Originally Posted by
big buddah
this will all depend on how VA places its self in the market. It’s all good saying it’s efficient to do SYD-ZQN-SYD
Sorry - to be clear I wasn’t implying that an aeroplane only doing SYD ZQN SYD is an efficient use of an aircraft. As you said - the aircraft utilisation where the aeroplane starts early morning in AKL and ends the day in AKL is a particularly efficient use of the frame.
The utilisation of VANZ crew (as well as VAI BNE) was particularly low especially when compared to what the VAA crew were doing. Based on that - I would think it’s more likely that Aus crew would overnight in AKL as opposed to starting a new base if the aircraft is schedule to start the day early in the morning in NZ. Having said that, with the opening of ADL there seems to be a push to reduce overnights? When things were ‘normal’ ADL had a lot of aircraft that overnighted - I wonder if AKL will have the same when things pick up, or if it’s more likely to be 3-4 which wouldn’t warrant a base.
Ultimately, until we see a NZ schedule, this is all guess work. The Aus based crew have been told they will be flying the Tasman - in the short term that’s what will happen. In the long term - who knows. But it probably needs to be taken in the context that there are about 850 pilots on the list at the moment who are employed at VA, and they are about to announce more and that’s for 77 aircraft. Hard to see the need for another base opening which would again increase headcount.