Qantas MEL-PER 787-9 service on Thursdays

[Mattg]

Has anyone noticed that Qantas is running a Boeing 787-9 on MEL-PER once per week? Sadly it's not going out of the international terminal, but Premium Economy is being sold as Y, which could be handy if you have status and can select a nicer seat.

QF773 and QF776 on Thursdays are the flights to look for.

 

[bussyboy]

I took QF773 MEL-PER on 24 OCT, booked about 2 months beforehand
As QF Silver I selected a W seat around 3 days out, but later got upgraded to J

Overall was a great option in the Dreamliner, if only this was available more frequently given the high demand and cost on PER fares currently.

Interestingly, even though it wasn't a tag flight, it still arrived through QFi terminal (i forget the T numbers) rather than the Domestic. But a least there was no customs rigmarole to go through.

 

[mannej]

I took QF773 MEL-PER on 24 OCT, booked about 2 months beforehand
As QF Silver I selected a W seat around 3 days out, but later got upgraded to J

Overall was a great option in the Dreamliner, if only this was available more frequently given the high demand and cost on PER fares currently.

Interestingly, even though it wasn't a tag flight, it still arrived through QFi terminal (i forget the T numbers) rather than the Domestic. But a least there was no customs rigmarole to go through.

T3, not unusual for flights into PER.

 

[thebmw]

Interestingly, even though it wasn't a tag flight, it still arrived through QFi terminal (i forget the T numbers) rather than the Domestic. But a least there was no customs rigmarole to go through.

There's only 4 gates showing as capable of B789 over T3&4, 3 of which are T3 (13 @ T4 and 17A @ T3 are dom only, 18A and 20A T3 are DOM/INT). As the whole point of the 789 being on these flights is to get it to PER for international flights, why wouldn't they park it on one of the international capable gates?

 

[madrooster]

get it to PER for international flights, why wouldn't they park it on one of the international capable gates?

They do park it on the international gates. Eg. yesterday's QF773 parked at gate 18 and left from gate 18.

 

[thebmw]

They do park it on the international gates. Eg. yesterday's QF773 parked at gate 18 and left from gate 18.

Uhh, that's what I was saying

 

[bussyboy]

As a passenger, without any heads up on landing (that i catched) it was a little disorientating after disembarkation. Not a big deal though

 

[jrfsp]

i dont know why PER / QF dont drop the numbering of "T3" and have a standalone T4 which is basically how it operates, particularly for people unfamiliar with PER and might think a convoluted terminal change is required.

 

[shaun_b]

On the topic of 787 domestic, I see QF499 SYD - MEL on 16 NOV is a 787. Not sure i've seen a 787 on SYD - MEL before? Could be a once off?

 

[Mattg]

On the topic of 787 domestic, I see QF499 SYD - MEL on 16 NOV is a 787. Not sure i've seen a 787 on SYD - MEL before? Could be a once off?

It has happened before - I flew in the 787 on QF499 back when they'd just taken delivery of the first one and were doing crew familiarisation flights! But yes, it's not a normal thing.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Used to be a nice reliable A330 run the old QF497 timing at 22:05 now called QF499 at 22:00 and usually a 737. I enjoyed those quiet A330's back in the day, plenty of seats in business available

 

[Daver6]

They've been doing this for a while now. I took it back in July.

 

[opusman]

i dont know why PER / QF dont drop the numbering of "T3" and have a standalone T4 which is basically how it operates, particularly for people unfamiliar with PER and might think a convoluted terminal change is required.

If it wasn't confusing and convoluted it wouldn't be PER!

 

[Mattg]

On the topic of 787 domestic, I see QF499 SYD - MEL on 16 NOV is a 787. Not sure i've seen a 787 on SYD - MEL before? Could be a once off?

I just checked and the 787 is positioning to MEL for this:

Melbourne 17 November 2024

Departing from Melbourne, experience the world's most unique scenic flight.

www.antarcticaflights.com.au

QF402, the 6am MEL-SYD departure on 18 November is also the 787.

 

[Mattg]

Actually, there are a few other 787 positioning flights scheduled around those Antarctica charters as well:

30 November 2024 - QF556 SYD 2135 - BNE 2205
2 December 2024 - QF503 BNE 0520 - SYD 0755

31 December 2024 - QF453 SYD 1345 - MEL 1520
1 January 2025 - QF428 MEL 0915 - SYD 1040

8 February 2025 - QF655 SYD 1950 - PER 2140
9 February 2025 - QF656 PER 2330 - SYD 0640+1

15 February 2025 - QF556 SYD 2135 - BNE 2205
17 February 2025 - QF503 BNE 0520 - SYD 0755

Happy booking