Dear Alex,
Why is Royal Brunei cutting back on the kangaroo route? It serves Brisbane, Perth and Auckland and was a favourite carrier of mine on account of its good prices. Now I understand it will cease all of these destinations from the end of October, leaving only Melbourne.
Brad Simons, London
Alex replies:
The carrier is a victim of the changing marketplace. In the past, Royal Brunei made a living out of flying budget-minded travellers between London and Australasia via its hub at Bandar Seri Bagawan. But according to a press statement: “The kangaroo route has become ultra-competitive in recent years, especially in the face of a sharp growth in capacity from the Middle East carriers.
“Our long-haul financial performance has deteriorated. Our existing network is not sustainable in its current form.” It means that while the carrier will keep London and Melbourne, it will focus instead on regional flights.
