MEL-LAX back! No more SYD-AUH

[VOZ102]

Announced today

5 weekly MEL-LAX commencing 4 April 2017

BNE-LAX reducing to 6 weekly as a result
SYD-AUH cancelled on VA metal from 4 February 2017

and.....

finally some long-haul flying for the A330 .. PER-AUH from 9 June 2017, 3 weekly. This will be in addition to the daily EY B787 services.

Should hit the wires soon....

 

[docjames]

I really like this move by VA. To not have a direct presence in MEL was a major flaw (not serving direct the second biggest transpac market). Clearly yields on SYD-AUH werent up to scratch either.

The PER-AUH move is a good one too - I assume this has been done in conjunction with EY rather than using EY metal to increase service.

Wonder if QF will respond with PER-DXB?



Virgin Australia Melbourne-Los Angeles flights start April 2017 - Australian Business Traveller

Virgin Australia to begin Perth-Abu Dhabi flights - Australian Business Traveller

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

The West Australian has it online - not much more detail than what you've posted above though: https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/l...n-announces-new-perth-abu-dhabi-flight/#page1

 

[aaronm]

I like this news. Would definitely consider MEL-PER-AUH on VA metal rather than direct MEL-AUH on EY, especially in Y. And direct MEL-LAX is a welcome return.

 

[anat0l]

Wonder if QF will respond with PER-DXB?

Let's think about that for a second.

Nah!

(a) Where is the aircraft going to come from (which route will be sacrificed)?
(b) If it's a B787 or a sub-out from a route replaced with a B787, this means it won't happen for close to 2 years
(c) Someone said in another thread that QF views PER with contempt. So.....


On a more interesting note, I wonder what the case is for VA to operate their own flight out of PER? Now let's not start with it's a big up yours to QF or a symbolic gesture to PER - what is the case, versus just leaving the load with EY?

My first guess is that flying to AUH wasn't as cracked up as it would be sending the flagship aircraft to LAX (and thus MEL-LAX, given that VA withdrew its hat in that ring some time ago). Since there are no more B777s to go around, the only way to keep the AUH connection would be to fly out of PER.

If that means that international connections to Europe from the eastern seaboard will now have an option to be sold with two connections, i.e. including one in PER, it would also boost coast to coast traffic, but it could also mean necessarily spending part of it on a 738 across the country.

 

[Daver6]

I wonder how J will be priced. I've not tried the new VA J hard product, but the EY hard is good and soft is amazing.

 

[Blackswan]

Great news for PER, especially given the ridiculous EY surcharges on redemption's. I can now fly onwards from AUH to TXL using AB - that is, until they stop flying altogether.

 

[anat0l]

I wonder how J will be priced. I've not tried the new VA J hard product, but the EY hard is good and soft is amazing.

How much does EY J normally cost? Would you pay that much if VA J was priced at the same level?

 

[under the radar]

So 1 A330 will be away from Oz for at least 24hrs PER-AUH-PER ....the schedule is a pretty much midnight to midnight the next day, 3days a week, and arrives 23:30 PER, too late to do any PER-east coast red-eyes, effectively taking 1 A330 away from coast to coast services 3days a week. Unless VA will be acquiring additional A330s, more coast to coast services will become B737s. Just my observations

 

[NZflygirl]

I wonder if the loads are generally higher through Perth than what was originally thought so VA is just getting in on the action?
Didnt QF come back to PER to service SIN?
EK has the A380 there I think for the last yr or so.
NZ now has 3 flights seasonal and my last flight over was at chocka proportions.
Flew QR out of Perth and J and Y chocka.

The changes look good for VA.
Is it just QF and UA flying MEL-LAX currently?

 

[anat0l]

I wonder if the loads are generally higher through Perth than what was originally thought so VA is just getting in on the action?
Didnt QF come back to PER to service SIN?
EK has the A380 there I think for the last yr or so.
NZ now has 3 flights seasonal and my last flight over was at chocka proportions.
Flew QR out of Perth and J and Y chocka.

The changes look good for VA.
Is it just QF and UA flying MEL-LAX currently?

QF did come back to PER with SIN, but they only operate it with a 738. Is it a regular service or just seasonal - can't remember...

JQ top up the rest of their SIN commitment.

Maybe the loads are better out of PER (after all, they don't exactly enjoy the same plethora of mainstream services that the eastern seaboard does), though in this case, VA only has to fill up a A330, not a B777.

EK have been pressing for an A380 at PER for ages. They hadn't been able to do it due to infrastructure; I think they even paid bribe money to get things moving along.


I guess PER really is a load powerhouse, even though every respective airline is not using their best aircraft there all the time, let alone improving their ground services at PER (except VA which has a bespoke terminal).

 

[docjames]

Let's think about that for a second.

Nah!

(a) Where is the aircraft going to come from (which route will be sacrificed)?

Coast-to-coast is supposedly softish so there may be a frame that could be freed up.

On a more interesting note, I wonder what the case is for VA to operate their own flight out of PER? Now let's not start with it's a big up yours to QF or a symbolic gesture to PER - what is the case, versus just leaving the load with EY?

Perhaps EY dont have a frame to spare so VA provide them an option.

Also, using the 330 better aligns the product (eg. no Y+ on EY vs VA 777)

My first guess is that flying to AUH wasn't as cracked up as it would be sending the flagship aircraft to LAX (and thus MEL-LAX, given that VA withdrew its hat in that ring some time ago). Since there are no more B777s to go around, the only way to keep the AUH connection would be to fly out of PER.

Agree completely - they must have made nothing on AUH and think they'll make more on MEL-LAX. I think some MEL based flyers will switch to VA if they could fly to US with VA ex-MEL.

If that means that international connections to Europe from the eastern seaboard will now have an option to be sold with two connections, i.e. including one in PER, it would also boost coast to coast traffic, but it could also mean necessarily spending part of it on a 738 across the country.

Unless it's timed to connect to an A330 coast to coast. Of course, why fly one-stop to AUH (and presumably onwards). So perhaps this is all about demand ex-PER (rather than east coast connections).

 

[anat0l]

Coast-to-coast is supposedly softish so there may be a frame that could be freed up.

But then you get this thing where you're running a 738 on coast to coast and everyone doesn't like that.

Agree completely - they must have made nothing on AUH and think they'll make more on MEL-LAX. I think some MEL based flyers will switch to VA if they could fly to US with VA ex-MEL.

Certainly was the opposite when VA withdrew from the route, i.e. some VA flyers went to the direct competition.

Do QF still run double LAX ex-MEL? And IIRC VA run double LAX ex-BNE - will they continue this (I guess the answer would be yes if they have the frames)?

Unless it's timed to connect to an A330 coast to coast. Of course, why fly one-stop to AUH (and presumably onwards). So perhaps this is all about demand ex-PER (rather than east coast connections).

Should be easy enough. The flight to AUH leaves PER late at night and arrives from AUH to PER in the morning. The outbound connections would need to leave the east coast on either the morning or midday flights, whilst the inbound connections will leave PER from midday onwards.

But I agree with your theory about the PER demand, which is surprising (but I say this as an ignorant eastern seaboard resident).

 

[Edge]

I'm very happy they are bringing back MEL-LAX. No plans to fly there any time soon but a family trip to Disneyland will be on the cards sometime no doubt and I'd much prefer to fly direct than have to go through SYD.

 

[Mogul]

So 1 A330 will be away from Oz for at least 24hrs PER-AUH-PER ....the schedule is a pretty much midnight to midnight the next day, 3days a week, and arrives 23:30 PER, too late to do any PER-east coast red-eyes, effectively taking 1 A330 away from coast to coast services 3days a week. Unless VA will be acquiring additional A330s, more coast to coast services will become B737s. Just my observations

Definately looks like more and more 737's East to West and visa versa.

 

[docjames]

But then you get this thing where you're running a 738 on coast to coast and everyone doesn't like that.

True. But this has been happening anyway as the demand has fallen somewhat. It's also viable hopefully to sell a "same aircraft" SYD-PER-AUH or MEL-PER-AUH which presumably will be needed to position the a/c there anyway.

Certainly was the opposite when VA withdrew from the route, i.e. some VA flyers went to the direct competition.

Do QF still run double LAX ex-MEL? And IIRC VA run double LAX ex-BNE - will they continue this (I guess the answer would be yes if they have the frames)?

BNE-LAX falls to 6/week and switches times to a late evening departure (meaning 5pm arrival into LAX) and a daylight reuturn. Good to see an alternative time offered on this route to the early AM / early AM dep/arr. Leaves little for cross-continent connections in LAX however but should improve a/c utilisation.

QF are running 9/week (7 A380, 2 744) on MEL-LAX (up from 7 to 10 then back to 9)

Should be easy enough. The flight to AUH leaves PER late at night and arrives from AUH to PER in the morning. The outbound connections would need to leave the east coast on either the morning or midday flights, whilst the inbound connections will leave PER from midday onwards.

But I agree with your theory about the PER demand, which is surprising (but I say this as an ignorant eastern seaboard resident).

 

[docjames]

To save everyone the clickthoughs and with noted source ausbt

VA23 will depart Melbourne at 11.30am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, to reach Los Angeles at 9am that same morning.
The VA24 return leg will fly out from Los Angeles at 9.10pm every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a 6am arrival into Melbourne two days later.

However, Brisbane-LAX will be cut back to six days a week from mid-April, with VA7 no longer running on Mondays (as of April 10) and VA8 dropped from Friday (as of April 7).
There'll also be a timetable tweak, with Sunday's VA7 flights now becoming an overnight service leaving Brisbane at 9.30pm to reach Los Angeles at 5.35pm (as of April 9). That definitely sounds better for beating jetlag!
Saturday's VA6 flights out of Los Angeles are also being retimed, with an 11.15am departure and a 6.15pm arrival into Brisbane (as of April 8).

 

[NZflygirl]

QF did come back to PER with SIN, but they only operate it with a 738. Is it a regular service or just seasonal - can't remember...
JQ top up the rest of their SIN commitment.
Maybe the loads are better out of PER (after all, they don't exactly enjoy the same plethora of mainstream services that the eastern seaboard does), though in this case, VA only has to fill up a A330, not a B777.

EK have been pressing for an A380 at PER for ages. They hadn't been able to do it due to infrastructure; I think they even paid bribe money to get things moving along.

SQ I think provide more than once a day service from PER so I think that's had some influence on QF to SIN. JQ LCC....

I went to look up the EKA380 as I couldn't remember what month it started last yr only to discover ausbt reported Aug 2016 EK have gone double daily with the A380 to PER:shock:

I didn't register it was the A330 VA were flying but still a good step I think. AFAIK EY only have a daily flight? Good compliment especially if EK is double daily.

I flew out of Perth to Europe because it was cheaper and QR had better sc earn on QF from PER.

Also Perth itself is a really nice city and WA is my favourite Aussie state so maybe some other travellers think the same

I really hope VA don't take the A330 off the MEL-PER route that I connect to from NZ sometimes. Time will tell and I can't do anything about it.... except fly QF or NZ direct.

i think it makes sense to drop SYD-AUH when you've got EY EK and QR A380s to contend with.

 

[MH_fan]

I'm liking these changes. It means more options flying VA to the USA. Their J product makes them my first choice over QF for the transpac services.

 

[Dannyism]

I wonder if I can get my MEL-SYD-LAX J return rewards in May/ June 2017 switched to direct flights... That would make my day.