IN BRIEF | Qantas will ramp up flights to Christchurch later this year as part of a trans-Tasman push.
Flights between Brisbane and Christchurch will move to a daily service as of October 30, up from the current three days a week.
A daily Melbourne-Christchurch service will start from December 4 with QF133 departing Melbourne at 11.45pm to land in Christchurch at 5.50am the next day, while the QF132 rebound will be wheels-up at 8.05pm for a 10pm arrival into Melbourne.
Another change on the way: as of October 30 the airline's Papua New Guinea flights will shift from Cairns-Port Moresby to Brisbane-Port Moresby "in order to better serve the business market."
The daily Brisbane-Port Moresby flights will run on a Boeing 737-800 instead of the smaller Bombardier Q400 which currently operates twice-daily out of Cairns.
Qantas and Air Niugini will continue codesharing across all Australia-PNG routes.
Qantas will also tick up some summer flights to Asia to cater for seasonal demand, including
- Perth-Singapore becomes double daily (up from 10 per week) between December 12 and February 6
- Sydney-Manila moves from five to six days per week between December 15 and January 19
- Seasonal Sydney-Denpasar flights resume five times a week from December 14 to February 5
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
25 Oct 2012
Total posts 11
"Perth-Singapore becomes daily (up from 10 per week) between December 12 and February 6"
Wouldn't that be double daily if its up from 10 per week?
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1559
I guess some days it should be as least 2 flights.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 729
As part of this ramping up are they still going to use the very ordinary 737 aircraft. Business class on them is absolutely hopeless, certainly not worth the money. Hope China Airlines will be back again for summer service to Christchurch.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
Whilst I agree it is not worth the money... when comparing it to most intra-Europe and US domestic business classes, I'd say it's pretty good, not hopeless.
Would I want to be flying one on a five hour journey to Singapore over an SQ flat-bed? Ah, no.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 729
In J a few weeks back I had my Desert given to me before my Soup and Main arrived, that was hopeless, comfort of seat was um hopeless, recline of seat hopeless, room to climb over partner hopeless, and hopeless that the ever vigilant J Flight attendant let anyone that wanted to barge through from Y to the front WC, also hopeless was the fact that someone from Y was allowed to jam in an oversized valice into 2A's luggage locker simply because he could not be bothered taking it any further, this Person was one of the first Y's to board. It's the lack of attention to detail on these Trans Tasman single isles that irk's me. Bring on a real aircraft for that crossing.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2013
Total posts 387
it would be nice for what ever replaces the 737NG that they install the Thompson Aero (standard) Vantage suit for businesss.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 645
RE: PER/SIN. At the end of the day, QF must be getting the demand and profits to warrant an increase in services (regardless of the 'absolutely hopeless' Business class). As the increase is seasonal, may i suggest that it's not ALL about the pointy end, and more to do with higher demand from Y/C. PER/SIN/PER route is more lucritive in Y/C for QF (predominately family/friends/uni travel).
Regardless, there ARE people who do fly QF Business class on this route for various reasons that are personal to them and that's their informed decision to pay, or even upgrade with points to J/C. It's all about personal preference/circumstance. Not everyone 'needs' a flat bed on a 5hr flight.
The article is purely posted to inform us of the additional services, which it has done nicely. Thanks David :)
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
Good news re POM!
Any idea of the timing of BNE/POM and POM/BNE. Expertflyer and the QF website has not been updated yet.
Will the flight leave BNE international terminal? This will mean better lounge access for OW elites - QFF elites can still use QF lounges when flying on PX metal, not not OW'ers since PX is not part of OW.
At present there is no lounge for the QF POM flight out of CNS - the existing lounge is only for CX? Someone correct me please if i've misrepresented.
12 Mar 2014
Total posts 128
They've always admitted me (QF Gold) into the "Reef Lounge" at CNS, when on the QF flight to POM.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Feb 2015
Total posts 387
It will definitely leave from BNE international as it is an international flight.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jan 2014
Total posts 320
I know there are plans currently to run a TSV - POM service in the near future but no further details , perhaps Air North or someone similar would be a possibility. I would imagine someone will fill the void, lots of 2 way trade between TSV and POM via CNS, long trip via BNE , lots of FF points and SC I guess.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Feb 2014
Total posts 439
PER-SIN run of 5 hours on a 737 - very ordinary.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 397
Would you prefer it goes back to no flight at all? I see this as a good sign that the demand is picking up and hopefully at some stage, the demand for an A330 again.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1429
Note all of the QF code shares to India on Jet Airways from Singapore are longer than 5 hours and on a single aisle. Five hour plus single aisle flights are very common globally.
05 May 2014
Total posts 7
Just had a look and SYD-DPS have already been loaded and can be booked already on the Qantas website.
03 Aug 2015
Total posts 58
As can MEL-CHC - late flight leaving just before midnight on the way over
SQ
22 Feb 2016
Total posts 10
Good news about Manila. I really hope the A321neo (LR or non LR) and/or 787 can enable QF to offer more point to point direct routes out of non-Sydney capitals into Asia. There are many business travellers out there who do not wish to fly LCC (or certain Asian legacy carriers) and are covering needless extra miles transiting through HKG or SIN (which are far better transit options particularly in-bound than SYD).
29 Mar 2013
Total posts 1
Qantas need to start looking after their Brisbane passengers flying to Manila.
PR have 4 flights per week, why can't QF have a SYD-BNE-MNL-BNE-SYD reinstated at least once a week. Better still a BNE-MNL-BNE direct. It is a tiring experience having to change terminals in SYD. Withdrew BNE service about 4 years ago saying there wasn't any demand, PR I think have debunked this view.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 397
Why bother for 1 flight a week? Works out too inconvenient for most people to work their plans around the single day that the flight would be.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1250
Has PR serving BNE via DRW on an A320 really debunked that view?
There may indeed be demand for BNE-MNL, but I don't think the PR flights necessarily are evidence of that.
SQ
22 Feb 2016
Total posts 10
I think both PAL and QF have struggled to make BNE-MNL work with any decent frequency, at least with a widebody. PAL is likely to move to BNE-MNL direct (and possibly increase MEL-MNL frequencies) once it takes delivery of its first A321neos next year. The question for QF is whether it is going to get serious about serving ports such as MNL direct from non-SYD capitals given the cost savings the new generation of aircraft can offer. I do MNL-MEL every 3-4 weeks on top of extensive travel throughout Asia in a combination of J and Y. Like many others I do not wish to take PAL or CEB or transfer via SYD (which remains a woeful experience compared to other major airports) and choose CX and SQ for depth of network, among other reasons. However I would much rather use a direct service with QF than have to do the extra miles via HKG/SIN. Pipe dreams perhaps...
17 Jun 2011
Total posts 64
If QF did start taking MNL more seriously (currently SYD-MNL-SYD is top load performing route in QFi) do you think they would start by doing something about MNL T1 QF 'lounge' (now known as the dog box)
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