KUL-BNE-AKL on MAS

[Raj 0]

does anyone know why MAS stoped their KUL-BNE-AKL route?

[Ricky Tiong 0]

As far as I remember they have stopped the trans-tasman service to BNE. This is because of low load and is hard competing against number of other airlines.

 

All are now direct KUL-AKL with both B747 and B777.

 

You can check it at Malaysia Airlines website.

[S V Choong 4]

Prior to 1996 I think it was, MAS used to do KUL-BNE-AKL due to the reason that they didn't have enough load and it wasn't daily flights back then. It was 3x weekly and later 4x weekly. The 747-400 took over the route from about 1996 onwards. KUL-AKL direct started around 1997-98. 777s took over the route by end of 1997, MAS started daily into AKL.

 

The recent MAS financial trouble in 2002-03 saw the carrier restarted the KUL-BNE-AKL again using 744 and it reverted back to 5x weekly. I was lucky enough to do the KUL-BNE-AKL once again. Later, when the situation had improved (mid-2003). MAS had restarted the daily service into AKL MAS with some flights direct and some via BNE (about 3x weekly direct and 4x via BNE). While for the KUL-BNE route, MAS dispatch the A332 to do KUL-BNE on the days where the flights are not carrying on to AKL.

 

From early 2004 onwards, MAS had decided to do KUL-AKL direct with a mix of 777 and 747.

 

Flight time from KUL-BNE is around 7 hours and there will be a one and a half hour stop at BNE before the flight continues towards Auckland. At BNE, everyone has to disembark the aircraft and have their baggages re-scan at BNE terminal. There wasn't any exception and this annoyed the hell of everyone, really. So it is wise to stop the KUL-BNE-AKL route which has around 13-14 hours of flight time in total.

[Raj 0]

THANKS for the info!!!

[kandiah k 0]

Does MAS plan to fly daily into BNE soon, as they currently do 6x weekly.

 

Also, AKL was one of those destinations that were meant to be suspended during the 9/11. Now it has almost full loads I believe. Hope they can introduce a double daily into AKL and maybe restart CHC ?

 

 

 

[Keno Omar 0]

maybe restart CHC ?

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MH never flew to CHC on their own but briefly had a codeshare agreement with Ansett NZ on AKL-CHC. MH had similar agreement with Ansett AU via SYD to OOL, HBA, CBR & CNS.

[kandiah k 0]

Oic, I guess I mistook the adverts I remember seeing in the NST in the 90's.

 

 

[S V Choong 4]

Also, AKL was one of those destinations that were meant to be suspended during the 9/11. Now it has almost full loads I believe. Hope they can introduce a double daily into AKL and maybe restart CHC ?

 

MAS has never formally operated into CHC. You can see a MAS craft over at CHC whenever Auckland's weather conditions does not permit landing - a diversion.

 

MAS had briefly codeshare with Ansett NZ as stated above. Ansett NZ was a franchise "subsidary" of Ansett Australia. They operated a number of BAe-146 and DHC Dash 8s. Shortly before the collapse of Ansett Aussie, Ansett NZ was renamed to "Qantas NZ" - an alternative franchise. The Qantas NZ livery only lasted for about a year (2000 -2001) which the NZ company went into brankruptcy.

 

Qantas Australia finally stepped in and took over some of the routes, albeit not all of them. Qantas introduced their own 737-300 and had them re-registered under NZ "ZK-xxx" rego. Yes, unfortunately they are the 737s which Qantas is sending to retirement soon. Although it is not necessary to re-register the VH registered a/c, as the trans-Tasman aviation agreement allows commercial air-traffic to flow freely between both countries anyway. I suspect it may have to do with the fact that Qantas in NZ is operated by a company called "Jet Connect".

 

Anyway, back to the topic.......... MAS had a code share with Ansett NZ to various destinations. Wellington and Dunedin was also a codeshare destination along with Christchurch. Meaning the passengers from WLG, CHC and DUD (yes, dude!) will have to catch MAS flights at AKL.

 

Nowdays, the situation is........ MAS has not come up with any agreement with Air NZ or QF to reduce the prices of NZ domestic routes. So it often mean passengers outside of Auckland will have to pay full price for the domestic fare. This can be a put off to potential customers. Cathay have a deal with Qantas (jet connect), SQ and TG have deals with Air NZ (through Star Alliance).

 

These days, SQ have about 2 flights (sometimes 3 flights) each day into AKL with their own a/c. SQ used to fly between CHC and AKL but not too sure whether they are allow to pick up domestic passengers or not. Honestly I could not see MAS flying into CHC anytime soon..... Although in terms of market share of many things, CHC is the economy capital of South Island, while Auckland is the economy capital of North Island. Forget about Wellington and Dunedin...

 

Even MAS is to operate into CHC, firstly the must solve their a/c availability problem. From what I understand, they do not have many spare a/c ligering around for long anyway. 17x 777 and 17x 747 is a bit busy for their amount of routes. As Sing Yew pointed out earlier over MSN the other day, the load at ADL (Adelaide) can actually justify a second daily 777 into ADL, but only until they can get in more aircraft into the fleet.

Edited October 7, 2005 by S V Choong

[Sing Yew 1]

SV, I think what I said was, MH should operate daily flights into ADL and not double daily. We are still down at 4x weekly so it's already wishful thinking that they will increase their frequencies anytime soon.

 

SQ on the other hand will be introducing the 5th weekly flight, departing SIN every Monday night. Just an interesting info to share, Chew Choon Seng, SQ's CEO was in ADL yesterday and today for the official opening ceremony of the new Multi User Integrated Terminal (MUIT) over here.

 

Public Open Weekend is tomorrow and Sunday. Will be going to check out the new facilities tomorrow. Hope to take some pictures to share.