MEL > WLG gets the chop.

[Cool Cat Phil]

This story is a few days old, but apparently it's reported the JQ service from MEL to WLG is being cancelled due to insufficient demand.

What I find strange is that JQ only launched this route just over a year ago, and only offered the one and only horrendous departure time ex MEL 12:50am in the morning and never bothered to assess if another time might be more popular.

Its pretty obvious why demand never eventuated.

Jetstar stopping Wellington-Melbourne direct flights | Stuff.co.nz

 

[moa999]

Back of clock service... Gives a plane utilisation that would otherwise sit on the ground at MEL overnight.
Worth trying, but if it doesn't cover the costs, then can it.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Back of clock service... Gives a plane utilisation that would otherwise sit on the ground at MEL overnight.
Worth trying, but if it doesn't cover the costs, then can it.

I totally get the whole fleet utilisation principle, where at MEL Jetconnect fly out to AKL at a similar ungodly hour.

I would have thought looking at a different departure time ( ie early evening , ie 6pm) would have worked for them. Quite surprising JQ didn't at least attempt a more appealing departure time. I know I would have used it, as WLG is my favourite destination in NZ.

 

[TomVexille]

I totally get the whole fleet utilisation principle, where at MEL Jetconnect fly out to AKL at a similar ungodly hour.

I would have thought looking at a different departure time ( ie early evening , ie 6pm) would have worked for them. Quite surprising JQ didn't at least attempt a more appealing departure time. I know I would have used it, as WLG is my favourite destination in NZ.

Someone here on AFF pointed out a while ago that the ungodly hour QF flights from MEL to AKL and CHC are actually timed to connect from QF10.

 

[Melburnian1]

Apart from its role as the capital, WLG is far smaller than AKL.

Perhaps SQ's September 2016 commencement of its SIN - CBR - WLG flights SQ291 and SQ292 (latter is the return) makes sense because it will attract high yielding politcians and public servants (using your money.)

However JQ won't typically carry these sorts of people. Visitors to NZ largely want to commence a holiday in CHC and finish it in AKL or vice versa if 'doing' both islands, so while Wellington may be an intermediate stop - I've used it to connect between KiwiRail trains and inter-island ferries - it isn't the main game for tourists.