Pacific Blue

[benwynn]

This release on the e-Travel Blackboard site confirms that DJ are going to expand domestically, starting with DUD and IVC by June this year. Seems it's old news from Feb, a search tells me nobody posted about it here yet though.

QUOTE

Virgin Blue Holdings Wednesday announced that it has plans to add Dunedin and Invercargill to Pacific Blue’s domestic New Zealand network by the end of June this year.

At the half-yearly financial report, CEO Brett Godfrey announced that Pacific Blue was doing a lot better than initially forecasted.

Initial plans of operating at a loss for the first 18 months were shortened, “I’m happy to say... we’re confident enough that that’s going to happen within the first 12 months.

“In fact by October, we expect that to be turning a profit and it gives us the confidence to launch some regional services.”

Mr Godfrey then says of Dunedin and Invercargill, “We think they’re two markets that we’ve had a look at that we’ve gotten very close to getting what we need out of the airports and facilities”.

“Those markets will be on line by end of June this year, when the next aircraft is delivered to Pacific Blue.”

The new services are still pending regulatory approval. When operation begins, Dunedin and Invercargill will be the first two regional services Pacific Blue will service.

Currently, Pacific Blue domestically services the trunk routes of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.[/quote]

I can see Pacific Blue succeeding where others have failed, are failing and haven't gotten off the ground yet (Origin, Qantas, Kiwijet).
Rotorua to be next???

Anthony

Last edited by Anthony on Sat Mar 29, 2008 2:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Daniel]

Why cant they fly to Rotorua
It should be great news for these two cities.
I bet Invercargill is pleased. I wonder where the flights will operate from

Cheers
Daniel

[Anthony]

QUOTE (Daniel @ Mar 29 2008, 03:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why cant they fly to Rotorua
It should be great news for these two cities.
I bet Invercargill is pleased. I wonder where the flights will operate from

Cheers
Daniel

I would think the only thing stopping them is lack of s really.
Though with the E-Jets coming online soon, hopefully they bring them over here and use them to expand to ROT and other such deserving airports.

AKL and CHC are my bets, but WLG will probably get it as well.

It is great news in my opinion - makes a change to NZ's virtual monopoly (and QF/JC's half-hearted effort on a few routes) and it's good news for the airports in question.
Not to mention that DJ could be starting a price war - noticed how Grab A Seat changes a lot based on what DJ's doing? NZ knows it's coming.

Cheers
Anthony

[twinstarda42]

QUOTE (Daniel @ Mar 29 2008, 03:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why cant they fly to Rotorua
It should be great news for these two cities.
I bet Invercargill is pleased. I wonder where the flights will operate from

Cheers
Daniel

More than Likely because the rotorua market is already saturated with Air NZ and JC(qantas) in regards to jet service + regionals so to speak no reason to compete were the market is already full.

Re: PB services to DUD and IVC is every one down their planning on leaving , not exactly the most sort after destinations in NZ or the Planet

[victor_alpha_charlie]

I'm still not convinced that Pac Blue will do any better than anyone else- there simply aren't enough passengers in NZ to fill the aircraft of another airline.

[Anthony]

QUOTE (victor_alpha_charlie @ Mar 29 2008, 05:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm still not convinced that Pac Blue will do any better than anyone else- there simply aren't enough passengers in NZ to fill the aircraft of another airline.

This is one of the things I have doubts about too.
If DJ use their 738s on these routes, they will have a hard time filling them. The -800s have 180 Y seats, and the -700s have 144. For comparison, the 733s that NZ use have 136, the AT7s have 68 and the DH8s have 50.

Specifically, NZ use the AT7s from CHC to DUD, and the AT7s and DH8s from CHC to IVC - thats 68 and 50 seats versus 180 and 144 seats.
I don't know about the loadfactors from CHC to DUD and IVC but let's say 80%: that means 54 seats on the ATR and 40 seats on the Q300, and 144 (738) and 115 (737).
Compared to NZ, DJ will have a lot of seats to fill in an aeroplane that has a lot higher costs than the Q300 and ATR.

If DJ use the E-Jets over here, the E170 has 66 Y seats and the E190 has 92 Y seats.
They would be much cheaper than the 738/7 that DJ could use, but still have more seats to fill and be more expensive than the props NZ use.

Either way, DJ will have a hard time filling their planes. Hopefully advertising and promotion and cheaper fares can get them full and keep them full.

Then again, I actually think DJ has what it takes to make the two airline thing work - if anyone can, I think it will be them. I'm not convinced, but I think and hope so.

Cheers
Anthony

[Kelburn]

what happened to Kiwijet by the way?

Pac Blue will probably end up like Ansett New Zealand and will get regional aircraft and operate them to smaller airports.

[victor_alpha_charlie]

QUOTE (brotonee @ Mar 29 2008, 06:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is one of the things I have doubts about too.
If DJ use their 738s on these routes, they will have a hard time filling them. The -800s have 180 Y seats, and the -700s have 144. For comparison, the 733s that NZ use have 136, the AT7s have 68 and the DH8s have 50.

Specifically, NZ use the AT7s from CHC to DUD, and the AT7s and DH8s from CHC to IVC - thats 68 and 50 seats versus 180 and 144 seats.
I don't know about the loadfactors from CHC to DUD and IVC but let's say 80%: that means 54 seats on the ATR and 40 seats on the Q300, and 144 (738) and 115 (737).
Compared to NZ, DJ will have a lot of seats to fill in an aeroplane that has a lot higher costs than the Q300 and ATR.

If DJ use the E-Jets over here, the E170 has 66 Y seats and the E190 has 92 Y seats.
They would be much cheaper than the 738/7 that DJ could use, but still have more seats to fill and be more expensive than the props NZ use.

Either way, DJ will have a hard time filling their planes. Hopefully advertising and promotion and cheaper fares can get them full and keep them full.

Then again, I actually think DJ has what it takes to make the two airline thing work - if anyone can, I think it will be them. I'm not convinced, but I think and hope so.

Cheers
Anthony

I'm not sure what -700's have to do with it- PB don't have -700's.

QUOTE (Kelburn @ Mar 29 2008, 06:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what happened to Kiwijet by the way?

Pac Blue will probably end up like Ansett New Zealand and will get regional aircraft and operate them to smaller airports...

and eventually go under

[Anthony]

QUOTE (Kelburn @ Mar 29 2008, 06:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what happened to Kiwijet by the way?

Still not off the ground. Last I heard they were looking at the BAe 146 and developing yet another business plan around that.
Dead in the water (or on the runway) I'd say.

QUOTE (victor_alpha_charlie @ Mar 29 2008, 07:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not sure what -700's have to do with it- PB don't have -700's.

I thought so too, but their website oddly begs to differ.
Perhaps not in NZ, but they do have them.

Cheers
Anthony

[Anthony]

Interesting. How silly and maybe even misleading.
Given that they've given it a separate web address and a separate structure, you would think they would at least have correct information for each airline.

Regardless, in the event they do end up 700s (their own or temporarily from Virgin Blue), they'll still be bigger than NZ's turboprops and the ERJs.
It may be Virgin Blue that have ERJs right now, but I believe Pacific Blue have said they are getting them or were looking at them.
Certainly that's the impression people at Airliners.net and also I have.

I think youre correct about the 300/700 and 400/800 relationship.

I did originally think they only had 800s (fleet commonality - more flexibility if something goes tech, lower costs, etc.) but reading their website this arvo when I was 'researching' for my comparisons between DJ and NZ and seeing references to the -700 all over the place made me think differently.

Cheers
Anthony

[benwynn]

Even still, I think the 700 is too big. The 600 would be ideal whilst also keeping within the fleet commonality.

IMO I dont think PB will be able to survice regional destinations with such big aircraft.

[Anthony]

Quick update:

DUD Services begin 1 July according to the Otago Daily Times. (that link may not work, if it doesn't, it is the first headline on the homepage)

Also, apparently there are no plans for IVC or ZQN service.

The article also mentions Kiwijet as "deferring developments".

Cheers
Anthony

[Daniel]

Hi Guys

Here is another story on the Pacific Blue website http://www.flypacificblue.co.nz/AboutUs/Me...es/P_003837.htm

Interesting where the original story got that they were going to be flying to Invercargill from.
Still great for Dunedin

Cheers
Daniel