East Timor Airlines Nov start date

[topend3]

A reliable source has informed me that the owners of Vincent Aviation in a deal with the East Timorese Government are planning to start a Darwin-Dili service commencing November 1 using a B737-200 leased off a Thai operator. Apparently they were planning to start early October but delays have pushed the start date back. Don't know how feasible this service might be but it may give scareNorth something to think about and some much needed competition if and when they take to the air.

:rolleyes:

[Capt Claret]

I wouldn't have thought that hush-kitting an 732 would be cost effective. :confused:

[No Further Requirements]

Hi Clarry. Hush kit? Where for? If it was just doing Darwin-Dili runs would it need to be hushkitted? Merpti operated B732s into Darwin until recently, and Mil-Jets (including B707s) are in and out all the time. I am unsure on the CARs about noise footprints at airports in Oz, but does Darwin have a dispensation? Dili- well, who knows. Anyone? Cheers,

NFR.

[Stunty]

No noise abatement procedures in Dili. Merpati stills flys thier crapbox 732's in there daily and you wont find to much louder than that.

First i've heard of all this - particually the involvement of Vincent. Airnorth could certainly use the competition. With all the cheap seats gone a ticket between Dili and Darwin will set you back close to $900 return over the festive season.

[Dog One]

Good on you Topend3 and Stunty. Support a NZ operator leasing an Asian aircraft to operate against an Australian airline.

Guess you blokes would just love to see a few more pilots and engineers looking for new jobs!

[huntsman]

Dog One,
would you be as put out if it were a fledgling E.Timor operator 'attacking' aussie jobs? surely they'd have the right.

[topend3]

hmmm dogone i was merely informing everyone about a prospective new entrant to the scene between darwin and dili. competition is inevitable even if this is an overseas player, and i also wanted to find out what others thoughts were. i can't see the east timorese coming in and stealing all our jobs and aeroplanes as you so over-emotionally claimed.

[Stunty]

so whats the goss?

13 days till november 1st and I aint seen Jack of 737's and still havn't heard a whisper about this airline? Is it going to happen? Anybody got updated info?

[Dog One]

Will it ever happen?

Merpati dropped their Kupang - Darwin service just a few months ago due to lack of numbers.

QF tried the Dili run with a Dash 8 and gave up.

Both AN and QF looked very seriously at the route in 99 using 146's, as did Flight West.

With the latest occurrence in Bali, I can't see the justification for a B737 service more than twice a week, and even then it would have a large number of empty seats. Merpati operate Dili Bali only twice a week.

No one is emotional about your announcement Topend - it was just the way you hoped the present operator would get burnt. Sounded like sour grapes post rather than an announcement of interest!

[D.Lamination]

Some thoughts in no particular order.

1. I believe Stage 2 civil airliners either are no longer/ or soon will be no longer permitted into AUS - the military is exempt.

2. No Thai operator I know of has these A/C anyway.

3. Airnorth deserve what they get if a new Airline starts up - they have been price gouging this market for a long time and offering a second rate non-jet service. With all the money they have made they should have been able to put a CRJ or EMB jet on by now if they were serious about developing the market. The poor old Timorese will not get many tourists from AUS at current prices.

4. Merparti risks the lives of its customers with a daily Bali - Dili B732 service that has been operating with (amazingly) quite good loads up until now. It's 1/2 the price to go DIL -DPS compared to DIL - DRW with Airnorth despite similar distances.

5. QF have stiffed the Territory by dropping daily DRW SIN vv. so there is plenty of potential for DRW- DIL -SIN vv. with through traffic to top up loads. That would also nicely undercut Merparti's significant traffic component which is Europe/Asia to E.Timor and UN R&R traffic.


:rolleyes:

[Buster Hyman]

Granted, this would take a huge effort & copiuos amounts of money, but after recent events, could Dili be the new Bali? If so, is this not a good move to get an airline up & running?

After abandoning them in 75, I think I'd be happy to get behind an effort to invigorate their economy.