LHR ~ PER = 18 hrs, says Qantas
I must be missing something.
So the argument is that people won't use it because they would rather fly non-stop from the UK to SYD/MEL ?
Ignoring the fact that they have never been able to do the latter and likely won't be for many years to come ...
Bit of a logic fail, there.
So the argument is that people won't use it because they would rather fly non-stop from the UK to SYD/MEL ?
Ignoring the fact that they have never been able to do the latter and likely won't be for many years to come ...
Bit of a logic fail, there.
I must be missing something.
Comprehension obviously.
If someone wants to go to Sydney or Melbourne where most travellers to Australia actually want to go, they won't go through 17 hours of hell to get to the a**e end of nowhere, to take another short flight, when they could have the same number of flights and probably a shorter duration overall, and have a more pleasurable flight experience.
If you want to go to Glasgow from London, you don't go via scooter to Edinburgh on A Roads and then catch the train.
If someone wants to go to Sydney or Melbourne where most travellers to Australia actually want to go, they won't go through 17 hours of hell to get to the a**e end of nowhere, to take another short flight, when they could have the same number of flights and probably a shorter duration overall, and have a more pleasurable flight experience
First you're saying that people won't fly via Perth because they would rather go non-stop (ignoring the fact that they can't).
Now that we've got that out of the way, it's a moot point whether the overall journey time via PER would be any longer than via other connecting points.
It may even be shorter - as a couple of other posters have pointed out, having already entered Australia at Perth enables passengers to avoid the hell that would otherwise await them at SYD immigration.
Short of towing Australia into the North Atlantic, there's not much else you can do about the fact that it's on the other side of the world.
Well that's what comes of being at opposite ends of a big country. 
No matter how you do the sums, or where you connect (within reason), the total flight duration from the UK to SYD/MEL isn't going to vary much.
There will undoubtedly be many who prefer to split that duration into two roughly equal segments. But equally there will be some who prefer one longer and one shorter leg (I would include myself in that category).
As to whether 14 weekly LHR-PER-SYD services will be viable, I think they will but I don't have any problem with those who disagree.
Only time will tell who was right ...
No matter how you do the sums, or where you connect (within reason), the total flight duration from the UK to SYD/MEL isn't going to vary much.
There will undoubtedly be many who prefer to split that duration into two roughly equal segments. But equally there will be some who prefer one longer and one shorter leg (I would include myself in that category).
As to whether 14 weekly LHR-PER-SYD services will be viable, I think they will but I don't have any problem with those who disagree.
Only time will tell who was right ...
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: world
Posts: 3,424
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well that's what comes of being at opposite ends of a big country.
My original post was simply and purely in answer to the fact that I don't consider a four hour flight a "short" flight. That was all.
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Scotland
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Given only a small percentage of flights will go to Perth so breakeven can't be too hard, then quite apart from the pain of "you have to stop somewhere" Sydney alternative, then I'm up for it. A few days in the west then flight (or 3 day tourist train) to the east, followed by a few days in the east, then a stop in HK / Singapore on the way back, is the basis for a nice trip. Possibly better in reverse.
Paxing All Over The World
Thread Starter
I did UK/OZ earlier this year and, as I had folks to see in Perth this would have been more interesting than going via SIN. As it happened, to fit in with others, I had to go SYD - PER - MEL. But to go home in one hop? Or start the trip that way so as to get to the holiday faster?
I'm sure we'll see WA locations think up so very good deals to get folks to do the triangular tour. There is a fair amount in WA, and not just more wine!
I'm sure we'll see WA locations think up so very good deals to get folks to do the triangular tour. There is a fair amount in WA, and not just more wine!
Assuming you mean via Dubai, the Great Circle distance LHR-SYD via Perth is 131 nm further, so hardly a couple of hours difference.
If you meant via Dublin, that's a pretty roundabout routeing.
If you meant via Dublin, that's a pretty roundabout routeing.
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Confoederatio Helvetica
Age: 69
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A lot depends on the schedules as well. Timing is everything.
I recall getting to my Canberra hotel room (via LHR SIN SYD) mid morning to learn that my room wasn't ready. I turned down their offer of breakfast and grabbed a seat in the lobby. I think my snoring got to them as they found a room.
A nice late afternoon arrival on the East Coast would be just perfect.
Price is less important, but I doubt they could charge a premium. The competition is just too good.
I recall getting to my Canberra hotel room (via LHR SIN SYD) mid morning to learn that my room wasn't ready. I turned down their offer of breakfast and grabbed a seat in the lobby. I think my snoring got to them as they found a room.
A nice late afternoon arrival on the East Coast would be just perfect.
Price is less important, but I doubt they could charge a premium. The competition is just too good.
Perth to Sydney on QF or VOZ is scheduled at 4:10, easily verifiable on Google.
That, plus the 17 hours quoted for LHR-PER by QF B789 makes the total block time about 3% more than the 6:45 LHR-DXB plus 13:45 DXB-SYD.
Hardly worth getting excited about.
That, plus the 17 hours quoted for LHR-PER by QF B789 makes the total block time about 3% more than the 6:45 LHR-DXB plus 13:45 DXB-SYD.
Hardly worth getting excited about.
Paxing All Over The World
Thread Starter
My guess is that it's about new destinations in WA. For the last 20+ years all the tourist expansion has been east coast, the red centre and the northern animal area. So, it must be time to get people to choose WA as first and only tourist destination. That is - go to WA and then back to the UK. For the folks who have 'done' the rest of Australia - this is new sales.
Aviation Week has an article on this subject. They report that there had been a "standoff" between QF and Perth airport over which terminal Qantas will use. They have been given permission to use the domestic terminal because "the viability of connecting services would be affected by using two terminals". Both ways? The article doesn't say. So that suggests they are out to capture traffic not just from Perth but a wider catchment area.
It sounds like many of those commenting have never visited Perth. Close to 10 per cent of the metro population are English/Irish expats. Many more are FIFO workers with high disposable incomes and are used to travelling in far less comfort even than 9 abreast economy. While it may not provide the best connection for travellers to the East Coast, it should be feasible to fill 250 odd seats a couple of times a week as a destination in its own right - the Middle Eastern players dont seem to struggle to fill planes and a sizable number of their pax are ultimately headed for European destinations.