If the flight is near full on that day the tickets cost more. It's fairly universal across all airlines to stop discounting when the seats are almost gone at their highest demand.
Your explanation as well as others is great, but still does not explain such massive difference. On the same date dummy booking MEL-SYD-LAX-SYD-MEL was about $1,200 or so. Thus who going to pay 2.5k to avoid flying via Sydney when for last 3 decades all aviation was driven but cheapest possible tickets and especially so in Economy?
My work travel is generally booked with flexible fares rather than discount fares. I would imagine both MEL-LAX and SYD-LAX are around $3.7k in flexible economy.
Last editedby turner773 at Aug 06, 2024, 08:56 AM.
You almost right. Almost. Flex is 7% dearer from Melbourne (still quite a bit) while saver (available for both MEL and SYD) is 36% dearer and this is a lot. So basically from what you saying we can conclude that MEL-LAX is business oriented route while SYD-LAX is tourist oriented ones. What the heck?
There are 28 flights a week between Sydney and LAX. There are 10 flights a week between Melbourne and LAX. The aircraft used from Sydney are also a lot larger with more seats. It is simple supply and demand. Less seats when there is reasonable demand = higher yields. If you want cheaper pricing, fly via the cheaper city with more competition and seats available.
It seems the flight is full and they’re quoting these full fare seats for those who must have them, i.e business folk who need to get there the next day and don’t want to fluff through Sydney. The opposite occurs as well. If they’re plenty of spare seats the day before a flight then deep discounting can occur. I found that a few years back when my spouse needed me in London like the next day. It didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Similar issue out of Brisbane. At least in Melbourne you have greater choice, more seats (A380 and 787) and are not flying on an A330 for 13hrs. The lesson.... it could always be worse.
Haha, do you wanna compare QF hatred? How about BNE with the pathetic A330 for over 2 years now, with capacity just under 200 pax daily, when precovid we had QF 747 and VA 777, a capacity well over 700?
Haters will say that's because there is no demand from BNE. Really? The gap leftover by QF is now picked up by AC, UA, later with AA and DL. Besides SYD, I believe BNE has more flights to North America than any other Australian city now, but majority not provided by QF.
I am subscribed to Qantas Fare Watch and got an email overnight that quoted $4,276 MEL-LAX return in First Class. Clearly an error, but I suspect this fine print clause has them covered: Price and availability may
be subject to change and cannot be guaranteed
When trying to book using the link in the email for the dates quoted (1st Feb - 1st Mar), no surprises that the fares were the usual $19k+
I quoted direct flight MEL-LAX-MEL and SYD-LAX-SYD from Qantas website. Cheapest economy fare for MEL-LAX-MEL (QF93 and QF94) was $3,732 while cheapest economy fare for SYD-LAX-SYD (QF11 and QF12) was $1,100. Yep, 3.4 TIMES cheaper from Sydney. Anyone has any explanation apart from the fact that Qantas utterly hate Melbourne? They perhaps hate more only Adelaide.
It means that the cheaper seats ex Sydney are sold out and they’re charging full economy which last minute corporate customers may pay. Flying via Melbourne is the best option. There may be times when Melbourne cheaper flights are full and Sydney less so. The other time for cheaper seats is the day before if the flight isn’t full.
Serg
Serg
QFF
Member since 12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1,008
Originally Posted by turner773
Originally Posted by Serg
Originally Posted by drno
If the flight is near full on that day the tickets cost more. It's fairly universal across all airlines to stop discounting when the seats are almost gone at their highest demand.
My work travel is generally booked with flexible fares rather than discount fares. I would imagine both MEL-LAX and SYD-LAX are around $3.7k in flexible economy.
Grannular
Grannular
Member since 31 Mar 2014
Total posts 284
There are 28 flights a week between Sydney and LAX. There are 10 flights a week between Melbourne and LAX. The aircraft used from Sydney are also a lot larger with more seats. It is simple supply and demand. Less seats when there is reasonable demand = higher yields. If you want cheaper pricing, fly via the cheaper city with more competition and seats available.
patrickk
patrickk
Qantas
Member since 19 Apr 2012
Total posts 737
It seems the flight is full and they’re quoting these full fare seats for those who must have them, i.e business folk who need to get there the next day and don’t want to fluff through Sydney. The opposite occurs as well. If they’re plenty of spare seats the day before a flight then deep discounting can occur. I found that a few years back when my spouse needed me in London like the next day. It didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Nichokiu
Nichokiu
Member since 13 Apr 2018
Total posts 26
Well just fly to Sydney to catch the plane then…
Becky1
Becky1
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 04 May 2018
Total posts 34
Originally Posted by Nichokiu
Well just fly to Sydney to catch the plane then…
Jazzop
Jazzop
Member since 02 Dec 2016
Total posts 124
Similar issue out of Brisbane. At least in Melbourne you have greater choice, more seats (A380 and 787) and are not flying on an A330 for 13hrs. The lesson.... it could always be worse.
Michael Kao
Michael Kao
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 06 Nov 2014
Total posts 164
Haha, do you wanna compare QF hatred? How about BNE with the pathetic A330 for over 2 years now, with capacity just under 200 pax daily, when precovid we had QF 747 and VA 777, a capacity well over 700?
Haters will say that's because there is no demand from BNE. Really? The gap leftover by QF is now picked up by AC, UA, later with AA and DL. Besides SYD, I believe BNE has more flights to North America than any other Australian city now, but majority not provided by QF.
born2fish
born2fish
Member since 01 Apr 2014
Total posts 19
I am subscribed to Qantas Fare Watch and got an email overnight that quoted $4,276 MEL-LAX return in First Class. Clearly an error, but I suspect this fine print clause has them covered: Price and availability may be subject to change and cannot be guaranteed
When trying to book using the link in the email for the dates quoted (1st Feb - 1st Mar), no surprises that the fares were the usual $19k+
patrickk
patrickk
Qantas
Member since 19 Apr 2012
Total posts 737
Originally Posted by Serg
I quoted direct flight MEL-LAX-MEL and SYD-LAX-SYD from Qantas website. Cheapest economy fare for MEL-LAX-MEL (QF93 and QF94) was $3,732 while cheapest economy fare for SYD-LAX-SYD (QF11 and QF12) was $1,100. Yep, 3.4 TIMES cheaper from Sydney. Anyone has any explanation apart from the fact that Qantas utterly hate Melbourne? They perhaps hate more only Adelaide.