First refurbished 767 enters service end of the month [Oct '12]

[serfty]

Umm?? The business class fares SYD/HNL with QF are pretty ridiculous for travel on these 763's.

 

[christopherc]

I think the issue is about charging a premium price for a substandard product....

When one pays a premium price, one would ordinarily expect to get a premium product.

I totally agree with that and i would like to tell all the members the track between NOU and SYD is the most expensive in the Pacific at peak season it can reach 1400AUD for coach seat !!! when the business is around (maximum at peak season) 1800AUD INSANE.
QANTAS is not faulty on that, but the government of New Caledonia doesn't allow cheap trip between those 2 cities to protect the local company AIRCALIN. So QANTAS must apply the same rates as AIRCALIN.

 

[JohnPhelan]

That route really needs an A330 with Skybed Mk I minimum.

Which is what I got, on both QF3 and QF4, in December. But I would have preferred a 747.

 

[ajw373]

Umm?? The business class fares SYD/HNL with QF are pretty ridiculous for travel on these 763's.

It would be pretty ridiculous on an A330 or 747 for that matter too.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Umm?? The business class fares SYD/HNL with QF are pretty ridiculous for travel on these 763's.

The J class fares to HNL are ridiculously expensive, no matter what aircraft.

But they wouldn't be that expensive if they weren't being purchased. So who pays that price? A hint - apart from tourism, what's the other main industry on the island of Oahu?

 

[Newk]

The J class fares to HNL are ridiculously expensive, no matter what aircraft.

But they wouldn't be that expensive if they weren't being purchased. So who pays that price? A hint - apart from tourism, what's the other main industry on the island of Oahu?

yep, I am going next January and someone else is paying. Nevertheless I was so embarrassed at the business fare that I booked economy and will try a points upgrade

 

[anat0l]

The J class fares to HNL are ridiculously expensive, no matter what aircraft.

But they wouldn't be that expensive if they weren't being purchased. So who pays that price? A hint - apart from tourism, what's the other main industry on the island of Oahu?

Film & television? (Sorry, really don't know the answer here)

I think QF has so far found that they can just chuck a 767 on that route and be happy with it. I'm also thinking that even with expensive, not-for-value J on it, they're not caring that the cabin is not necessarily full.

It needs a shake up before QF will move, if even then. Maybe new territory for VA? But VA / Velocity and HA already have an agreement, so unlikely to happen.


But...... given that this thread is about the refurbished 767s as a whole, I think the refurbishment is a good move, particularly as my interaction with them will most likely be on the domestic operated routes only. Would've been nice if they had re-done up the overhead bins, but ah well. I have no idea how they cope during the major business commuter times (if they do survive), since all the road warriors cart rollaboards.


A refurbished 767 would be better than a non-refurbished one, although some people will not like the leather seats, and there's perhaps a good argument that the Dreamtime seats are better than Millennium (let alone leather covered Millennium).

 

[medhead]

Film & television? (Sorry, really don't know the answer here).

I guess defence. Pearl harbour and all that....

 

[moa999]

Cost over customer experience - this is the AJ experience. What do you expect from a CEO who came from revenue management and fleet planning at Aer Lingus and of course a wonderful 5yrs at JQ.

Heath Techna offers this? Why didn't QF just say 'we'll take that interior'!

QF is doing this full interior revamp on the older 738s that it will hold onto for another ten years.
If the 767s are not in Victorville by then we will all be in trouble.

 

[anat0l]

I guess defence. Pearl harbour and all that....

With the latest defence cuts, they may have to get back down to earth and elect for a Y travel policy, or a more liberalised airline selection policy.

 

[Ewing]

I think QF has so far found that they can just chuck a 767 on that route and be happy with it. I'm also thinking that even with expensive, not-for-value J on it, they're not caring that the cabin is not necessarily full.

Someone's paying for it. Here's QF3 yesterday:

Seat Map Search:
Departing SYD on 03/02/13 for HNL
Flying QF flight 3 in Business, Economy

        A       E   F       J   K   
1       -       -   -       -   -       
2       -       -   -       -   -       
3       -       -   -       -   -       
4       -       -   -       -   -       
5       -       -   -       -   -       
        A       E   F       J   K

(ie: not a spare seat)

 

[anat0l]

Someone's paying for it. Here's QF3 yesterday:

Seat Map Search:
Departing SYD on 03/02/13 for HNL
Flying QF flight 3 in Business, Economy

        A       E   F       J   K   
1       -       -   -       -   -       
2       -       -   -       -   -       
3       -       -   -       -   -       
4       -       -   -       -   -       
5       -       -   -       -   -       
        A       E   F       J   K

(ie: not a spare seat)

That includes upgrades (both points and operational)?

I wouldn't be surprised if op-ups are more than usual on the route, given that the dominant tourist demand will be propelled by Y.


Otherwise, how do they do it? Someone want to go to SYD QF counters with placards saying, "If you paid for your ticket in Business, YOU ARE A SUCKER."

 

[Mal Ware]

Who says that Qantas is charging a premium price? Good example is my next trip which is to London Qantas is around $1800 and SQ $2500.

Is that on a refurbished 23 year old 767?

 

[JohnPhelan]

I guess defence. Pearl harbour and all that....

And the winner is .... Medhead! I'm told that it's basically the military that keeps J busy on the flights to HNL. Senior officers (both commissioned and public service) travel J on business. HNL is the home of the major US bases for the navy, army and airforce, and there is apparently a lot of senior ADF travel to and from HNL. Obviously they pay government contract rates, but it's sufficient to keep the J cabins bubbling along nicely for QF's bottom line. Add in those QFFers travelling on redemptions, JASAs, DONEs and points upgrades - and you have pretty much constantly full J cabins.

 

[Mal Ware]

And the winner is .... Medhead! I'm told that it's basically the military that keeps J busy on the flights to HNL. Senior officers (both commissioned and public service) travel J on business. HNL is the home of the major US bases for the navy, army and airforce, and there is apparently a lot of senior ADF travel to and from HNL.

You are wrong there.

There is a few bases on Hawaii but all of the major US bases are on the mainland US.

Probably the biggest would be Hickam Air Force Base, the have a good golf course there.

As for there being a need for flights just to ferry Austalian military to HNL you are again way off the mark. The odd officer might need to travel there, but the amount of traffic you make out is again far from correct. They have things like phones and computer hook ups these days and there is no pressing need for Australian military to regularly travel there, except maybe just before, during and after a Rimpac Exercise which takes place every couple of years from memory.

 

[markis10]

You are wrong there.

There is a few bases on Hawaii but all of the major US bases are on the mainland US.

Probably the biggest would be Hickam Air Force Base, the have a good golf course there.

As for there being a need for flights just to ferry Austalian military to HNL you are again way off the mark. The odd officer might need to travel there, but the amount of traffic you make out is again far from correct. They have things like phones and computer hook ups these days and there is no pressing need for Australian military to regularly travel there, except maybe just before, during and after a Rimpac Exercise which takes place every couple of years from memory.

Mal ware, you are wrong, few bases on Hawaii = 9 including one of the largest in the world for movements, NS Pearl Harbour which sees over 2.5M passengers a year and 65000 boat runs , as for using technology instead of travel, there is so much travel the USO actual have their own lounge at HNL!

For 6 months of the year we have 3000 Marines on our shores that come from MCB Hawaii, bit hard to pick up the phone and order supplies etc for that lot so in fact you will find quite a significant contingent of US personal flying HNL-SYD-DRW, I have had at least one on every SYD DRW flight I have done. We also have US bases on our soil that are serviced and under the watch of USPACOM.

U.S. military and civilian personnel assigned to USPACOM number approximately 325,000, or about one-fifth of total U.S. military strength. U.S. Pacific Fleet includes six aircraft carrier strike groups, approximately 180 ships, 1,500 aircraft and 100,000 personnel. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific possesses about two-thirds of U.S. Marine Corps combat strength, includes two Marine Expeditionary Forces and about 85,000 personnel assigned. U.S. Pacific Air Forces is comprised of approximately 40,000 airmen and more than 300 aircraft, with about 100 additional aircraft deployed to Guam.

HNL is also home to one of the most important assets in the USAs defence network, the Barking Sands Missile Range, which is the closest live missle range available to the RAN who use it extensively, including the recent acceptance of the standard block 2 (SM-2) missile into the fleet via live firing tests with HMAS Sydney & Adelaide. RIMPAC is also held every two years, and just happens to be the largest maratime exercises in the world, again Australia has significant involvement requiring logistics etc, heck last year we actually sunk a ship Mk48 Torpedo from HMAS Farncomb Sinks Target SHip, Ex USNS Kilauea | Defense Update - Military Technology & Defense News.

For the years when RIMPAC is not on we have Talisman Sabre, we basically sees Australia invaded when it comes to FNQ and Darwin with around 15000 US service folks, there is also regular use of Shoalwater Bay by the US including an 8 week deployment of USN assets at TSV late last year in conjunction with the USN Growlers at Amberley.

So no reason for there to be any traffic to HNL for the Military??? In fact I think you will find its one of the busiest routes the ADF spends its travel budget on, given Hawaii is so important an asset that the US went to war over it!

 

[ajw373]

With the latest defence cuts, they may have to get back down to earth and elect for a Y travel policy, or a more liberalised airline selection policy.

If you are talking about the Australian Defence Force, fear not they, like the whole of the Australian Government already do have a liberalised airline selection policy. Cheapest fare of the day wins, and with Jetstar offering what THEY term 'business class' Jetstar wins quite a bit.

 

[Limewood]

Anyone know if ones one the 767 refurb Y seat armrest fold away?.

I'm not sure how accurate Expert flyer is in showing seats available?, the next 3 Fridays show SYD/HNL/SYD about one third full and we are on one of those, Was wondering if the extra much cheaper additional HWA flights out of BNE to HNL has made an impact.

I do see about half the J class cabin has X marked on seat selection.

 

[simongr]

Anyone know if ones one the 767 refurb Y seat armrest fold away?.

If it didnt foldaway before it wont now. They haven't made any structural changes to the passenger experience merely cosmetic.

 

[nlagalle]

Anyone know if ones one the 767 refurb Y seat armrest fold away?.

I'm not sure how accurate Expert flyer is in showing seats available?, the next 3 Fridays show SYD/HNL/SYD about one third full and we are on one of those, Was wondering if the extra much cheaper additional HWA flights out of BNE to HNL has made an impact.

I do see about half the J class cabin has X marked on seat selection.

Yes the middle seat armrests fold up in Y..