Another A330 Int config flying domestically

[markis10]

QF are moving the China routes across to 747 come the Winter timetable, expect to see another A330 on the domestic legs!

 

[SimonM]

NRT-SYD too. My Sep 21 booking originally had QF22 as an A330, now B744. The flight arrives 25 minutes earlier too.

 

[Feper]

Is this on the Sydney-Shanghai routes or through to Hong Kong?

 

[markis10]

SYD-PVG is going to 747 .

 

[Feper]

That is excellent news, I do this trip monthly in J, hope they use the updated 747 "true" flat skybeds. Do you know what month they make the switch??

 

[taswegian77]

I traveled MEl-SYD last Wed on an A330-200 (well the safety docs showed it as a 200) and it ewas int'l config. i found it interesting that the config in J was 3 rowss, then then exit door, then another 3 rows of J. Then I traveled in J on QF41 on a A330-300 and it was 5 rows of J, am I missing something here? Then I traveled home on QF42 and it was also a 5 row J service bu ta A330-200, weird. Why do some A330's have 6 rows ans others 5. What is also interesting si that QF do a 30 J and 265 Y config and JQ do 38J and 265Y config. Begs the question why JQ cannot up their J product with flat beds?

 

[ajw373]

That is excellent news, I do this trip monthly in J, hope they use the updated 747 "true" flat skybeds. Do you know what month they make the switch??

There are no 747's with Skybed MKII at this stage. Think you will have a few more years to wait for that.

 

[mannej]

I traveled MEl-SYD last Wed on an A330-200 (well the safety docs showed it as a 200) and it ewas int'l config. i found it interesting that the config in J was 3 rowss, then then exit door, then another 3 rows of J. Then I traveled in J on QF41 on a A330-300 and it was 5 rows of J, am I missing something here? Then I traveled home on QF42 and it was also a 5 row J service bu ta A330-200, weird. Why do some A330's have 6 rows ans others 5. What is also interesting si that QF do a 30 J and 265 Y config and JQ do 38J and 265Y config. Begs the question why JQ cannot up their J product with flat beds?

I don't think the JQ A330's plus VH-EBJ were made to accommodate skybeds. Something about the floor not being re-enforced enough to handle them.

QF have 4 different configs of the A330-200 (36J199Y, 38J265Y, 36J265J, 36J201Y), none that have 30J, that is the -300 (which is 30J267Y), but in regards to the different placements of the exit rows, I can't answer that apart from guessing that the actual exit is in the same place, but the actual J seats in the domestic A332's take up less room than that of the international ones. That would make sense considering that the domestic J seats are Silverwing/Millennium, whilst the international ones use Skybed mkI.

As for the A330-300, it is a longer version of the A330, so that is probably why the exit row doesn't divide the J cabin in half.

 

[serfty]

The original 332's that are now operating JQi flights could not handle sky beds.

The more contemporary ones can.

Qantas did not plan to have all these various configurations; delay models to new deliveries has caused this.

 

[mannej]

Markis, when is it likely that all of the A332's will be flying domestically, if at all?

Is there any plans to move the older jumbo's back to domestic duties? It's all very interesting to see what happens considering DJ will be introducing the 2 A330's

 

[markis10]

Markis, when is it likely that all of the A332's will be flying domestically, if at all?

Is there any plans to move the older jumbo's back to domestic duties? It's all very interesting to see what happens considering DJ will be introducing the 2 A330's

I doubt they will all come back to domestic ops, simply because the loads are not there and the turnaround is not good, the 767s are much better on the golden triangle for instance. I do expect some 747s to come on domestically mainly as the 743s and SPs and even the combis before them did, put simply the 767 fleet has a use by date. Note also the LAX-AKL run can only be done by the A330-200.

 

[jb747]

The 332s are best kept on the longer routes. You will always see the occasional international configured aircraft doing domestic work. 767s did it for years whilst they were still mostly international.

I do not expect to see 744s used domestically though. It is much more cost efficient to use a 333 for that work, even if it does have less seats. They have plenty of 330s now, with more in the system, so the 744s will just be retired as 380s show up.

 

[ejb]

The 332s are best kept on the longer routes. You will always see the occasional international configured aircraft doing domestic work. 767s did it for years whilst they were still mostly international.

I do not expect to see 744s used domestically though. It is much more cost efficient to use a 333 for that work, even if it does have less seats. They have plenty of 330s now, with more in the system, so the 744s will just be retired as 380s show up.

That is sad as I loved the room the 743's had. You could easily stretch your legs in the front J cabin and have a chat with the FA's without getting in the way.

It would have been even better with SkyBed's

ejb

 

[jb747]

Yes, but it isn't a cost effective aircraft in short haul ops...and even Perth is pretty short haul.

Might work if you pushed the density up to 500 or so, but then you wouldn't have the room you want.

 

[ejb]

Yes, but it isn't a cost effective aircraft in short haul ops...and even Perth is pretty short haul.

Might work if you pushed the density up to 500 or so, but then you wouldn't have the room you want.

I understand the fact that flying 4 hours in a 747 is not using it economically, I was taking a purely selfish approach and saying what is good for me is this.

I am very impressed with the new A332's with the new seating and AVOD and throw in the occasional A333 with Skybeds and I am more than happy.

If I keep flying long enough maybe one day a A380 will do the SYD-PER run, now that would be great in F.

ejb

 

[JohnK]

I doubt they will all come back to domestic ops, simply because the loads are not there and the turnaround is not good, the 767s are much better on the golden triangle for instance. I do expect some 747s to come on domestically mainly as the 743s and SPs and even the combis before them did, put simply the 767 fleet has a use by date.

Not too soon though considering QF extended the lease on the ex-BA 767's.

But whatever they do I hope they continue with twin aisle aircraft on the golden triangle and not schedule more 737's.

 

[ajw373]

Not too soon though considering QF extended the lease on the ex-BA 767's.

Think will find that when the orginal leases on the ex BA aircraft expired Qantas purchased them outright.

 

[JohnK]

Think will find that when the orginal leases on the ex BA aircraft expired Qantas purchased them outright.

Did they?

The information I got from a CSM last year was that QF extended the lease.

 

[ajw373]

Did they?

The information I got from a CSM last year was that QF extended the lease.

I beleive so. Indeed the 7 holding companies that are the registred owners all have Coward Street Mascot as their address. Wheras aircraft leased from the likes of ILFC (for example) clearly show ILFC as the owner. If BA still owned they should show BA as the owner which they don't. I also seem to recall reading something about this in Australian Aviation several years ago.

 

[markis10]

I beleive so. Indeed the 7 holding companies that are the registred owners all have Coward Street Mascot as their address. Wheras aircraft leased from the likes of ILFC (for example) clearly show ILFC as the owner. If BA still owned they should show BA as the owner which they don't. I also seem to recall reading something about this in Australian Aviation several years ago.

If you are searching the aust register, it does not show owner but in fact shows registration holder and operator, it does not show the financial interest in an aircraft.