View Full Version : More Alliance Fokkers on the way
The TVL refueller tells me there are a another 3 F100's due before xmas. The first is due in BNE late next week or early the following week. It will then go over to WA and operate the Skywest mining flights.
The other 2 will arrive between NOV and DEC and will be used on new RPT routes.
topend3
24th Oct 2002, 03:57
yes, i have heard this is the case, and there are plenty of good used examples on the market as AA retire their fleet.
New RPT routes - expect to see some competition for QF LInk into the NT and Queensland again, across the top especially, CNS-DRW, ASP-CNS.
strewth
24th Oct 2002, 11:59
What was the Alliance F100 doing in Darwin the other day?
apacau
24th Oct 2002, 12:39
I heard that BNE and/or ASP-CNS was too low yield and that it wouldn't be pursued.
topend3
25th Oct 2002, 02:43
both alliance f100s have been doing adf rotations out of dili flying tsv-drw-dil and return sectors between dili-drw.
changing over the timor troops again...:D
MCY Flyer
25th Oct 2002, 05:53
Heard a whisper that Maroochy council are trying to entice Alliance to operate a MC-SY service with their F100. The council have done the numbers and they believe the route can support 3 operates, as was the plan before Qantas purchsed Impulse. Early last year council were negotiating with Impulse to operate the 717 on this route along with B1900's on the MC-BN route. There would have been 3 airlines operating this route, AN/KD (B737/A320 & CRJ), QF (B737) and Impulse(B717).
Currently the route is operated by Qantas (2x717) and VB (1X737). With what has occured O/S council believes more Australians will holiday in OZ and believe the numbers travelling to the Sunshine Coast will increase.
Alliance have been offered the same deal that QF and VB have. No landing fees for 12 months, no head tax for 12 months and free office/check-in space.
Another important factor is Aeromil who are one of the shareholders in Alliance have their head office based on the Sunshine Coast.
topend3
25th Oct 2002, 06:43
yes, vb are just starting up into the sunshine coast and have added an extra flight already as demand is so high so will be interesting to see what happens. i really don't think the market there is big enough for 3 though i think alliance would have their work cut out against the other two.
My informants advise me that the F100 will be doing a few runs ex CNS. The CNS-DRW & CNS-Weipa early in the new year. Also maybe the Townsville refueller can 'confirm' this one, but TSV-ISA twice a day also (early morning/ late afternoon) for the mining business people.
Aussiebert
28th Oct 2002, 10:06
just a random thought, what about MC - Cairns
HOBAY 3
28th Oct 2002, 10:24
How about BN-HB? Don't they have a fokker that only does BN-ROK twice a day or something. HB would be a perfect route over the summer period after QF dropped the HB-OOL weekender.
;)
Buckshot
28th Oct 2002, 19:58
Hobay,
QF already tried the BN-HB route a couple of years ago with the 146-100 but it wasn't a success. Obviously with the very short lived non-stop Gold Coast flights down to Hobart in the 717 there just isn't enough of a market to sustain these type of sectors. Why would it be any different in the F100?
MCY Flyer
28th Oct 2002, 23:41
topend3,
Yes VB have just started on the Sunshine Coast, but MCY council are still saying there is still room for a third carrier. They are saying there is another 100,000 - 150,000 passengers that could be carried on the MCY-SYD and MCY-MEL route. This number was quoted before the Bali attack. Council now thinks this number will increase. Qantas already has plans to increase flights to the Sunshine Coast with more Australians holidaying at home rather than OS.
Two years ago Qantas and Ansett operated 1 737 each Mon-Fri with up to 2 737 flights each on both Sat and Sun on the MCY-SYD AND 1 737 flight each on the MCY-MEL on Sat and Sun. Qantas also had Sunstate operating 4-5 return Shorts flights between MCY-BNE and Ansett had Sunshine Express operating 5 return flights in a Bandit on the MCY-BNE route. Currently Qantas are operating 2 717 flights per day on the MCY-SYD plus 1 717 MCY-MEL. Sunstate no longer operate on the MCY-BNE and Sunshine now operate on 3 returns per day in a Metro. VB have just started 1 737 flight per day on the MCY-SYD with an extra flight on Sunday. There is still room for another airline to operate 1 daily flight on the MCY - SYD route.
topend3
29th Oct 2002, 00:55
check out the interview with alliance ceo scott mcmillan in the latest australian aviation...worth a read, he says they are going to concentrate on careful expansion and developing their charter work a lot as well so don't know how soon any new rpt routes may be away.
there is definitely room for some competition on the cairns-darwin route though you would think, qf have the monopoly on that one at the moment.
HOBAY 3
29th Oct 2002, 01:50
Buckshot my friend,
The HB-BN route was first run in the summer of 98/99. The first flight was such a success that the 146 was upgraded to a -200 model. If the route was not a success, then why was it run again the following summer, including a short period before xmas where two flights a day were run. Even more strange given that QF had to totally rearrange the 146 schedules nationwide to fit in the flight. I believe the only reason this flight was not continued in the summer of 2000/01 was that during 2000, Southern got their third 146, which added extra flights daily on the HB-ML and HB-SY routes. Also, over the summer 00/01, HB-ML had regular B767 flights, in addition to seasonal extra flights with B737s. I don't think that the lack of a flight from Tas-Qld is currently due to a lack of demand, more the lack of an aircraft to operate it, or the airlines preferring to hub and spoke pax via Mel or Syd to justify extra frequencies on those routes (ML-BN, SY-BN) during the day.
:D
Yes the interview in the November Australian Aviation is worth a read. Also read the Recce, Jim mention's Alliance and the efficient F100s. Singapore and Sunshine Express:D both get a mention in the interview.
The inteview says they are looking at 6-8 F100's and only a few turboprops (if at all). Also says it's a good time to be buying F100's and with the low costs of the F100 they (Alliance) do not need a high utilisation rate.
On the subject of Alliance operating a MC to SY service, from what I hear I don't think it's on the cards (yet). If Alliance did one return per day on this route with a load factor of 60% each way (54.6 passengers) they could carry 36 691 passengers per year which is achievable on that service. An advantage they could offer is business class. The Alliance F100s are fitted with a business class plus the economy seats have the largest pitch of any domestic aircraft operating in Australia. Over the last few years the Sunshine Coast has seen a large increase in conferences and other special events being held and those attending may like to pay that little extra and have a business seat on the flight.
Mike Huntaches
31st Oct 2002, 02:56
think you'll find that the F-100 turning up this week actually belongs to Skywest. It will get a Cof A and a once over and be incorporated on the Alliance AOC before being sent to its owners in WA. alliance are apparently crewing initially whilst training steps up for the Skywest crews. Heard its quite nice, ie full leather interior and avionics upgrades over Alliance F-100's. will be interesteing to see how soon they add to their new fleet.:cool:
FL CH
31st Oct 2002, 08:04
Alliance Airlines will be an all jet operator by mid next year. The EMB120's will goto Sunshine Express who will become the turboprop arm of Alliance Airlines. Alliance Airlines will be operating 10-15 Fokkers within 5 years with RPT services in QLD, NSW and NT.
topend3
31st Oct 2002, 08:09
FL CH - sounds good, who's your source? hope you are right.
FL CH
31st Oct 2002, 08:14
Third Fokker 100 will be in Brisbane by next Monday.
The ACT will also be on their RPT list.
A Sydney ATCO friend of mine told me this morning that one of these shiny nice F100's landed at Bankstown sometime last night? :eek: Some sort of charter? Would of liked to have seen that. I'm impressed if it did.
Alliance have announced a mid-day flight between BN and Rocky. The service will start on Nov 30th and will be operated by a Bras.
Could Alliance be the new East-West?:D