2PAXfly
SCOOT: Boeing 787 aircraft heading to Perth returns to Singapore after Australian makes bomb threat
The Straits Times reports that a 30-year-old Australian was arrested yesterday (Thursday, 12 October) after making what was interpreted as a bomb threat on a Scoot flight, TR16 heading to Perth, Western Australia. Singapore police were informed of the alleged bomb threat at 4:55 pm Singapore time and arrested the...
2PAXfly
SYDNEY: Largest Marriot W Hotel in the world opens
Yesterday, Thursday, 12 October 2023, saw the opening of the long-awaited W Hotel in Sydney, by Marriot. With 588 rooms and suites, it is the largest W Hotel in the world. Marriot has been busily opening hotels across Australia recently including a Ritz Carlton and a Le Meridian, both in...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Makes first profit in over a decade
On Tuesday 10 October 2023, Virgin Australia recorded its first profit under its new majority ownership. Bain Capital, became the majority owner after the airline went into administration in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. IPO? Virgin Australia is currently a private company. It does not need to report...
2PAXfly
AUSTRALIA: Government asks Qantas and Virgin to assist with repatriation of Australian citizens from Israel
The Australian Government has been in contact with both Virgin Australia and Qantas. The airlines are requested to provide assistance to repatriate an estimated 10,000 Australians and tourists from Israel. The AFR report doesn’t mention any request for repatriation of Australians from Gaza, Palestine or the West Bank. Foreign Minister...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Chairman Richard Goyder bows to public and shareholder pressure to resign
Richard Goyder has been Chairman of Qantas since October 2018. Don’t get too excited. His resignation date is over a year away – ‘…prior to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in late 2024.’ Background Goyder confidently asserted in front of the Senate Select Committee on Commonwealth Bilateral Air Service Agreements,...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Customer-facing tech fails. Boy, did I have a day of delays, cancellations and re-assignments.
I recently wrote a post about the need for Qantas to invest heavily in its customer-facing tech, since the current experience is pretty dire, both on the app and on the website. I was mildly chided by a reader ‘PH’ via email over not mentioning the improvements in the Qantas...
2PAXfly
SYDNEY AIRPORT: High winds close runways and cancel flights
Weather including forecast high winds has forced Sydney Airport into one runway operations this morning. This will severely affect air traffic, so expect delays and cancellations. Single runway operation reduces the airports operations by 50% or more, curtailing the number of landings and departures per hour. The weather warnings resulted...
2PAXfly
CATHAY PACIFIC: Brings First Class back to Melbourne and Sydney
The Hong Kong based airline pre-pandemic used to sit at the top end of airline service, especially in premium classes and especially First Class. With various issues with democracy in Hong Kong, and then the worldwide pandemic, Cathay took a real punch in the guts. Its operations were decimated, and...
2PAXfly
FLIGHT REVIEW: Qantas QF153 Melbourne to Auckland in Business Class. Perfectly uneventful.
It’s hard for the food offered on a trans-Tasman flight to compete with what you have just eaten in the Melbourne First lounge, however good the service onboard QF153, this trans-Tasman flight between Melbourne and Auckland, New Zealand. Flight Details Flight: QF153Route: Melbourne (MEL) – Auckland, New Zealand (AUK)Date: Friday,...
2PAXfly
REX: Launches loyalty scheme – REX Flyer
Besides the fact that it’s not a great idea to launch a new frequent flyer scheme on a public holiday Monday on the same long weekend when multiple football and Rugby finals are held, this scheme looks interesting. I’ve just seen the release, so expect a further update once I...
2PAXfly
TURKISH AIRLINES: Flights to Melbourne start delayed
Turkish Airlines has applied to fly into Australia, initially to Melbourne via Singapore. The start was scheduled for December 2023. Doesn’t look like that is going to happen now. At the Senate Select Committee on Commonwealth Bilateral Air Service Agreements earlier this week (Tuesday 26 September 2023), the Australian Manager...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: A380 returns to Sydney to Hong Kong route
Qantas has been using an Airbus A330 on the Sydney to Hong Kong route QF127/128. From 31 October, according to ET, Qantas will be substituting an Airbus A380 for the peak travel season over the Australian summer to Chinese New Year, or November 2023 through to February 2024. Initially, Qantas...
2PAXfly
QANTAS/QATAR AIRWAYS: Senate Inquiry to hear from Bonza, Qantas, Qatar Airways, REX and Virgin Australia
Hearings have started in Canberra for the Senate Inquiry into the Commonwealth Bilateral Air Service Agreements. The first big revelation is that Qatar Airways heard of the rejection of the application for 28 flights into Australia in the media. A letter informing them of the rejection didn’t arrive until 4...
2PAXfly
DELTA AIRLINES: New route – Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand. Fare war?
Beginning 28 October, Delta will be the only US airline to fly directly between LAX and AUK daily. You’ll be travelling on an ex LATAM Airbus A350-900. Daily operations will give way to a three-weekly operation in shoulder season between late March and October. Then flights will operate from Auckland...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Market update previews fare boost for fuel price rise, strong demand, offers AU$80m passenger improvements,
Qantas has issued a strange market update. It leads with passenger improvements including a year-on-year increase in demand due to school holidays and football finals. The update shows that survey data indicates continued increased demand for travel in the first half of 2024. It then details a 30% increase in...
2PAXfly
QANTAS: Green shoots of improved service already showing? Premium frequent flyers recognised.
Some regular Qantas flyers report the re-introduction of some spoken recognition of premium frequent flyers on domestic flights, even when travelling in Economy. Background Way back pre-pandemic, and to some extent during the pandemic, I as a Platinum Frequent Flyer or in the parlance of social media avgeek speak a...