this type then can put kkj in between mah
good
Better than rendang ya, bang?
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SIA's clueless leadership: flight to nowhere scrapped, now offering dining in aeroplane
- Thread starter LITTLEREDDOT
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Better than rendang ya, bang?
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Commentary: More than S$600 for first class meals? SIA isn't for everyone but that's just fine
Recent initiatives by the airline, such as the Restaurant A360@Changi, remind us how SIA can’t lose sight of the premium market, says Dr Faizal Yahya from the Institute of Policy Studies.
Business class dining on a Singapore Airlines flight. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)Bookmark
SINGAPORE: The importance of Singapore Airlines' (SIA) premium brand can be seen through the promotional events that it sponsors to attract foreign tourists to Singapore such as the F1 Grand Prix.
This premium brand perception is formed in the minds of SIA’s passengers through the safe track-record of the airline, interior cabin of its aircrafts, the uniforms of its crew, menu selection, meal service, in-flight entertainment, in-flight announcement and the overall quality of service.
The COVID-19 pandemic has unfortunately hampered the opportunities passengers may have to enjoy some SIA’s world-class offerings since air travel has been mostly disrupted and, more recently, limited to business travel.
Against this backdrop, SIA recently attempted to bring selective offerings from the airlines to passengers even though they can’t travel at present.
DINING IN STYLE
Three initiatives it launched in this regard were the opportunity to have lunch on-board an Airbus A-380 jumbo jet (Restaurant A380@Changi), home deliveries of meals from its first class and business class menus as well as a tour of SIA’s training facilities.
Some of these were met with mixed reactions, especially the prices of its on-board and home-delivered meal options.
READ: Commentary: We must save Singapore Airlines from this existential crisis
For example, the airline offered exclusive first class meals for home deliveries at S$498. This was criticised online as being elitist and disconnected with the “realities on the ground”, especially during these hard times where employment and income loss is common.
From SIA’s perspective, these in-flight and delivered meals are a critical component of the airline’s marketing strategy targeted at the premium air travel passenger market. The strategy keeps SIA's image as a premium airline alive in the public mind when the skies are almost out of bounds.
The strategy seemed to work as all of its 900 seats that were available for the Restaurant A380@Changi were sold out within 30 minutes after bookings opened on Monday (Oct 12).
HOLDING PREMIUM TO ITS CORE
This highlights why the premium segment of air travellers is important to full-service airlines like SIA. Efforts to cultivate this market are crucial especially during the pandemic with border closures and flight reductions.
Restaurant A380@Changi. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
So efforts such as the Restaurant A380@Changi to help brand loyalty and retention are important for SIA as this is a market and identity it cannot lose sight of.
For SIA, even the emergence of low-cost carriers (LCCs) over the years did not compel it to dilute the premium SIA brand to compete with this new competition, such as several other full-service carriers (FSCs) did.
North American FSCs, such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, began unbundling ancillary services on their flights to charge segmented fares beyond seat charges as a strategy to compete with LCCs.
This strategy also created ancillary revenue streams generated for items such as baggage fees, extra legroom products as well as food and beverage.
READ: Commentary: The outlook for Singapore Airlines has gone from bad to worse
Other FSCs such as British Airways, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and Alitalia have offered Hand Baggage Only (HBO) fares on their North Atlantic Routes.
Instead, SIA chose to start another brand called Scoot to deal with LCCs while preventing the cannibalisation of SIA's premium branding.
HOLDING ON TO PREMIUM BRANDING
The importance of premium passengers to SIA is further seen during the current recession as employers and companies tighten up on business travel, which is shrinking the premium passenger market for airlines.
“With the proliferation of Zoom meetings and most corporate employees working remotely, business travel in particular has been sharply curtailed in 2020,” a recent report by Investopedia stated, quoting a study by Trondent Development Corporation.
The same report reveals that although business travellers account for 12 per cent of airline passengers they usually provide double the amount of profitability with their contribution to revenues as high as 75 per cent for some flights.
Singapore Airlines suffered a net loss of more than US$800 million in the first quarter of 2020 as coronavirus hammered air travel AFP/Roslan RAHMAN
In line with these trends, most FSCs are likely to enhance their business and premium economy classes, perhaps even cutting back on its first class offerings, and enable them to be more widely available to bridge the gap between business and economy travel.
READ: Commentary: Flights to nowhere raise bigger questions about Singapore Airlines’ future
To evolve with changing market demands, SIA has reduced its first class cabins to just one row of seats on its newest Boeing 777-300ERs aircraft and allocated more resources to developing seating capacity for the business class market segment.
AHEAD OF THE PACK
While some airlines chose to compromise on their premium branding, SIA is unlikely to waver from this strategy although it is relatively high-cost and requires significant investment, careful management and detailed implementation of programmes.
Since commencing operations in 1972, SIA has been able to successfully create and project a premium brand identity.
Its strategy has been based on innovation, using cutting-edge technology, genuine quality and excellent customer service as it pioneered services like meal options, free alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, complementary headphones, scented hot towels, personal entertainment systems, and video-on-demand in all of its flight cabins.
The new Business Class amenity kit with Penhaligon's toiletries. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
SIA further differentiates its brand experience through various in-flight perks such as Book the Cook, in which premium passengers can choose their favourite gourmet main course from a selection of dishes prepared by the airline’s International Culinary Panel before their flight.
In addition, SIA’s menus are also specially created to reflect the culinary influences of the regions it flies to. Other premium perks included the availability of certified Air Sommeliers to advise passengers on the art of food and wine pairing.
ALLURE OF PREMIUM TRAVEL
SIA also reinforces its premium branding by a strong frequent flyer component.
The first class market segment has a strong frequent flyer component for some airlines like SIA, and the first class allure is utilised by SIA as an opportunity to upgrade from business class.
READ: Commentary: Our flights of fancy have stopped but were they all that romantic anyway?
As part of its marketing strategy as well as to retain customer loyalty and reduce attrition, SIA leverages on this aspirational aspect of premium travel because its frequent flyers can use the miles to access long-haul premium cabin award seats.
SIA also makes extensive use of a “wait list” where passengers express their interest in an upgrade in travel class and the airline can selectively approve individual passengers’ request, irrespective of the wait list order.
KrisPay is the world’s first blockchain-based airline digital wallet. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
This balances revenue management with a measure of how valuable the passenger. The airline decides who should be rewarded.
It is unlikely that SIA is out of touch or disconnected from its targeted premium market as an airline company. SIA started as a fully-branded product that focused on the premium travel market and continues this business model until today.
A PROFIT-MAKING ENTITY BEFORE ANYTHING
Although many would consider it the national airline because it is majority-owned by Temasek Holdings, its basic premise has to be a self-sustaining and revenue generating entity for its shareholders. The premium segment is where most revenues are derived from.
Its promotion of premium branding may attract criticism as it seems to favour the wealthy.
Despite the criticism, the SIA premium brand needs to be sustained and reinforced because, after COVID-19, the airline will be a vital tool that would aid the recovery of the aviation sector and maintain Singapore’s air connectivity through Changi Airport.
Singapore Airlines crew members return from flight at Singapore Changi Airport, Jun 8, 2020. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
The Singapore aviation hub strategy requires an SIA that is able to not only maintain its premium branding but also to keep intact its core capabilities vital for the recovery of related industries and the economy as a whole.
Recent initiatives by the airline, such as the Restaurant A360@Changi, remind us how SIA can’t lose sight of the premium market, says Dr Faizal Yahya from the Institute of Policy Studies.
Business class dining on a Singapore Airlines flight. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)Bookmark
SINGAPORE: The importance of Singapore Airlines' (SIA) premium brand can be seen through the promotional events that it sponsors to attract foreign tourists to Singapore such as the F1 Grand Prix.
This premium brand perception is formed in the minds of SIA’s passengers through the safe track-record of the airline, interior cabin of its aircrafts, the uniforms of its crew, menu selection, meal service, in-flight entertainment, in-flight announcement and the overall quality of service.
The COVID-19 pandemic has unfortunately hampered the opportunities passengers may have to enjoy some SIA’s world-class offerings since air travel has been mostly disrupted and, more recently, limited to business travel.
Against this backdrop, SIA recently attempted to bring selective offerings from the airlines to passengers even though they can’t travel at present.
DINING IN STYLE
Three initiatives it launched in this regard were the opportunity to have lunch on-board an Airbus A-380 jumbo jet (Restaurant A380@Changi), home deliveries of meals from its first class and business class menus as well as a tour of SIA’s training facilities.
Some of these were met with mixed reactions, especially the prices of its on-board and home-delivered meal options.
READ: Commentary: We must save Singapore Airlines from this existential crisis
For example, the airline offered exclusive first class meals for home deliveries at S$498. This was criticised online as being elitist and disconnected with the “realities on the ground”, especially during these hard times where employment and income loss is common.
From SIA’s perspective, these in-flight and delivered meals are a critical component of the airline’s marketing strategy targeted at the premium air travel passenger market. The strategy keeps SIA's image as a premium airline alive in the public mind when the skies are almost out of bounds.
The strategy seemed to work as all of its 900 seats that were available for the Restaurant A380@Changi were sold out within 30 minutes after bookings opened on Monday (Oct 12).
HOLDING PREMIUM TO ITS CORE
This highlights why the premium segment of air travellers is important to full-service airlines like SIA. Efforts to cultivate this market are crucial especially during the pandemic with border closures and flight reductions.
Restaurant A380@Changi. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
So efforts such as the Restaurant A380@Changi to help brand loyalty and retention are important for SIA as this is a market and identity it cannot lose sight of.
For SIA, even the emergence of low-cost carriers (LCCs) over the years did not compel it to dilute the premium SIA brand to compete with this new competition, such as several other full-service carriers (FSCs) did.
North American FSCs, such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, began unbundling ancillary services on their flights to charge segmented fares beyond seat charges as a strategy to compete with LCCs.
This strategy also created ancillary revenue streams generated for items such as baggage fees, extra legroom products as well as food and beverage.
READ: Commentary: The outlook for Singapore Airlines has gone from bad to worse
Other FSCs such as British Airways, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and Alitalia have offered Hand Baggage Only (HBO) fares on their North Atlantic Routes.
Instead, SIA chose to start another brand called Scoot to deal with LCCs while preventing the cannibalisation of SIA's premium branding.
HOLDING ON TO PREMIUM BRANDING
The importance of premium passengers to SIA is further seen during the current recession as employers and companies tighten up on business travel, which is shrinking the premium passenger market for airlines.
“With the proliferation of Zoom meetings and most corporate employees working remotely, business travel in particular has been sharply curtailed in 2020,” a recent report by Investopedia stated, quoting a study by Trondent Development Corporation.
The same report reveals that although business travellers account for 12 per cent of airline passengers they usually provide double the amount of profitability with their contribution to revenues as high as 75 per cent for some flights.
Singapore Airlines suffered a net loss of more than US$800 million in the first quarter of 2020 as coronavirus hammered air travel AFP/Roslan RAHMAN
In line with these trends, most FSCs are likely to enhance their business and premium economy classes, perhaps even cutting back on its first class offerings, and enable them to be more widely available to bridge the gap between business and economy travel.
READ: Commentary: Flights to nowhere raise bigger questions about Singapore Airlines’ future
To evolve with changing market demands, SIA has reduced its first class cabins to just one row of seats on its newest Boeing 777-300ERs aircraft and allocated more resources to developing seating capacity for the business class market segment.
AHEAD OF THE PACK
While some airlines chose to compromise on their premium branding, SIA is unlikely to waver from this strategy although it is relatively high-cost and requires significant investment, careful management and detailed implementation of programmes.
Since commencing operations in 1972, SIA has been able to successfully create and project a premium brand identity.
Its strategy has been based on innovation, using cutting-edge technology, genuine quality and excellent customer service as it pioneered services like meal options, free alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, complementary headphones, scented hot towels, personal entertainment systems, and video-on-demand in all of its flight cabins.
The new Business Class amenity kit with Penhaligon's toiletries. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
SIA further differentiates its brand experience through various in-flight perks such as Book the Cook, in which premium passengers can choose their favourite gourmet main course from a selection of dishes prepared by the airline’s International Culinary Panel before their flight.
In addition, SIA’s menus are also specially created to reflect the culinary influences of the regions it flies to. Other premium perks included the availability of certified Air Sommeliers to advise passengers on the art of food and wine pairing.
ALLURE OF PREMIUM TRAVEL
SIA also reinforces its premium branding by a strong frequent flyer component.
The first class market segment has a strong frequent flyer component for some airlines like SIA, and the first class allure is utilised by SIA as an opportunity to upgrade from business class.
READ: Commentary: Our flights of fancy have stopped but were they all that romantic anyway?
As part of its marketing strategy as well as to retain customer loyalty and reduce attrition, SIA leverages on this aspirational aspect of premium travel because its frequent flyers can use the miles to access long-haul premium cabin award seats.
SIA also makes extensive use of a “wait list” where passengers express their interest in an upgrade in travel class and the airline can selectively approve individual passengers’ request, irrespective of the wait list order.
KrisPay is the world’s first blockchain-based airline digital wallet. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
This balances revenue management with a measure of how valuable the passenger. The airline decides who should be rewarded.
It is unlikely that SIA is out of touch or disconnected from its targeted premium market as an airline company. SIA started as a fully-branded product that focused on the premium travel market and continues this business model until today.
A PROFIT-MAKING ENTITY BEFORE ANYTHING
Although many would consider it the national airline because it is majority-owned by Temasek Holdings, its basic premise has to be a self-sustaining and revenue generating entity for its shareholders. The premium segment is where most revenues are derived from.
Its promotion of premium branding may attract criticism as it seems to favour the wealthy.
Despite the criticism, the SIA premium brand needs to be sustained and reinforced because, after COVID-19, the airline will be a vital tool that would aid the recovery of the aviation sector and maintain Singapore’s air connectivity through Changi Airport.
The Singapore aviation hub strategy requires an SIA that is able to not only maintain its premium branding but also to keep intact its core capabilities vital for the recovery of related industries and the economy as a whole.
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2008
- Messages
- 103,098
- Points
- 113
Commentary: We must save Singapore Airlines from this existential crisis
By Nitin Pangarkar
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...-national-carrier-temasek-government-13137324
http://nus.academia.edu/NitinPangarkar/CurriculumVitae
Great, now we have a CECA pushing for a bailout of SIA.
By Nitin Pangarkar
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...-national-carrier-temasek-government-13137324
http://nus.academia.edu/NitinPangarkar/CurriculumVitae
Great, now we have a CECA pushing for a bailout of SIA.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 29,394
- Points
- 113
Qantas reveals details for next scenic flight
DEFAULT
Qantas has announced it will operate more scenic flights following the success of its first "flight to nowhere" earlier this month.
This time there's a twist - with some state borders now open, the trips will be "flights to somewhere", the airline said in a statement.
Rather than simply flying over destinations and returning to its point of departure, the next scenic flights will involve landing at a destination for an overnight stay.
The next flight will take 110 passengers on board a Boeing 737 to Uluru over the weekend of December 5, departing from Sydney.
Passengers will stay at Sails In the Desert at the Voyages resort at Uluru and the flight will include low-level flyovers of the rock and nearby Kata Tjuta (the Olgas).
The flight went on sale at 2pm on Thursday. The first scenic flight, which departed from Sydney and flew over sights including Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef before returning to the city, sold out in 10 minutes. Tickets were still available for the Uluru flight as of 6pm on Thursday.
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Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the airline had received "fantastic" feedback on the first scenic flight.
"Now that more borders are starting to open, we're partnering with tourism operators on the ground to offer special flights to special destinations," he said.
"Across Qantas and Jetstar, we're currently operating at just under 30 per cent of our pre-COVID domestic capacity and if borders continue to be relaxed, we're hoping that will reach about 50 per cent by Christmas.".
Advertisement
Along with the flights, guests will also participate in an Indigenous art workshop, experience dinner at at the Field Of Light art installation, guided walks and more.
Fares cost $2499 for economy class and $3999 for business class (twin share accommodation).
Qantas said the flight would be 100 per cent carbon offset.
Scenic flights have taken place in several countries around the world as airlines look for ways to generate revenue while most of their fleets are grounded. However, there has been a backlash, with some groups criticising the flights for generating unnecessary carbon emissions.
DEFAULT
Qantas has announced it will operate more scenic flights following the success of its first "flight to nowhere" earlier this month.
This time there's a twist - with some state borders now open, the trips will be "flights to somewhere", the airline said in a statement.
Rather than simply flying over destinations and returning to its point of departure, the next scenic flights will involve landing at a destination for an overnight stay.
The next flight will take 110 passengers on board a Boeing 737 to Uluru over the weekend of December 5, departing from Sydney.
Passengers will stay at Sails In the Desert at the Voyages resort at Uluru and the flight will include low-level flyovers of the rock and nearby Kata Tjuta (the Olgas).
The flight went on sale at 2pm on Thursday. The first scenic flight, which departed from Sydney and flew over sights including Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef before returning to the city, sold out in 10 minutes. Tickets were still available for the Uluru flight as of 6pm on Thursday.
Traveller Newsletter
Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox.
By submitting your email you are agreeing to Fairfax Media's terms and conditions and privacy policy.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the airline had received "fantastic" feedback on the first scenic flight.
"Now that more borders are starting to open, we're partnering with tourism operators on the ground to offer special flights to special destinations," he said.
"Across Qantas and Jetstar, we're currently operating at just under 30 per cent of our pre-COVID domestic capacity and if borders continue to be relaxed, we're hoping that will reach about 50 per cent by Christmas.".
Advertisement
Along with the flights, guests will also participate in an Indigenous art workshop, experience dinner at at the Field Of Light art installation, guided walks and more.
Fares cost $2499 for economy class and $3999 for business class (twin share accommodation).
Qantas said the flight would be 100 per cent carbon offset.
Scenic flights have taken place in several countries around the world as airlines look for ways to generate revenue while most of their fleets are grounded. However, there has been a backlash, with some groups criticising the flights for generating unnecessary carbon emissions.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 29,394
- Points
- 113
Qantas announces new ‘flight to somewhere’ and stay for $2500`
travel advice
Qantas announces new ‘flight to somewhere’ and stay for $2500
October 29, 2020 10:01am
Forget that month in Italy or cruising around the Greek Islands. Here’s how to recreate that European holiday in your own backyard.
Following the success of the Qantas’s ‘flight to nowhere’, the Aussie airline is now rolling out a new journey … this time, to somewhere.
As part of recovery efforts amid the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the tourism and aviation industries, Qantas has announced a one-off new route to Uluru (which is typically serviced by Jetstar) – but it will cost you a little more than a seat on the budget counterpart.
Dubbed the ‘flight to somewhere’, the journey is set to take off on Saturday, December 5 – but this time, instead of simply doing a seven-hour loop around parts of the country, this flight will land and allow passengers to spend the night at the natural wonder.
The first of the Scenic Flight Getaways will take 110 passengers on board a Qantas 737 from Sydney to Uluru to experience all that the Red Centre has to offer, with the overnight outing starting off with a pre-flight lounge champagne breakfast, a flight to Uluru including low-level fly-bys of Sydney Harbour on departure and low-level circuits to offer passengers a bird’s eye view of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
The new scenic flight to somewhere will head to Uluru. Picture: Joel Carrett/NCA NewsWire Source: News Corp Australia
The experience continues on the ground in partnership with Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, with passengers disembarking the aircraft and staying at luxury hotel Sails in the Desert.
During their stay, guests will enjoy a hands-on Indigenous art workshop, a Night at Field of Light including a three-course dinner under the stars using native ingredients, with a didgeridoo performance and an Indigenous interpretation of the night sky.
The following morning, passengers will watch sunrise over Uluru and a guided walk to the Mutitjulu Waterhole as well as a visit to neighbouring Kata Tjuta before a late morning brunch and a flight back to Sydney for a final harbour fly-by before landing.
The entire experience will set passengers back $2499 for an economy seat, or $3999 for a seat at the pointy end of the plane.
As state and territory borders slowly begin to reopen ahead of Christmas, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said flights around the country – scenic or otherwise – are crucial to aid tourism recovery efforts, and to expect more scenic flights in the future.
Part of the experience will be a sunrise tour of Uluru. Source: Supplied
“We were overwhelmed with the response to our scenic flight while most border restrictions were still in place. It sold out in 10 minutes and the feedback from people on-board was fantastic. Even the most frequent flyers said they had never experienced Australia from the air quite like that. And our crew loved being back on board,” Mr Joyce said.
“Now that more borders are starting to open, we’re partnering with tourism operators on the ground to offer special flights to special destinations. Even though seats are limited, we think the awareness generated by these flights is a great way to get more people thinking about where they might holiday as we head towards summer.
“Across Qantas and Jetstar, we’re currently operating at just under 30 per cent of our pre-COVID domestic capacity and if borders continue to be relaxed, we’re hoping that will reach about 50 per cent by Christmas. That will be great news for a lot of people in the travel and tourism industry as well,” added Mr Joyce.
The Field of Light art installation is a global phenomenon. Source: Supplied
Seats will go on sale at 2pm on Thursday, October 29, with just 110 seats available.
The announcement comes as the airline announced this week they will launch a Sydney-Launceston route, flying three times a week from December 4 and increasing to four flights the following week until February 4, 2021.
With Tasmania opening its borders this week, and with NSW on November 6, it’s the first time Qantas has flown to Launceston in 16 years with the airline flagging the route may continue beyond this eight-week period if there is sufficient demand.
travel advice
Qantas announces new ‘flight to somewhere’ and stay for $2500
October 29, 2020 10:01am
Forget that month in Italy or cruising around the Greek Islands. Here’s how to recreate that European holiday in your own backyard.
Following the success of the Qantas’s ‘flight to nowhere’, the Aussie airline is now rolling out a new journey … this time, to somewhere.
As part of recovery efforts amid the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the tourism and aviation industries, Qantas has announced a one-off new route to Uluru (which is typically serviced by Jetstar) – but it will cost you a little more than a seat on the budget counterpart.
Dubbed the ‘flight to somewhere’, the journey is set to take off on Saturday, December 5 – but this time, instead of simply doing a seven-hour loop around parts of the country, this flight will land and allow passengers to spend the night at the natural wonder.
The first of the Scenic Flight Getaways will take 110 passengers on board a Qantas 737 from Sydney to Uluru to experience all that the Red Centre has to offer, with the overnight outing starting off with a pre-flight lounge champagne breakfast, a flight to Uluru including low-level fly-bys of Sydney Harbour on departure and low-level circuits to offer passengers a bird’s eye view of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
The new scenic flight to somewhere will head to Uluru. Picture: Joel Carrett/NCA NewsWire Source: News Corp Australia
The experience continues on the ground in partnership with Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, with passengers disembarking the aircraft and staying at luxury hotel Sails in the Desert.
During their stay, guests will enjoy a hands-on Indigenous art workshop, a Night at Field of Light including a three-course dinner under the stars using native ingredients, with a didgeridoo performance and an Indigenous interpretation of the night sky.
The following morning, passengers will watch sunrise over Uluru and a guided walk to the Mutitjulu Waterhole as well as a visit to neighbouring Kata Tjuta before a late morning brunch and a flight back to Sydney for a final harbour fly-by before landing.
The entire experience will set passengers back $2499 for an economy seat, or $3999 for a seat at the pointy end of the plane.
As state and territory borders slowly begin to reopen ahead of Christmas, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said flights around the country – scenic or otherwise – are crucial to aid tourism recovery efforts, and to expect more scenic flights in the future.
Part of the experience will be a sunrise tour of Uluru. Source: Supplied
“We were overwhelmed with the response to our scenic flight while most border restrictions were still in place. It sold out in 10 minutes and the feedback from people on-board was fantastic. Even the most frequent flyers said they had never experienced Australia from the air quite like that. And our crew loved being back on board,” Mr Joyce said.
“Now that more borders are starting to open, we’re partnering with tourism operators on the ground to offer special flights to special destinations. Even though seats are limited, we think the awareness generated by these flights is a great way to get more people thinking about where they might holiday as we head towards summer.
“Across Qantas and Jetstar, we’re currently operating at just under 30 per cent of our pre-COVID domestic capacity and if borders continue to be relaxed, we’re hoping that will reach about 50 per cent by Christmas. That will be great news for a lot of people in the travel and tourism industry as well,” added Mr Joyce.
The Field of Light art installation is a global phenomenon. Source: Supplied
Seats will go on sale at 2pm on Thursday, October 29, with just 110 seats available.
The announcement comes as the airline announced this week they will launch a Sydney-Launceston route, flying three times a week from December 4 and increasing to four flights the following week until February 4, 2021.
With Tasmania opening its borders this week, and with NSW on November 6, it’s the first time Qantas has flown to Launceston in 16 years with the airline flagging the route may continue beyond this eight-week period if there is sufficient demand.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
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- 29,394
- Points
- 113
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2018
- Messages
- 29,394
- Points
- 113
On board Qantas' scenic 'flight to somewhere'
DEFAULT
You can't keep a great airline down on the ground - even in a pandemic. To prove the point, the Flying Kangaroo has made another leap of faith with its second scenic flight.
The new flight, a sequel to its much-publicised "flight to nowhere" over Australia earlier this year, was to quite a somewhere - Uluru.
Qantas is clearly onto something with its scenic flights and now other destinations, including Tasmania, Broome and Norfolk Island, have approached the carrier to be considered for similar one-off flights with landing rites (meaning at least an overnight stay, a la the Uluru service),.
Yulara Village and Uluru Ayers Rock Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park World Heritage Area Northern Territory.
Yulara Village and Uluru Ayers Rock Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park World Heritage Area Northern Territory. Photo: Alamy
There's also speculation that a flight to Longreach, Queensland - the century-old carrier's ancestral home - may be planned with the possibility of a repeat visit to Uluru, both in 2021.
The private jet flight to Uluru was a great success with passengers, a Qantas spokeswoman said. "[It was] a weekend in one of Australia's most unique destinations where everything was organised for them - all they had to do was sit back and enjoy the experience."
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Fares for the Central Australia sojourn, which included spectacular, fly-overs of Sydney Harbour, UIuru and Kata Tjuta, started at $2499 a person, twin share, including a night at the five-star, recently refurbished Sails in the Desert hotel.
There were plenty of perks, too, such as a goodie bag, including Qantas PJs. for each passenger and a dinner under the stars beside the Field of Light art installation (though let's not remind everyone of the 4.40am start the next day to catch the sunrise at Kata Tjuta before the trip home).
The flights have been more about goodwill and utilising otherwise grounded aircraft rather than revenue raising, with Qantas dusting off one of its jets, Mendoowoorrji, a Boeing 737-800 emblazoned with Indigenous livery inspired by the work of late West Australian painter Paddy Bedford.
"The benefit [of the scenic flights] has been providing our customers with a special travel experience during a time when travel has to be redefined to suit the challenging tourism environment," the spokeswoman says. "We were also very keen to support tourism partners get back on their feet post COVID-19."
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Once Qantas's domestic network is restored to near full capacity it will be harder to secure aircraft for special flights such as these so you better be in the scenic of time for any further flights of fancy.
The writer travelled as a guest of Qantas and Voyages Indigenous Tourism. See qantas.com and voyages.com.au
DEFAULT
You can't keep a great airline down on the ground - even in a pandemic. To prove the point, the Flying Kangaroo has made another leap of faith with its second scenic flight.
The new flight, a sequel to its much-publicised "flight to nowhere" over Australia earlier this year, was to quite a somewhere - Uluru.
Qantas is clearly onto something with its scenic flights and now other destinations, including Tasmania, Broome and Norfolk Island, have approached the carrier to be considered for similar one-off flights with landing rites (meaning at least an overnight stay, a la the Uluru service),.
Yulara Village and Uluru Ayers Rock Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park World Heritage Area Northern Territory.
Yulara Village and Uluru Ayers Rock Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park World Heritage Area Northern Territory. Photo: Alamy
There's also speculation that a flight to Longreach, Queensland - the century-old carrier's ancestral home - may be planned with the possibility of a repeat visit to Uluru, both in 2021.
The private jet flight to Uluru was a great success with passengers, a Qantas spokeswoman said. "[It was] a weekend in one of Australia's most unique destinations where everything was organised for them - all they had to do was sit back and enjoy the experience."
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Fares for the Central Australia sojourn, which included spectacular, fly-overs of Sydney Harbour, UIuru and Kata Tjuta, started at $2499 a person, twin share, including a night at the five-star, recently refurbished Sails in the Desert hotel.
There were plenty of perks, too, such as a goodie bag, including Qantas PJs. for each passenger and a dinner under the stars beside the Field of Light art installation (though let's not remind everyone of the 4.40am start the next day to catch the sunrise at Kata Tjuta before the trip home).
The flights have been more about goodwill and utilising otherwise grounded aircraft rather than revenue raising, with Qantas dusting off one of its jets, Mendoowoorrji, a Boeing 737-800 emblazoned with Indigenous livery inspired by the work of late West Australian painter Paddy Bedford.
"The benefit [of the scenic flights] has been providing our customers with a special travel experience during a time when travel has to be redefined to suit the challenging tourism environment," the spokeswoman says. "We were also very keen to support tourism partners get back on their feet post COVID-19."
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Once Qantas's domestic network is restored to near full capacity it will be harder to secure aircraft for special flights such as these so you better be in the scenic of time for any further flights of fancy.
The writer travelled as a guest of Qantas and Voyages Indigenous Tourism. See qantas.com and voyages.com.au
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This CEO got quality and creativity.
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