Who is starting RPT to Wollongong?

[dijical]

"Commercial passenger flights could be taking off from Albion Park airport as early as October, Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba announced on Monday. Cr Saliba also said negotiations with a carrier – which is yet to be revealed but is likely to be operated under an exclusive agreement – were reaching “the fine print”.

The destinations for the service are also yet to be confirmed, however it’s believed the flights will connect the Illawarra to Brisbane and Melbourne."

Passenger flights at Illawarra airport ready to start this year: mayor | Illawarra Mercury (http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4708434/passenger-flights-at-illawarra-airport-ready-to-start-this-year-mayor/)

[Goat Whisperer]

sounds like a job for JetGo!

[TBM-Legend]

Twas a dud for QFLink..

[BNEA320]

Twas a dud for QFLink..QF link flights were doing well before the closure of the, was it steelworks ?

[maggot]

well its obviously malindo WOL direct ZQN

[engine out]

Qlink flights did ok, but yes they were predicated (or so I am told) on BHP using a certain number of seats, and business travellers using the service. I think this time they are looking more towards the domestic leisure market. It will be interested to see how air fares shape up. It does say in local press that whoever the airline is will have an exclusivity contract initially, not that airlines appear to be falling over themselves to operate into the Gong. I do hope it is successful otherwise I think it will be a hard sell getting anybody else to take up the challenge

[NumptyAussie]

Maybe they are going to use JTs 707??

[Horatio Leafblower]

WOL NBR?
There is a large workforce in Wollongong and a large need at Narrabri.
I notice there is also a big ugly demountable building that has apeared there in the last couple of weeks under the 747s wingtip...

Historically, Impulse used to do pretty well out of WOL to MEL.

[BPA]

Impulse's 1900D flights to Melboune did well. Biggest problem these days is the average punter doesn't want to pay more than $80-100 each way and it will be hard for any regional airline to have fares at that price out of Wollongong.

[Ixixly]

Damn it Horatio, does that mean they'll be setting that area up at RPT Only parking near the 747? Cause that was the only decent parking area left in bloody Wollongong!

[LostProperty]

I'm probably drifting the thread a little but similar topic. I've noticed Sharp operating a Metro between Coffs, Ballina and the Gold Coast a bit during the last couple of weeks. Don't think I've seen one of their aircraft as far north before. Nothing about a new service that I could find on their website.

[BPA]

I'm probably drifting the thread a little but similar topic. I've noticed Sharp operating a Metro between Coffs, Ballina and the Gold Coast a bit during the last couple of weeks. Don't think I've seen one of their aircraft as far north before. Nothing about a new service that I could find on their website.

I think they are operating the freight run. Back when I did them the Metro/MU2 would go BK-CH-BNA-CG return.

[Horatio Leafblower]

My source close to Wollongong airport says JetGo are going to do MEL and BNE.

[dijical]

My source close to Wollongong airport says JetGo are going to do MEL and BNE.

I reckon your source is spot on. The interesting question will be whether Jetgo can offer prices and schedule to make WOL competitive with the slightly longer travel time to Sydney Airport.

This won't be like offering Melbourne or Brisbane flights from Dubbo, Wagga or Albury where there is no direct competition. The airports are only 90km apart, and from Wollongong CBD it's only 55km closer than Sydney. On the positive side, the potential market is 300,000 people.

It will be interesting. I really hope they succeed, but they may need stronger nerves and more perseverance than they showed in Port Macquarie. Bring out the popcorn! :}

[Deano969]

Don't just look at how many kilometers difference it is
It is well over 1 hour 15 minutes with no traffic issues to KSA and that is outside morning and afternoon peaks where the time easily doubles
Plus avoiding KSA is an added bonus
Factor in parking costs and travel time etc and the likes of JetGo with the right size aircraft should be able to make a go of it

That said, I would have thought that the Gold Coast may have been a better choice over Brisbane why?
Melbourne - Albion Park - Gold Coast - Rockhampton - Townsville - (add in Cairns) and return daily and that opens up endless possibilities of getting bums on seats

No surprise that Melbourne - Port Maq failed
Port Macquarie is more of a Sydney getaway for the weekend, mostly by car and a stop off for the Grey Nomads, I wouldn't think that many from Melbourne would consider Port Maq high up on the list for a holiday, so they would have had to rely mainly on business travelers and locals going to Melbourne
A lot of the Port Macquarie air transport is getting passengers, mostly retirees to Sydney and onto international flights

[BNEA320]

Don't just look at how many kilometers difference it is
It is well over 1 hour 15 minutes with no traffic issues to KSA and that is outside morning and afternoon peaks where the time easily doubles
Plus avoiding KSA is an added bonus
Factor in parking costs and travel time etc and the likes of JetGo with the right size aircraft should be able to make a go of it

That said, I would have thought that the Gold Coast may have been a better choice over Brisbane why?
Melbourne - Albion Park - Gold Coast - Rockhampton - Townsville - (add in Cairns) and return daily and that opens up endless possibilities of getting bums on seats

No surprise that Melbourne - Port Maq failed
Port Macquarie is more of a Sydney getaway for the weekend, mostly by car and a stop off for the Grey Nomads, I wouldn't think that many from Melbourne would consider Port Maq high up on the list for a holiday, so they would have had to rely mainly on business travelers and locals going to Melbourne
A lot of the Port Macquarie air transport is getting passengers, mostly retirees to Sydney and onto international flights
yes who anywhere near WOL would want to fly out of SYD ?

Feel it's all about Jetgo schedules & getting them right. Can Jetgo base an aircraft at WOL ?

Maybe Jetgo could link up with a few int carriers ex MEL, offering connections at MEL.

[Deano969]

yes who anywhere near WOL would want to fly out of SYD ?

Feel it's all about Jetgo schedules & getting them right. Can Jetgo base an aircraft at WOL ?

Maybe Jetgo could link up with a few int carriers ex MEL, offering connections at MEL.

I would not see them needing a base at Albion Park, they will likely just replace the MEL PQQ run
Agree that international connections would play a large part in their business plan for the route

JetGo are certainly looking for niche markets to build their business, that said, I wonder if they are making much money starting up and canceling routes on a frequent basis with small jets, far flung crew bases and plenty of positioning flights
Their routes seem a bit all over the place to me with no hub or main base, but there you go

[dijical]

No surprise that Melbourne - Port Maq failed
Port Macquarie is more of a Sydney getaway for the weekend, mostly by car and a stop off for the Grey Nomads, I wouldn't think that many from Melbourne would consider Port Maq high up on the list for a holiday, so they would have had to rely mainly on business travelers and locals going to Melbourne
A lot of the Port Macquarie air transport is getting passengers, mostly retirees to Sydney and onto international flights

So you reckon Wollongong is much higher up the list as a holiday destination from Melbourne than Port Macquarie? I have my doubts.

And people are no more likely to catch a flight from Wollongong to Melbourne or Brisbane for a weekend getaway or onto international flights than from Port Macq.

So I wouldn't dismiss the similarity to Jetgo's poor results in Port Macq too quickly.
Like I said, it will be interesting to watch.

[BNEA320]

if Qatar survive the current terrorist dramas, they could offer Jetgo, deal from hell to feed pax from Wol to Mel to connect with Qatar flights.

[dijical]

if Qatar survive the current terrorist dramas, they could offer Jetgo, deal from hell to feed pax from Wol to Mel to connect with Qatar flights.

Jetgo flies to Essendon. You might save an hours commute to Sydney airport, but spend an additional 3 hours flying to Essendon and transferring. No chance.

[Horatio Leafblower]

So you reckon Wollongong is much higher up the list as a holiday destination from Melbourne than Port Macquarie? I have my doubts.

And people are no more likely to catch a flight from Wollongong to Melbourne or Brisbane for a weekend getaway or onto international flights than from Port Macq.

So I wouldn't dismiss the similarity to Jetgo's poor results in Port Macq too quickly.

Impulse and Qlink relied on BHP traffic between Wollongong/Port Kembla and Melbourne as the foundation of their pax numbers.

All the BHP mines in the Illawarra have been spun off into South32 so I would be surprised ifthe same numbers are there.

That said, Wollongong is an industrial center more than Port Macquarie and there is also the potential from the Southern Highlands.

I have been amazed at JetGo's success thus far. Good luck to them.

[dijical]

I have been amazed at JetGo's success thus far. Good luck to them.
I'll second that. In any event I'll be buying a ticket on their first flight.
A jet out of Albion Park? Fantastic!

[Deano969]

So you reckon Wollongong is much higher up the list as a holiday destination from Melbourne than Port Macquarie? I have my doubts.

And people are no more likely to catch a flight from Wollongong to Melbourne or Brisbane for a weekend getaway or onto international flights than from Port Macq.

So I wouldn't dismiss the similarity to Jetgo's poor results in Port Macq too quickly.
Like I said, it will be interesting to watch.

Only difference is the larger population catchment of Wollongong plus most from Port Macquarie fly to Syd to catch internationals, there would be few who would consider Melbourne
As I said, the locals will be the ones who will fly....

[BNEA320]

I'll second that. In any event I'll be buying a ticket on their first flight.
A jet out of Albion Park? Fantastic!Hope Jetgo are making money, but how would anyone know, except them ?

[Ned Stark]

They've just pulled out of Port Macquarie to Melbourne after only 6 months.

Mind you with their unreliability (cancellations, delays) they're not endearing themselves well to some of the communities they're flying to.

Nailed it. Unreliablility will be the death of any new market JetGo pursues

[dijical]

Nailed it. Unreliablility will be the death of any new market JetGo pursues

Has unreliability been a big issue for Jetgo?

Who else would be looking at servicing Wollongong? I would have thought Rex or Qantaslink would have been interested, if not exactly keen.

[dijical]

I gather that Rex considers YWOL unviable, is not all interested.

[Horatio Leafblower]

I would have thought Rex or Qantaslink would have been interested, if not exactly keen.

Rex and Qlink are well enough established that they don't need to take any risks - they sit on the fat, profitable routes and would increase services out of Armidale or Tamworth or Port Macquarie in preference to starting something new and copping a loss.

JetGo, FlyDuck and FlyCorp are all taking experienced charter teams and applying them to new opportunities, mostly routes previously proven by Brindabella. When/if they get established they may be in a position to take on the big boys but with limited slots into the Sydney the Govt continues to deny regional people access to reasonable services and denies innovative and efficient providers the opportunity to consolidate and grow.

I wonder how much Rex Group/Q group/VA donates to the LibNats compared to FlyDuck and JetGo?

[dijical]

sounds like a job for JetGo!


JetGo unveiled as chosen airline for Illawarra passenger service (http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4771433/jetgo-unveiled-as-chosen-airline-for-illawarra-passenger-service/)