What do people think of NZ CEO's comment that Qantas = Air Sydney?

What do people think of NZ CEO's comment that Qantas = Air Sydney?

It's a bit rich coming from Air Auckland!!

Yes but to be fair had New Zealand joined our Commonwealth both the North and South Island would probably be a state with AKL as state capital. So really it is like somebody in Newcastle/Wollongong bitching that Sydney has it all as opposed to a valid complaint from the good people of Perth/Adelaide etc.

He has a point to a degree!

ASI - air sydney international - at least as far as those of us from Adelaide are concerned!

I think he has the irts now that Qantas has its act together. Jetstar made a profit in NZ and American is coming to take some of that Auckland/LAX monopoly money. His reaction to the increased competition sounds a whole lot like what the Australian market has just come out of - increased capacity (he mentioned 8% domestically) and cutting fares. All he forgot to mention was a 65% market share line in the sand!

Look at ANZ!!! Not many other international flight departing from places other than AKL than to oceania region

Wow thats ironic!

As a New Zealander who lives in regional New Zealand, I essentially have no option but to fly via AKL before leaving the country. Espcially since all the Business Class flights depart from there.

Although, 1/4 of NZ's population lives in AKL so it would make sense for Air NZ to base themselves there. However this means a very "Auckland-Centric" way of operating and the regions seem to play second-best.

True, Air NZ is AKL centric especially for international flights. But the need to travel via AKL cannot be blamed entirely on them.  Past attempts by any airline to create viable international (not just Australia) flights from CHC and WLG have nearly always ended in tears. Those and NZ ports other than AKL just don't have the traffic demand any more. ZQN might be the exception were it not limited by geography, climate and a short runway to nothing larger than an a320/321. Otherwise I think China Southern would be very interested.

There is a point behind his message but it is an extremely hypocritical one.

I think he's just tapping into the emotional strings of the secondary markets like Brisbane / Melbourne / Adelaide and Perth. It's wright of numbers that gives Sydney the services it has. If Air NZ can service other markets and make it viable, it's a good thing for all of us.