HA to commence BNE-HNL

[maninblack]

See. Swapping G’Day for Aloha: Hawaiian Airlines to fly to Brisbane - Airline News - etravelblackboard.com

Still no MEL-HNL MEL must be the cough-end of the world as far as international airlines are concerned, for an affluent city of 4 million our services are pitiful.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Agree. So sick of having to go via Sydney in a lot of cases and was really hoping that HA would give Melbourne a go on this route

 

[Wezza]

There is an explanation in Travel Weekly from their CEO as to why BNE was chosen over MEL.

BNE flights “the right time” for HA
Brisbane had been on Hawaiian Airlines’ radar for two years before it concluded now was the right time to launch direct flights, its chief executive Mark Dunkerley has revealed. The carrier announced this morning that a three times weekly service will begin on November 28 with 767s initially operating on the route.
The Queensland capital will become HA’s second Australian port, after Sydney, and increase capacity between Australia and Hawaii by 38%, or 40,000 annual seats.
The move was flagged by Dunkerley in Travel Today in March.
Speaking to Travel Today from Hawaii this morning, Dunkerley said the strong performance of its daily A330 Sydney services convinced management that a second route was required.
“We have been very encouraged by demand for Hawaii from Australia and the strength of the dollar has been particularly important. All things pointed to
a good time to increase services,” he explained. “Brisbane has been on the list for the last couple of years and it’s just been a question of when was the right time. The right time has just appeared.”
Brisbane was selected for its closer proximity to Hawaii and for its strong economy brought about the resources boom. In addition, unlike Melbourne, the bulk of passengers will not have to back
Hawaiian boss Mark Dunkerley
track to other cities in Australia. “We are not overflying by
operating to Brisbane,” he said. Dunkerley added that HA will
look to introduce A330 aircraft to Brisbane and increase frequencies once the service becomes established and proves a success.
“To use Japan as a guide, we started a number of routes with 767s and were able to get to daily frequencies and introduce A330s in a two year time period,” he said. “But it all depends on how the business builds. We already get strong business from Queensland and this will provide more options and stimulate further demand.”
The 262-passenger 767 will depart Honolulu on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, returning on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

http://www.travelweekly.com.au/getm... - send -> 20/06/2012 4:06:10 PM&utm_content=

 

[maninblack]

Seems an odd explanation, it makes little or no sense at all in terms of numbers or geography. Anyway I have news for Mr Dunkerley having now flown SYD-HNL on the new A330 service and that is unless they start flying direct out of MEL I won't be in any hurry to fly them again. I see an opportunity for another airline. Shame VA didn't take it on instead of their attempt into HKT and their crazy foray into JNB. MEL-HNL 3 times a week with a decent quality product should be a no-brainer.

 

[here2go]

Seems an odd explanation, it makes little or no sense at all in terms of numbers or geography.

Actually maninblack, it makes perfect sense! Try Great Circle Mapper, which is what I used to generate the map below. As you can see, flights from MEL-HNL have to pretty much fly over the top of SYD, whereas BNE is further north, and has the CUB market (Cashed Up Bogan) feeding into it. It isn't the 1850s Gold Rushes were more Melbourne was more important than San Francisco anymore, and Brisbane was but a mere colonial backwater. The nuggets the world cares about are black, and BNE is where the action is! I understand that DJ fly regularly to the poorly designed BNE and SYD airports.

 

[maninblack]

flights from MEL-HNL have to pretty much fly over the top of SYD

And so do flights MEL-LAX
http://www.gcmap.com/map?P=mel-lax&MS=wls&MR=900&MX=540x540&PM=*

But there are no flights MEL-HNL

 

[here2go]

It's not like you have to fly to MEL-DRW-HNL. We know about stupid detours in Darwin, especially when they are caused by QF not posting their JQ codeshare. Supply and demand is the name of the game, and as you can see from the original post, MEL is like Emerald and Townsville in HA's eyes: a feeder airport for the two major Australian airports closer to the tourist market of HNL.

 

[JohnPhelan]

MEL's problem is always going to be that flights from virtually everywhere - except Antarctica and NZ - have to overfly a lot of Australia to get there. In coming years, I predict that fewer airlines will offer direct international services to/from MEL, for that very reason.

It's really just the hub-and-spoke system, much as applies in the US - you fly domestically within the country to the main international gateways, which are located on the edge of the country (e.g. in the American context LAX, SFO, MIA, JFK, BOS) and then connect to your international flight.

Geography will always count against MEL in this regard.

 

[dajop]

MEL's problem is always going to be that flights from virtually everywhere - except Antarctica and NZ - have to overfly a lot of Australia to get there. In coming years, I predict that fewer airlines will offer direct international services to/from MEL, for that very reason.

It's really just the hub-and-spoke system, much as applies in the US - you fly domestically within the country to the main international gateways, which are located on the edge of the country (e.g. in the American context LAX, SFO, MIA, JFK, BOS) and then connect to your international flight.

Geography will always count against MEL in this regard.

What a load of rubbish. Sorry, for the harsh words, but I am a Victorian, if not Melburnian through and through and I've certainly taken the bait!

What you speak is only true for destinations to the east of Australia. Sure, HA, QF, UA, AC, and & DL (and I maybe VA eventually as well) use SYD as a hub for eastbound services. It really wouldn't make sense for HA to fly to MEL unless they were confident of getting strong loads from MEL, without damaging loads on SYD flights, which is unlikely (I am sure their SYD loads would suffer). Everyone else (ie Asian and Middle Eastern airlines) seem pretty keen to use their own hub and spoke rather than use their own hub and spoke + SYD to serve MEL. Or are you suggesting they will start hubbing in DRW like Jetstar? If you look at some key Asian ports - SGN, SIN, KUL, BOM, CGK, BKK, DXB, AUH & DOH are all closer to MEL than SYD (and except for BKK closer to MEL than BNE), for HKG, CAN and MNL are more or less the same distance from the two cities, with NRT, ICN, PVG & PEK being closer to SYD.

And lastly there is actually one international route ex-SYD that overflies MEL too!

 

[here2go]

If this article from the Aus republished by Passport Darwin (Strategic Hub for Virgin and Singapore? - Passport Darwin) is to be trusted, expect less international going to South East Asia from the east coast, especially Melbourne, and more hub and spoke via Darwin. It means airlines can use cheap narrowbodies, pay their staff less on the international legs, and carry more cargo (ie people)

 

[Wezza]

Seems an odd explanation, it makes little or no sense at all in terms of numbers or geography. Anyway I have news for Mr Dunkerley having now flown SYD-HNL on the new A330 service and that is unless they start flying direct out of MEL I won't be in any hurry to fly them again. I see an opportunity for another airline. Shame VA didn't take it on instead of their attempt into HKT and their crazy foray into JNB. MEL-HNL 3 times a week with a decent quality product should be a no-brainer.

Well your only other non stop options are a clapped out QF 767 or Jetstar, both out of Sydney.

 

[eastwest101]

And don't forget - as much as some may like to laugh at "old" 767's - if you fly HA BNE-HNL you get 2+2+2 abreast in J class and 2+3+2 abreast in Y class, I think that is pretty civilized compared to the other options, and from what I hear pricing isn't as steep as QF either.

 

[Fruitcake]

Shame VA didn't take it on instead of their attempt into HKT and their crazy foray into JNB. MEL-HNL 3 times a week with a decent quality product should be a no-brainer.

I think (armchair analysis only) VA's 777s would be 'too much airplane' for the route - MEL-HNL probably wouldn't draw the yields necessary to sustain three class service, especially with a fully flat bed in J. But arguably HKT fell into the same category, and they did that anyway.

But those shiny new A330s, which are arguably a bit of overkill for the vast majority of domestic routes..... However I suspect there are better yields to be found in Asia before they start getting sent eastward.

 

[lovestotravel]

767's on MEL-HNL are pushing the limits of the plane, it's another 500 miles!

A330's would be great
JQ have done it before but pulled it due to poor loads/wanting to focus on SYD

The VA A330's are too much for domestic, they would be nice on MEL-HNL but the yields would not be there

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

Excellent news, I do commute quite a bit BNE to Maui, this will shorten the journey.

 

[eastwest101]

Excellent news, I do commute quite a bit BNE to Maui, this will shorten the journey.

Yes - good news for the "SYD transit phobes" who do fly regularly to HNL - there must be a couple of them!

 

[maninblack]

Well your only other non stop options are a clapped out QF 767 or Jetstar, both out of Sydney.

I have no non-stop options.

The other option that I have used a number of times and will be using in future is NZ via Auckland. It's an overnighter on the way there which now doesn't bother me with the new airport hotel and several good friends to see for dinner there and it's a great connection coming home. Did it last week with trip7 aircraft all the way and a nice flat bed too. And BTW the J service on NZ is streets ahead of the other 3 options, but it ain't cheap of course.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I was just thinking that if QF had a 744 that did MEL/HNL/DFW or MEL/HNL/JFK that would be popular as HNL seems to go out of fashion & it would allow pax to avoid both SYD & LAX & still get to HNL or the East coast.

It would also suit pax connect from PER/ADL/HBA.

I'm probably dreaming though.

 

[maninblack]

I was just thinking that if QF had a 744 that did MEL/HNL/DFW or MEL/HNL/JFK that would be popular as HNL seems to go out of fashion & it would allow pax to avoid both SYD & LAX & still get to HNL or the East coast.

It would also suit pax connect from PER/ADL/HBA.

I'm probably dreaming though.

You are dreaming, but your concept isn't so silly, they could also run that service with an A332. Nevertheless QF have demonstrated for over 20 years that they are either disinterested or incapable of running successful international ops out of MEL. They only run 3 direct routes. (excluding NZ which is served by sardine tins)

 

[smit0847]

I was just thinking that if QF had a 744 that did MEL/HNL/DFW or MEL/HNL/JFK that would be popular as HNL seems to go out of fashion & it would allow pax to avoid both SYD & LAX & still get to HNL or the East coast.

It would also suit pax connect from PER/ADL/HBA.

I'm probably dreaming though.

I doubt it would ever happen but thats an excellent idea - a stop on the way back from the madness of NYC at HNL for a days to lay on the each, all the time avoiding SYD and LAX would be very attractive!