QF's COVID-19 minimal network schedule

[Simo]

IMHO i think there is more pain in flight schedules...

 

[justinbrett]

I’m returning home to NTL from BNE tomorrow morning and was worried about capacity in the lounge (0815 departure).

Turns out nothing to worry about. Not many flights going.

 

[Melburnian1]

IMHO i think there is more pain in flight schedules...

I am endeavouring most days to keep the QF/JQ/VA delays/cancellations threads updated.

You are right. As of last night, JQd for instance had cancelled 11 of its 16 flights from Sydney Airport on Sunday 2 August 2020.

The number of flights operating today from MEL is minimal, not even double figures for domestic across all carriers.

 

[Melburnian1]

At 1300 hours on Wednesday 5 August, the NSW Premier announced that from Friday 7 morning, any Victorians arriving in NSW would be treated like international arrivals and be made to stay in a hotel, quarantining, for 14 days at their own expense.

Returning NSW residents will only be allowed to do so through Sydney Airport, not by driving. (Exception: border residents).

As if it wasn't small enough already, this will further reduce demand for BNE-SYD and MEL-SYD flights.

 

[justinbrett]

And now QLD has once again closed the border to all of NSW and ACT.

Well, that's the end of flying again.

 

[NM]

And now QLD has once again closed the border to all of NSW and ACT.

Well, that's the end of flying again.

Please continue discussion on border closures in the appropriate thread:

State border closures illegal under the highest law in the country?

Everything is arguable in law, doubly so in constitutional law. This is a matter for the high court. But here's my opening argument; Section 92 of the highest law in the country sets out "On the imposition of uniform duties of customs, trade, commerce, and intercourse among the States, whether...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Some subsequent posts have been moved to that thread.

 

[Melburnian1]

The ban on international (passenger-carrying) flights inbound to MEL is to continue until 24 October after a decision of National Cabinet.

That more or less coincides with the start of the southern hemisphere's summer timetables.

 

[AIRwin]

Looks like QF is matching VA's current "Let your state surprise you" sale fare for one of the routes I searched for:
https://specials.virginaustralia.com/au/sale/let-your-state-surprise-you

 

[NSun]

I've been looking at a long weekend getaway for the Labour Day long weekend in early October to either Port Macquarie or Coffs Harbour. Taking a rough look through QF's flight options seems much of September is the same bare bones schedule, at least on regional NSW routes, but flights will be increased in October, at least during the school holidays.

 

[Melburnian1]

Unless any of us have been on a desert island without mobile reception, we know schedules are way, way down on 'normal.'

Saturday 21 August 2020 illustrates this hugely, with QFd operating just one domestic flight ex MEL, QF430 at 0930 hours mid morning up to SYD.

JQd beats it with two (JQ705 at 0820 hours down to HBA, and JQ510 to SYD at 1000).

VAd again has no flights ex MEL on this Saturday, and nor as has become normal does ZL.

So the 'span of hours' for domestic flights tomorrow by any passenger airline is 0820 to 1000 for departures ex MEL. We'd have said 'unbelievable' a year ago if anyone had predicted this.

(There are seven international flights tomorrow scheduled ex MEL, but as usual, none from QFi or VAi).

 

[justinbrett]

So as it turns out even I was being optimistic

I don't agree with justinbrett that there'll just be 'one return' SYD - MEL - SYD flight a day (per operator) as the numbers of 'emergency services/government' staff moving around may be higher than that, plus those approved on compassionate grounds. So I reckon QF will continue to have more than two flights each way on this normally busy route, except maybe on low demand Saturdays. AFL teams, temporarily, don't have to fly around on VAd either.

 

[AIRwin]

From a brief look on EF it seems Qantas have cancelled all NZ routes until 25

Not a surprise:

Qantas Group extends Trans-Tasman reservation closure to Dec 2020

Qantas Group in recent inventory update extended Trans-Tasman service suspension into December 2020, as Qantas and Jetstar both closed reservations. First available Qantas-operating Trans-Tasman flight...

www.routesonline.com

 

[Melburnian1]

On Sunday 4 October, MEL has a total of just seven flights (international or domestic) scheduled.

Of those, QFd has just two: QF2294 to SYD at 1400 hours in the afternoon, followed closely by QF2158 to CBR at 1615 hours.

The first outbound flight of any operator is JQ510 to SYD at 1200 'high noon', so not a single scheduled outbound regular public transport passenger flight between 0001 hours and 1200 (which due to changing over to daylight saving is only a 10 minute 59 minute period).

Two flights, and both turboprops, must be pretty close to setting a new low for QFd ex MEL given there's no industrial action like there was in 1989/90 or 2011.

If any of us had predicted this a year ago, we'd have been lucky to escape being certified.

All this talk of other Premiers (selectively) opening borders in October or in Queensland's case the day after the 31 October election (which may see a new LNP Premier) is bypassing Melbourne.

 

[jase05]

CBR was like a ghost town yesterday, 4 inbound and 4 outbound total for the day, was quite depressing seeing it that deserted.

 

[Melburnian1]

CBR was like a ghost town yesterday, 4 inbound and 4 outbound total for the day, was quite depressing seeing it that deserted.

Maybe better though than some recent Saturdays when the airport was apparently closed according to its MD.

 

[I love to travel]

Checking in at Brisbane yesterday was told daily numbers are about 1200 compared to 11800 normally.

 

[Melburnian1]

Checking in at Brisbane yesterday was told daily numbers are about 1200 compared to 11800 normally.

Overall, some days BNE has more than 50 outbound domestic flights (but I haven't narrowed it down to QFd, JQd and so on). Given that there are often no flights to MEL and SYD IIRC, plus none to PER, HBA and other previously served destinations, that magnitude of a drop is likely (although at first glance I thought only 10 per cent was an exaggeration).

Hard to see how QF overall has reduced its losses to 'just' $40 million a week with even BNE (open for intrastate flights) so depressed, MEL a basekt case and SYD while not quite as bad also way below normal passenger handling figures.

 

[jase05]

Maybe better though than some recent Saturdays when the airport was apparently closed according to its MD.

I won’t be making the mistake of flying ADL-CBR on a Saturday again anytime soon.

 

[DC3]

Maybe better though than some recent Saturdays when the airport was apparently closed according to its MD.

I was thinking the same thing. It was forecast to be closed on every Saturday. So, still open.

 

[Melburnian1]

'The Australian' online mid-afternoon on Sunday 1 November 2020 reports that the newly reelected Queensland Premier is vowing to keep her State's border shut until 'at least 1 DEcember 2020' to (Greater) Sydneysiders and all Victorians. She will 'review' this at the end of November: to me, that means few flights until perhaps a week into December at the very least, because organising aircraft to again operate, crews and numerous other matters is unlikely to be achieved in 24 hours.

Madness. Costly to so many.