Qantas Plans Mumbai, Shanghai Services

[Wirraway]

Dow Jones
Tuesday February 17, 5:36 PM AEDT

Australia's Qantas Plans Mumbai, Shanghai Services

SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Qantas Airways Ltd. said Tuesday it is finalizing plans to begin nonstop services from Australia to Mumbai and Shanghai.

Qantas said it wants to operate three flights a week to Mumbai from Sept. 1 and to be flying direct to Shanghai by the end of 2004.

The airline added that its plans show it is recovering from the negative impact of the Iraq war and the SARS crisis in Asia.

Qantas has applied to the International Air Services Commission for the rights to fly the nonstop services between Australia and Mumbai and Shanghai, it said.

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[Wirraway]

Wed "The Australian"

Qantas spreads Asian wings
By Steve Creedy
February 18, 2004

TOURISM officials yesterday welcomed Qantas's moves to start new services to India and China as a significant boost that would encourage more visitors from two of the world's fastest growing economies.

Qantas said yesterday it would start non-stop services from Australia to the Indian city of Mumbai and Shanghai in China.

The move is the latest in several international expansion announcements by the airline, including the first non-stop scheduled services between Brisbane and Los Angeles in June.

The Mumbai services will operate three times a week from September 1 and the airline is finalising plans to fly to Shanghai by the end of the year.

"India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the burgeoning trade relationship between Australia and India has increased demand for business travel between our two countries," said Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti. "In total, inbound passenger numbers from India to Australia are on the rise."

Tourism lobby group TTF Australia said direct flights from Australia to India would be attractive to travellers and had the potential to provide another hub for those travelling from Europe.

The new services would help stimulate tourism growth from both markets, said Australian Tourist Commission managing director Ken Boundy.

ATC marketing programs in India include the appointment of cricketing legend Steve Waugh as Australia's tourism ambassador.

"The new services will provide Indian travellers with the option to fly direct to Australia -- significantly reducing travel time and increasing the appeal of Australia as a holiday destination," he said.

"Visitors from India increased by 32 per cent in December 2003, with 45,600 visitors to Australia last year."

Mr Boundy said the industry would welcome Qantas's re-entry into the China market, which had rebounded strongly in recent months.

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[Captain Kapton]

:O What! Mumbai again!
How many times do Qantas want to go in here and then pull out again?
Well - obviously one more time!:cool:

[The Voice]

.... if at first you don't succeed??

having flown into New Delhi last Feb with SIA I would be more than delighted to fly into Mumbai with QF .. all those lovely FF points!!

[Captain Kapton]

:p G'day Biscuit Chucker
Last time I remember QF serving Mumbai (BOM) was back in 2001 with a B767 via Singapore. Not sure when they pulled out, but QF have a long history with India.
A QF mate of mine tells me the best thing about India is saying 'Good-bye' on the HF and saying hello to Pakistan!:yuk:

[alangirvan]

If you fly non stop from Sydney to Mumbai, you fly over most of Australia, then you fly over a bit of water then you fly over most of India to reach Mumbai.

There are other important commercial cities in Southern India, like Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, where people will still have to change at SIN or KUL. People from MEL/BNE will still have to fly to SYD to get on the non stop service to Mumbai.

Surely services between PER and BOM ( perhaps as stop on the way to UK) would have some prospects?

[Q-Tee]

Dead right biscuit ..... the SIN-BOM-SIN shuttles were bad enough .... now actually having to slip there ????:yuk:

They will be the most junior trips around ..... I would cut off a limb rather than do those sectors :cool:

[cabin secure]

I think you'll find Australian Airlines will be operating these services and bookings made through Qantas.

[mid assist]

There is a lot of talk within AO about those two routes..... I think AO will compliment QF services, but form its home base of Cairns.

It wouldn't surprise me that QF A330-300 will operate those routes from SYD... the rest of them are due late this year (i think)

On a positive note, it's good to see some expansion in the local industry!

[Capt Fathom]

The Executive General Manager of Qantas Airlines, John Borghetti, said the Mumbai services would operate three times per week from 1 September 2004 on two-class Boeing 747-300 aircraft

Qantas Press Release here (http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/au/publicaffairs/details?ArticleID=2004/feb04/3034).

[Left2primary]

Q-Tee,

towards the end of their run those Bombay shuttles out of Singapore were highly sought after.

Sure, they were hard work, but they paid well and because they were high density afforded plenty of time at home.

Anyone who couldnt handle the demands of the passengers sadly hadn't worked out yet, that as a FA it is far easier just to say "yes".

{you know the deal- we give stuff away, that isn't ours and all we have to do is smile when we do it, HELLO???}

IMHO the trips when they do start will be, if not "senior", still very hard to get.
I still have vivid memories that are 15 years old of one of the most amazing places imaginable.

The colour , the life, the humanity and sheer shock value of a way of life that is far removed from ours.
Did I mention the food????????? Incredible, I can still taste it now.

BTW, our friends that think the path to happiness is through the attainment of material wealth might benefit from spending some time there.

I remember three or four of us being chased home after dinner by two young beggars one night. It was raining and these two were black with dirt and filth.

The hosties were screaming as we ran for a cab with the beggars in hot pursuit. We dived into the back just in time with the two beggars roaring their heads off with laughter as the door slammed and we drove off.

For them it was just a game. They thought it was the funniest thing and so did we.

Only the shallowest individual could leave without being moved in some way. But I digress, sorry............Bring it on.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cabin Secure,

at the moment Australian Airlines operate the 767 using a 2 pilot operation. As yet they have no second officers.

Flight duty limitations with a 2 pilot operation limit tours of duty to 8 hours or less which means unless this policy changes AA are out as far as these two ports are concerned.

Even if the 767 was to operate these sectors ex Syd I think that they would have to be weight restricted?

Given that QF have invested heavily in the freight side of the business in Shanghai the operation of the 767 on this route clearly doesn't make sense.

Andrea Staines was asked last year to report to GD on the feasability of a long range AC for AA but all has been quiet on that front.

QF has plenty on its plate at the moment with all the Jetstar A320 purchases, [6?] more second hand Jumbos for QF [To be QF skybed reconfigured], taking up the A330 options, 737 800s for shorthaul plus the A380 on its way that I think even GD knows his limits.

BTW, Senior QF management have indicated that the QF group have lost plenty of market share on the Japan route to ANA and JAL since our low cost cousins took over most of the flying.

Rumblings are that the Red Rat may be returning on some of the runs to try and help stem this flow.




:ok:

[Keg]

L2P, certainly the BOM shuttles were highly sort after by the techies. I think they were worth about 35(ish) hours in four or five days. By 767 standards in 2001, that was HUGE.

Just a small clarification, AO drivers are limited to eight hours 'flight time' rather than eight hours 'duty time'. Duty limit is 11 hours (extendable to 12). :ok:

[Skypatrol]

Great news!

About time we went back to both ports.

BOM was dropped not long after Ansett/Sept 11 as QF wanted extra 767's on domestic routes. Was a long night SIN/BOM/SIN but nothing beat the samosa waiting for us in BOM! Cabin crew were generally junior on the route and not surprisingly so. My first trip there one of the girls had a full meal tray thrown at her!

Loads to both ports were always full, so not surprising to see the Classic on the BOM run!

[flying_pmm]

Left2primary,

WOW! How refreshing to get such a positive response to the changes QF has announced. I agree with you, can't wait to get to these ports.

Why do some crew find it so hard to just smile and say yes?

Look forward to flying with you!

[Wonderworld]

Left2primary

Wish there were more like you...:ok:

[Keg]

Group hug everybody! :O :ok:

Seriously though. It's interesting to note the change in attitude of the crew in recent times. Everyone is still majory hacked off at the company but by gee, they're having 'fun' at work. Almost as if it's a '****** 'em, I'm not going to let them stop me from doing my job well'. Great to see! :ok:

[Don Esson]

Left2Primary: I have heard on the rumour mill that Australian have concludede a deal with AIPA which sees better than 8 hours flight time with 2 or 3 pilots and nil horizontal rest as required by the CAO's. You will find AO can now operate to Shanghai from the south or the north.

It surprises me that the Indians and Chinese would any Ausssie carrier back, bearing in mind the number of withdrawals QF has executed from both markets over the years. Is it called something-or-other interruptus? No wonder the Rat found it hard to make money with such inconsistent policy.

[InitRef]

USA and Western Europe were traditional vacation destinations for Indians. After the US put in place the new visa & entry restrictions, there has been more Indian tourist interest in SEA and Aus/NZ. Also, India is becoming the home of most technology and business outsourcing including for companies in Aus.

There is bound to be more vacation traffic and higher-yield business pax for this route. Good on QF for finally recognizing this!! But flights to Bangalore or Chennai may have made more sense because all the technology action is happening in South India.....

[mid assist]

Don Esson

interesting comment on the AO pilot constraints. I've noticed a second set of 2 seater crew rest be created opposite the cabin crews' on AO a/c.

Question. Does anyone know how AO performed profit wise in QF groups' half yearly results?

[Eastwest Loco]

If this is correct, it would be a good QF (not AO) move.

I have a good deal of traffic to BOM and the only viable ex SYD option is SQ since QF abandoned the port.

Most of my traffic is full fare J class, and we have trouble getting that on most occasions.

A non stop would be a bonus but surely this would have to be 743 or 744 equipment to allow maximum uplift. I could well be wrong but this should be beyond the range of a 763 at max BRW.

Shanghai is also a good move - even better if an exension or round robin BJS is included. Most of my clients prefer over HKG with CX and KA to the QF codeshare on China Eastern.

I am a little dissapointed at the FAs whingeing over particular routes.

Get real - you are there for a purpose, and in many cases in flight missing in action. Be glad you have an airline to hang your hat on and enjoy it - please. Mine have all fallen out from under me, and I still miss them badly.

Best regards

EWL

[Minosavy Masta]

EWL................A330!!

[Eastwest Loco]

Minosavy Masta - yes A330 under QF, but i was assuming - probably wrongly AO - as has been floated on other occasions.

A330 would have no probs with the distance, and would op in 2 class config which is just what would suit me and my corporates.

Please make allowances - I forgot the A330 in the fleet. I m but a meer Travel Agent after all!

Best regards

Ron

EWL

[DirectAnywhere]

From QF's press release last week. Should solve the debate over the type!!;) The Executive General Manager of Qantas Airlines, John Borghetti, said the Mumbai services would operate three times per week from 1 September 2004 on two-class Boeing 747-300 aircraft.

[Eastwest Loco]

Thanks DirectAnywhere - and bloody good news too!!

Trying to get full J seats on that run, particularly on a 763 service was a nightmare.

Best

EWL

[regitaekilthgiwt]

For any that haven't heard, A330 to Shanghai. <CONFIRMED>
Then possibly then on to London to fill in the extra slot(s) <UNCONFIRMED> . . .

[Capt Fathom]

Shanghai to London :eek:
That'll keep the crew awake..working out their fuel reserves. :ugh: