Newcastle Airport announces NTL to PER direct

[justinbrett]

Uneducated on my half - assuming E190 wouldn't make the distance?

Still, it's a baffling call for the ex-Spirit birds now calling the Spirit of Australia home. Thought it may even be a JQ route.

This is a good post thread about it.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1927904675006648791

E190 is not mainline, it’s Qantaslink (operated by Alliance for Qantas). So another subsidiary. A220 is also QantasLink (National Jet). Your call for mainline means 737-800 or A330.

The main benefit (possibly only) using QF instead of JQ is connections, which may be especially relevant to the mining market. And at least free booze and baggage.

 

[justinbrett]

While i somewhat agree i would much rather do the 30mins to NTL than drive to SYD 2hrs.

The reasons beside time are the parking at NTL is cheaper, security is quicker, there are no tolls (if you do the M11, M2, LCT and ED it can be about $26 each way), the M1 can be a cr**p shoot, the train (Sh*tkansen) is horrendous ( i know, i do it for work) plus you have to change at Central and pay the extortion charge for the AirportLine.

I think NTL is also aiming for those in the catchment north and west of NTL

I lived in NTL for 12 years until recently. I agree flying from NTL is better for domestic, but only when there was a good flight operating. Usually fine for BNE or MEL although I had to fly JQ way more than I would have liked. If you could get a good connection through BNE that also worked but many times for places like DRW it was just easier to go to SYD.

International was no question, always SYD to use the Flounge. I once went via MEL but that involved a connection on JQ. I avoided BNE for departure due to the lounge but always tried to arrive there and connect to NTL.

I lived in the CBD so the train option was good, light rail just behind my building and then all the way to SYD. For what it is, I think the Newcastle is pretty decent and cheap, but I wouldn’t be doing it every day.

The fact of the matter is NTL will never command the frequency to destinations beyond BNE/MEL to compete with SYD.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I lived in NTL for 12 years until recently. I agree flying from NTL is better for domestic, but only when there was a good flight operating. Usually fine for BNE or MEL although I had to fly JQ way more than I would have liked. If you could get a good connection through BNE that also worked but many times for places like DRW it was just easier to go to SYD.

International was no question, always SYD to use the Flounge. I once went via MEL but that involved a connection on JQ. I avoided BNE for departure due to the lounge but always tried to arrive there and connect to NTL.

I lived in the CBD so the train option was good, light rail just behind my building and then all the way to SYD. For what it is, I think the Newcastle is pretty decent and cheap, but I wouldn’t be doing it every day.

The fact of the matter is NTL will never command the frequency to destinations beyond BNE/MEL to compete with SYD.

Most of my recent int arrivals have been BNE, I find it pretty good for the NTL connections.
Agree about SYD for INT departures.
Train is a bit painful but sometimes use it if I don’t drive a hire car down there.

This new route A319 is a hard pass for me, even although I go to PER a few times a year for work.
I would have given it a go on the E190 (assuming it can fly that distance).

 

[hutch]

Thats a long ride on what's basically an LCC interior (just not the prices), no charging, no wifi / streaming, 29 inch pitch......cant wait to see the pricing.

Post automatically merged: Thursday at 12:03 PM

JQ would actually be better.

I believe there is the entertainment streaming on these planes.

 

[docjames]

May as well just let JQ fly the route.

Doubt they have spare aircraft to service it. Also probably uses some aircraft downtime on days where there is less WA flying.

Wonder if this is also really about enabling FIFO workers into WA so the Qantas connection relevant.

Long way at 29” pitch……

 

[hugamuga]

I work fifo and occasionally get A319s, they are always a huge relief because they have much newer more comfortable Jetstar seats compared with the A320s. Still not ideal for 4 hours but I doubt most travellers would actively avoid it just to get on an old 737.

 

[exceladdict]

I work fifo and occasionally get A319s, they are always a huge relief because they have much newer more comfortable Jetstar seats compared with the A320s. Still not ideal for 4 hours but I doubt most travellers would actively avoid it just to get on an old 737.

Doing PER<>NTL occasionally, I'd prefer to go via ADL/MEL or even BNE for the sake of getting wifi on the flight.

 

[straya7]

There are actually a lot of people who commute to SYD for work, so going down there for a flight is not a big deal.

It’s only been since covid that NTL has had jets and J seats from QF, which is a huge improvement. It has historically been restricted by JQ who used to have a base in NTL so it was over capacity and had very low fares. As a business traveller why would you book a slower flight on a Q400 when you could fly on a faster A320, who also had higher frequency.

Since the base was closed the balance is going back further to QF but going mainline would reduce frequency, so better to use small jets. Further routes like ADL/PER are not viable for a 737-800.

QF Dash 8 is more comfortable than a JQ A320, don’t get the hate for the Q400, quiet, lots of room, 2x2 quick boarding and better clientele than on Jetstar.