Paul Phelan/CAIRNS
Ansett International is planning a major boost to its long-haul capacity with the addition of two Boeing 747-400s every year for the next six years. The move has recently been approved at board level, it is believed.
The aircraft are expected to come from Singapore Airlines, but the carrier will not confirm the acquisition and has not identified intended changes to its present route structure. The acquisition will mean a radical switch in the make-up of a fleet which currently has only two 747-400s in its mix. Capacity on international routes is mainly provided by 10 Boeing 767s.
The airline, currently in the throes of a full takeover by 50% owner Air New Zealand, has, however, already signalled its plans to begin flying between Australia and the US West Coast in its own right, and existing agreements provide automatic approval for up to four weekly services for start-up carriers on the route, with built-in provision for growth.
Airline sources believe Ansett will progressively replace at least some of Air New Zealand's daily direct services between Sydney and Los Angeles, to exploit the Australian brand on the route and allow Air New Zealand to re-deploy some of its existing capacity on Asian routes. Ansett has also applied to the International Air Services Commission for extra capacity to Japan and Singapore.
While the carrier prepares to raise its international profile, it is continuing to pare its domestic operations with a decision to hand over several loss-making BAe 146 services in Northern Australia to two independent regional carriers. Brisbane-based Flight West Airlines is the main beneficiary taking over several routes from Cairns with Fokker F28s. Airnorth will takeover the Ayers Rock/Alice Springs services.
Source: Flight International
