Melburnian1
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2013
- Posts
- 24,673
Tigerair (TT) appears to have added five minutes to at least a couple of its northbound flights from MEL to SYD, with TT206 and TT214, the 0645 hours and 0800 hours respective departures now taking 90 minutes gate-to-gate from MEL to SYD rather than what has been the standard northbound complete timetabled journey time of 85 minutes.
This is yet another reason why Australia needs a high speed rail network between MEL-ABX-CBR-SYD-NTL-CFS-Byron Bay area-OOL-BNE, and perhaps even as far as the Sunshine Coast area.
Despite this scheduled time increase that will doubtless help to make its official timekeeping look 'better', TT is like its three 'cosy duopoly' competitors - 'duopoly' because QF/JQ face off against VA/TT - in that many flights are late for a host of reasons, some weather related but others more in control of the airline or our expensive privatised airports with their deficient runway infrastructure (BNE and MEL are two major examples).
In contrast, a well run and built high speed railway would allow us all to travel seamlessly between capitals, and to many country centres as well, in a far more relaxed and productive way. It would put an end to the dreaded middle seat (and for some of us, similarly the window seat) that on a 3+3 seating configuration A320 or B738 so restricts movement: what a pain it can be if one has to use the lavatory.
Thankfully some Federal politicians such as The Hon Greg Hunt MP are starting to publicly pronounce that we need high speed rail, although obviously not to PER or CNS and nor at this stage to the declining or stagnant ADL with its almost complete lack of intermediate population between MEL and ADL once past Ballarat.
Australia is being left behind by numerous other nations that in the 50 years have gradually embraced high speed rail. This is to our detriment with the productivity of many businessmen adversely affected.
This is yet another reason why Australia needs a high speed rail network between MEL-ABX-CBR-SYD-NTL-CFS-Byron Bay area-OOL-BNE, and perhaps even as far as the Sunshine Coast area.
Despite this scheduled time increase that will doubtless help to make its official timekeeping look 'better', TT is like its three 'cosy duopoly' competitors - 'duopoly' because QF/JQ face off against VA/TT - in that many flights are late for a host of reasons, some weather related but others more in control of the airline or our expensive privatised airports with their deficient runway infrastructure (BNE and MEL are two major examples).
In contrast, a well run and built high speed railway would allow us all to travel seamlessly between capitals, and to many country centres as well, in a far more relaxed and productive way. It would put an end to the dreaded middle seat (and for some of us, similarly the window seat) that on a 3+3 seating configuration A320 or B738 so restricts movement: what a pain it can be if one has to use the lavatory.
Thankfully some Federal politicians such as The Hon Greg Hunt MP are starting to publicly pronounce that we need high speed rail, although obviously not to PER or CNS and nor at this stage to the declining or stagnant ADL with its almost complete lack of intermediate population between MEL and ADL once past Ballarat.
Australia is being left behind by numerous other nations that in the 50 years have gradually embraced high speed rail. This is to our detriment with the productivity of many businessmen adversely affected.
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