HK, Australia strike airline deal

[Keg]

Lifted this from ninemsn.com.au this morning.


HK, Australia strike airline deal


AP - Aviation regulators from Hong Kong and Australia have struck a deal to give airlines from both sides more traffic rights.

The pact will let Hong Kong's No 2 carrier, Dragonair, begin services to Australia next year. It also will double the number of flights that can be made between Hong Kong and four Australian cities - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

The deal would let Australian carriers use Hong Kong as a stopover point en route to Europe, while providing for "code-share" arrangements between airlines from the two sides.

"This will enhance competition on this popular route and the travelling public will certainly benefit from the deal," said Wilson Fung, Hong Kong's deputy secretary for economic development and labour who led the negotiations.

Dragonair said it is prepared to launch Hong Kong-Sydney services in the second half of next year, putting it into a market now served by Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways and Australia's Qantas.

"This is good for Hong Kong as an aviation hub and for the travelling public," said Dragonair chief executive Stanley Hui.

Code-share deals allow airlines to put their own flight numbers on services operated by other carriers, so they can sell seats on those flights.



©AAP 2004

[Wirraway]

Dow Jones
Friday April 16, 12:56 PM AEST

Australia-HK Air Services Deal "Good Outcome" For Qantas

CANBERRA (Dow Jones)--The Australian government said Friday the new air services agreement struck with Hong Kong is a "massive breakthrough" for Australia's aviation and tourism industries.

"It is an incredibly good outcome for the Australian aviation and tourism industries and will also be of enormous benefit to Hong Kong," a government spokesman told Dow Jones Newswires.

The deal gives Sydney-based Qantas Airways Ltd. (QAN.AU) the right to fly daily between Hong Kong and London.

The arrangement covering the so-called Kangaroo route between Australia and Europe will be phased in over two years, according to the spokesman for acting Transport Minister Ian Campbell.

"There is a 100% increase in passenger capacity between Australia and Hong Kong for both Australia and Hong Kong airlines," the spokesman said.

"Airlines from both sides will be able to operate up to 70 services weekly to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth," he added.

Beyond those four major gateways to Australia, there will be unrestricted access for Hong Kong airlines to every other international airport in Australia, such as Darwin, Adelaide and Cairns.

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[Cactus Jack]

Hmmmm... Has trickie Dickie been beaten to the punch..?

Geez, I hope so. I detest that blokes perpetual sh1t eating grin.

[The Enema Bandit]

So do I Cactus. Will Qantas be placed at a commercial disadvantage though? Surely the pay rates are cheaper in Hongkers? Does anyone know? Will Qantas fly through to Europe via Hongkers?

[Capt Claret]

I was under the impression that Dragonair were commencing HKG-SYD services later this year?? :confused:

[Mr Seatback 2]

I sure hope this news provides some good news for the people languishing on the Cabin Crew shortlist at QF...18 months and counting...

I bet the person who bought the LHR slots is wiping their forehead in relief at this news...

Heard the rumour about Dragonair flying here, but I think it was subject to approval from the Oz Govt (and obviously, subject to the Oz Govt getting something they wanted too)...quid pro quo clareeeeeeeeeeese

[GalleyHag]

Didnt we (QF) use to fly Hong Kong-London some years ago? Did we loose this right by pulling out of the route?

[Animalclub]

G Hag

QF have/had rights to carry pax HKG SIN LON... used to connect at SIN with Aust - LHR flights.

[Essential Buzz]

Dragonair are gearing up to commence operations to SYD around October 2005 - this date limited mainly by aircraft availibility and high internal growth.

Narita services have recently commenced and Manila and Soeul are still in the pipeline. According to the CEO, no other Australian destinations yet on the radar.

Watch this space for future SYD base for Airbus &/or 747-400F crews.

[The_Cutest_of_Borg]

Rumour- Qf to start operating OZ-Honkers-UK three times a week.

Source-Someone who should know.

[Big Hairy Potatoes]

Heard a rumour that VB still have their Australian AOC for International Ops on the back burner.
Would it be possible for Branson to lease a 747 to VBs international arm to fly to BK to link up with Atlantic?
Just a thought!!

[Ah Lumbaroo]

Good thought BHP! Trickie Dickie can now virtually fly Round the World ! Could he have indeed trumped us all again?

[Johhny Utah]

I think you'll find that Singapore have veto power over the use of the Virgin name on international operations, due to their stakeholding in Virgin Atlantic (also the reason that operations from OZ to NZ are 'Pacific Blue' - with no mention of the 'V' word...)
As such, I'm guessing it's highly unlikely that Virgin Blue (or anything similarly 'Virgin' named aside from maybe Virgin Atlantic) will be operating anytime soon from Oz to Hong Kong.

Perhaps we'll see Branson serving onboard a Qantas a/c to London sometime in a F/A uniform if it doesn't look like he can make good his promise of Virgin Atlantic flying to Oz before the end of the year...?:O Or perhaps it was ops normal & just all a load of hot air...?:rolleyes: