10 October 2012

Qantas 'considers' long-haul International flights from Canberra in 2016

| thehutch
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Whilst I believe it’s unlikely we will see long-haul Qantas international flights from Canberra (in the next 10 years anyway), Qantas has today indicated that it will consider long-haul flights from Canberra from 2016. I suspect Canberra Airport & Lord Barr would be quietly happy as it would indicate that they may be getting somewhere with their campaign for flights to our ‘international airport’.

Despite my scepticism, I hope this happens and I hope Singapore Airlines and Emirates take a look as well. It will be a good thing for Canberra and economically do more for Canberra than paying $1million for a few AFL games each year.

“Qantas CEO Alan Joyce says he is considering introducing Boeing 787s for international flights from Canberra Airport from 2016.

In a Q&A session following a speech to the National Press Club, Joyce flagged Canberra as a potential long-haul destination, with Boeing’s next-gen jetliner as a good fit for the airport and the route.

Although Canberra Airport is being upgraded to handle international flights from 2013, Qantas-badged Boeing 787s wouldn’t grace the runways until sometime after 2016, when the airline can take delivery of its first Dreamliners under an ‘option to purchase’ plan.

Earlier this year Qantas cancelled its ‘firm order’ for 35 Boeing 787 Dreamliners an an effort to rein in costs, trading down to options and purchase rights on 50 of the Boeing jets “available for delivery from 2016.”

(Deliveries of the first 15 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners for Jetstar will continue on schedule, with the first of the next-gen jets due to arrive in the second half of 2013.)

The proviso, of course, is for Qantas to return to profitability – a situation which Joyce believes the Qantas-Emirates alliance will accelerate.

“There is no doubt this new partnership (with Emirates) is a step?change for us in terms of the viability of Qantas International, and therefore Qantas itself.”

Should the Red Roo find itself back in Joyce’s stated 2015 timeframe the airline would start pencilling in 787 routes, with Canberra on the shortlist, Joyce indicated, with the 787-9 being a “right fit” aircraft.

“I have no doubt we will be back here looking at what Qantas long haul can do in Canberra” he said.

At the same time, Joyce once again came out for a second Sydney airport being built at Badgery’s Creek rather than using Canberra as a de facto hub.”

http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-mulls-boeing-787s-for-international-flights-from-canberra?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=promobox&utm_campaign=latestnews-articleleft

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Chop71 said :

CBR to LAX

wow, I’d like to see that

Whilst it would be more than possible with a B787, I somewhat doubt it will be the first international route we get. Brisbane only had BNE-LAX 3 times a week for quite a long time, considering they are a city with nearly 6 times the population of CBR.

My money is on either Auckland, Wellington, Singapore or Dubai as the first cities we connect to. Perhaps even two of these cities at once where we become a stop over point for say Dubai to Auckland / Wellington?

CBR to LAX

wow, I’d like to see that

Masquara said :

HenryBG said :

Its range would allow for direct flights to anywhere in Asia”.

How hard is it to use apostrophes correctly?

Ask JB – he has apostrophe dyslexia

Yeah, *really* he hates being picked up on it, too.

HenryBG said :

Its range would allow for direct flights to anywhere in Asia”.

How hard is it to use apostrophes correctly?

No apostrophe required.

HenryBG said :

Its range would allow for direct flights to anywhere in Asia”.

How hard is it to use apostrophes correctly?

Ask JB – he has apostrophe dyslexia

thehutch said :

HenryBG said :

Its range would allow for direct flights to anywhere in Asia”.

How hard is it to use apostrophes correctly?

How hard is it not to be a tool?

So you don’t want to learn? Want to stay ignorant? Who’s the tool?

Long haul out of Canberra…..you’re kidding. So they will bring empty planes to Canberra so they can fly to some airport in Asia. Tell me how often a full 767 or 787 will fly out of Asia to come here direct. 2016 is just a nice way to say we might think about it one day. Qantas long haul is going broke!!!!

HenryBG said :

Its range would allow for direct flights to anywhere in Asia”.

How hard is it to use apostrophes correctly?

How hard is it not to be a tool?

HenryBG said :

Its range would allow for direct flights to anywhere in Asia”.

How hard is it to use apostrophes correctly?

Do you know what, I really dont cAre that my grammer does not live upto your standards…

Its range would allow for direct flights to anywhere in Asia”.

How hard is it to use apostrophes correctly?

The 787 is certainly a more viable aircraft for long haul ops out of CBR than any other in the QF international long haul fleet.

It’s range would allow for direct flights to anywhere in Asia, or the west coast of north America, with virtually identical number of pax as a B767-300 which CBR does see and fill from time to time.

It’s also got better range than the A330, which is the other choice which could have been flown from CBR, prob is the A330 has nearly 100 more seats to fill.

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