the East Coast, but these are only viable with Government subsidies in the absence of FIFO, which were withdrawn in the 80s. That said, in the absence of subsidies, both NT and Commonwealth do invest a lot in private charters. With a growing population, surely the subsidies would be better value that continually investing in the Stuart Highway. This sort of service would probably have more hospital patients going to DRW and ASP than any other traveller.

 

[brad330]

Neither HID or LRE would get VA services, they are exclusively for QFlink being QLD Government contracted services. So you can rule out VA for the following:


Skytrans


Western 1 (Brisbane – Toowoomba – St George – Cunnamulla – Thargomindah)
Western 2 (Brisbane – Toowoomba – Charleville – Quilpie – Windorah – Birdsville – Bedourie – Boulia – Mount Isa)
Gulf (Cairns – Normanton – Mornington Island – Burketown – Doomadgee – Mount Isa).




REX (Regional Express)


Northern 1 (Townsville – Winton – Longreach)
Northern 2 (Townsville – Hughenden – Richmond – Julia Creek – Mt Isa).




QantasLink


Northern 3 (Townsville – Cloncurry – Mt Isa)
Central 1 (Brisbane – Roma – Charleville)
Central 2 (Brisbane – Blackall/Barcaldine – Longreach)
Horn Island (Cairns – Horn Island)
Weipa (Cairns – Weipa).

VA announced Cairns To Weipa a few weeks back for a early 2014 start and are looking at Horn Island..

I would think an aircraft based in Cairns would be on the cards if they get approval for Horn Island. CNS-TSV-CNS-WEI-CNS-HID-CNS-TSV-CNS

 

[Fruitcake]

...
QantasLink
...
Weipa (Cairns – Weipa).

Whilst absolutely correct that at present CNS-WEI is a contract service, the good news is that the QLD government has announced this route will be deregulated and VA have announced that they will enter the route in 2014:


Virgin Australia Welcomes Deregulation between Cairns and Weipa Announcing New Daily Service

“We are pleased to confirm that once the route is deregulated, we will offer a daily service between Cairns and Weipa on our growing ATR Turboprop fleet, providing customers with increased travel options,” said Ms Crompton.

Virgin Australia will deliver a competitive offering with fares starting from $129* one way between Cairns and Weipa from 2014, which represents an approximate 20% discount on fares currently available to customers.

 

[markis10]

VA announced Cairns To Weipa a few weeks back for a early 2014 start and are looking at Horn Island..

I would think an aircraft based in Cairns would be on the cards if they get approval for Horn Island. CNS-TSV-CNS-WEI-CNS-HID-CNS-TSV-CNS

I missed the deregulation of CNS WEI, the same would have to happen for other routes for VA to get a look in before Dec 2014.

The Data was taken from the QLD government, obviously not updated!

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/b.../Regulated air services/Pdf_map_of_routes.pdf

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'd support a rapid and extensive ATR expansion on any route.......that I don't fly.

I'd especially support the ATRs flying into ASP. Of course once there, they need to be towed out to a big hole in the desert and BURIED without fanfare.

 

[goingboeing]

I'm a bit undecided about the ATRs and if it was a good call or not from a passenger perspective - as has been said before, they literally feel like riding around in a school bus with wings. I do miss the baby jungle jets (E170's) sometimes and go out of my way to try and avoid ATRs where I can.

As for expansion, I expect there are still a few routes lurking around Queensland and NSW that may yet come up in the future - given restrictions in SYD for slots, maybe basing more ATRs out of other ports like OOL/CBR/TSV/NTL (with connections from there to major ports) could give easy expansion without hitting congestion issues that exist particularly in BNE and SYD.

I'd especially support the ATRs flying into ASP. Of course once there, they need to be towed out to a big hole in the desert and BURIED without fanfare.

Well they did practice trying to drive off the runway at MOV a few days ago (and a new -600 at that), though only got the right main off. Points for trying though??

 

[grubbidok]

Anyone know if Bendigo will ever get a regional service guernsey? Had to make my way down there via MEL a few times now for conferences etc. Have always been gobsmacked at the number of sizeable Victorian regional cities not served by regular air services (especially after being raised in Qld/NT).

 

[here2go]

Anyone know if Bendigo will ever get a regional service guernsey? Had to make my way down there via MEL a few times now for conferences etc. Have always been gobsmacked at the number of sizeable Victorian regional cities not served by regular air services (especially after being raised in Qld/NT).

Don't they have a fast train? More than Toowoomba gets (noting that Toowoomba is the biggest inland city after Canberra). Perhaps when the railway is extended to MEL we might see European style rail-codeshares (LOL - never in the English speaking world).

 

[grubbidok]

Don't they have a fast train? More than Toowoomba gets (noting that Toowoomba is the biggest inland city after Canberra). Perhaps when the railway is extended to MEL we might see European style rail-codeshares (LOL - never in the English speaking world).

True, but the fast train won't help you from Sydney or Adelaide (or anywhere apart from Melbourne). I doubt if any new Toowoomba flights would be to Brisbane either. By the time you faff about getting to the airport it's cheaper and quicker to just drive. FWIW I think Toowoomba is definitely an option, but to mining towns or SYD rather than BNE.

 

[markis10]

Have always been gobsmacked at the number of sizeable Victorian regional cities not served by regular air services (especially after being raised in Qld/NT).

Thats because various Victorian governments have avoided regulating the intrastate air routes, therefore there are no barriers to competition should a second supplier come along to a route that would support one.

 

[dajop]

Anyone know if Bendigo will ever get a regional service guernsey? Had to make my way down there via MEL a few times now for conferences etc. Have always been gobsmacked at the number of sizeable Victorian regional cities not served by regular air services (especially after being raised in Qld/NT).

Probably because most sizable Victorian cities are close enough to MEL that it hardly makes sense for an air service. Geelong of course has its own airport (AVV) and Bendigo and Ballarat both are 90 mins drive from MEL ( and for Bendigo a taxi to Sunbury followed by train can get you there in as little as 1:40 anyway.)

All that not withstanding, a local business is looking at services from Bendigo to Essendon (www.goldairbendigo.com.au) and the council is looking at expanding the airport to serve larger regional aircraft (I guess thinking of possibility of flights to SYD).

Also Sharp Airlines serves Portland and Hamiltonfrom Essendon,

 

[jmphoto]

I'd be more than a little excited to have VA Regional set-up MEL/ADL-MGB flights. Hey, SYD-MGB would be perfect, but some competition with Rex on the existing MEL/ADL-MGB flights would be a long time coming. So tired of paying up to $700 return on rex. As a consequence me and a lot of other people spend the time on the road instead...

 

[here2go]

I'd be more than a little excited to have VA Regional set-up MEL/ADL-MGB flights. Hey, SYD-MGB would be perfect, but some competition with Rex on the existing MEL/ADL-MGB flights would be a long time coming. So tired of paying up to $700 return on rex. As a consequence me and a lot of other people spend the time on the road instead...

Didn't somebody say Rex was one of the most profitable airlines in the world?