Paul Stoddart Announces OzJet
 

On the late news tonight, Paul Stoddart has announced the start of OzJet. He said they will use Bae146 in 100 seat configuration. They will be flying out of secondary airports. Airports under consideration include Bankstown, Moorabbin, Essendon and Archerfield. Anyone heard any more information?

Just what we need,another Airline!

Oz Jet
 

Has anyone heard any more ( apart from what was reported on the late night channel 10 news 6-3-04 ) news of the the new LCC airline OZ JET which will be operating out of secondary airports ( Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney )?
It's due to start in October 04 according to the news interview with Paul Stoddard, who seems to be the man driving the airline.
Paul said they are going to use BAE-146's and charge around $149 to all ports.

And BAE146's flying into Bankstown...

Archerfield keep getting a mention as a secondary for Brisbane.

I think AF would need to much $$ put in to make it a reality. The runway is still weight limited from memory and the apron too small.....

What about an Amberley set-up like the joint user Willytown or TL?.

All of Ipswich and the Downs would be a great catchment like Avalon is for Geelong.

Is this the same Paul Stoddard who spends zillions on a Grand Prix racing team that never comes within cooee of a win. The same team that gives new young drivers a start only to see them snapped up by the big guys overseas.

This bloke must have a compulsion thing about burning hundred dollar notes.
Oh well, each to his own. Good luck Paul.

Does anyone have any idea about recruitment, requirements etc. i guess that a 146 endo would help????

He must have more money than sense. Why would you use a 146 for anyway?

Can't see them being allowed to use Essendon. Too many whingers live nearby.

Well, how about that! A third domestic airport in Melbourne...who'd have thought! He's also looking at Moorabbin too!

I might set up an airline that runs between Tulla-Essendon-Avalon & Moorabbin! It'll be a monster!:rolleyes:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1060783.htm

My first thought given the JetStar launch was, "You must have rocks in your head" but if he can secure Moorabbin or Essendon, Bankstown and Archerfield the GOOD LUCK TO HIM.

Yes Essendon may be difficult to get into because of the residents but Moorabbin would be WAY, WAY better anyhow. The demographic centre of Melbourne is somewhere around Noble Park and the drive to Tullamarine is a pain. 15 minutes to Moorabbin would be brilliant and really appeal - certainly to me anyhow. If he can sustain say $99 airfares from Moorabbin to Mascot or Bankstown then I would certainly use him as would literally millions of others. Moorabbin is a far better concept than JetStars' Avalon, purely by the major population base located within 20 minutes (toll-free) drive.

Bankstown is a little more difficult to get to or from but if you get a cab there is a railway station nearby so anywhere is within reach. Again it is close to millions of urban Sydney dwellers.

This is what deregulation is all about, eager entrepreneurs finding major (Virgin) and niche (OzJet) markets. They said Virgin would fold and it is bigger than ever.

One only hopes that the ripoff merchants at Qantas don't put pressure on John Anderson (their lapdog in Canberra) to prevent little airliners from using airports like Moorabbin. He would of course use 'environmental grounds' for preventing such operations but in reality his main motive would be in securing his post-politics position on the QF board.

Unfortunately I guess the BAe146 is a necessity due to short field lengths and noise considerations (please OzJet, use this in your marketing - 'Whisperjets' etc - and prove they are quiter than Metros or Navajos that regularly use the airports).

I am sure there are many current or ex-Southern 146 employees who would happily return from their possibly dull employment outside of aviation to be involved with something like this.

After my initial scepticism I have thought about it at length and wish them all the very best - I reckon it's a real goer. :ok:

AAP

Third budget airline flagged
March 7, 2004 - 6:18PM

Formula One Minardi team boss Paul Stoddart hopes to have a new budget airline called OzJet flying Australia's east coast by Christmas.

Mr Stoddart, in Australia for the Grand Prix, said today that OzJet would take on Virgin Blue and Qantas discount airline JetStar.

"We'll start off with about half a dozen aircraft, probably launching in about October," he told the Ten Network.

"We're hoping to get in just before Christmas."

OzJet would initially focus on the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane markets and would most likely operate from suburban airports like Essendon and Moorabbin in Melbourne, Bankstown in Sydney and Archerfield in Brisbane.

"We are trying to serve a different niche market and I think it will work really well," Mr Stoddart said.

He first floated the plan in November last year and had talks then with Victorian Premier Steve Bracks.

A Victorian government spokesman today confirmed Mr Stoddart would be meeting state government officials in the next week to discuss his proposal.

"The government is aware of Mr Stoddart's proposal for an airline," he said.

"Mr Stoddart will be providing further information to the government."

NSW Premier Bob Carr welcomed the new airline but appeared to rule out using Bankstown airport for OzJet operations in Sydney.

"We all want the lower fares and boost to tourism that comes from more competition in the airline industry, but I think Bankstown has got legitimate fears about a build-up in jet activity," Mr Carr told the Ten Network.

Mr Stoddart said he didn't expect problems from residents near the suburban airports.

"I'm sure the people who live in the surrounding areas will adopt it very, very quickly," he said.

"You would hear more of a truck, a semi-trailer, with its airbrakes on than you would of a BA146 either landing or taking off, it's a simple fact of life."

The new airline would target fares at about $150, including taxes, and could create up to 1,000 jobs.

Melbourne-born Mr Stoddart has said he believes there is room for a cut-price airline in Australia modelled along the lines of European success stories Eurojet and Ryanair.

- AAP

============================================

Hey Buster,

Don't forget KAH......... ;) :ok:

Best regards,

Lame.

The one big problem I can see is that none of those airports has a precision approach. How many days per year is Bankstown or Morrabin un-landable due to fog or low cloud?

Wizofoz, could a precision approach be installed at these places?
If so at what cost?
This may still be as hell of a lot cheaper than the major airports.

Cheers, HH.

146 Jet Blast causes car damage at AF
 

How funny is that. The taxi way at YBAF at the moment is in dire need of refurbishment, rocks, pot holes, not to mention them being to narrow and the jet blast &*%^ing the edge of the taxi way. Oh yeah then there is the talk of the field being sub divided.

Good luck to the airline Paul. You may actually be able to get airport owners to pull there &&^*ing heads in.:eek:

Short field ops at MB and BK would clearly be concerns not to mention other performance considereations like ASDA.But I just want to know how a 146 will slow down enough to be number 4 to the 3 c150's ahead in the circuit. Sounds ludicruos considering current infastructure at these airports?????

Good luck to him.

Do worry about solo students in the circuit with a jet tho.

146 quieter than a Navajo? Not the 146s I've heard.

Secondary airports aside... There's a bigger issue here: ANOTHER LOW-COST ?!?!

How many times will companies proclaim there is a market for another airline only to go under 6 months down the track. It's only eroding the industry over time and continues to promote the false concept of unreasonable airfares that are simply not sustainable.

*lancer*; You said it! Just how many airlines, low cost or otherwise can the population of Australia keep viable?
I have an uneasy feeling that this country has'nt seen the last of an unhappy event in commercial aviation.
I would be only too happy to be proved wrong but.......


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