Trans Tasman Sparkle

[serfty]

Back in the bad ole days, QF did the same, my preferred TT flight was QF25/26 which was a B747 / A330 service MEL-AKL-LAX...

... and before that BNE-AKL-LAX vv (747's only).

QF used to mainly fly 767's between Oz and AKL - that was up to about 10 years ago though before they decided to let Jetconnect to do the operation.

Also, QF used to have flights QF43/QF44 as a daily as SYD-AKL-SYD 747 turnaround service.

 

[under the radar]

each 'alliance' has 1 widebody service per day out of selected ports...EK for QF/EK(JQ), and ANZ for VA/ANZ...the vast majority of TT flights are narrowbody because they allow an airline (alliance) to offer more ports/more flights/more flexibility on TT, which is more important to people (especially those travelling for business/work)...and it's what people wanted. The 'token' widebody services compliment the schedules of each alliance...and compete against each alliance, at the same time...it would be totally unrealistic/unsustainable for bothe alliances to offer more or ALL widebody services on TT whist maintaining the same schedules/amount of flights

 

[harvyk]

each 'alliance' has 1 widebody service per day out of selected ports...EK for QF/EK(JQ), and ANZ for VA/ANZ...the vast majority of TT flights are narrowbody because they allow an airline (alliance) to offer more ports/more flights/more flexibility on TT, which is more important to people (especially those travelling for business/work)...and it's what people wanted. The 'token' widebody services compliment the schedules of each alliance...and compete against each alliance, at the same time...it would be totally unrealistic/unsustainable for bothe alliances to offer more or ALL widebody services on TT whist maintaining the same schedules/amount of flights

Frequency ain't exactly important to me. Being CBR based it pretty much means leaving home at 6am, and not getting into AKL until around 5pm (local times in each port). Once you've allowed for connections in either SYD / MEL or BNE it didn't exactly give many options.

 

[under the radar]

Frequency ain't exactly important to me. Being CBR based it pretty much means leaving home at 6am, and not getting into AKL until around 5pm (local times in each port). Once you've allowed for connections in either SYD / MEL or BNE it didn't exactly give many options.

what time would you prefer to leave home and arrive in AKL?

 

[harvyk]

what time would you prefer to leave home and arrive in AKL?

When I did fly trans-tasman frequently I didn't exactly mind that schedule (since I would typically connect with QF25 knowing there was AVOD on that service). I guess I'm just used to really early starts since typically on any days I fly ex CBR it means an early start, esp if it's when fog is a risk.

If I was feeling a little brave, I could always opt for say leaving 9am and trying for say a midday connection to AKL, however that does leave you open to the risk of the "in gate movie" starting up on say the CBR-SYD leg. (Not much fun, speaking from experience).

I guess I just find it a little amusing when I see ppl in the major ports (so SYD / MEL / BNE) complain about a lack of frequency of services, knowing that for us, despite only be 30 minutes by air from SYD are very restricted to our choices and typically an international flight = full day gone.

 

[UP4014]

AirNZ / EK seem to be doing ok operating this with larger aircraft. QF used to do quite nicely operating larger aircraft on this route until they decided that it was worth their while no longer flying this route and handing everything over to JetConnect (whom only operate 737's)

EK are using a lazy asset and Air NZ are taking through traffic Aus to USA. For QF it's a dead end route.

Matt

 

[boomy]

Little more than a return to previous service standards (save the amenity kit).

I can't think of an airline that doesn't offer champagne on an international flight in business class (save for dry airlines, and perhaps American carrier short-haul intra-Americas).

Will take me a while to forget the awful taste of that sparkling served by UA from Japan to Guam.

 

[boomy]

We just booked EK A380 First for $50 less than QF Business on the 737. It's a no brainer.

(and still on a QF flight number so full F SCs).

Well done!
I payed $100 more for EK F and it was still a no brainer. Their cabin and service are worlds apart from QF.

 

[harvyk]

EK are using a lazy asset and Air NZ are taking through traffic Aus to USA. For QF it's a dead end route.

Matt

Is now days, in the past they offered trans pac services from AKL, and in the past point to point frequency wasn't as highly valued.

 

[UP4014]

Is now days, in the past they offered trans pac services from AKL, and in the past point to point frequency wasn't as highly valued.

I think it wasn't as highly valued because there was no high value to be returned. If I had one aircraft and had to choose a route to fly it on it wouldn't be Sydney to Auckland.

As someone else said, EK first was at the same price as QF business. Because EK has a lazy asset which is can use for some cream on the top of the flight it was leased for whereas QF has to pay for the whole aircraft on the same route.

Matt

 

[boomy]

Would make more sense to upgrade the East-West Coast service first. It's longer then the Trans Tasman and J tickets cost more then double. With the introduction of the refurbished A330s, real champagne and amenity kits will make it a true "international" experience as marketed once by QF.

 

[FRONT ROWER]

NZ does it because they usually connect to their USA flights. EK because they don't have anything smaller and the flights are meant to connect through to DXB.

NZ don't do it every day to connect to their USA flights though. Some days its an A320 out of SYD rather than a 777.

Perhaps it is more that those widebody aircraft arrive in AKL in the morning and don't depart to the USA until the evening so are essentially 'a lazy asset' (to use an earlier poster's term).

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Would make more sense to upgrade the East-West Coast service first. It's longer then the Trans Tasman and J tickets cost more then double. With the introduction of the refurbished A330s, real champagne and amenity kits will make it a true "international" experience as marketed once by QF.

And match VA...

 

[TomVexille]

NZ don't do it every day to connect to their USA flights though. Some days its an A320 out of SYD rather than a 777.

Perhaps it is more that those widebody aircraft arrive in AKL in the morning and don't depart to the USA until the evening so are essentially 'a lazy asset' (to use an earlier poster's term).

MEL is every day that connects to and from the USA flights. I believe BNE may be the same. SYD potentially misses out a little as NZ do have more frequency into SYD at the expense of a daily 777. SYD also sees 763's pretty regularly as well.

 

[FRONT ROWER]

SYD also sees 763's pretty regularly as well.

We find their new 777-200ER premium economy product to be a far more comfortable seat than it offers on its 767-300ER... in business class.

 

[serfty]

Would make more sense to upgrade the East-West Coast service first. It's longer then the Trans Tasman and J tickets cost more then double. With the introduction of the refurbished A330s, real champagne and amenity kits will make it a true "international" experience as marketed once by QF.

I suspect they perceive there is less competition coast to coast than trans-Tasman.

 

[mr mink]

Pathetic attempt to "spice up" cross-Tasman J in QF. Myself I never fly to AKL (3-4 times a year) anything other than an EK A-380(on QF ticket) or even the good value LA J class. I am over "baby plane" 737s when the A380 is so much more comfortable.

 

[defurax]

Pathetic attempt to "spice up" cross-Tasman J in QF.

The announcement is also about SYD-NOU, no EK A380 on that route, so I'll take the champagne! Although SB does fly an A330 on that route some days.
I guess SYD-NOU is Trans Coral and not Trans Tasman

 

[maninblack]

The announcement is also about SYD-NOU, no EK A380 on that route, so I'll take the champagne! Although SB does fly an A330 on that route some days.
I guess SYD-NOU is Trans Coral and not Trans Tasman

Yes and the seat on the SB A330 is a darn sight more comfortable than the QF738 and you get that taste of tacky French colonialism when you step aboard. It's quite fun.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Isnt it obvious that an A380 is better? Nobody is arguing that but this is still an improvement and between QF and EK they offer a nice spread of flights through the day.

Qf is taking full advantage of the ek partnership by moving their schedules around to provide a range of departures through the day. Eg QF151 soon going to a 2335 departure where it used to depart within an hour of the ek A380