Virgin Blue to operate NZ Domestic

[pilotdude09]

If it is 737's they really limit themselves to making a profitable go of things.

Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua, Hamilton, Christchurch, Dunedinm Invercargill, Queenstown

The above are the main centres and having a 700/800 running anything but the Triangle AKL-WLG-CHC will most likley see DJ not do very well. QF can barely get good loads on any of it routes and NZ fills up the 733.

Might be alright for a year or so but the money is going to be in the smaller centres where there is the NZ monoply at the moment like Hamilton, Dunedin, Nelson, Tauranga etc.

[ZQ146]

Pac Blue

I agree Pac Blue should do very well out of Dud been no real competition for too long so long as the schds dont go head to head.
Been too good for too long for the national carrier

[pilotdude09]

Sounds Like Dunedin and Queenstown arent going to be recieving services to start off with. Shame when Dunedin is filling over 80% of ALL flights in and out of the airport on average.

Also alot of people seem to forget that over half of NZ does live in "Regional" areas which arent served adequatley and havent been since the Ansett NZ and Qantas NZ and even the Origin Pacific Days.

http://www.odt.co.nz/article.php?ref...1b425ad&sect=0

[apacau]

Announced with $39 launch fares with 2 737-800s operating the main triangle trunk services only.

[aero junkie]

Only starting with Auckland, Wellington & Christchurch I really thought Dunedin would have been included!

[horserun]

Don't worry Aero Junkie mate, they will be there soon. Seems like every second ATR leaving CH is heading down there with a good load on it.

Anyone know what the drivers are being paid?
Still just AA and CH bases?
cher

[aero junkie]

They would be silly not to start off their! And as you said horserun they are hauling good pax numbers in and out of Dun! News has it that Virgin has another 2 routes that they are thinking about, 1 in the north, 1 in the south, and are to be named within 2 months. Hamilton/Rotorua? Quuenstown/Dunedin?

[aerostatic]

This does appear to be good timing. Qantas/Jetstar are distracted by the Tiger startup in Australia and the NZ Jetconnect operation is plagued with reliability issues and poor pilot retention causing further difficulty. They also pulled out of WLG-CHC leaving an opening for a new entrant. The frequency of the PB AKL-WLG services indicates the targeting of corporate customers. It's a shame PB don't have descent COS otherwise I'd be interested.

I think there will be plenty of red ink spilled by everyone over the next 12 months.

[Rongotai]

Well aerostatic, if the AKL-WLG schedule is targeting corporate customers they are sure missing the target in my case. A choice 0f 16.00 or 1900 for the return home is no choice at all. And as for WLG-CHC......*****!!!!!

[sinala1]

Interesting to note this from the Profit Announcement press release has gone unmentioned:

Both the new Embraer and Boeing 737 aircraft will be fitted with adaptable configurations to allow maximum flexibility from single class to a high density seating.

[aero junkie]

Well aerostatic, if the AKL-WLG schedule is targeting corporate customers they are sure missing the target in my case. A choice 0f 16.00 or 1900 for the return home is no choice at all. And as for WLG-CHC......*****!!!!!

You are bang on! I agree with your statement 100%
There time table:
Auckland to Wellington..............Auckland to Christchurch
6.45am - 7.45am......................9.30am - 11.05pm
11.20am -12.20pm....................5.30pm - 6.50pm
2.30pm - 3.30pm
4.00pm - 5.00pm......................Christchurch to Auckland
7.00pm - 8.00pm......................9.30am - 10.50am
.............................................2.05pm - 3.25pm
Wellington to Auckland
8.15am - 9.15am......................Wellington to Christchurch
1.00pm - 2.00 pm......................8.15am - 9.00am
4.00pm - 5.00pm.......................12.50pm - 1.35pm
5.30pm - 6.30pm........................8.45pm - 9.30pm
8.45pm - 9.45pm
.............................................Christchurch to Wellington
.............................................6.45am - 7.30am
.............................................11.35am - 12.20pm
.............................................7.20pm - 8.05pm

Wel-Chc/ Chc-Wel

All done on 2 aircraft

[slamer.]

PB will have to do better than this!

ROUTE AND PRICE COMPARISON ON PACIFIC BLUE AND AIR NZ
AKL-WLG Year Round Lead-in fares : Flexi Saver : Fully Flexi
Pacific Blue $69 : $329 : $359
Air NZ $69 : $184 : $279
Comparison $0 : -$145 : -$80
AKL-CHC Lead-in : Flexi Saver : Fully Flexi
Pacific Blue $79 : $349 : $389
Air NZ $79 : $204 : $332
Comparison $0 : -$145 : -$57
CHC-WLG Lead-in : Flexi Saver : Fully Flexi
Pacific Blue $59 : $259 : $279
Air NZ $59 : $154 : $222
Comparison $0 : -$105 : -$57
*Effective September 1

[DJCCGuy]

Interesting to note this from the Profit Announcement press release has gone unmentioned:

Quote:
Both the new Embraer and Boeing 737 aircraft will be fitted with adaptable configurations to allow maximum flexibility from single class to a high density seating.

What exactly is meant by High Density seating??

[max rate]

What exactly is meant by High Density seating??

Ever heard of a sardine?

[DJCCGuy]

Ever heard of a sardine?

Surely they can't possibly squeeze in more seats ?? I don't see how it would be possible?

[rescue 1]

slamer I don't think it's NZ that the Virgin Group have in their gun sights...

[CI300]

slamer I don't think it's NZ that the Virgin Group have in their gun sights...

yup. no point in taking nz on. national carrier will almost always have the number 1 position.
Best you plan to be number 2 and do it well... poor qf/jetconnect.

[Kiwiguy]

Pilotdude09 asked ,

What else would they use if they didnt use the E-Jets?

The 737's are too big for a new comer into the NZ market and wouldnt be profitable. And cant get into and out of alot of airports in NZ where as the E-jets can.

I think P/Blue's entry is premature to grab market share and head off the entry of any competitors.

They already hold an Air Operator's Certificate for the 738. It's that simple.

Gaining an AOC for the E-170 could take until mid 2008.

As for E-170s using regional airports, let's not forget how many have PCNs of just 10 or 12. Even Nelson is just PCN 19.

I don't think they are going to see black ink until the ink is dry on an AOC for the E-170

[pakeha-boy]

aero junkie quote..."I think the Embraer jets are well suited here, they aint alot of aeroplane, suited to smaller airports, low operating and fuel costs."

mate...you obviously do not have any experience with this type of equipment

I fly mainline(320) but we have close to 60 of these smaller jets as a feeder operation......talking to the bean counters,,,,their fuel and operating costs are NOT low,they are a lot of aeroplane(Mtx costs are not cheap)and we use them into ORD,JFK,ATL.....some of the buisiest airports in the world.......

.......ask Continental Airlines why they got rid of a sh@te load of them....they are not cheap to operate

[aero junkie]

mate...you obviously do not have any experience with this type of equipment

I fly mainline(320) but we have close to 60 of these smaller jets as a feeder operation......talking to the bean counters,,,,their fuel and operating costs are NOT low,they are a lot of aeroplane(Mtx costs are not cheap)and we use them into ORD,JFK,ATL.....some of the buisiest airports in the world.......

.......ask Continental Airlines why they got rid of a sh@te load of them....they are not cheap to operate

I think you jumped the gun a bit there buddy Think before you speak

Since when did Continental have 170's? Did I say anything about 145's? No, Do VB have 145's No. Experience, shows how much you know to...