JohnK said:
Because I was being lazy, and the pricing was all over the shop any on any given day, whereas with other fares it was more consistent! But if you look at lead in fares (or "
promo fares" and "
red edeals" - not including
mid week minis) on the same routes I looked at they are currently
$109/
$127,
$99/
$120,
$149/
$160,
$125/
$166,
$229/
$283
JohnK said:
Almost always at the last minute QF airfares are cheaper than DJ.
Depends if you are travelling corporately and want flexibility or not (the DJ flexi fares are always cheaper than QF ones) I agree that often QF airfares are cheaper at the last minute, and historically I've found QF fares, unless flights are heavily loaded tend to move down closer too date of travel but DJ's only move up. Different business models, and each consumer will have their price point where one is going to be preferred to the other (for many this will be purely price, but others, including myself do factor other things into the equation).
JohnK said:
I feel like going to Adelaide Saturday afternoon after golf and returning Monday afternoon/evening. Lets compare some airfares.
Last minute comparisons can be all over the place, take an example, Sydney to Brisbane this coming Friday on a day return (dep 7am). DJ is $21 cheaper outbound. If I return from BNE at 4pm, DJ is $86 cheaper, but if it is 5pm,
QF is $19 cheaper. Take same times/dates, but Melbourne to Sydney as route. Leaving at 7am DJ is $38 cheaper (leave at 8 am DJ is only $8 cheaper). Return at 4pm DJ is a whopping
$354 cheaper (QF only selling J), it's not until 7pm that fares become close again. I'm sure if I chose other routes at other times it would be different again. Horses for courses, and really up to the market to decide.
In reality if you look at both carriers, we can bleat about either of them, but they both must be doing something right, as they are both maintaining good profitability.
One thing I will say, is that once I requalified for WP this year (and at the same time obtained LTG) I was free from an inherent bias that saw me travelling QF (it's amazing how easy with a little flexibility in timing one can bias a BFOD policy to one airline). Now I have achieved those, I have been free to travel on DJ (and deliberatly to enhance my velocity balance) and have been surprised that DJ are really quite a good airline. I am sure come new qualification year, I will back in the QF stable, but if there are $100+ price variations it will be hard to justify not taking DJ.
but I'm not letting you get away with 'outstanding' as a description of DJ onboard catering. It is average at best, in terms of quality and range - and about the same quality as JQ I'd say.
