Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Qantas' Perth-Japan Flight Cuts Hit Tourism
THE State's key tourism bodies, and many Perth Now readers, have been left disappointed by Qantas' decision to cut direct flights between Perth and Japan.
Earlier today Qantas announced that services between Perth and Narita in Japan will be suspended, and up to four weekly Jetstar services from Australia to Japan will be cut among a raft of other changes.
The carrier hopes these cuts will counter high oil and jet fuel prices and the impact of significant natural disasters in Japan, New Zealand and Australia, which have cost the company approximately $140 million.
Despite Qantas’ commercial rationale, Tourism WA CEO Stephanie Buckland said she was disappointed at the airline’s decision to suspend direct flights between Perth and Tokyo especially because the important market for WA seemed to be on the grow.
Ms Buckland said that despite visitor numbers from Japan declining in recent years, the trend apparently reversed in 2010 with the International Visitor Survey (IVS) figures showing a 14.9 per cent increase compared with 2009.
“Before the recent earthquake and tsunami we were optimistic that growth would continue,” Ms Buckland said.
She said TWA will maintain an open dialogue with Qantas about the potential for resumption of direct flights to Tokyo when conditions improve.
“There remain several carriers including Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Malaysian Airlines, Thai Airways, Air Asia and Jetstar which offer non-direct flights between Perth and Japan, and Tourism WA will work closely with those airlines and the WA tourism industry to encourage continued visitation to Western Australia,” she added.
Tourism Council WA president Paul King said the move from Qantas was yet another blow for local operators who have been doing it tough for some time in Western Australia.
“Japan is a significant industry partner of Western Australia, and like the Premier said on radio today, Qantas’ decision sends the broader Japanese community the wrong message, at a time when they are dealing with the devastation of recent events” Mr King said.
Mr King hoped the decision was only a temporary measure amid calling on Qantas to reconsider its decision in the future with a view to reinstate these very important airline routes.
Mr. King also highlighted the need for the state tourism industry to get behind and support the WA Tourism Minister’s push to attract direct services from other Asian destinations such as China and India now or miss out to the eastern states who were aggressively seeking this Asian inbound tourism business.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the other measures included reductions in domestic and international capacity, retirement of aircraft, reduction of management positions and ongoing fuel surcharges.
Last week the airline announced that domestic fares will rise up to $10 a flight from the end of the month, on top of the five per cent hike in February.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
