Pacific Blue are allocating two Boeing 737-800 to fly domestic routes in New Zealand. How many kiwi airports actually justify the 180 seat capacity for 738s?
Secondly Virgin Blue takes delivery of it's E-190 jets in 2008 and have several other options. Undoubtedly in my view the 738 will prove too big for services to many NZ provincial centres so how long until the E-190 migrates to NZ domestic routes and then what are the practical implications of that for small town NZ ?
These E-jets have pitifully small baggage holds with less than a metre's loft inside them. No room for airfreight from many regional centres. Certain cities like Invercargill for instance, need to fly out live lobster and wet fish exports.
Admittedly Air NZ does not serve that airfreight need well at the moment, but wont the E-jets undermine airfreight capacity out of Dunedin and Christchurch and offer nothing in return ?
Also looking at the E-190's performance, a full trans Tasman passenger load for the Embraer E-190 is 10,904kg including baggage at 20 kg per passenger. Fuel required for 1,500nm which is Invercargill to Brisbane with a small fuel reserve is 11,000 kg which takes the aircraft to it’s Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW). Where's the room for airfreight ?
Aren't Embraers just overgrown executive jets rather than small airliners.
Please give us a diagnosis people. Will DJ operate to provincial NZ with 738s or E-jets and in either scenario what do you predict ?
