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Can see abandoned routes such as DUD/SYD & DUD/MEL (although DUD/AVV might be better) + Hamilton & Palmerston North, all on a low frequency basis, such as twice a week, with maybe back of clock services, although fitting in with SYD curfew (2230 out of SYD, means early arrival in NZL, but better than no flights at all !!!!!!!) Those routes were abandoned for a reason.
The Margin on the Tasman are already paper thin, with everyone relying on Alliances and connections to turn a profit. If there was money to made out of the larger regional cities, Virgin/Air NZ/Jetstar/Jetconnect... someone would (still) be flying them.
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which is why TT will do them & not VA/NZ.
Also look at routes like BNE/ZQN. VA/NZ do it nonstop up to 10 times a week & also year round (QF this year did it once a week for about 10 weeks only)
For those 3 days a week when 2 nonstop, who really want to depart on international 3 hour flight at 0500 ish, unless a very good reason to do so, such as $$$$.
When a family of 4, 5 or more people can save $100 or more each to fly that early they might, so why not have TT do it, with no business class, at much lower per seat costs.
Also to save $$$ some people will move their dates a few days.
Lastly, VA/NZ could put a majority of their frequent flyer seats on TT services. Those using ff pts/miles are used to compromise.
TT would be perfect for international services out of AVV.
Much cheaper car parking, cheaper fees for the airline.
Also look at Fiji.
VA currently has no opposition MEL/NAN/MEL during daylight hours. Only other MEL/NAN/MEL nonstop are FJ red eyes/evening flights, which don't connect with FJ to & from LAX. Similarly, VA does daily BNE/NAN/BNE in daylight hours. FJ only does 3 or 4 a week. The other FJ services are red eyes to NAN.
VA could therefore hand a few of their midweek flights to NAN from BNE &/or MEL to TT, or they can do what JQ are doing over Xmas holidays & run some flights back of clock.
VA will probably get much greater utilisation out of TT A320's, as they'll be able to offer flights west to PER which they already do & east to NZL & Fiji etc. which they don't do now.
Ask airports in NZL with no or stuff all service now from Australia, if they rather have red eye flights or no flights ?
Also ROT is losing their nonstop from Australia. Maybe they'd be better off with TT, than no flights at all.
From memory SYD/ROT was about twice a week.
The old Strategic/Air Australia route TSV/DPS which ran up to 3 times a week, could be reintroduced with TT operating it, as well as maybe TSV/AKL.
TSV people hate having to go to CNS or BNE to get anywhere international, as much as BNE people hate having to fly via Australia's worst airport, SYD.
Perhaps a TT, TSV/AKL could connect with NZ international services to LAX, SFO, YVR, RAR etc.
Last edited by BNEA320; 18th Oct 2014 at 05:18.