AIR TRAVEL – AUSTRALIA

Qantas complaints reach sky-high levels

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Original article by Ayesha de Kretser
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 2-Aug-23

An published draft document from the Airline Customer Advocate shows that it received a total of 6,918 complaints from airline customers in 2022, including some 4,000 complaints about Qantas. However, just 1,426 of the total number of complaints received were deemed to be eligible. The ACA says the 138 per cent increase in complaints year-on-year was to be expected, given that passenger numbers surged in 2022 after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. The number of complaints in 2022 was also well above pre-pandemic levels; the ACA received 2,135 complaints in 2018, including 1,410 that were found to be eligible.

CORPORATES
AIRLINE CUSTOMER ADVOCATE, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN

Why Australians are paying 50% more for air fares than pre-pandemic even as jet fuel costs drop

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Original article by Jonathan Barrett, Elias Visontay
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 31-May-23

Data from the International Air Transport Association shows that the price of aviation fuel has halved since peaking in mid-2022, and it is now priced at around the levels at which many airlines operated profitably in 2018. However, data from flight search company Kayak shows that this is not being reflected in the price of airfares in Australia. The average domestic airfare is now about 10 per cent higher than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the average international airfare is more than 50 per cent higher. Nick Schroeder from IBISWorld expects the price of international airfares to start falling in the second half of 2023, adding that they could potentially fall to around pre-pandemic levels within 18-24 months.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION, KAYAK, IBISWORLD PTY LTD

Virgin IPO could be tough sell as bankers question timing

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Original article by Aaron Weinman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 18-Jan-23

Private equity firm Bain Capital is widely tipped to proceed with an IPO of Virgin Australia in the second half of 2023. The mooted sharemarket float could be well-timed, given that airlines are benefiting from a post-pandemic upturn in demand for travel and the reopening of Australia’s borders to international tourists. However, some observers are concerned that demand for travel may peak ahead of the float, as growing pressure on household budgets due to rising interest rates and energy bills prompts them to reprioritise their spending. Some bankers also suggest that the high cost of international airfares and a lower Australian dollar will benefit Virgin, which has shifted its focus to the domestic market under Bain’s ownership.

CORPORATES
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED, BAIN CAPITAL LLC

Empty flights cast an air of doom

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Original article by Robyn Ironside
The Australian – Page: 4 : 7-Jul-21

The Board of Airline Representatives of Australia’s executive director Barry Abrams has warned that the nation’s coronavirus-induced lower caps on inbound passenger numbers means that some international flights to Australia will no longer be commercially viable. Two-thirds of flights into Sydney will be restricted to no more than 26 passengers, while no passengers will be permitted on the remainder. Likewise, most flights into Melbourne will be restricted to a maximum of 13 passengers. The impact of reduced passengers loads may be partially offset by strong demand for air freight.

CORPORATES
BOARD OF AIRLINE REPRESENTATIVES OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Rex flights bump into Sydney Airport hurdle

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Original article by Jenny Wiggins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 1-Mar-21

Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert says Regional Express (Rex) may find it hard to secure more landing and take-off slots if its new flights between east coast capital cities become popular with consumers. Culbert says Rex cannot secure access to any slots held at the airport by incumbents prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, due to waivers introduced by the federal government when the pandemic began. Sydney Airport stated in a submission in December to an inquiry on the future of aviation that the waivers could impede new entrants to the aviation market.

CORPORATES
SYDNEY AIRPORT – ASX SYD, REGIONAL EXPRESS HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX REX

Qantas triples flights to nose ahead of Virgin

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Original article by Robyn Ironside
The Australian – Page: 15 : 5-Jun-20

Qantas has advised that it will be operating at 15 per cent of its domestic capacity prior to the coronavirus pandemic from 22 June, and it aims to lift this to 40 per cent by the end of July. The progressive increase in flights will enable about 2,000 of the carrier’s employees to resume working. CEO Alan Joyce says a growing number of customers are starting to plan and book flights for coming months. Failed rival Virgin Australia is currently operating about 76 return flights each week, which are being subsidised by the federal government.

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH

Air travel could struggle to take off again

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Original article by Hans van Leeuwen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 23-Apr-20

The International Air Transport Association has warned that Australia’s aviation industry could take some time to recover when coronavirus restrictions are eased. The IATA notes that a rebound in business confidence after the number of new infections declined in late February saw domestic air travel in China quickly return to about 45 per cent of its previous level. The IATA’s chief economist Brian Pearce notes that in contrast, Australia’s domestic flights have not yet resumed despite the fact that the nation’s rate of infection has slowed considerably.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION

Qantas lifts its share as travel numbers fall

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Original article by Robyn Ironside
The Australian – Page: 19 : 12-Jun-19

New figures show that Qantas increased its share of Australia’s international travel market from 16.9 per cent to 18.2 per cent in March 2019. Qantas and its subsidiary airlines lifted their combined share of international passengers to 27.4 per cent, while Virgin Australia’s market share increased from six per cent to 6.7 per cent. The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Economics’ data also shows that international passenger numbers fell by 2.5 per cent year-on-year in March.

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, JETSTAR AIRLINES PTY LTD, JETSTAR ASIA, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT. BUREAU OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL ECONOMICS, THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION OF TRAVEL AGENTS LIMITED, INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN AIRLINES INCORPORATED, SINGAPORE AIRLINES LIMITED, AIR NEW ZEALAND LIMITED – ASX AIZ, EMIRATES AIRLINES

Domestic air travel grows by 7% from a year ago to over 8.46 million

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Jun-19

New research from Roy Morgan shows that more than 8.46 million Australians aged 14+ used a domestic airline in the year to March 2019, an increase of 7% from a year ago. Qantas led the way with over 4.3 million domestic customers in the last year (up 3.9ppts on a year ago), ahead of Jetstar with more than 4 million domestic customers (up 13.3ppts). Virgin Australia has closed the gap on its two leading rivals with almost 3.8 million domestic customers (up 15.9ppts). Analysing domestic airline customers by generation shows that Gen X are Australia’s leading domestic air travelers, numbering some 2.31 million, ahead of 2.04 million Millennials and 1.96 million Baby Boomers. Some 47% of Gen X has travelled via a domestic airline in the last year.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, JETSTAR AIRLINES PTY LTD, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH

Will Netflix, Spotify and Foxtel take off on Qantas?

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Mar-17

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that of the 22% of Australians aged 14+ who take at least one domestic flight with Qantas during the year, 87% own a smartphone and 76% own a tablet computer – both above the national ownership rates of 80% and 65% respectively. However, while these millions of passengers will likely be carrying a compatible device on board, only 60% currently use any of Qantas’s three new in-flight entertainment providers: Foxtel, Netflix and Spotify. Some 33% of Qantas domestic flyers watched Foxtel in the last four weeks, including its streaming options Go and Play, while 32% watched Netflix and 22% listened to Spotify.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, SPOTIFY LIMITED