$70 Taxi Ride For A $65 Flight.
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$70 Taxi Ride For A $65 Flight.
$70 taxi ride for a $65 flight.
The Sunday Age.
Budget airline Jetstar enters Australia's cut-throat domestic airline market on Tuesday to take on Virgin Blue. Mark Russell reports.
The road to Avalon for Jetstar passengers is, if you believe the hype and the airline's $15 million advertising campaign, paved with cheap flights.
Qantas's discount no-frills airline starts up on Tuesday from Tullamarine, with flights from Avalon airport, 55 kilometres west of Melbourne, taking off on June 1.
Avalon, an aircraft maintenance centre and former low-level military airport, has undergone a $4 million upgrade with a new terminal and 900-space car park built since February when it was named as part of Jetstar's home base in Victoria.
Trucking magnate Lindsay Fox, whose family company Linfox has held a 99-year lease on the airport since 1997, secured the deal for Jetstar to use Avalon with Qantas chief Geoff Dixon over dinner at his Toorak mansion.
The Sunday Age toured the regional airport site last week when up to 60 workers were busy putting the final touches to the project.
Footpaths were being concreted, lawn laid, the arrivals hall painted, baggage X-ray machines set up, and car-hire company desks installed. Avalon general manager Tim Anderson said he expected the airport to be operational by Tuesday, a week before services begin.
The airport, which will handle 1250 passengers daily, will feature one arrivals gate and one departures gate, three check-in counters, lounge and cafe. Shops will follow.
Jetstar, which hopes to capture about 10 per cent of the domestic market within a year, will begin operations with 14 125-seat Boeing 717 jets and gradually replace them with a fleet of larger 177-seat Airbus A320s.
The first of 23 Airbuses is expected to be in use by July, with the last due by mid-2006.
There will be 70 Jetstar flights in and out of Avalon each week to Sydney and Brisbane compared with 246 flights a week in and out of Tullamarine to Hobart, Launceston, Newcastle, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Hamilton Island.
The airline hopes to expand progressively from November with flights to Perth, Alice Springs, Uluru, Darwin, Broome, Townsville, and Adelaide planned.
Regular bus services from the city to Avalon via Werribee will be run by Sita Coaches, a Footscray-based company that has won the public tender for the State Government contract.
It will cost $12 for the one-way fare, a dollar cheaper than the Skybus fare from Tullamarine to Spencer Street bus station in the city. A return trip will cost $20. A taxi to Avalon from the city will cost about $70. Taxis taking passengers from Melbourne to Avalon will not be allowed to pick up a new fare as the airport lies outside the designated metropolitan taxi zone. Geelong taxis will be available to take people to the city.
Victorian Taxi Association spokesman Neil Sach said the situation would be closely monitored.
"We suspect most people going to Avalon will go by bus. We don't see taxis as being the main feeder to Avalon at all," Mr Sach said.
If Jetstar passengers want to catch a train to the airport, V/Line runs 22 services a day from Melbourne to Geelong.
It costs $7.30 for the 47-minute trip from Spencer Street Station to Lara, the closest station to Avalon. Mr Anderson said that Jetstar hoped to encourage passengers to use cars or the bus service to the airport so there were no plans to run a shuttle bus service for the five-minute trip from Lara to Avalon.
A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Peter Batchelor said the situation would be reviewed if there was sufficient public demand for the service. Long-term parking at Avalon will cost $10 for the first day and $5 a day after that.
Casual parking will cost $2 for the first 30 minutes, $2 for the next half hour and $6 for two hours.
At Tullamarine, where a taxi costs about $35 to $40 for the 30-minute trip to the city, long-term parking costs $17 for the first day or $35 for four days. Casual parking costs $2 for up to 20 minutes, $5 for 20 to 40 minutes, and $7 an hour.
Cost reduction measures mean Jetstar passengers will be unable to board their flight if they arrive after check-in has closed 30 minutes before departure. They will lose their seats and no refunds or free transfers will be given.
There will be no allocated seating, with boarding priority based on check-in time. The earlier the check-in, the higher the priority when passengers are boarded in blocks of 40.
Passengers will be charged for food and drink, have to carry their own baggage between connecting flights, unaccompanied children will not be supervised, and it will cost $5 for each kilogram of baggage above the 20-kilogram limit.
Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said passengers would benefit in the long run, with fares expected to drop to as low as the $29 seats offered when the airline was launched in February.
"The ultimate challenge is the delivery of a lot of lower price fares on an ongoing basis," he said.
Virgin Blue spokesman David Huttner said his airline was not worried about Jetstar.
"This is not going to change the world," Mr Huttner said.
"We've made it very clear we'll match whatever prices they put out there; period, end of discussion. We're not going to give up our position in the market just because Qantas has repainted a few of its planes. We plan on giving them everything we've got."
The Sunday Age.
Budget airline Jetstar enters Australia's cut-throat domestic airline market on Tuesday to take on Virgin Blue. Mark Russell reports.
The road to Avalon for Jetstar passengers is, if you believe the hype and the airline's $15 million advertising campaign, paved with cheap flights.
Qantas's discount no-frills airline starts up on Tuesday from Tullamarine, with flights from Avalon airport, 55 kilometres west of Melbourne, taking off on June 1.
Avalon, an aircraft maintenance centre and former low-level military airport, has undergone a $4 million upgrade with a new terminal and 900-space car park built since February when it was named as part of Jetstar's home base in Victoria.
Trucking magnate Lindsay Fox, whose family company Linfox has held a 99-year lease on the airport since 1997, secured the deal for Jetstar to use Avalon with Qantas chief Geoff Dixon over dinner at his Toorak mansion.
The Sunday Age toured the regional airport site last week when up to 60 workers were busy putting the final touches to the project.
Footpaths were being concreted, lawn laid, the arrivals hall painted, baggage X-ray machines set up, and car-hire company desks installed. Avalon general manager Tim Anderson said he expected the airport to be operational by Tuesday, a week before services begin.
The airport, which will handle 1250 passengers daily, will feature one arrivals gate and one departures gate, three check-in counters, lounge and cafe. Shops will follow.
Jetstar, which hopes to capture about 10 per cent of the domestic market within a year, will begin operations with 14 125-seat Boeing 717 jets and gradually replace them with a fleet of larger 177-seat Airbus A320s.
The first of 23 Airbuses is expected to be in use by July, with the last due by mid-2006.
There will be 70 Jetstar flights in and out of Avalon each week to Sydney and Brisbane compared with 246 flights a week in and out of Tullamarine to Hobart, Launceston, Newcastle, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Hamilton Island.
The airline hopes to expand progressively from November with flights to Perth, Alice Springs, Uluru, Darwin, Broome, Townsville, and Adelaide planned.
Regular bus services from the city to Avalon via Werribee will be run by Sita Coaches, a Footscray-based company that has won the public tender for the State Government contract.
It will cost $12 for the one-way fare, a dollar cheaper than the Skybus fare from Tullamarine to Spencer Street bus station in the city. A return trip will cost $20. A taxi to Avalon from the city will cost about $70. Taxis taking passengers from Melbourne to Avalon will not be allowed to pick up a new fare as the airport lies outside the designated metropolitan taxi zone. Geelong taxis will be available to take people to the city.
Victorian Taxi Association spokesman Neil Sach said the situation would be closely monitored.
"We suspect most people going to Avalon will go by bus. We don't see taxis as being the main feeder to Avalon at all," Mr Sach said.
If Jetstar passengers want to catch a train to the airport, V/Line runs 22 services a day from Melbourne to Geelong.
It costs $7.30 for the 47-minute trip from Spencer Street Station to Lara, the closest station to Avalon. Mr Anderson said that Jetstar hoped to encourage passengers to use cars or the bus service to the airport so there were no plans to run a shuttle bus service for the five-minute trip from Lara to Avalon.
A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Peter Batchelor said the situation would be reviewed if there was sufficient public demand for the service. Long-term parking at Avalon will cost $10 for the first day and $5 a day after that.
Casual parking will cost $2 for the first 30 minutes, $2 for the next half hour and $6 for two hours.
At Tullamarine, where a taxi costs about $35 to $40 for the 30-minute trip to the city, long-term parking costs $17 for the first day or $35 for four days. Casual parking costs $2 for up to 20 minutes, $5 for 20 to 40 minutes, and $7 an hour.
Cost reduction measures mean Jetstar passengers will be unable to board their flight if they arrive after check-in has closed 30 minutes before departure. They will lose their seats and no refunds or free transfers will be given.
There will be no allocated seating, with boarding priority based on check-in time. The earlier the check-in, the higher the priority when passengers are boarded in blocks of 40.
Passengers will be charged for food and drink, have to carry their own baggage between connecting flights, unaccompanied children will not be supervised, and it will cost $5 for each kilogram of baggage above the 20-kilogram limit.
Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said passengers would benefit in the long run, with fares expected to drop to as low as the $29 seats offered when the airline was launched in February.
"The ultimate challenge is the delivery of a lot of lower price fares on an ongoing basis," he said.
Virgin Blue spokesman David Huttner said his airline was not worried about Jetstar.
"This is not going to change the world," Mr Huttner said.
"We've made it very clear we'll match whatever prices they put out there; period, end of discussion. We're not going to give up our position in the market just because Qantas has repainted a few of its planes. We plan on giving them everything we've got."
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A cab is $40 + to get to Tulla. Not exactly cheap.
You CHOOSE to fly JQ out of AVV to SYD and BNE. If you CHOOSE not to fly out of AVV then CHOOSE to fly QF or JQ. No one is being forced to do anything.
Not to mention I would imagine many people who live closer to AVV than Tulla may be somewhat happy with the limited operations from the airport.
Forward bookings are exceeding expectations. Yet the article does not mention that.
The media...
You CHOOSE to fly JQ out of AVV to SYD and BNE. If you CHOOSE not to fly out of AVV then CHOOSE to fly QF or JQ. No one is being forced to do anything.
Not to mention I would imagine many people who live closer to AVV than Tulla may be somewhat happy with the limited operations from the airport.
Forward bookings are exceeding expectations. Yet the article does not mention that.
The media...
Evertonian
Good luck to them! I hope there's room for three at this banquet!
Didn't think there'd be a market for the secondary airports in Oz, but I guess someone's gotta try.
Didn't think there'd be a market for the secondary airports in Oz, but I guess someone's gotta try.
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It's even worse than you reporrted, Lame, 3AW's morning programme today hired a cab driver to do the run AVV - MEL and he came up with a cost of $92:00 one-way! Add to this the almost obligatory 10% tip and the total cost rises to $ 101:20!! This for a $65:00 flight, I don't think I'll be flying JQ any time soon, especially as I live directly across the bay from AVV!
Kind regards,
TheNightOwl.
Kind regards,
TheNightOwl.
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Not taking a shot, Nightowl, but since when have we been obliged to tip cabbies (or any other service provider) in Australia?
I know it's certainly not normal practice in NSW, particularly when the average Sydney cabbie is smelly, untidy, doesn't speak English, usually smokes in the cab and has to be given directions to your destination.
Ducks and runs....
I know it's certainly not normal practice in NSW, particularly when the average Sydney cabbie is smelly, untidy, doesn't speak English, usually smokes in the cab and has to be given directions to your destination.
Ducks and runs....
Evertonian
I can't remember my history, but if Avalon had anything to do with the Crusades, you'll never get a taxi driver in MEL to take you there!
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From the Visit Melbourne website
Tipping
Tipping is not a general custom in Australia, and is at your discretion.
Let's keep it that way! Cabbies can get their fares rounded up, but that's it.
Tipping
Tipping is not a general custom in Australia, and is at your discretion.
Let's keep it that way! Cabbies can get their fares rounded up, but that's it.
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There is a large population within a reasonable radius of AVV. I would say there is a lot of potential for low cost flights out of AVV to larger centres. Time will tell.
I think the media are being a bit irresponsible with the whole cab ride thing. If you live in MEL you are welcome to drive out to AVV. Though there are MANY people living closer to AVV than Tulla who I am sure are willing to utilise flights.
I doubt the market would be big enough for two carriers, unless they served different destinations.
I wonder how AVV will go in the long term?
I think the media are being a bit irresponsible with the whole cab ride thing. If you live in MEL you are welcome to drive out to AVV. Though there are MANY people living closer to AVV than Tulla who I am sure are willing to utilise flights.
I doubt the market would be big enough for two carriers, unless they served different destinations.
I wonder how AVV will go in the long term?
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I have no idea, HJ, whether one tips cab-drivers in Aus., I never use the things. The figures I quoted came directly from the conversation between the radio presenter and the cabby they hired for the drive AVV-MEL. Your comments about why you don't use taxis in SYD are precisely why I don't use them in MEL!
Kind regards,
TheNightOwl.
Kind regards,
TheNightOwl.
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Just had a piece on our TV news here tonight, Jetstar are sticking to their threats, but have upset at least one couple already.
They turned up at BNE Airport today to fly to Rocky 28 minutes before departure, and were denied boarding.
NO alternate travel or refund, had to pay again to travel Virgin Blue, who they say they will stay with now.
They turned up at BNE Airport today to fly to Rocky 28 minutes before departure, and were denied boarding.
NO alternate travel or refund, had to pay again to travel Virgin Blue, who they say they will stay with now.
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making the stand!!
I applaude the fact that these pax were turned away for being late! I can bet they wont be turning up late for a flight anytime soon.
Now I know that there may very well have been uncontrollable circumstances which led to this couple being slightly late, but the fact remains that the majority of the travelling public do not take checkin cutoff times seriously.
This is especially so if they have 'gotten away with it' in the past.
The more times this cutoff time is enforced the more the general public will abide by it. Upsetting a few people along the way is a small price to pay for the public educational benefits gained
Now I know that there may very well have been uncontrollable circumstances which led to this couple being slightly late, but the fact remains that the majority of the travelling public do not take checkin cutoff times seriously.
This is especially so if they have 'gotten away with it' in the past.
The more times this cutoff time is enforced the more the general public will abide by it. Upsetting a few people along the way is a small price to pay for the public educational benefits gained
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notlandung -
Whilst I totally agree it doesn't make it easier for those who serve as the 'poster child' for educating the public.
These people will have a whinge to everyone at BBQs they go to over the next year etc... Is this sort of negative publicity good? I have a friend 'in the know' who said bookings to the Gold Coast on JQ INCREASED 80% (!) week to week after the negative press about no business class etc. I found that very interesting.
Whilst I totally agree it doesn't make it easier for those who serve as the 'poster child' for educating the public.
These people will have a whinge to everyone at BBQs they go to over the next year etc... Is this sort of negative publicity good? I have a friend 'in the know' who said bookings to the Gold Coast on JQ INCREASED 80% (!) week to week after the negative press about no business class etc. I found that very interesting.
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Customer Service
I remember in a previous life learning something about customer service and a company's public image:
Over 80% of customers who have a poor customer service experience will tell their friends (ala Ditzyboy's post).
Only about 10% will relate good customer service experiences.
So you can see it's pretty difficult to get the "good" message across.
Personally, I reckon a new startup business (no matter what it is) should exercise some discretion for a period of time, in order to get people used to how it operates.
However, why should the 99% of customers that do bother to follow checkin requirements and do turn up on time be inconvenienced and delayed by the minority that don't?
Over 80% of customers who have a poor customer service experience will tell their friends (ala Ditzyboy's post).
Only about 10% will relate good customer service experiences.
So you can see it's pretty difficult to get the "good" message across.
Personally, I reckon a new startup business (no matter what it is) should exercise some discretion for a period of time, in order to get people used to how it operates.
However, why should the 99% of customers that do bother to follow checkin requirements and do turn up on time be inconvenienced and delayed by the minority that don't?
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Sounds to me like those passengers may have been a couple of Virgin management types it they whinged. Anyway, what do they expect? Who turns up to a flight so late anyway? D1ckheads.
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While I agree that pax should be on time, it annoys me if my flight is held up by late pax, this doesn't seem to be a good way to START an Airline. 
It is the talk of the town today, along with the safety of Jetstar, NOT the kind of publicity a new Airline would want surely.
Mind you in Queensland today, we have to talk about Jetstar, cannot possibly mention the big game last night, where we were robbed..............
It is the talk of the town today, along with the safety of Jetstar, NOT the kind of publicity a new Airline would want surely.
Mind you in Queensland today, we have to talk about Jetstar, cannot possibly mention the big game last night, where we were robbed..............
