Air NZ kill London-Hong Kong route...

[rgsaero]

early in March. And I shall be in the middle of a two week visit which I've already booked and paid for via HK.

Therefore they will get me back to Hong Kong as planned but then I shall have to fly Cathay for the HK - LHR leg.

Now that's all very well, but I'm told that I cannot prebook a seat, as I have already done on the cancelled Air NZ flight. Joining a scrum of Chinese trying to get a decent seat at Hong Kong is not my idea of fun and not, of course what I paid for!

They clearly want me to return via LA but having been through there many times before that's the last place I want to go again (and anyway, I haven't got the relevant US "visa" or whatever's required). Of course I went through LA in the early days but it got steadily worse so the HK route was a boon.

Having flown Air NZ some 30 times to NZ since 1983 seems like this may be the last time. Actually unless I can get a satisfactory answer from Cathay, I might cancel, get my money back and start all over again with another carrier.......

[Romulus]

Respectfully, do you think a once a year passenger has much clout?

The economics simply don't work. As the Asian economies have grown and built airlines of their own the old imperial club has to withdraw to routes that are profitable, simple as that. It's happening everywhere.

[Hartington]

But ANZ have only been operating the LON/HKG route for (I can't remember but not more than 10 years). Hardly " the old imperial club has to withdraw".

When they started I did wonder if part of the reason was to provide a non stop Star Alliance presence on what was otherwise a oneWorld fiefdom(!).

[rgsaero]

Correct, Hartington! The route started in 2006, and since then I've flown it nine times; every sector has been at least 85% full so historically they haven't been struggling for custom!

[Romulus]

Clearly they haven't got the custom to make it work or they would stay there. By the "imperial" club I mean the countries that had airlines when they were still an exclusive sort of thing as opposed to the modern world where every man and his dog can set something up and see how they go.

[kaikohe76]

I would not touch any US Airport & KLAX in particular for a transit stop. With so many pax wishing to avoid the US, I can't see why Air NZ have apparently chopped the HKG to LHR sector, don't we have an international airline anymore in this country?

[ExXB]

TightSlot,

Hoping that this doesn't impact on you too much.

[TightSlot]

Thanks - Yes it does, unfortunately. Should know by Xmas whether my career is over (I'm now too old to get employed elsewhere). I'll let you folks know when I know - until then, I hope that you don't mind if we don't discuss it in here.

The route was chopped because it didn't make enough money: Anybody can fill aircraft seats - It's whether you can do so at a profitable yield that matters

Thanks for asking, by the way.

[mutt]

TS, good luck.

[Heathrow Harry]

always seems to be pretty full when I use it - upfront is always solid

and there is no way on earth I'd go via LAX

very depressing

[Octopussy2]

Fingers crossed for you Tightslot Judging by what you post here, you'd be a sad loss to any employer.

[Capt Fathom]

So would that be the end to the last 'round the world' flight?

[PAXboy]

I don't think it IS a RTW??? AKL - HKG - LHR (turn) HKG - AKL. Of course, you can do a RTW with AirNZ using this route and the LAX one in sequence but they are not sold as RTW. I sit to be corrected.

[ExXB]

Traditionally a RTW would have a single flight number from origin to destination. However as PA didn't have domestic rights their WB RTWs originated on the west coast and ended on the East. The EB flights did the opposite.

However NZ is the only airline, at the moment where you can do a RTW journey on the Metal of one airline.

[PAXboy]

Thanks ExXB, I was thinking of the one flight number.

[SeenItAll]

I would say that you could also do RTW on SQ. EWR-FRA-SIN-EWR. But I understand that EWR-SIN is also going away.

[Ancient Observer]

Good luck to Tightslot. Hope it all works out well for you
Ancient

[Hand Solo]

The LHR-HKG route has been a bloodbath for some time. At it's peak there were 3xBA, 4xCX, 2xVS, 1xQF and 1xNZ on the route each day. Nobody was making money on it! Now it's down to 2xBA, 4xCX, 1xVS and yield is coming back. Unfortunately many airlines will now stay on a route to try to keep market share when there's little profit involved, hoping the rivals will pull out.

TS - Best of luck. I'm sure you know there's no age limit at BA Mixed Fleet and I've flown with older guys than yourself.

[rgsaero]

Well, I'm still going out on 26th Air NZ to AUK and having argued with Cathay can't get them to tell me when I might be able to reserve a seat for HKG - LHR on return (might have to wait until 90 minutes before departure at HKG!) so I've bitten the bullet and will return via LA!

Hope you find something gainful, Tightslot! Perhaps you'll be on NZ38 on 26th for my last LHR - HKG - AUK

[fergineer]

Rgsaero.....Having just completed the NZ-US-UK I can honestly say that it was a breeze......The transit system has changed you walk through have a photo anf finger print and then you are out into the airside of the airport so no more hoops to jump through, have a drink/meal and then get back on board. I can honestly say that my trip both ways was easy and had no problems, I anticipated loads of waits etc but they were no longer than anywhere else in the world. No problems with any of the authorities and the people were pleasant perhaps I have that look about me that people dont want to annoy me!!!!

[fergineer]

Good luck Tight Slot hope you can get another job with Air NZ the crews I met on both the inbound and outbound to the US were great fun.

[Wycombe]

Not likely to travel to NZ anytime soon now (:{) but did the RTW with NZ back in 2009 and enjoyed all 52 hours of it! A shame that the option is going.

I wonder if they could bring it back with a Dreamliner and make MAN the UK terminus?

[Peter47]

You could add Oasis Hong Kong from LGW Hand Solo but they didn't last long.

Try CX via HKG or SQ via SIN.

You could also travel 1 stop via NRT, SEL or YVR although this could involve long stopovers, or 2 stop via DXB.

[FairlieFlyer]

Oasis was the best bargain for their Business class offering. Made travelling to HKG-LHR with family a (small) pleasure for once. Pity...

[PAXboy]

I see that even Eva Air has stopped the LHR~HKG direct. Times change.

[DaveReidUK]

I see that even Eva Air has stopped the LHR~HKG direct. Times change.

I thought they had always routed via BKK ? I could be wrong, though.

[TightSlot]

Thanks for kind words everybody - Sorry for the delay in responding, I was down route in... you guessed it - HKG. Just to add a drop of irony, our outbound flight included some pax transferred from CX for some reason.

I'll let you know what is happening when I know - which won't be for a while yet I'm afraid - They have process to work through. In the meantime, I'll try not to think about it and together, we'll try not to discuss it further (please)

;)

[rgsaero]

Thanks for that Fergineer! I'm encouraged! It sounds good. I used to go that way of course, before it all got very silly so IU hope it will be good again.

Hope to see you on Feb 28th outbound to HKG Tightslot!

[Mr Angry from Purley]

HKG-LHR in Business on Air NZ was similar in price to any airlines offering 1 stop flights i.e. HKG-DXB-LHR so whilst the cabins may have been busy the yield?
It was a good product i'm told

[rmac]

Just moved to HK and used NZ in business only a few weeks ago. Was planning to keep on doing so up to 12 times a year. Outstanding CC and service. Very personal and attentive. Shame. Good luck TS.

[r1flyguy35]

The CX flight went tech and had to offload 150pax so it could limp back to HKG, that's why you had them onboard

[Mr Mac]

Tightslot
Sorry to hear of the demise of ANZ HK route, and possible impact on yourself. Hope all turns out well, and if not, I am sure another carrier would offer you a post given your elequant and incise comments on your industry on this forum, not to mention getting the children to play nice. :ok:

[13Alpha]

Mrs 13A and I are just back from our annual trip to HK and flew NZ as we did last year. Great service, friendly and cheerful crew, comfortable seats, entertaining safety video, good food & wine, good temperature and calm atmosphere on board, and on time in both directions. In short, flawless.

I can only echo other posters in saying what a shame that this route is being canned. I've flown NZ, Oasis, BA and Cathay on this route and NZ are streets ahead. Can't say I'm looking forward to next year's trip now. Guess I'll have to try Virgin next year - or should that be DELTA ? :(

Maybe I'll drive.

[kaikohe76]

I rather think Folks, that Air NZ are rapidly loosing the plot when it comes to the pax who are citizens / residents of their own country. The airline appears to spend much time talking up incomming pax fron Far East etc, but very seldom appear to consider or mention, their own home grown clients. The recent interview with an Official in Christchurch, regarding the restart of flights to Mt Cook. During the interview, the phrase ``New Zealand`` pax was not mentioned once, but many references to pax from Japan, China etc. Perhaps one of these days Air New Zealand may well need their own home grown clients!

[TightSlot]

And when they do, to the exclusion of all others, it will be a very small airline indeed.

Kiwi Tall Poppy Syndrome?

[kaikohe76]

Tight Slot,

I would admit, you are unfortunately most likely correct in what you say. It's just, that we here in NZ appear, to be pushed to the back of the que so often. I feel we are now of little consequence to many NZ companies & organisations, we just don't appear to count for much at all.
On the Hong Kong Air NZ question. I was planning to go that route when we visit the UK next year, but it will now be with Singapore or Emirates. After my last transit through the USA, my answer is quite simply, never again.
Regards & all the best for 2013.

[TightSlot]

Thought I would let you folks know that I (finally) found out that I made the cut... So you lot, and our NZ customers will have the dubious benefits of my attention for a little while longer. This is just an FYI, so I'll close this thread off now, an see you all on LHR-LAX-LHR some time (I'll be the good-looking, charming and fascinating one of the FA's on-board)