Austrian Airlines to terminate Australia flights

[Seth K 3]

Ahh...I think I forgot to mention something, Pieter. That shot was taken at eskyBar, SYD's viewing deck.

 

And downtown is in fact close to the airport, 16km from airport. After taking off Rwy34L, gears up, clean the flaps/slats etc, and CBD is just to your right! Comes free with Sydney Harbour Bridge view too! Guess I'll miss this place when I'm done with my degree here in down under.

Tony, I like that Austrian shot! This one really remind me of Boston Logan.

[H C Chai 4]

Found this on the TTGAsia website, looks like Austrian is pulling out of KLIA next March!

 

http://www.ttgasia.com/index.php?option=co...12558&Itemid=26

 

Austrian to quit KLIA and Changi

 

By S Puvaneswary

 

KUALA LUMPUR – Austrian Airlines will terminate its six-times-a-week Vienna-Kuala Lumpur-Sydney and thriceweekly Vienna-Singapore-Melbourne flights by the end of the 2006/2007 winter schedule.

 

Country manager for Malaysia and Singapore, Mr Wilson Tay, citing reasons for the pullout, said: “Spiralling fuel prices and vicious competition had diluted yield earning, thus rendering the direct kangaroo route services too cost intensive to be operated profitably on a sustainable basis.”

 

However, load factors on the longhaul flights utilising a Boeing 777 aircraft had been rather good, 83.8 per cent last month and averaging in the high-70s.

 

That leaves the airline with only one route in South-east Asia, between Vienna and Bangkok, operated daily.

 

“When the operation ceases in March 2007, Austrian Airlines, and previously Lauda Air, would have served Kuala Lumpur for nine-and-a-half years and Singapore for almost three,” Mr Tay said.

 

The trade expressed disappointment. Worldwide Aviation Sales managing director, Mr Christopher Tan, said: “Thereafter, there would be no other direct connections to Vienna as Malaysia Airlines (MAS) had also ceased flights in June. We have also lost one of only two airlines that fly directly to Sydney from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) – the other being MAS.”

 

MSL Travel’s chief executive, Mr D Ramchand, added: “Austrian Airlines offers a bridge linking Austria, the centre of Europe, to Malaysia and Australia. When this bridge is broken, it will affect tourism, cultural and business ties between Austria and Malaysia.”

 

Golden Tour World Travel moves more than 800 passengers annually on its European tour packages. Managing director, Mr Jason Lim, said his company’s tour packages to Eastern Europe would be affected. “Centrally located Vienna was an ideal gateway for us, but now we may have to consider Munich or Frankfurt.”

 

General manager of Sime Darby Travel Group, Ms Margaret Mah, hoped Austria would keep a representative office in Kuala Lumpur after going offline, but Mr Tay said he was “uncertain”.

 

Two other European carriers, KLM and Lufthansa, fly from Amsterdam and Frankfurt, via Bangkok, respectively to KLIA.

[Pieter C. 5]

Two other European carriers, KLM and Lufthansa, fly from Amsterdam and Frankfurt, via Bangkok, respectively to KLIA.

 

To make it more clear:

 

LH operates FRA-BKK-KUL v.v.

KL operates AMS-KUL non-stop v.v.

 

There are rumours, KL wants to 'dis-connect' KUL from the CGK operation, and operate both the KUL and CGK flights non-stop effective next Summer

KUL with 744 and CGK with 772...(sorry Azahan)

This will give more seats available for the Malaysian market

As both MH and KL flights fully booked most of the time, there might even be an increase in flights next year (from 14 to 18-20 a week)...

[Keith T 2]

I'm seeing some very nice pre-pulling out MEL-SIN fares on OS. Might just wait for a long weekend before March and go to SIN on OS.

 

There are rumours, KL wants to 'dis-connect' KUL from the CGK operation, and operate both the KUL and CGK flights non-stop effective next Summer

 

So to clarify, the stop in BKK will be eliminated for LH flights to KUL?

I sense a OS-LH codeshare (read: Star Alliance cartel arrangement) for VIE-FRA-KUL.

 

Apparently SIN is not retained as previously speculated as the demand for SIN-VIE traffic is quite weak. Only 8 seats (4 Y, 4 J) on the OS service are reserved for the SQ codeshare.

Edited August 12, 2006 by Keith T

[Pieter C. 5]

So to clarify, the stop in BKK will be eliminated for LH flights to KUL?

 

Nope, don't know anything about LH or any Star-Alliance 'deal' for Malaysia/Singapore...

rumours are, KL will operate AMS-KUL v.v. and AMS-CGK v.v. i.s.o. AMS-KUL-CGK v.v.

[Izanee 0]

pieter...that's good news indeed! this will also help to show AF how important the AMS-KUL route is to both KL/MH

[Seth K 3]

Pieter, good news for KUL!!!!.......

 

Regarding to Austrian issue, wonder why they don't just increase the fare a bit to support that route, after it's profitable!!!!! Keeping BKK is a really good move, looks like Austrian pax will get TG flight to Oz for sure

[Keith T 2]

Nope, don't know anything about LH or any Star-Alliance 'deal' for Malaysia/Singapore...

rumours are, KL will operate AMS-KUL v.v. and AMS-CGK v.v. i.s.o. AMS-KUL-CGK v.v.

 

Whoops I misread ur last post.

[Ruiz Razy 1]

Any posibilities on CDG - KUL for AF?

[Pieter C. 5]

Any posibilities on CDG - KUL for AF?

 

AFAIK nope ...all KUL traffic either channeled CDG-AF-SIN-MH/SQ-KUL or CDG-AF/KL-AMS-KL-KUL.

[kandiah k 0]

sorry off topic a bit....

 

Pieter,

 

Good news if KL does that, but sadly there won't be good deals on the KUL-CGK-KUL, even AK is beaten flat with the KL flat rates of RM350 return with tax my friend paid for that route. However, do you think KL can remain a daily B772 on the AMS-CGK-AMS route ? What about load restrictions from the EU and the other rules that are set by the EU ?

 

Also, will KL use their B744 or the Combi for the dedicated link to KUL ? Sounds great that they want to increase capacity and flights into KUL and make a direct link to CGK.

 

The rest,

 

Now back to the topic, perhaps OZ could still fly into KUL and have a terminating service at KUL and code-share to SYD/MEL/AKL on MH flights ? But then again, they may as well transfer these pax via BKK on TG.

Hopefully they decide to return to KUL in the near future; too bad OS was too greedy and messed up NG's flagship route which they (OS) could not sustain.

 

Are there any plans for LH to increase service to KUL after OS pulls out of KUL/SIN/SYD/MEL ? If they do, then thats good news but hopefully they can have a dedicated service rather than a stop in BKK. There are some pretty good deals on LH for the KUL-BKK-KUL route now, I saw it in the STAR a couple of days ago.

 

Looks like airlines are coming to and leaving from KUL on a very eratic basis.......now you see, now you don't.....among the airlines are Transaero, Air Nepal International, Thai Sky, Orient Thai, First Cambodia,...........and many more!!!!!!!!!!!!