Hamilton Island Flights=Disgraceful

[streety]

Hi all,

About to book a family holiday to HTI on the the 31st May from HBA via MEL + SYD with a stop at OOL on the way back- all with QFF awards points. Why is it so that an airport that connects with some of Australia's premier holiday destinations (Hayman island, Lizard island) is only served now by discount carriers?!

This also means that any flights I book to get to SYD for the HTI flight must go absolutely to plan otherwise we're up s**t creek when we try and check in for the Jet* operated flight- and it will be our fault for booking an "illegal connection"

Just pisses me off that Qantas can get away with that sort of thing, I know they have to turn a profit but surely the profit for them would still be there what with all the international holiday-makers who want to relax at Hayman Island on their way home? If you are flying J the whole way you don't want to have to fly Jet*.

Most of all I just don't like the idea of using award points for Jet* travel, and to add to all of that QF only operate a sparrows flight and an evening flight to-from HBA.

Phew...grr

 

[SeaWolf]

I think this has occured because the vast majority of people flying out there are tourists and are just looking for the best deal possible. That fits in far better with JQ's model than with QF's.

If you're that concerned about missed connections and wanting to be able to check your baggage through, you can do all of that, right the way from HBA to HTI with DJ, who are able to offer you a seamless 'single carrier' service on this route. You would need an extra stop in BNE though.

 

[Travel Guru]

Lizard isn't serviced by HTI, unless you want to take a REALLY long boat ride.

I agree that it's pretty poor, but unfortunately, unless people stop flying JQ to HTI then they'll keep on doing it.

They added services on QF Metal after alot of requests post JQ introduction, but I believe lack of support or lack of available aircraft saw the demise of that flight option

TG

 

[NM]

Why is it so that an airport that connects with some of Australia's premier holiday destinations (Hayman island, Lizard island) is only served now by discount carriers?!

Answer is simple .... not enough poeple are willing to pay the higher fares that are needed to make such as destination viable for a full-service carrier. People are happy to by the K, B, H, Y and even J fares for business trips where they can justify the extra cost against the flexibility provided by the fares. However, few people were willing to pay for such benefits when its coming out of their own pocket for leisure travel.

Its a matter of supply and demand. The airlines are supplying what the public is demanding. And the most vocal of the demands is lower fares. And the best way for the airlines to meet the vocal demands for lower fares is by operating the route as a LCC.

 

[dajop]

One can actually fly all the way back from HTI to HBA on a seamless, luggage transferred connection on QF (can't get up there though, without an overnight in CNS). HTI-CNS-MEL, but it it is a 12 hour trip,with 3hrs each in MEL & CNS.

 

[simongr]

If you're that concerned about missed connections and wanting to be able to check your baggage through, you can do all of that, right the way from HBA to HTI with DJ, who are able to offer you a seamless 'single carrier' service on this route. You would need an extra stop in BNE though.

Using the ITA trip planner DJ is the shortest journey time at about 7 hours - i think now we dont really see DJ as a true LCC do we? Status programs, lounges, assigned seating, premium economy coming...

Unfortunately nowadays you dont get what you pay for - you get other people are willing to pay - unless you live in the world of the super rich we default to the lowest cheapest denominator.

As is often demonstrated on this forum a large proportion of people are happy to pay J for business (because they aren't paying) but wont waste money/points on business class for their personal travel. That is within a community that flies a lot - imagine the vast majority of travellers for whom half the story of the holiday is about how cramped the flight was and how poor the food was - just so that they could spend an extra day in the sun or a trip a couple of thousand kilometres away...