Virgin Blue & Skywest Announce Codeshare Deal

[topend3]

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Easy Meets West – Virgin Blue & Skywest Announce Codeshare Deal

Friday 18 January 2008: Brisbane, Two award winning airlines, New World Carrier, Virgin Blue and WA based Skywest have announced a new code-share partnership set for take-off from 4 February 2008.

The two airlines will work together with the key benefits being an increased number of destinations and services for Virgin Blue Guests which will now also include Port Hedland, Kalgoorlie/Boulder, Kununurra and additional flights from Perth to Broome, offering a more convenient and streamlined travel experience.

The new code-share agreement will allow travellers to purchase Virgin Blue fares from Sydney and Melbourne to Perth, and connect seamlessly onto selected SKYWEST flights (or vice versa). Guests don’t need to worry about picking up their luggage until they get to their final destination. All tickets purchased on codeshare flights are eligible to earn Virgin Blue Velocity Points.

Virgin Blue Chief Executive, Brett Godfrey, said, "Skywest and Virgin Blue already work together via Skywest's participation in Virgin Blue’s loyalty program "Velocity", and the code-share agreement is a strengthening of co-operation between our two airlines."

He continued, "Increasing our codeshare partnerships is part of Virgin Blue’s New World Carrier strategy to give especially corporate travellers more benefits and more options through an enhanced network to our Guests.

This new arrangement also increases our footprint in regional WA while at the same time strengthening ties with a quality WA based airline."

Skywest Chief Executive Officer Paul Daff, said the codeshare agreement opened up seamless travel between Sydney/Melbourne and some of WA’s premier destinations.

"Skywest is pleased to partner with Virgin Blue to further grow the Eastern states market and to build exposure of Skywest’s WA destinations" Mr Daff said.

Bookings for Skywest connecting flights can be made as of Monday the 21st January via the Virgin Blue’s website www.virginblue.com.au with the codeshare seating available from February 2008.

[international hog driver]

Interesting one this is, I heard the scraps of this a while back and now it starts to make sense. XR can kiss goodbye the A320 idea for a while now I would hazard to guess, why bother when you can codeshare to the east coast.

As for the WA routes, VB have made a very good deal, established operator with a good name and the contract work in hand….. oh and now they can release more jungle jets to do battle on the eastern seaboard.

So if XR & VB are in bed and QQ are now working for QF….. watch this space.

Pax are both price and “type” conscious (Jet v Prop) so given that VB will use E170 back east and QF has committed to the Q400, I would bet that QQ will have quite few requests from #47 can you get more cheap F100s ASAP……

But where will they find the crew?

[topend3]

i am fairly sure the A320 acquisition is still in the mix by XR...training is planned and the first one due to be in service by November...not necessarily to be used to the east coast but on intra-WA routes...

[pilotdude09]

Well i know skywest has been in talking to the shire of roebourne to reinstate services to Karratha later in the year, wouldnt be suprised if its with the A320's as KTA can certainly support it.

Broome would also be able to support it.

[Ref + 10]

And Island Bound seem to be wanting more and more Bali flights so they obviously have a need for more seats. Another 320 compatible route.

[Xeptu]

A320's Indeed! hilarious, XR will be lucky to survive when QF deploy there Q-400's over XR 's routes and as for Karratha without the woodside contract to support that operation, very doubtful indeed.
How's melbourne going by the way :)

[topend3]

you are deluded Xeptu...maybe you arent aware XR have an exclusive licence to many of their existing turboprop routes that still has a long way to run...

[Xeptu]

yes I'm aware thanks, which actually runs out at the end of this year with extensions, early next year and it's no secret there won't be another one beyond that, open skies policy mate, do try to keep up.

[jarjar]

Xeptu,
open skies is all well and good, and the competition is great for the customer, however having first hand experience on the load factors that XR carry on all the protected routes, the government would be out of their minds to allow it.

The government has a responsibility to these communities to ensure that they have an RPT service, places like Carnarvon, monkey mia(shark bay), kalbarri dont have pax loads that would make sending in a chiefton profitable let alone most turbines.

The reality of the situation is that if open skies on these routes occured, then the communities would suffer the most, not XR.
To give you an example, Skippers pulled put of Geraldton, saying it was unprofitable, Geraldton is the most profitable route on the network. The Dept planning and infastructure has had a tender out for another operator to fly Perth-Geraldton for over three months now, no-ones interested.
Western Australia just doesn't have the load factors that the east coast does.
As far as Q400's, who's going to fly them? they have trouble crewing the aircraft they have now.

JarJar

[Xeptu]

Well firstly lets not be confused about what governments really think about their communities.

Secondly Skippers pulled out of Geraldton because it could not compete on a level playing field, it was not allowed to operated into Gelarldton within 30 mins of a Skywest scheduled service, that makes it near impossible to capture a market particularly during the prime times.

Thirdly no-ones interested in Kalbarri, Carnarvon and the like, XR can have them, even in a deregulated market I doubt anyone would be putting their hand up for those routes, particularly against XR. The only turboprop routes XR have that are of any importance is Geraldton, Albany and Esperence, these are the only routes that QF or anyone else would be interested in.

Who will crew them, well XR's existing F50 pilots of course and I've been around long enough in this industry to know they will be falling over themselves when the time comes, don't be last man out, QF won't be needing them all.

All of the above is why there will be no offer for tender on any of western Australias routes when the current arrangement expires. That was all made perfectly clear back in 2005 when it was assigned for the last time.

The usual government policy, leave it up to the industry and let them sort it out.

Think about the impact upon XR in the event that one single event occurs. don't be making the mistake of thinking oh my goodness, how will we live without XR, the same way we did without AN.

[jarjar]

Xeptu,
Albany, esperance and Geraldton barely have 65% load factor on average with the F50, How then would a Q400 be profitable? If you have something to back up your statements about Qantaslink's intention of operating on these routes then post it, so we can all be as "enlightened" as yourself.

JarJar

[Mr. Hat]

Delusional.

Why would some one go fly a Q400 when they could stay and go onto a F100 or possibly an A320. And if that doesn't work get a real 400 (of the 74 type) over at Qmainline.

People aren't going to go and go through yet another turbo prop groundschool and training when jet jobs are up for grabs. Wakey wakey fella.

The beauty of it is that the Q is hurting itself no end by not taking its own from the regional fleet onto mainline as VB are cleaning all those boys up and all that'll be left is bunch of 700 hour pilots with some very pissed off captains.

As for F50 v 400 yer no doubt 400 is going to be better as its a newer machine. Then again i hear they aint cheap (unless you pick up the ones SAS are getting rid of!).

Jet like speeds.

[Xeptu]

F100, why would ya ???? A320, not going to happen, it's right up there with santa claus, "whats that Stan" what are you trying to tell me about Santa Claus, it's "OH MY GOD" you mean all that stuff about santa......

[Skystar320]

As for F50 v 400 yer no doubt 400 is going to be better as its a newer machine. Then again i hear they aint cheap (unless you pick up the ones SAS are getting rid of!).

Some people dont know, SAS is indeed getting rid of them but not cheaply. They sold them at current value or a little more due to the fact that other airlines were certainly interested!

Infact those SAS has been sold or leased out to other carriers already!

[Skystar320]

Xeptu, what the hell are you smoking>?????? its gone to head.

[Mr. Hat]

F50 pilot thinks to himself "hmm lets see... jet job no cost or 10k for yet another turbo prop job"

Don't know about A320's or government contracts and all that stuff but i do know that pilots like bigger and better and no matter how Q400 supporters try to spin it (it's not a jet boys)

Most are happily moving onto stuff that goes above FL 250 (it's much quieter up there)

The only people hoping for Santa are those in HR at Qlink where they apparently are now looking to take on fresh CPL's.

And then there are those that think they are going to compete against the
Ejets on the East Coast. Not with those wages boys.

The challenge isn't yield anymore its attracting AND retaining pilots (50k won't cut it) I've said it again this game will be won by those that can attract and retain staff and by the looks of it things are getting desperate over in Qlink.

[Xeptu]

What am I smoking.... Maate... it's goooood :)

[XRlent100]

Xeptu Maaate,

By the time the next Coastal route comes up for tender I think you'll find jets flying at least to Albany and Gero. So it'll be more like QF-400's vs XR F100's. But maybe the jet like speeds of the 400's will give them a run too.

C U

[topend3]

id be very surprised Xeptu if QF could be bothered taking on XR in their established markets of ALH, GET, and EPR, very marginal markets for two airlines to be operating in...XR enjoy good support in these towns for reasons....looks like im not the only one who thinks you are talking ****.

i remember when XR got their first F100 and everyone said it wouldn't last...

[ebt]

I would think that if QF were really interested in any of those routes that they would probably rather wet lease or codeshare on the likes of Skippers before bringing their own metal over to WA. The last thing QF want is excess capacity on any of their routes as it drives down the yield.

[Ref + 10]

If the rumour that QF are concerned about crewing at NJS (see F100 Alliance thread) are even half true then they wouldn't go near Skippers with a 50ft pole. NJS are massively overcrewed by comparison...

[Skystar320]

I rather think its amusing that there is always x -hires to Skippers - and the response from a particular ramp guy [on an RPT flight]

"We are that busy becuase everyone knows Skippers is an excellent aviation company - We are soo overbooked we keep other operators in Perth in business"

:ouch::ouch::ouch::ouch::ouch::ouch::ouch:

[ebt]

Ref, that is true but the crewing shortage is likely only to be in the short term. In a year or two it should be sorted out one way or another. It would take a whole lot of investment to set up a QFLink turboprop operation in WA and I would imagine that for most of those markets that a Q400 would be too big, especially if Skywest have the best frequency. You don't want too much capacity on any route because it screws your yield - that's the QF way.

[Skystar320]

Didnt Qantas have Dash 8 ops in Perth a good few years ago?

Maybe NJS / Skippers Dash8's be flying in QF colours

Oh and maroomba

[Skystar320]

Didnt Qantas have Dash 8 ops in Perth a good few years ago?

Maybe NJS / Skippers Dash8's be flying in QF colours

Oh and maroomba

[Ref + 10]

ebt, I understand your concept. Was just trying to say that the crewing problems happening in the Skippers type segment of the market is critical. In the 2 years that you mention it is very possible that the dynamics of perth airport will change significantly. The small operators are going to have to be very canny in order stem the flow of pilots out the door.

[Kiwiconehead]

Didnt Qantas have Dash 8 ops in Perth a good few years ago?

NJS had one based in Alice doing trips back and forth to Ayers Rock that was in Qantas colours - there for about a year.

Was a fun base :)

[hoss58]

As a pilot mate of mine once said after getting his first jet command
"propellers are for boats"

[Ref + 10]

Apparently the Alliance boss said the same thing in front of the troops shortly after they launched. How are those F50's running?? :p

[Green gorilla]

Props for boats the high bypass turbofans of today are just ducted fans not mush hero factor required.