PacBlue NZHN Ops

[27/09]

Thought someone might have already started a thread on this.

Why do they think they will get enough Pax to make it work especially in these times of recession?

I think part of the problem that Air NZ couldn't get the Pax wasn't price but the close proximity to Auckland and the wide choice of travel times to the various destinations available from Auckland. Only being able to travel on certain days certainly restricts the number of Pax who will travel.

What type of aircraft are they planning to use?

[Skybus_319]

The prices that PB are wanting is not going to change anything to what happened with NZ...

Its still cheaper to go via Auckland, or even just drive to Auckland now that they have sorted out the motorway there..I could mabye see it working with JQ, they proved it make CHC work, pkus have an everyday low price if $169 from most NZ bases etc...

What type of aircraft are they planning to use?
738 service

What about PB use their E190 on NZ Domestic serving Rotorua, Queenstown, Hamilton...would break down the monopoly thats for sure

[goodspeed]

Good luck to them. They might need it.

Problem is, there are only 4 million people in NZ. Hamilton is not a tourist destination for the traffic Aust to NZ and back. Is it marketed as the gateway to the BOP and Rotovegas well enough to bring that tourist traveler in?

And as you both pointed out, there is a LOT of option to go in and out of Auckland.

If it does not work out its not a huge loss of face really.

In the mean time, enjoy overnights in the Tron!!:ok:

[toolowtoofast]

Until NZHN sorts out its

1 - Parking @ $20/day with max of $95/month and zero security,
2 - Duty Free browsing. Oh that's right there is none
3 - Cafe. It's rubbish,

international flights will always struggle.

[DeathStar-Alpha]

They must have something up their sleeve. They know the history of the former companies operating out of there... So watch this space I reckon, I'm not necessarily saying they'll come out on top, but I'm curious as to their approach to cracking this 'tough nut' :)

[27/09]

toolowtoofast

Yep, I agree with your points 1,2 & 3.

Since my first post another consideration came to mind. There has always been a bit of anti Air New Zealand bias from some of the local councillors and the local Waikato daily paper. This was really evident when Air New Zealand flagged that services out of Hamilton were under threat due to poor patronage. The fact that the local councils had abandoned the regional tourism promotion organisation was never mentioned as a possible reason people weren't flying into Hamilton.

I wonder what sort of deal PacBlue got from the airport company re landing and terminal fees etc. I'd be willing to bet it was a much sweeter deal than Air NZ was getting.

It will be intertesting to see what happens.

I wouldn't count Air NZ out of operating out of NZHN or anywhere else on a seasonal basis.

[reubee]

It is the 0600 departure time that doesn't do them any favours. It means they miss out on the Rotorua, Tauranga, Taupo traffic who won't get up at whatever time it is necessary to make that flight

[SPEEDI]

What are your opinions on PB working out of Palmerston North. Operating the E190 as obviously the a320 was to large of an aircraft on the freedom air route and the sporadic departure times were also another downfall, but surely Palmy services the Manawatu and East fo teh ranges so demand should be quite large for international flights

[slamer.]

Early morning Ops out of HN...! wounder what the LMO facilities are going to be for them..? What are PB crew and aircraft certified to?

[slice]

PB as such don't have E190s - there is a VB one painted up in PB colours as are several VB 738s. I am not sure if this service will be PB crewed or another VB wet lease.

[Cypher]

Pacific Blue ups the anti as it adds Queenstown-Sydney service | BUSINESS News (http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/pacific-blue-ups-anti-flights-aust-2777021)

Looks like Hamilton ain't the only one.

SYD-ZQN

SYD-WLG

BNE-DUD

Are the Bluey's RNP rated? Or will it be "Cleared VOR/DME A, cleared to visually maneourve as required?"

[terronnd]

They should be cleared to $@*& off.

[Cypher]

Is that a Air NZ IP address I see terronnd....

[jism]

I very much think so

[White Sniper]

Terronnd...... What a C@%K!!!!!!!!

[Cypher]

Porn* didn't have the easiest or smoothest start to the day.

3 hour delay out of WLG due to loading equipment failure. I they're going for containers... which would make them the only NZ domestic operator to do so apart from Air NZ's occasional A320. Does Invercargill have container equipment? (i.e for ZQN diverts)

[Cool banana]

I hear a new Australian airline called Pacific Wings is also looking at operating to Hamilton using a Boeing 737-300.

[kiwipilot02]

Diverts from ZQN by Jet* will be handled by Dunedin who have container handling equipment for ANZ.

[c100driver]

On Guard

I hear RNP is coming but may not be ready for Sep.

You are correct that it may not be ready for Sept.

More specificallly it is RNP AR for ZQN which is a very different animal from normal RNP approaches.

The will have to meet the requirements of FAA AC 90-101 (The ICAO PBN manual, training and validation is almost a direct copy of the FAA document) just as everyone else has, so it will take some time just to complete the 100 approaches and departures (the first 30 in VMC from 10,000 feet to touchdown)

They will need to have the procedure designed for them to start with, as the current RNP AR is not public use. (Air NZ and QF paid for and own the current procedure)

[c100driver]

kiwipilot02, does Air NZ have a service supply agreement with Jetstar for use of the DUD gear?

[Cypher]

I'm sure Naverus will be more than happy to print the Pacific Blue name on top of the approach for the appropriate amount of money...

Probably explains the timing of the service then. September, going into Summer, plenty of time to get the requisite experience during summer in prep for next winter where you will need to use the RNP approach...

Theres almost a certain air of we have RNP approaches now, so local knowledge is no longer such a big factor for operating into these ports...:ooh:

[kiwipilot02]

c100driver Yep, they also use to handle the very odd Qantas divert ex ZQN.

Same guys have DJ handling contract under Planebiz. So can do ANZ,DJ and JQ.

[7378FE]

Diverts from ZQN by Jet* will be handled by Dunedin who have container handling equipment for ANZ.


Diverts from ZQN will be handled by the PIC, who wouldn't give a rats freckle who had container handling equipment, as long as the runway was long enough, my bet is on CHC.

7378FE

[kiwipilot02]

Then why was J* holding a training session for the loaders @ Dunedin this week and a set of J* stairs dropped off if they are using CHC as their alternate ??

[c100driver]

If they have dropped stuff at DUD then they don't have a handling agreement with Air NZ

[eddie shoestring]

With the expansion in routes etc, does anyone know if this will translate into more drivers to fill the window seats in the near future?

I know they have an employment freeze on at the moment and any vacancies will be filled by "sharing resources" from VB, but how long can that continue? ;)

Ed

[kiwipilot02]

Trepel loader is ANZ's so I guess they do have an agreement.

Cans put on ANZ dollies towed by ANZ tractors.

[On Guard]

Vb passing its losses to PB??

The age 10hrs ago

VIRGIN BLUE subsidiary Pacific Blue is expected to join V Australia in posting a loss this year, raising speculation it could exit the New Zealand domestic market within the next 18 months.
Pacific Blue has flown on main-trunk routes within NZ for the past 18 months, but faced a tougher proposition this week when Jetstar replaced its parent, Qantas, on domestic services.
Macquarie Equities said it was difficult to see two low-cost carriers operating within NZ in the longer term against the government-owned incumbent, Air New Zealand. "It would not be surprising to see Pacific Blue reduce its services or exit entirely within 18 months," the broker said.
Virgin Blue has been redeploying 737-800s from Australia to Pacific and trans-Tasman routes over the past six months. Pacific Blue will boost its trans-Tasman services in September with flights between Sydney and Brisbane and four additional NZ cities. Macquarie estimates Pacific Blue will post an $11 million loss before earnings, interest and tax this financial year, a turnaround on an $18 million profit last year.

The broker also said passenger numbers for V Australia suggested a slower than expected take-up, while Virgin management had indicated disappointing demand for premium classes.
V Australia has scaled back some direct flights from Sydney to Los Angeles as competitors scramble amid falling demand on the trans-Pacific route. Passengers booked on some direct V Australia flights between the two cities are having to travel via Brisbane on domestic aircraft.
The long-haul carrier's load factor for the trans-Pacific route in March was almost 60 per cent, Macquarie Equities said, compared with United Airline's 72 per cent and Qantas' 75 per cent.
Competition will intensify next month when Delta Air Lines begins daily services between Los Angeles and Sydney. But some industry insiders question whether the US carrier is committed to the route in the longer term.
Despite a stronger Australian dollar, Macquarie said it was unlikely passenger numbers to the US would increase over the next year. A recovery in yields on the route was likely to be slower than anticipated because of discounting in premium and economy classes, it said. Return fares on the trans-Pacific have been selling for about $1000 in recent months.

[cnsnz]

From what I have heard PB are doing ok.
Interesting to see them (PB) ex wlg this week full to AKL even though Jetstar have started there ops,also loads to CHC high.
Maybe NZ are the ones losing pax I spoke to a friend who is a government employee and he stated that all NZ Gov Departments have been told they must purchase best price available and not just NZ.
The fact is that JQ are not doing anything different to what QF were before and out of WLG they actually offer less than what QF were.

[kiwipilot02]

DUNEDIN had first Jetstar divert ex Queenstown today.

[SilverSleuth]

cnsnz said: From what I have heard PB are doing ok

Paciic blue just posted a $11 million loss. Not doing so good.
The advantage they use to have being a separate operation from VB has gone and hence VB are taking and doing more and more PB flying. That will continue, especially from OZ.

Pacific Blue sees red in $11m loss (http://business.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/pacific-blue-sees-red-in-11m-loss-20090612-c690.html)

[PBN]

SilverSleuth Read the article,
Macquarie estimates Pacific Blue will post an $11 million loss before earningsInteresting that the NO NAMED analysis from Macquarie Equities dribbled the 11M loss statement 2 days after J* started Domestic operations in NZ. I'm sure QF would never stoop so low as to insert false media into the Fairfax papers.........................:}

Now I often take advise from people in the know, however this one in particular smells a little to much for me.

I think you will find that VB are doing some PB flying to elevate the redundancy issue within VB. I'm no HR guru, however its gota be cheeper to have VB operate PB flights/vers making a bunch of 737 pilots on a VB EBA redundant, its worth also keeping in mind the negitive impact on the ASX. Remember PB were recruting whilst the VB redundancy issue was rissen by BG. I may be wrong, but from my window seat it looks obvious to me.

[wirgin blew]

The same genuis has another article in todays Aussie telling all and sundry that VBA and AirNZ need to have a tie up. Not sure what this blokes agenda is other than making regular comments about airlines from the comfort of his corner office somewhere in SYD.

[wirgin blew]

Pacific Blue cuts back
4:00AM Saturday Jun 27, 2009

Pacific Blue is cutting back on its domestic capacity as it redeploys planes to new transtasman routes and responds to a fall in leisure travellers.

The airline is cutting domestic capacity from August 1 by an estimated 13 per cent.

Auckland-Wellington services are reduced from 27 to 19 a week, Wellington-Christchurch fall from 19 to 12 and the Christchurch-Dunedin service is cut. The airline is starting a new direct Auckland-Dunedin service.

In September the airline will cut some transtasman flights from Auckland and Christchurch but start new services from Hamilton, Dunedin and Queenstown.

A spokesman said the cuts were not in response to Jetstar's arrival. Some schedule changes were to cater for the business market as more companies were shopping around for cheaper fares.

Source: Pacific Blue cuts back - Business - NZ Herald News (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10580939)

[wirgin blew]

And also

Pacific Blue still mulling city:
A new budget airline probably won't be landing in Invercargill soon.

Pacific Blue has been saying for more than a year that it might introduce flights out of Invercargill, but if and when remains up in the air.

In May the airline touched down at Invercargill Airport to show off its Embraer 190 EJet.

The company said the jet may be used on a new domestic and trans-Tasman route out of Invercargill in future.

However, communications manager Phil Boyen last week said it could be November before a decision was made regarding possible new routes.

Invercargill Airport chief executive Barry Bouton said he expected to hear from the company in August, when its new chief executive officer started.

Source: Pacific Blue still mulling city | Stuff.co.nz (http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/2521857/Pacific-Blue-still-mulling-city)

[slamer.]

Air NZ and Virgin.......:eek::eek::eek:...... if it wasnt so serious it would be funny.

I can hear it now....

" leets dump another baskeet case on the keewees... thuy'll full for it ageen"

and they probably would. Must be about time Keys mob sold off ..... something .... to their corporate mates or perhapes just after the next election.

Or more likely this is some VB spin designed to take the spotlight off V as it goes down the plughole...??