Unimpressive reduction in 'own metal' to less than daily

[Melburnian1]

For those who want to travel on the advertised airline and not a codeshare operated (in the case of QF) by carriers such as EK or MU, it's unimpressive that QF seems to be reducing even some Asian routes to less than daily 'own metal' on an ad hoc basis.

QF23/QF24 SYD - BKK - SYD are not operating today (Friday 17 August 2018).

QF107/QF108 are similarly no shows on Sunday 19 August SYD - PEK return.

SYD - SFO and return flights QF73/QF74 are not running on Sunday 19 August either. This is in addition to how at this point in time they don't operate on Tuesdays, but the latter is a given.

It's legitimate for airlines to adjust capacity to demand but better if they announce permanent schedule reductions (such as with forthcoming QF B789 changes) rather than this sort of unpredictable 'some weeks we are daily, but a few we're not.'

My hypothesis is that whether it's a train between Sydney and Bathurst, a ferry between Stony Point and Cowes or an airline ('own metal') between Sydney and Beijing, the highest number of travellers will be achieved if there's a daily or better frequency, but if they must partly cut a route, give users some certainty by publishing the changes and making these with consistency.

Times sure have changed since 30 years ago when the likes of Ansett and Qantas (or TAA) published timetable book(lets) listing schedules months in advance, just like worldwide rail operators do today.

 

[JohnK]

I would expect more cancellations with QF23/QF24 this time of the year as it's low season in Thailand.

How long ago was today's flight cancelled? We are flying back to SYD today on TG.

 

[Melburnian1]

...How long ago was today's flight cancelled? We are flying back to SYD today on TG.

JohnK, have an enjoyable trip. All I can surmise is that this 'planned cancellation' would have been much more than a week ago.

 

[mviy]

SYD-SFO will probably become a 787 service sometime in the next few years at which point the reduced capacity should mean that they don't need to make as many cancellations.

 

[muppet]

Times sure have changed since 30 years ago when the likes of Ansett and Qantas (or TAA) published timetable book(lets) listing schedules months in advance, just like worldwide rail operators do today.

Yeah like fares are now within the reach of the average person not restricted to businessmen and the wealthy.

More destinations. Cheaper fares. It has a cost - seat pitch and schedule flexibility.

I know I couldn't care less what days Qantas flies to Beijing if they can't fill the plane!

Also, I didn't know there was a worldwide rail operator....

 

[Melburnian1]

...Also, I didn't know there was a worldwide rail operator....

Fair point. I should have inserted a comma. Apologies.

Not all airlines have cut seat pitch, and some manage to operate daily (or better) flight frequencies on many routes, and don't make it a 'some weeks we do, but this one we don't approach favoured by QF.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Hey, thinking of little old Adelaide, the old spinster in the eyes of the person who decided, ADL should not have any QF mainline international flights carrying the QF flight number and Australian flag carrier.
At least with the other Aust state capitals, except DRW, you all still have QF international flights.
Years back, at least there was an occasional JQ international flight from ADL - AKL!
Thats also now gone.

 

[moa999]

Sadly if it doesn't make money or somewhere else makes more money the route is gone.

It's a far more competitive and very different market (government owned and with limited competition) from the days of old.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

But its dumb of QF to stop flights via ADL for international flights.
The money earnt could all be all QF's, and not have to be shared with EK.
Now, if a person wanted to earn QF points and QF SC, and needed to go to the UK, they would have to fly EK with a QF flight code via DXB, the money could have all QF's if they still had QF81 ADL - SIN, and then SIN - LHR.

 

[JohnK]

But its dumb of QF to stop flights via ADL for international flights.
The money earnt could all be all QF's, and not have to be shared with EK.
Now, if a person wanted to earn QF points and QF SC, and needed to go to the UK, they would have to fly EK with a QF flight code via DXB, the money could have all QF's if they still had QF81 ADL - SIN, and then SIN - LHR.

From memory QF81/QF82 was not everyday but the loads weren't great. Very similar to the 2 x daily PER-SIN flights. From SYD I was constantly offered cheaper flights to SIN via PER or via ADL. That can't be good for business.

Also Qantas doesn't like tag flights and for some reason it's not popular with travellers either. Australian airlines had CNS-DRW-SIN many years ago and from memory QF81/82 was also ADL-DRW-SIN?

 

[AIRwin]

Also Qantas doesn't like tag flights and for some reason it's not popular with travellers either. Australian airlines had CNS-DRW-SIN many years ago and from memory QF81/82 was also ADL-DRW-SIN?

I remember QF31/32 between SYD and SIN via KUL, QF41/42 between SYD and SIN via CGK, QF67/68 between MEL and SIN via DPS and QF77/78 between PER and HKG via SIN

 

[pauly7]

Also Qantas doesn't like tag flights and for some reason it's not popular with travellers either.

Yup agreed... hence one reason Perth - London is doing so well....

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Also Qantas doesn't like tag flights and for some reason it's not popular with travellers either. Australian airlines had CNS-DRW-SIN many years ago and from memory QF81/82 was also ADL-DRW-SIN?

QF81/82 did route via DRW I think near the end of its life. At the end of the 1990s and into the early 2000s it was usual for it to operate SYD-ADL-SIN and vice versa. I commuted weekly from Adelaide to Sydney at that time and I'd sometimes travel on the tag to Sydney in J as the only person in the cabin.

 

[JohnK]

QF81/82 did route via DRW I think near the end of its life. At the end of the 1990s and into the early 2000s it was usual for it to operate SYD-ADL-SIN and vice versa. I commuted weekly from Adelaide to Sydney at that time and I'd sometimes travel on the tag to Sydney in J as the only person in the cabin.

It was still doing SYD-ADL-SIN at the end. There was an AFF "DO" for the final flights to/from ADL. Trip report also around somewhere.

 

[ajw373]

I remember QF31/32 between SYD and SIN via KUL, QF41/42 between SYD and SIN via CGK, QF67/68 between MEL and SIN via DPS and QF77/78 between PER and HKG via SIN

Qantas does still occasionally run QF41/42 between CGK and a SIN. Normally in peak time after Ramadan. I assume they do it to provide extra capacity ex CGK via SIN.