Significant reduction SYD-AKL capacity in 2015?

[Platinum A332]

Hi - was looking at flights SYD-AKL in 2015 and noticed a significant reduction in QF/Jetconnect capacity, down to only 3xflights per day on most days (4 on Monday and Friday). Checked the week before and after for similar results

Out of Auckland, there are now no flights between 0735 and 1500. Out of Sydney, there are no flights between 0900 and 1730 on most days

Is this QF's intention, or are schedules still being updated into next year?A

 

[kermatu]

In the last week I've had scheduled flights to/from NZ (Melbourne and Brisbane) mid-2015 moved or outright cancelled. Quite different schedules from a quick look. Will need to re-jig flights for the 2nd time with NZ connections of late. Quite frustrating, and leads one even more toward EK (which is actually not my preference on this shorter haul due to connection times with Canberra and Y service - but at least the times are stable).

 

[JessicaTam]

With the QF/EK tie up, I thought that there was a minimum number of seats required. :?:

 

[serfty]

So did I ... do the new JQ flights count in total capacity?

I guess the early morning EK jets will be fuller.

 

[Mattg]

Having a quick look at SYD-AKL schedules for next year, I am struggling to make sense of the strategy (is there even one?. On peak days, there are 2 similarly-timed morning flights (one at 09:00, one at 10:10) then nothing until the 2 evening flights (one at 17:30, one at 18:45).

The return AKL-SYD is much the same - 2 early morning flights @ 06:30 and 07:35 then two afternoon flights at 15:00 and 16:15.

I thought the whole point of doing trans-Tasman with narrow-bodied 737 Jetconnect aircraft was (as well as to cut costs) to be able to offer more frequency and a wider variety of departures throughout the day to suit the schedules of more passengers. If they are only really offering a choice of 2 departures throughout the day, why not just put on wide-bodied aircraft?

I know they did announce a while back that TT schedules would be reduced slightly and they would be shedding one Jetconnect aircraft, but these new schedules seem to be pushing it.

Naturally JQ is offering 1-2 flights a day on the route, and there are LAN's and EK's existing flights, although the JQ and LAN flights are timed very similarly to QF's existing morning flights, so don't add much variety. EK's morning SYD-AKL is the same story - at least their AKL-SYD leg adds a later departure option out of AKL, although it is only 1hr, 40mins after the last QF flight.

All-round, I struggle to understand what QF are thinking here. I thought that one of their main points of difference was to offer more frequency and a variety of flight times, but they are really only offering two choices now on SYD-AKL and AKL-SYD. Previously they had a choice of 5 flights, conveniently spread out across the day. In the case of SYD-AKL, the choices with QF used to be approximately 06:30, 09:30, 11:00, 16:00 & 18:30. In the other direction, ex. AKL the choices were approx. 06:30, 09:00, 13:00, 16:00 and 18:30. It made sense!

In the meantime, I note that NZ continues to offer a wide choice of flight times...

With the QF/EK tie up, I thought that there was a minimum number of seats required. :?:

I thought the same...

 

[yohy?!]

Guess the whole jet connect thing has basically been a failure and they are now trying to get it into profit rather than just breakeven...the EK tie up can't help much either highlighting the weakness in the QF narrow body product.

 

[eastwest101]

Guess the whole jet connect thing has basically been a failure and they are now trying to get it into profit rather than just breakeven...the EK tie up can't help much either highlighting the weakness in the QF narrow body product.

Pretty much what I was going to say - if timing is non-crucial and ignoring codeshares on other peoples metal - here's the choice (least to most expensive).

NZ in either A320, B767 or B777
LAN either B787 or A340
EK in a A380
QF in B737
VA in B737
JQ in a A320
CI in a A330

You would need to have your head read to spend your own money on the QF, VA or JQ narrow body services unless you were forced to or connection/timings were important.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Its scary to do it, transitting SYD/MEL/BNE if a person lives in ADL or PER, seeing on the way back, no more AKL flights midday, if a plane is late into AKL, then its kaput for a safe transfer from INT to DOM terminals, esp SYD/BNE.
Maybe time to go (Air) NZ narrow body, they have more flights spread during the day.