QF to join forces with Qatar [?]

[anat0l]

Assuming (very boldly) that the tie-up goes ahead, there are some interesting dynamics at play:

• QR recently went 2 class (J/Y) from its former 3 class (+F). So it appears, on first glance, that this won't stack with EY on similar routing for the high premium market. In saying that, the traditional Kangaroo et al routes constitute already 3 F choices for QF/oneworld pax.
  A real shame as QR F was touted to be very good (though perhaps not quite at the heels of EK or EY). That said, QR J has been reported to be a fine choice.
• I hear DOH is, apart from QR's premium facilities, comparable to a hell hole. Probably extreme, and perhaps not too relevant...
• QR's current timing to Australia (viz. MEL) is pretty horrible (IIRC). The QR outbound is meh as almost any QF inbound connection can meet it, but the same cannot be said about the converse (a rather unpleasant proposition).
• Not sure I'd hold my breath for a QF DOH service. The fleet is stretched as it is, and then more than likely it will operate with a no-F aircraft.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using AustFreqFly

 

[smit0847]

This is hardly going to rock the Australian aviation industry. A week ago Qatar had an entire 1 flight a day to Australia, now they have a whole 2. If they do increase this because of a codeshare surely there will be little benefit to QF except for regional feed (and it would mean even less pax flying QFi?). Surely QF wont partner with EK if they're already partnered with QR? They would have to pick one or the other?

If QF were getting 787s they could deploy them on direct services to DOH from each capital city where QR don't service, and add additional services for those cities QR do service, giving pax a real choice to get to Europe. I would much prefer taking QF to DOH and then QR onto somewhere like BCN or ATH then taking QF A380 to LHR and backtracking. QR manage incredibly quick connections through DOH (I think its 23.5 hours MEL-DOH-LHR with a change of planes).

I wish VA had hooked up with QR rather than EY and done this exact thing with their 777s - they could have set up a DOH base like they have in LAX and expanded their international network so that with QR and DL they easily covered all of North America and Europe.

I think QR is a terrific little airline and welcome their growth in Australia. I note they have said they want to join an alliance but they dont know which one (all 3 are courting them for obvious reasons).

 

[oz_mark]

QR's current timing to Australia (viz. MEL) is pretty horrible (IIRC). The QR outbound is meh as almost any QF inbound connection can meet it, but the same cannot be said about the converse (a rather unpleasant proposition).

I think you will find that PER is also in Australia, so it is not just MEL. Given they have chosen not to fly to Sydney it seems reasonable that they would also look at options on how they can feed their services. QR have suggested codesharing on QF to PER or SIN to feed their services (although the transit in PER is a less than stellar experience at this point in time)

 

[markis10]

I think QR is a terrific little airline and welcome their growth in Australia. I note they have said they want to join an alliance but they dont know which one (all 3 are courting them for obvious reasons).

I am not sure 109 aircraft of which the majority are long haul could be classed as little. And they have some interesting options:

 

[ozmille]

If QF would do a SYD DOH connecting onto QR that would be very welcome as that would mean a one stop trip to BRU for me (one can only hope)

 

[browski]

Personally, I hope this goes ahead, but I'm more thrilled in the African and Middle East destinations than the European ones. Africa is a huge hole on the Qantas/One World map and this tie-up may finally open up the whole continent. One-stop to Sao Paolo as well

 

[smit0847]

I am not sure 109 aircraft of which the majority are long haul could be classed as little. And they have some interesting options:

What the hell is that? It looks like a dog with wings!


(I means little compared to their larger Gulf cousins)

 

[markis10]

What the hell is that? It looks like a dog with wings!


(I means little compared to their larger Gulf cousins)

A C17 of course - was in adelaide last year!

[video=youtube;gpC2Caf2jJw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpC2Caf2jJw[/video]

 

[SeaWolf]

Interesting they're playing the Middle East game again. Remember, it was QF not DJ who initially set up a codeshare/partnership with Etihad, QF just didn't play the game in the long run.

Yes, that's the first thing that came to my mind as well. I get the impression from that deal that QF was all take and no give to Etihad and they didn't really want to be in that sort of relationship, hence the switch to Virgin. If QF does the same thing to Qatar the deal may not last long either.

 

[SeaWolf]

What the hell is that? It looks like a dog with wings!

It's a C-17 Globemaster military cargo transport. Boeing C-17 Globemaster III - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It's famed for its ability to land and take off in very short distance, to use dirt and gravel airstrips and being able to reverse the aircraft using its thrust reversers (rather than just brake like most jet aircraft which can't reverse by themselves at all). It supports both strategic and tactical airlift and has been a real life saver in many humanitarian situations due to its flexibility and relatively high load.
However, I have no idea why it's painted in the Qatar Airlines colours, I'm certain it'd be owned by the Qatar Air Force.

 

[serfty]

FWIW, the AA MD-80's are able to "self reverse"; DFW was initially set up for this. However it was decided not to use it due to the amount of FOD kicked up.
Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[markis10]

However, I have no idea why it's painted in the Qatar Airlines colours, I'm certain it'd be owned by the Qatar Air Force.

Its owned by Qatar airlines and used for freight, as its commercially registered rather than using the mil rego.

FWIW, the AA MD-80's are able to "self reverse"; DFW was initially set up for this. However it was decided not to use it due to the amount of FOD kicked up.
Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

As do the QF 717s (another DC9 derivative although the M90s dont do it), I have been in one in CNS that did it.

Photos: Boeing 717-2BD Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

 

[casanovawa]

Hmmm, like this possibility of a QF-QR link up and hopefully it comes to fruition... I've been saving up my QFFs to maybe do a 140k OW award and could only use Qatar if they join up to OW which might be a while away, but never know, might try and book a J trip one way with QR and Y return etc with QFF points to Europe??? Would like some nice cheap Y deals from QR as i was impressed when I flew with them in Y in 2010... Nice just to have another option...

 

[777]

Qantar or Qatas?

 

[ChrisCunard]

Qantas / qatar

Not sure of you're all across this but looks as if QF and QR are about to enter into an alliance:

http://www.news.com.au/business/com...th-qatar-airways/story-fnda1bsz-1226417495551

http://www.finnewsnetwork.com.au/archives/finance_news_network21062.html

http://news.google.com.au/news/url?...ing-qantas-codeshares/&ei=4571T-jpCcWikgW55AE

 

[Platinum A332]

Looking forward to a daily C-17 to Sydney, continuing onto Auckland to compete with the EK-380 :-D

 

[drron]

Interesting as Qatar has codeshares with US,NH and OZ with reciprocal rights with their loyalty program.

 

[777]

It will be really interesting to see what if anything comes of this deal. If it transpires that Qantas does do a deal with Qatar to get its code on one stop services to much of Europe/ Africa then it's pretty much Joyce reverting (after how many years of dead ends and crazy thought bubbles?) to much the same strategy that Borghetti was pursuing when he was at Qantas (with Etihad) that he later took over to VA.

So much of the defence of Joyce has been along the lines of "no one else could have done any better" but if it transpires that ends up with a variation of a strategy that Qantas shelved on his watch then it doesn't exactly cover his strategy in glory.

 

[jwak]

This article really sums up the issues facing Oneworld's move into the ME. oneworld's BA and Qantas may shake up global alliances irreversibly as Emirates and Qatar enter | CAPA

Glad I dont work in aviation ;-)

 

[codash1099]

Qantar or Qatas?

Q Squared ?