POM Pacific Blue/APNG

[beaver_rotate]

How are the loads doing on the BNE-POM-BNE route codeshared with APNG?? Is it running daily still?

[walaper]

IS Not a daily service but is intended to be in the future.

[NewZealand2]

I have heard the Pac Blue loads are very very light. Sometimes as little as maybe 30 pax.

[ctctim]

very light loads, apng or the png govt are buying 100seats on all of the flights, why is that?

[Trex wantok]

Its true its~ 30-40pax a sector. How long VB is gonna keep this up before they decide to cut it and move on is anybodys guess. Me, I hope they go soon, so apng can go back to planning of getting their own B737:ok:

[cnic]

ctctim APNG are not govt. owned I think you are confusing them with pixie. APNG is a public company that does it tough against the govt. proped up airline. I think you will find that the BNE-POM run is far more healthy then any of the pure tourist runs like nadi and vila but I am happy to be corrected on this.

[ringbinder]

APNG had a good arrangement with Our Airline operating 3 times a week for them. Good load factors, a high standard of service and great PNG presence in the form on national cabin crew for the many national passengers travelling.

Then APNG ditched Our Airline and did a deal with PB which, in hindsight, they must regret. APNG lost all identity - and as a consequence most of their national passengers. PNG'ns don't like to pay for food and drinks as extras, they like PNG staff attending to them and they like to support a national enterprise. This was all lost when the APNG identity was engulfed by the PB way of doing things. How do I know? I travelled on this service many times but do not do so now preferring PX such has been the lowering of standards (from a passenger perspective, that is).

Still, accountabilty is what life is all about and now APNG are being held accountable by way of dwindling loads but still having to shell out to PB for the service, no matter how badly it performs. PB of course don't mind - there could be zero passengers and they get paid - it's APNG who are reaping the "benefits" of their wisdom in dropping something that was obviously working at the time.

It's all deja-vue - my extensive travelling in the Pacific region has seen such "smart" decisions made time and time again, and usually with the same dismal results.

[sayallafter]

Ringbinder

Totally agree with your post.

However, in order to complete the story, and to give credit where credit is due, it must be remembered that the original APNG jet operation was actually started with Ozjet, and they operated for APNG for quite some time prior to Our Airline getting involved.

The initial Oz/APNG configuration was a 60 seat business layout (the original Oz business airline model) but this was soon changed to the 100 odd seat configuration due to the demand for the service, with extremely good yield in business on all sectors.


The APNG web page still shows a photoshopped picture of the Oz 732 in the APNG livery.


Unfortunately, I too hear that the APNG/PB loads have dropped significantly (loads of 20 and 30 being mentioned) and I would have to say your reasoning is 100% on the money.

I am afraid that APNG dropped the ball moving over to PB and makes a lot of truth out of the saying, when you are on good thing....etc etc.

[gas-chamber]

It is just a shame they never went ahead with the plan to get their own jet. When they did the public float that was part of the prospectus.
If they had done so they could have cornered a big slice of the POM to BNE and maybe even POM to SYD market. Must be that they are happy with their domestic market share.

[SIUYA]

It is just a shame they never went ahead with the plan to get their own jet. When they did the public float that was part of the prospectus.


Yes, it sure was (on both counts).

Refer page 13 of the prospectus:

Airlines PNG sees a big future for the airline industry in Papua New Guinea. In 2008, the airline is acquiring an additional four aircraft: two more Dash 8 aircraft, an additional Twin Otter and a fuel efficient Boeing 737 jet.

The airline is committed to growing its support of the mining and petroleum industries, it will launch new domestic RPT services and increase its international flying with the Boeing 737.

[Bravohotel]

Of the flights I have done on the POM-BNE-POM sector the loadings have been very light....and if all the pax are on the cheapo fares ( my boss is happy ) then the Y factor would be poor...did hear that they could be doing something about the meals too,but the best thing is the OTD performance,that alone should have the plane full!!!!

[On Guard]

Now that VB is flying the route for PB I would suggest we will see an embraer on it soon. Perfect a/c for this route.