Yet another aviation thread.

Quote: Pacomartin

I understand that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission put a 5 year limit on the Qantas Emirate alliance (through 2018). Did they get it extended?


12 Airbus A380 8.1 Years average
10 Boeing 747 16.6 Years average


Qantas A380 destinations
From & To Sydney
Dubai
London
Los Angeles
Dallas

From & To Melbourne
Dubai
Los Angeles

I can only assume it would have been approved again. I think it basically would have been a formality barring any significant negative changes in circumstances.

Quote: Aussie

I can only assume it would have been approved again. I think it basically would have been a formality barring any significant negative changes in circumstances.

Quote: wikipedia

Qantas and Emirates began their alliance on 31 March 2013, in which their combined carriers offered 98 flights per week to Dubai, that saw bookings up six-fold. To accommodate Muslim sensitivities, the airline stopped serving pork on flights bound to/from Europe, which provoked a backlash on social media.

I should also think that they have very few alternatives through 2023.

But looking at the Qantas fleet
12 Airbus A380 8.1 Years average
10 Boeing 747 16.6 Years average

Obviously if Qantas gets their wish by 2023 and there is a reliable aircraft that can go to London nonstop, Qantas may go back to using their OneWorld partners and fly to London. By 2023 the 747s will be retired, and there is a possibility that they will begin phasing out the A380s in favor of more fuel efficient models.

OneWorld partners
United Kingdom British Airways
Germany Air Berlin
France OpenSkies
Denmark Sun-Air
Finland Finnair
Spain Iberia

But if no plane materializes that Qantas considers satisfactory, they will still need a hub other than London.

What about Helsinki? Finnair is a member of One World alliance, and it has good connections to 60 European destinations, far more than Emirates.


SYD DXB 7,481 mi
PER LHR 9,010 mi
SYD HEL 9,439 mi

Right now there are no commercial flights longer than 9,025 miles, but flights from Newark to Singapore (9,535 miles) are starting next year. By 2023 flying from Sydney to Helsinki with or without headwinds may be routine, even if London is still out of reach.

Ok, this is just plain weird. Aer Lingus has introduced saver fares for transatlantic flights. Aside from the usual limitations like no complimentary first checked bag or seat assignment, it also doesn't include a pillow, a blanket or headphones. It does include a meal.

Why?

Quote: Nareed

Ok, this is just plain weird. Aer Lingus... Why?

I read that passengers at Keflavik airport in Iceland have jumped from 1.9 million in 2009 to an 6.8 million in 2016. Although travel via Iceland was always regarded as an inexpensive way to get to Europe, the country seems to feel that tourism is an important part of restoring the economy after all the banks crashed at once and the currency lost half its value. It's also the first developed country to close all of its McDonalds as traditional foods are much less expensive when the economy crashed.

Iceland has the advantage of being close enough that nearly all destinations can be served with single aisle aircraft. Icelandair has a collection of 30 Boeing 757s. Wow airline has invested in two of the only international widebody single class airplanes where all seats are only 17" wide. These aircraft are used to fly nonstop to California, which is out of the range of even the new generation of narrowbodies.

Ireland must be feeling the competitive pressure to have low cost flights. Now that three airports in Ireland have pre-screening for customs, flying to Ireland is fairly close to a domestic flight for Americans. As we discussed, Ireland is one of the primary targets for new single aisle transatlantic flights.

Aer Lingus has a fleet of 41 single aisle jets (4 of which are 757s). They have 11 widebody aircraft (A330). Four have 266-271 seats and seven have 317 seats.

Quote: Pacomartin

As we discussed, Ireland is one of the primary targets for new single aisle transatlantic flights.

That I understand.

What I find weird is not including complimentary pillows, blankets and headphones in the lower fare.

Quote: Nareed

What I find weird is not including complimentary ....

You can buy cheap earbuds for $1 at Walmart. I guess they are just looking for excuses to charge fees. You might not pay for blankets and a pillow on a three hour flight, but you would probably pay on a 6-8 hour flight.

Quote: Pacomartin

You can buy cheap earbuds for $1 at Walmart. I guess they are just looking for excuses to charge fees. You might not pay for blankets and a pillow on a three hour flight, but you would probably pay on a 6-8 hour flight.

Many of these low fares, including in the ULCCs, get rather pricey when you add ancillary fees. Particularly when you pay the airport rate rather than the online rate. I bet lots of people won't even know, or remember, their cheap fare doesn't include pillows and blankets, until they find themselves paying on board.

BTW, Interjet is inching its way toward more fees. A new law mandates all airlines to include one complimentary checked bag. Interjet does so on domestic flights, but argues that for international ones, prevailing treaties trump the law. So do other airlines. They've all been fined for this, but it's unclear whether the fines will have any effect. i know no fines have been paid, pending legal recourses filed with the courts.

Speaking ofULCC's, I just booked another cross country flight on Spirit. Las Vegas nonstop to Ft Lauderdale for a total of $102 roundtrip. That is a very low per mile cost. The price was closer to $65 the day before I booked it but I procrastinated.

Quote: DRich

Speaking ofULCC's, I just booked another cross country flight on Spirit. Las Vegas nonstop to Ft Lauderdale for a total of $102 roundtrip. That is a very low per mile cost. The price was closer to $65 the day before I booked it but I procrastinated.

$102.00 / (2172*2) miles = 2.35 cents per mile. It seems unlikely that you would do much more than cover fuel cost.

That is even better than your price for the 236 miles from LAS to LAX

Quote: Aussie

And just as I say that they announce an apparent change to the agreement for the 2nd 5 years and QF1/2 are returning to the SIN stopover!

The alliance between Qantas and Emirates remains in place, with no changes to the full codeshare and joint venture agreement. As a result, passengers will still be able to fly on Emirates aircraft to Dubai, and have a choice of three stopover options between Australia and Europe: Dubai, operated by Emirates, or Perth and Singapore operated by Qantas. The change becomes effective on March 25th, 2018. EXACTLY FIVE YEARS AFTER THE AGREEMENT BEGAN.

It makes some sense as you can still fly Emirates and get your Qantas frequent flyer miles and make better connections to continental Europe. But there is no particular reason that Qantas should fly the exact same routes.

It's not really a divorce, just a more equitable arrangement.


I wouldn't be totally shocked if as Qantas gets more Dreamliners there aren't flights from the major cities to Perth (NO BOARDING OR DISEMBARKING) that are strictly for refueling, and on to London.
That would free up more A380's to go to America (Sydney to San Francisco for example) and allow them to retire the B747s faster.