[MrMichael]

The TK non stop to Sydney is old news, it rang a bell with me and I found it below from the Telegraph. The plan seemed to be to fly non stop from about 2016 using a 777. Whether it is still the plan I have no idea.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/10096266/Non-stop-flights-to-Australia-confirmed.html

[SimonS1]

As Alex suggested the plan was pulled.

http://www.ausbt.com.au/turkish-airlines-pushes-back-on-planned-australian-flights

[MrMichael]

I would say it is only a matter of time before we get LHR-SYD non stop. Already I understand a 747-400 could do an LHR – PER non-stop with pax, albeit not a fully laden 747. The problem as I understand it is not the amount of fuel that needs to be carried, but getting that fuel off the ground in the first place.

[AMcWhirter]

flyingcanadian –
Thank you for the explanation. If TK were to mount a daily flight to SYD it would need more than one B777. In fact it would need a small fleet of special long range planes as SIA found with its US non-stops.

MrMichael – For your information, Qantas did operate LHR-SYD non-stop with a B747-400 in 1989. But it was a special flight and one which was lightly-loaded.

[MrMichael]

Alex, I understand it was non revenue, non pax flight. Is an LHR – PER revenue flight possible at the moment?

Edit: Ask Alex is back!

[VKsNemesis]

Perhaps a Business Class only LON-PER flight might be possible as aviation technology improves. The loads would be lighter so less fuel would be required thus enabling take off.
Maybe one day we could also witness mid-air re-fuelling for commercial aircraft.

[conc001]

Not sure how many people would want a non stop that long. I think t a 2 hour stop in Sin is a lot healthier and more pleasant. Note how qantas bookings fell when they stopped the Singapore/Bangkok stop

[LuganoPirate]

I’d imagine there’s a lot more traffic bound for Sydney than Perth, so for SYD bound traffic there has to be a stopover somewhere. At least BKK or SIN being roughly half the overall journey make more sense than Perth which would actually make the overall flight longer.

As for all business I’m not sure that would work as there’s a lot of friends and family visits as well as touristic passengers on each flight who tend to go economy, and an all business 747 would make the fares to expensive over the ME3 etc.

But haven’t we diverted from Simons original thread, Oil Prices. This week has again seen oil fall so I’m really wondering when the airlines will cut the oil surcharge, then if they do, will they just gently raise the fares to compensate?

[AMcWhirter]

Back on topic …

In Australia some airlines (including Qantas, Emirates and Virgin Australia) are coming under pressure to lower their fuel surcharges.

Some of the charges ex-Australia are high and not strictly related to flown mileage. Qantas, for example, has a fuel charge of AU$340 one-way to the US for Y and Y+ passengers. Those in business class pay AU$390.

A Qantas/Emirates flight to Europe costs AU$285 one-way for economy, AU$385 for Y+ and a hefty AU$540 for first and business class.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviation/qantas-emirates-and-virgin-australia-urged-to-cut-surcharges-as-fuel-price-sinks-20141012-114hbz.html

[flyingcanadian]

To all fellow Bloggers.

I apologise for misleading you all! I did just read it in the last week, but I did not notice the date on the article. If anyone of you have had teenage children, you will know how they suddenly change when they become teenagers! My son was having trouble at school, so I have had to change him to a Boarding School. Again, Sorry, and back to the thread of OIL PRICES. Even in the UK, they have dropped 4% since JULY but only 2-3% has been passed on to the consumers! Will the airlines ever pass on the reductions as we all agree it is another way the airlines can bleed us for extra revenue on tickets? The CEOs must be rubbing their hands in glee as they sit in their GLASS TOWER OFFICES!

[LuganoPirate]

If they hedged at higher prices, they won’t be able to reduce just yet.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-13/european-airlines-cut-jet-fuel-hedging-as-prices-fall.html

[SimonS1]

Indeed LP, however with prices coming down it will be interesting to see if airlines hedge next year’s fuel at lower prices.

That wouldn’t mean they didn’t really have an excuse.

However remember over time the fuel surcharge has metamorphosised in to a general carrier charge. This has a number of advantages, particularly because when you do an Avios redemption I believe the ‘charges’ still have to be paid?

[superchris]

The other ‘earner’ for airlines (and I stand to be corrected on this) is that unlike taxes, they are not refundable?

[MarcusGB]

According to Reuters, many Airline stocks in Europe jumped a little by 3% + last few days.

It would be shrewd simple marketing ploy, to decrease the fuel surcharge , if one Airline were to go out there and announce a reduction for their Customers?

Needless to say it would not be matched like for like with the actual price, but I am sure they will hold onto it for a while, especially LH, AF / KLM who lost much with Pilot Strikes in recent months.

[TMConsulting]

superchris: Fuel surcharge ARE refundable as long as the base fare is (with or without penalty fee). But you’re right, actual airport taxes are ALWAYS refundable (for unused tickets).

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