Perth Airport CEO: no direct ANA or JAL flights to Japan this year
By David Flynn, May 7 2018
While Perth Airport is in discussions with both ANA and JAL about direct flights to Tokyo, those flights are not due to take wing until 2019 says Perth Airport CEO Kevin Brown.
"There's ongoing discussions with both airlines," Brown tells Australian Business Traveller, "but it won't be this year. It would be nice to see it happen but there’s a reality check on aircraft availability and other factors, and we're also competing with other destinations around the world."
But Japan isn't the only country on Brown's dance card.
"Japan is an important market for us, but so is mainland China, and so is India," Brown says. "There's lots of opportunities there, and direct flights create a stimulus in the market, maybe by 40-50%, just because it's easier for people to jump on those routes."
Star Alliance member ANA restarted its daily Sydney-Tokyo service in December 2015, with Oneworld member and Qantas partner JAL currently flying from both Sydney and Melbourne, and Perth is keen to be the next dot on their Australian route maps.
The airport has in recent months seen Qatar Airways upgrade its daily flights to an Airbus A380, while fellow Gulf carrier Etihad has pulled the plug on Perth and will make its last flight from the WA capital on October 1.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
26 Jul 2017
Total posts 13
Qantas should start flights to Tokyo from Perth on an A330-200 , they should also bring back flights from Hong Kong to London and Sydney to Dehli on the 787-9 !!!!
13 Sep 2013
Total posts 116
You’d think PER-HKG would firmly be on Qantas’ radar wouldn’t you?!?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
08 Jun 2014
Total posts 255
Better be on VA's line of sight for crying out the loud!
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1265
It is easy to suggest QF should fly PER to HKG without considering the lack of slots at HKG. As for HKG - LHR... I can't imagine the yield would be good against the numerous CX, BA and numerous one stops.
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 390
When it operated via SIN, India wasn't successful for QF. Lost money if I recall.
22 Jan 2018
Total posts 92
Plus AI already flies to both SYD and MEL, both apparently have been very successful
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 795
That, and the crew hated the India segment.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2016
Total posts 134
David I think ANA started flying Sydney to Tokyo earlier than December. Friends of mine flew them in July 2017.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
16 May 2011
Total posts 117
That's correct, ANA has served Sydney since December 2015. Japanese airlines are quite conservative, it took Melbourne years to see JL add service.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2016
Total posts 134
Andy H just flew JAL to the US in J class on The Dreamliner. A great product and outstanding service. FirstClass Lounges at Narita were also great.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1026
JAL wasn't allowed to start flights to MEL until recently. As part of their bankruptcy bailout deal in 2009/10, they were limited to what ports they could fly to for several years. They could only reopen routes to ports they had operated to at the time of the bankruptcy filing.
The limits were fully removed in 2016.
The JAL bankruptcy is also why ANA got the majority of the long haul HND slots.
10 Aug 2015
Total posts 130
I reckon BNE will be next for ANA
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Jun 2015
Total posts 60
I don't know Perth Airport can expect more flights with the way they deal with airlines.
08 May 2018
Total posts 19
If youre referring to the QF scenario, then the difference between ANA, JAL and hopefully MU would be that they all land at the international airport - so its as simple as finding a time slot and landing - I dont recall there being such a big issue with Malindo, China Southern or Scoot......
07 May 2018
Total posts 1
I am flying Heathrow-Melbourne soon. Is it true that I need to clear baggage in Perth?
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1026
Depends if you are going through to MEL on QF10.
If on QF10 PER-MEL, you go through international connections then back on the same aircraft.
If on any other flight to MEL, you go through immigration/customs in PER.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Aug 2017
Total posts 120
No that is not true. Fuel stop and a shower in the lounge and back on the same plane
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