Qantas has filed Johannesberg – Perth flights from December 7th 2018

[docjames]

You’d think the airport operator would be trying to facilitate more flights (and thereby earn more revenue) rather than be obstructive.

QF have made the SYD Dom—> Int connection as “seamless” as possible, but let’s face it, it’s still a PITA compared to being able to walk. Also, losing (potentially) up to an hour of aircraft time to tow from one terminal to the other is nuts.

But it seems to be a continued play-out of the QF v PER saga of terminal coalescence. At what point does PER realise QF is effectively it’s “customer” and they should be trying to help it?

Perhaps those from the west know more / can enlighten further.

 

[pauly7]

This article suggests QF and PER airport disagree which terminal they should use for these flights and could be a show stopped. I see both sides of the argument.

Qantas Perth to Johannesburg flight at a stalemate over terminal | The West Australian

Here we go again....!

 

[Melburnian1]

A question for the locals in WA: who is right: Perth airport or QF? Like one other earlier contributor, I can see both sides.

 

[oz_mark]

You’d think the airport operator would be trying to facilitate more flights (and thereby earn more revenue) rather than be obstructive.

QF have made the SYD Dom—> Int connection as “seamless” as possible, but let’s face it, it’s still a PITA compared to being able to walk. Also, losing (potentially) up to an hour of aircraft time to tow from one terminal to the other is nuts.

But it seems to be a continued play-out of the QF v PER saga of terminal coalescence. At what point does PER realise QF is effectively it’s “customer” and they should be trying to help it?

Perhaps those from the west know more / can enlighten further.

So after Qantas gave Perth the finger for several years, they want to swing back in an derail the plans to consolidate everything at T1.

The idea is that everything needs to move to T1 - international, domestic the works. Qantas seems to be working actively against these plans, and if they get their way would be happy to just stay where they are.

The whole things sniffs of a 'leak' from Qantas trying to sway public opinion against the airport (and lets face it, there is little love for the airport operators, they operate more as a landlord and property developer than an airport operator)

 

[moa999]

The whole things sniffs of a 'leak' from Qantas trying to sway public opinion against the airport

Not sure what your getting at.

Qantas received government support to colocated all domestic and international ops in T3/T4 as a relatively temporary measure until Perth Airport completes its master plan to move everything (including domestic and international) to a much expanded Airport Central.

Airport now seems to be going against this colocation of Qantas ops

 

[dk4]

The airport train will only stop conveniently at Airport Central (T1 & T2), so IMO Qantas should really be pushing hard to move over to that side sooner rather than later. (Qantas Group's customers should start demanding it too - perhaps by planning on flying other carriers which use those terminals in 2021, once the train is operational.)

Plus the fantastic Gateway WA project makes that side's terminal area far more accessible from a road based perspective (especially after the closure of the Great Eastern Highway - Brearley Ave access to T3 & T4).

Perhaps once Perth Airport starts closing down public parking and taxi facilities at T3 & T4, Qantas might belatedly get the hint that it has outstayed its welcome on that side of the runway?!

 

[moa999]

The airport train will only stop conveniently at Airport Central (T1 & T2),

Obviously Perth Airport needs to build a new extension before Qantas can move.

In the intervening period.

Redcliffe Station (formerly Belmont and Airport West) will be about 600m from the Qantas terminals. I'd assume they will run some form of loop shuttle once the railway line opens.

 

[dk4]

Obviously Perth Airport needs to build a new extension before Qantas can move.

And perhaps Qantas needs to stop dragging the anchor and agree to pay their fair share for a sparkling new terminal in the Central Airport Precinct? From an outside perspective, certainly seems like Qantas could be a lot more proactive, considering the lead times with these kind of things.

 

[Daver6]

Obviously Perth Airport needs to build a new extension before Qantas can move.

In the intervening period.

Redcliffe Station (formerly Belmont and Airport West) will be about 600m from the Qantas terminals. I'd assume they will run some form of loop shuttle once the railway line opens.

I had wondered how that was meant to work. I'm sure if they have a shuttle loop it will run maybe once every 10 minutes. Why on earth would anyone want to put up with that? Seemed really stupid not having the station at the terminal.

 

[oz_mark]

Obviously Perth Airport needs to build a new extension before Qantas can move.

The new terminal is still at stakeholder negotiation time (and then there is community consultation, and then there is government approvals before anything is built).

Something is clearly holding stakeholder negotiations up.

 

[oz_mark]

I had wondered how that was meant to work. I'm sure if they have a shuttle loop it will run maybe once every 10 minutes. Why on earth would anyone want to put up with that? Seemed really stupid not having the station at the terminal.

The station is not designed to be at a terminal that is not supposed to be there long term.

 

[Daver6]

The station is not designed to be at a terminal that is not supposed to be there long term.

Interesting spot for the station then. It's not exactly in a high density populated area though. I suppose the area being light industrial would mean those working in the area might use it to get to work.

 

[Danger]

I'm all for more QF services out of Perth but Qantas just seems to want to right its own rules all the time. As oz_mark said, it wasn't that long ago QF gave Perth the middle finger. Now it wants all these special exemptions.

The Perth Airport CEO's comments are on the money, as far as I'm concerned:

“The Perth to Johannesburg route is not a new route and is already well serviced with a year-round daily flight by South African Airways from T1 international," Mr Brown said.

“In fact, South African Airways has had a 60-year commitment to Perth and Western Australia on this route".​

 

[N860CR]

And flying this route quite a bit... SAA seems to have no issue filling it (even with the old business seats)