QF trans tasman changes

Qantas have released their Northern Summer 2010 schedules which includes changes to selected trans tasman flights. These changes signal the end of QF B767-300s flying into NZ, with the last 3 return flights 1x CHC and 2x AKL being replaced with B737-800 flights.  These flights will initially be operated by Qantas mainline B73Hs but will eventually be replaced by the yet to be delivered Jetconnect B73Hs.

Sydney-Christchurch
The last QF B767-300 service will end with QF45/46 on Friday 30-April-2010.
The new daily B737-800 service will commence Saturday 01-May-2010, and will also be re-timed.
QF45 SYD-CHC 0715-1220
QF46 CHC-SYD 1325-1450

Sydney-Auckland
The final B767-300 service will arrive into AKL on Friday 30-April-2010 as QF49 and return to SYD on Saturday 01-May-2010 as QF50, B737-800 services will be introduced on Saturday 01-May-2010 beginning with the QF55/56 service, these too will see a slight re-timing.
QF55 SYD-AKL 0925-1430
QF56 AKL-SYD 1545-1725
QF49 SYD-AKL 1820-2325
QF50 AKL-SYD 0615-07553

These changes leave trans-tasman QF flights solely in the hands of B737s with the Jetconnect and Mainline B737-800s and also the Jetconnect B737-400s.  The only other QF aircraft scheduled into NZ is the B747-400 on QF26/25 LAX-AKL-LAX. 
Interestingly enough, both the B734s and the B747s are set to be replaced in the foreseeable future with the B734s being replaced with more B738s and the B747s set to be replaced with A330s.

Profit jumps in H1

Some good news out there in the financial scene for the NZ Aviation industry in the recent H1 profit releases.

Auckland Airport: 
Auckland Airport profit up 4.7% in H1

Auckland Airport has posted a 4.7% growth in net profit for the six months ended 31 December 2009, as passenger demand recovered.

Reports Flight Global here

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Air New Zealand:
ANZ profit rises to NZ$56 million in H1

Air New Zealand (ANZ) reported a sharp increase in half-year earnings today amid a fall in demand resulting from tough operating conditions due to the global financial crisis.

Also reported by Flight Global here

More stories on the Safe Air staff saga

Three more stories in today's edition of the Marlborough Express, and online at www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express on the saga of the indefinite delay in the C130 upgrade, threatening the jobs of over 100 Blenheimites.  Click the story heading to view.

Safe Air contractor faces action

The Government is to trigger financial penalties and possible legal action against a United States contractor responsible for delays in upgrading New Zealand's Hercules aircraft fleet.

'Wait and see' for workers

Safe Air employees looked downcast as they left a meeting where they had been told of big staff cuts yesterday.

 Defence to try to line up Safe Air contracts

The scramble is on prevent one of Marlborough's biggest employers from having to lay off a quarter of its staff.

Air New Zealand to slash 100 jobs at Safe Air

Sad news for the aviation industry in Marlborough with the biggest employer Safe Air, part of the Air New Zealand group, set to slash up to 100 jobs.

Air New Zealand will lay off about 100 jobs at its engineering subsidiary Safe Air in Blenheim due to the indefinite postponement of a major contract to upgrade the Royal New Zealand Air Force C130 transport aircraft.

Full stuff Business day story HERE

Marlborough Express Story HERE

Woes for Marlborough Aviation and Tourism industries

Harking back to my roots as Marlborough Aviation Scene for a couple of posts here.

Details of the Aviation industry woes in the following post, but the tourism woes are as follows;

The lack of high end accommodation seems to be effecting the Marlborough Tourism industry, with the regular tourist groups bought in by Tauck, not being able to stay in the region overnight.

The groups fly in from Rotorua then fly out the same day to Wellington.  Tauck are using Air Chathams Convair 580s for their flights, they formally used Pionair CV580s.

Full Story from the Marlborough Express HERE

 

Photo Scott Hammond / Marlborough Express

Notes for February 15th

Air New Zealand
Friday 22-January-2010 saw some mid afternoon fog in WLG resulting in Airbus A320-232 ZK-OJN operating NZ142 SYD-WLG diverting to AKL until the fog cleared and it was able to return to WLG. 

Monday 01-February-2010 saw Airbus A320 ZK-OJG enter the hanger at CHC for maintenance.

Thursday 04-February-2010 saw Airbus A320 ZK-OJC opearate an airborne return flight from/to AKL as NZ6305

Friday 05-February-2010 saw ZK-OJE operate a similar flight AKL-flight-AKL as NZ6306

Friday 12-February-2010 saw ZK-OJN operating NZ144 SYD-WLG divert to AKL, OJN departed AKL on Saturday13-February-2010 as NZ6293 bound for BNE


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Qantas/Jetconnect
Friday 22-January-2010 saw Boeing 737-476 ZK-JTQ operating QF47 SYD-WLG divert to AKL due to the afternoon fog, it also continued onto WLG after the fog had cleared.

Wednesday 3-February-2010 saw the return of Boeing 737-476 ZK-JTS from scheduled maintenance in CHC, positioning CHC-AKL.  JTS re-entered revenue servivce on Thursday 04-February-2010 as QF116 AKL-BNE

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Jetstar
Friday 22-Jan-2010 saw the WLG fog effect services with Airbus A320 VH-VQA operating JST265 AKL-WLG return to AKL as JST7265 before completing the service after the fog had cleared.

Friday 29-January-2010 saw the introduction to trans-tasman services for Airbus A320-232 VH-VGZ operating JST171 MEL-CHC.

Friday 05-February-2010 saw JST253/256 AKL-CHC-AKL canceled, bring the number of cancellations in  2010 to just 4! a remarkable improvement on the records set by JQ in 2009.

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Pacific Blue
Tuesday 26-January-2010 saw VH-VOX position MEL-PER as DJ9061 before operating a charter on Wednesday 27-January-2010 PER-XCH-PER-MEL as DJ9001/9004/9004

Thursday 28-January-2010 and Friday 29-January-2010 saw ZK-PBB undergo maintenance in BNE resulting in a few delays and cancellations. 

Friday 29-January-2010 and Saturday 30-January-2010 saw VH-VUQ operate BNE-AKL-BNE twice to cover the maintenance on PBB.

Friday 29-January-2010  also saw some early morning fog issues in WLG causing the AKL-WLG and CHC-WLG flights to continue on and position to CHC and AKL respectively.

Sunday 31-January-2010 saw ZK-PBG operate HLZ-BNE then the following BNE-NAN-BNE-AKL flights canceled.  PBG also spent Monday 01-February-2010 undergoing maintenance in BNE, with the result of a SYD-AKL-SYD sector canceled to allow the aircraft (ZK-PBM) to operate a delayed  AKL-BNE-VLI-BNE-CHC service

Tuesday 02-February-2010 saw the reduction back to 3x weekly services on SYD-WLG-SYD back from daily over the DEC-JAN period.

Wednesday 03-February-2010 saw VH-VUN operate a charter flight to Christmas Island operating on the following route MEL-PER-XCH-PER-MEL as DJ9061/9001/9004/9004

Saturday 06-February-2010 saw ZK-PBG operate AKL-MEL as DJ9002 in leiu of the scheduled DJ167

Tuesday 09-February-2010 saw VH-VUQ position BNE-PER as DJ9061.  Wednesday 10-February-2010 saw it operate the charter flights PER-XCH-PER-BNE as DJ9001/9002/9002

Saturday 13-February-2010 saw the first of the Pacific island flight disruptions due to tropical cyclone Rene, with ZK-PBF operating DJ91/98/97/92 AKL-APW-BNE-APW-AKL diverting to TBU on the DJ91 leg with DJ98/97/92 canceled and PBF returning to AKL as DJ9091.

Sunday 14-February-2010 saw DJ91/90/93/92 AKL-APW-SYD-APW-AKL delayed with the APW-SYD-APW legs canceled.  ZK-PBK operated the re-timed DJ91/92 AKL-APW-AKL flight.

Sunday 14-February-2010 as saw ZK-PBM undergo a few mechanical issues resulting in DJ83/82 CHC-BNE-CHC being delayed with the flight operating as an overnight flight, with ZK-PBJ operating after the completion of her domestic duties.

Jetstar open Lounge at Auckland Domestic

Jetstar have opened their first domestic pay-per-use lounge at Auckland airport.

Passengers travelling on Jetstar's domestic network can purchase entry to the Akarana Lounge to enjoy free food and beverages, as well as big-screen entertainment and business facilities including workstation areas, free Wi-Fi access and computer terminals. If booked online the charge is $9.99 a person or $15 for those who pay at the door.

 Full NZ Herald article HERE

Also mentioned in the story is further improvements that Jetstar intend to offer on the NZ Domestic network

Jetstar executive manager commercial David Koczkar said further customer initiatives would be rolled out across the domestic network including high levels of self-service at check-in and the introduction of SMS boarding passes.

 

Photo Greg Bowker/NZ Herald

Pacific Blue win TV Commercial Award

'Happy Flying' the airline’s catchy television ad, which features cabin crew and pilots and is set to the tune of the Spanish dance tune ‘Macarena’, was voted Best TV Commercial at the Low Cost Airlines World Asia Pacific 2010 conference held in Singapore last weekend.

Pacific Blue are proudly announcing their win on their website HERE

And here is the you tube video to see what all the fuss is about

Air New Zealands new cabin's showcase website

Air New Zealand have launched their new website, showcasing the new services and cabins, taking flight with the Boeing 777-300s being introduced from November-2010 as mentioned in this POST

http://www.futuretakingflight.com

BOC Aviation and ANZ sign lease for A320s

Singapore-based BOC Aviation and Air New Zealand (ANZ) have signed agreements for the long-term lease of two new Airbus A320-200 aircraft.

Reports Flight Global HERE

The two A320s will arrive towards the end of 2011 and will be the first of the A320s to replace the current Boeing 737-300 fleet on domestic routes.  They will be part of the last four Air New Zealand A320s delivered without Sharklets.  They will be registered ZK-OJP, OJQ, OJR, OJS.

The remaining 10 A320s on order will be delivered with the new sharklets and will be registered in the ZK-OX? series, and will enter Trans-Tasman and Pacific Island service allowing the current A320 fleet to replace the remaining 733s.