Quantas , Gatwick to Melbourne

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by bmaviscount

Reading in business traveller BA reducing Aus flights to a single daily flight via SIN from March and QF dropping Bangkok hub
I agree its sad to see a demise on this route; isn't there a window for a smaller plane operation to more destinations? aka open skies?

Surely what we're seeing is an effect of liberalisation, i.e. the Kangaroo route traffic is being hoovered up by (principally) the Gulf carriers? Hard to see how the economics of a smaller plane could compete with that.

[clipstone1]

unfortunately, it's very difficult as thirsty 747-400 operators to compete on a route (even though its pretty much always full) when the new middle eastern carriers don't have the legacy crew costs and largely pay nothing for fuel.