[Anonymous]

[Brett88]

Now that QR is part of One World, do you think a JV with BA on Kangaroo Route and/or UK-Asia services would be feasible? What I really want to know is, considering the success of the EK-QF JV, would it be in either BA or QR’s interests to give this a go? As we know, the ME3 carriers have been decimating the European legacy carriers’ traffic on the Kangaroo Route (with BA the only European carrier still using its own metal to Australia to just SYD, with NZ long gone) and the ME3 are putting serious pressure on them on their Europe – Asia routes too.

If this wouldn’t be feasible, why not? What differences can we draw upon between a BA-QR JV compared to the very successful EK-QF one? I’m very ignorant on the economics and logistics of it all, but very curious.

I’m an English teacher with no experience in the commercial aviation industry, so be nice and forgive my ignorance 🙂

Thanks

[TabTraveller]

VS still operates their own metal down to SYD and I doubt that’ll stop anytime soon given the strength of the virgin brand in oz.

[Brett88]

Ah yes, via HKG. I forgot that. Still… just two European carriers on the Kangaroo Route speaks volumes.

[Str8Talking]

I would say that the new QR route from DOH to EDI timed perfectly for OZ connections is a good indication of things to come.

[IanFromHKG]

For QF it enabled them to concentrate on one primary transfer hub, and gave them access to European routes through EK’s network that they could never serve themselves. So they get increased traffic to Dubai, reduced cost at out stations, a wider range of destinations, and accordingly a huge marketing advantage in Australia. I am not sure BA would get the same benefits from QR

Bear in mind also QF’s long-haul operations were loss-making and QF was desperate. That’s not the case for BA

[WillieWelsh]

No doubt there would be advantages to BA of a tighter arrangement with QR. The same situation does not apply as many of QF’s passengers were travelling to LHR to then travel back to places like MUC that they had flown over four hours earlier.

Places like PER would be a good bet though as the same applies with a transfer through SYD as did for QF passengers at LHR. It would be a much quicker option. Also places in India and China that BA do not operate to directly but QR do from DOH might be good choices where two connections could be cut to one.

I guess it really depends on how willing BA are to look at things differently and decide what is best for their passengers rather than just do what they’ve always done.

[SergeantMajor]

Well done, Brett88. Good for you on connecting the dots!

[craigwatson]

I couldnt see it happening. For one thing whats in it for QR? what does BA bring to the table other than stripping QR of UK-DOH traffic?

BA already has pretty much everywhere in Asia and Aus covered in one stop from the UK with their codeshares with CX.

[SergeantMajor]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxX-QOV9tI

[IanFromHKG]

Craigwatson, it would strip traffic on one route and add it on follow-on routes – which are, after all, QR’s raison d’être. My question would be what’s in it for BA.

[Brett88]

Thanks SM! And thanks everyone for your responses so far.

[JohnHarper]

I think there’s far less room for a BA/QR venture than there was for the QF/EK one. QF passengers had a lot to gain in terms of two stop services to many places in Europe and Africa from the EK agreement and equally you can fly one stop to the major cities of Aus through DXB.

QR currently only operate out of LHR and MAN though EDI is coming and BA of course only operate out of LHR. You have to factor EK into this again and recognise that they are already operating out of LHR, LGW, BHX, MAN, NCL and GLA and by the sounds of things picking up decent loads and freight to DXB. The fact that somewhere like NCL is supporting a 773 on a daily basis is significant. There can’t be much left going beyond the Gulf for anyone else to pick up.

Having just been in Doha and having had a conversation with a QR manager, they do not see any particular tie up coming with BA as they don’t see there’s anything in it for them.

[Westlake501]

For a UK or European based carrier would a direct non-stop service to Australia be a workable option? Heathrow to Sydney or Melbourne while technically feasible would probably not work economically much like the very long Singapore flight to New York.

However, with B787s and eventually A350s coming into the fleet would a direct Heathrow to Perth flight be a good option for BA or Virgin? Perth isn’t as far as Sydney and could work non-stop. Potentially it could also get round some of the flight crew issues by avoiding a stopover in Singapore.

[canucklad]

There is another topic on the website that I think can be linked to the original question.

BA management is probably looking on and learning from the deterioration in relationship between LH & THY.

Like John Harper I believe that QR is definitely going to steal BA passengers who would normally transit T5. As I also suggested BA’s market share is going to continually erode as more airlines and routes open up from EDI and elsewhere.

BA really needs to commit to a strategy that makes it the airline of choice in its home market. Although their recent actions would suggest that they consider the M25 as their home market and not the whole of the UK.

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