Intesting times ahead, at least Scoot have a good aircraft.I...

Intesting times ahead, at least Scoot have a good aircraft.
I wonder whats happened to AJ's Asia master plan.
Scoot is nearly up and running, what happen to Red Q ?
GLTA@QF

South-east Asia's newest budget airline, Scoot, has selected the Gold Coast as its second Australian destination, ramping up pressure on Qantas's budget offshoot, Jetstar, on its home turf.

A day after Qantas's boss, Alan Joyce, warned of foreign airlines targeting Australia, Singapore Airline's budget offshoot has named the Gold Coast as its second Australian destination after Sydney.

Scoot will begin five services a week between Singapore and the Gold Coast from June 12.


Scoot announced two months ago that it will begin daily services between Sydney and Singapore from the middle of this year, prompting Malaysian budget airline AirAsia X to put pressure on Malaysian regulators to allow it to fly to Australia's largest city.

AirAsia X will begin daily services between Kuala Lumpur and Sydney from April 2.

The arrival of Scoot at both Sydney and the Gold Coast will intensify pressure on Jetstar. The Richard Branson-backed AirAsia X also flies to the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth from Kuala Lumpur.

Scoot has promised fares up to 40 per cent cheaper than those of premium airlines.

The Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh, said today that Scoot's arrival would bring up to 2000 visitors a week to the Gold Coast, which would be worth $65 million a year to the local economy.

The medium- to long-haul airline will start with a fleet of four 402-seat Boeing 777-200s, which it is buying from its parent, Singapore Airlines. It plans to increase its fleet to 14 aircraft by 2015.

Apart from Australia, Scoot has named as potential destinations New Zealand, north Asia, Europe, India and the Gulf states, where premium carriers Emirates and Etihad are based.

Queensland's Tourism Minister, Jan Jarratt, said Scoot had indicated that China would also be among its first destinations, which would help to improve the links between the two countries.

"Asia represents the greatest growth potential for Queensland's tourism industry and increasing air capacity into Queensland from Asia is our long-term goal," she said.

Yesterday Qantas argued that it was under serious threat from international rivals increasing capacity on routes to Australia so they can take advantage of the high local currency.

Mr Joyce told a Senate committee that foreign airlines saw Australia as an attractive place to fly because the high local currency meant they stood to gain better yields from the sale of tickets here.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/new-budget-airline-books-gold-coast-arrival-20120207-1r2v6.html#ixzz1lgPIwRnqteresting times ahead ?
GLTa@QF !