Pacific Blue to Dunedin

[Daniel]

Hey Guys,

Yesterday marked the date for Pacific Blue to start flights to Dunedin.
Did any NZFFers get pictures or anything?
Here are a few links for some stories

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411365/1882507

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/11794/pa...landing-dunedin

How do you guys think the services will go? It is a large aircraft (180 seats) Hopefully Rotorua will be next

Cheers
Daniel

[pacblue]

it means more work for me at WLG airport haha. but yeah it should be ok. because of the flights to Dunedin they have dropped a couple of AKL flights but also are having alot more flights to and from BNE.

[Alex]

QUOTE (Daniel @ Jul 2 2008, 07:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is a large aircraft (180 seats) Hopefully Rotorua will be next

I read somewhere that they aren't looking at any new routes for a while (6-12 months?).

Alex

[Daniel]

QUOTE (Alex @ Jul 7 2008, 10:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I read somewhere that they aren't looking at any new routes for a while (6-12 months?).

Now's a bad time to come into new routes.
Prices of most things are going up and people have less and less spare money around.
If Pacific Blue want to get into the regional market they need to get the Embraers over from Aussi
It will be interesting to see if they do bring them over and what routes they would fly.
Dunedin might just survive with the 738s - air nz are quite full out of there.

[Anthony]

Yer now's a very bad time to look at expansion and new routes - negative economic growth for ages and a recession is looming.
Especially in New Zealand where there's barely enough passengers to support Air New Zealand on their own

I've said it before that I agree with the idea that we should have gotten the Embraers instead of the 738s, which are too big in my opinion.
They might do okay out of DUD and on the trunks, but once you get into places like ROT, HLZ, PMR even ZQN you'd be better to get the E Jets in here.

Even if your destinations could support a 738, you'd be better off offering more frequencies - eg 2x daily with an E170 or E190 versus 1x daily with a 738 or something like that.

I've got some 'insider information' which is actually common knowledge at PPRuNe, but we won't likely be getting Embraers any time soon. Pacific Blue will likely be bringing some more 738s over here though.

[pacblue]

word around work is they are seriously looking at bringing some E170's over but i dont know what routes they will fly

[Naki]

...and your work is?

[Daniel]

QUOTE (Naki @ Jul 10 2008, 07:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...and your work is?

I think he works for Pacific Blue ground crew

[pacblue]

QUOTE (Daniel @ Jul 10 2008, 08:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think he works for Pacific Blue ground crew

thats the one mate, in WLG

[Anthony]

Will be interesting to find out what happens with regards to the Embraers and Pacific Blue.
Would be quite nice to see the Embraers over here, like I've said before, they're much better suited to NZ ops than the 738 or even 73G.

I've heard that DJ have been having a shocking time with the Embraers going tech in Aussi though, one story saying that one spent the whole day on the ground in SYD or something recently. Probably just teething problems though, and inn such tight times the occasional problem is probably worth it for the lower operating costs.

[A185F]

I think you guys are under estimating pac blue a little. They are currently doing pretty dam well. For e.g, yes sure the 738 is a big plane and you may think its too big for dunnas but hey, its going in and coming out full !! A quiet day at the mo is 140 which is still more than air nz can squeez into their 737s. I have a feeling they are gonna be doing pretty well in the next few months by comp to air nz....

[Anthony]

I'm not saying that PB won't do well, they have so far and I think they will continue to do very well.
In fact I'm 99% sure that PB will succeed in New Zealand and I hope they do.
I just think that the Embraers might make for a more flexible, more nimble fleet that they can do more with and serve smaller ports with, they also have lower CASMs I think.

[pacblue]

Pac blue have already made Qantas cancel ALOT of their flights to AKL and CHC and it is still quite early times for Pac blue, so i think they will do just fine

[mavman]

Just a couple of pics from NZDN....
Pacific Blue Colours

Polynesian Blue Colours

[Daniel]

Thanks for getting some pics of the 738s at Dunedin
Do you know much about the loads out o there? Are they pretty full?
Best of luck for Dunedin Airport for the service. Hopes it goes well for them.

[mavman]

Loads have been very good with most flights in and out in excess of 150 passengers although school holidays and the All Black test would have helped. Will be interesting to see if these numbers drop over the next few weeks....although i'm sure they've proved alot of people wrong in the fact they can operate a 180 seat aircraft on a shortish (40 minute) sector and get good numbers.

[Daniel]

QUOTE (mavman @ Jul 13 2008, 07:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Loads have been very good with most flights in and out in excess of 150 passengers although school holidays and the All Black test would have helped. Will be interesting to see if these numbers drop over the next few weeks....although i'm sure they've proved alot of people wrong in the fact they can operate a 180 seat aircraft on a shortish (40 minute) sector and get good numbers.

Interesting Keep us updated mate.
Have you flown on them in or out of Dunedin yet?

[Anthony]

Thanks for posting the pics of DJ at DUD mavman.
Nice to hear the Pacific Blue are doing well out of DUD.
I'd like to see them expand and become New Zealand's other domestic airline, I'd prefer them to Qantas/JetConnect.

[mavman]

Seeing as I work for the opposition, not as yet!

[pacblue]

Hey guys just to let you all know i found out today that the Embraer rumors are only rumors and does'nt look like it will happen any time soon for pac blue, however later this month we are getting 2 new 737 800s. 1 from perth and 1 brand new out of the factory. im not sure if they will be for domestic or international.