Getting fans to the Finals

[KimmorleyKiller]

Hell, if that got off the ground i'd fly down to Melbourne just to catch the coach back up

[mrpc]

If operating out of Sydney after 10.30pm (i.e. actual takeoff before 11pm), the best we could hope for is a bit of political pressure.  We'd need to lobby Qantas and Virgin and get them to lobby the federal pollies.  The minister can grant an exemption for commercial flights out of Sydney in exceptional circumstances. 

It's an election year after all, and the seats under the flight path are pretty much all safe seats nowadays, whereas those of us here who are in marginal seats in the outer suburbs could put some pressure on our own pollies

In exceptional circumstances the Minister may grant dispensations for aircraft to operate when they would not otherwise be allowed to do so. These must be issued in accordance with guidelines which define what are 'exceptional circumstances'.


when a dispensation is granted a report giving the reasons for the dispensation must be tabled in both Houses of the Federal Parliament.

[Thunderstruck]

Bankstown have the same rules.......That means NO fight can leave after 10.30pm....no matter who you are, even the PM.

Whoa, what if the fight ended before 10:30 pm??

[riccardo7]

I usually fly up to any away games, as I have flown, driven, coached and gone by train interstate, and I find flying the easiest and quickest option, especially if working, and is usually comparable in price if you get in early enough and don't mind flying at odd times.

I would be interested in catching a coach, but medical requirements usually preclude me from those sort of things.

[Mikey]

What if our charter flight left to0 go home early Monday morning? we could party all night and then fly home.

I don't know if this is possible but how about a charted train. Wouldn't that be awesome. I got a feeling the Crows fans did it but I could be wrong.


all aboard the Storm train

[mrpc]

What if our charter flight left to0 go home early Monday morning? we could party all night and then fly home.

I don't know if this is possible but how about a charted train. Wouldn't that be awesome. I got a feeling the Crows fans did it but I could be wrong.


all aboard the Storm train

The trouble with chartering a train is that even on an at-cost basis you're looking at about $1.30 per carriage per kilometre.  The closest SG rollingstock is in Adelaide, about 800km away.  Adelaide-Melbourne-Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide is about $4160 per carriage (i.e. per ~50 seats, or $83 a head) before you even look at the cost of diesel, crews, track access charges, advertising etc.

An alternative would be to suggest people get to Sydney of their own accord, and charter a one way party train back to Melbourne.  The NSW RTM has five standard gauge sitting cars (non air conditioned) capable of high speed operation and that group are accredited to operate in NSW and Victoria. 

NSWRTM also has two 48 seat dining cars (tables could be removed for party space), two lounge cars (with a bar at one end and about 20 couches), and six sleeping cars with a capacity of 20 apeice (five of which are available for charter, the sixth is typically used for crew accomodation).  A further 10 or so carriages could be chartered from 3801 Limited (in theory).  We could have the whole kit and kaboodle at Olympic Park Station as soon as the bulk of the crowds have left, load up (and hope we don't leave anyone behind), and those so inclined could party through the night back to Melbourne. 

You'd need to hire one car attendant per 50 passengers, and still pay kilometerage, diesel etc.  With heritage trains they don't like the whole "someone can get drunk, open the door and fall out" or "someone could want a smoke, open a door and fall out" etc.  You'd need to pay them for a 26 hour round trip, or at the very least, a 13 hour trip plus another three hours for transfer back to Sydney by air.

If the train were to return empty, it could be tacked onto the end of a scheduled freight service to help cut costs.