A330-300 Domestic Business

[Gold Member]

I have an upcoming MEL-SYD leg which I can move to various aircraft type and I'm a little unsure about the A330-300's. Would it be fair to assume that any A330-300 listed as a QF400+ flight number departing domestic terminal will have the horrible 'premium economy' (sardine pack style) seats in business? I have travelled on what I think was an A330 in business before and vowed never ever to do so again. The old 763 is like First Class in comparison.

 

[oz_mark]

I have an upcoming MEL-SYD leg which I can move to various aircraft type and I'm a little unsure about the A330-300's. Would it be fair to assume that any A330-300 listed as a QF400+ flight number departing domestic terminal will have the horrible 'premium economy' (sardine pack style) seats in business? I have travelled on what I think was an A330 in business before and vowed never ever to do so again. The old 763 is like First Class in comparison.

Anything describes as an A330-300 will have skybeds as they only exist in international configuration.

The lastes domestic A330-200 have a 2-2-2 layout in business, while the previous A330-200 (which now fly around with an orange star on them) were a 2-3-2 layout, which I guess is the sardine layout you speak of. Doesn't exist in the QF fleet at the moment.

 

[pauly7]

I have an upcoming MEL-SYD leg which I can move to various aircraft type and I'm a little unsure about the A330-300's. Would it be fair to assume that any A330-300 listed as a QF400+ flight number departing domestic terminal will have the horrible 'premium economy' (sardine pack style) seats in business? I have travelled on what I think was an A330 in business before and vowed never ever to do so again. The old 763 is like First Class in comparison.

It's not 'premium economy' its domestic J which sometimes ends up on international - Millenium seating i think you are referring too.

The A330-300 aircraft I believe are all Skybed equiped, I think its just the A330-200's that are being converted to Millenium.

See here: QFlyer - Qantas

 

[oz_mark]

It's not 'premium economy' its domestic J which sometimes ends up on international - Millenium seating i think you are referring too.

The A330-300 aircraft I believe are all Skybed equiped, I think its just the A330-200's that are being converted to Millenium.

I believe that the original 2-3-2 layout Qantas used in Domestic business was called a premium economy layout by Airbus.

 

[JohnK]

If you have the choice then take the A330-300. You will not be disappointed with business class on the A330-300 and the 737 and 767 are not even worthy of comparison....

 

[Gold Member]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm a little suspicious though because I wouldn't expect these aircraft would operate MEL-SYD domestic legs very frequenetly. Check out August 26th - the following flights all have A330-300 reported as aircraft type:

QF412 @ 07:30
QF420 @ 09:30
QF434 @ 13:00
QF458 @ 18:00

Is it normal to have these International config (330-300) running 4 legs domestically on a week day? Call me a cynic, but could this just be a marketing ploy from Qantas only then to swap aircraft as they are entitled to do? The last thing I want is to have them replace it with an A330-200 with the 'new' Millenium 'Business' seating.

 

[JohnK]

Personally I would love to see A330s operating on the SYD-MEL-BNE triangle anytime and I travel WHY most of the time.

Is it normal to have these International config (330-300) running 4 legs domestically on a week day? Call me a cynic, but could this just be a marketing ploy from Qantas only then to swap aircraft as they are entitled to do?

I don't think it is just a marketing ploy. If the flights fill up then the A330s would not be easy to replace with 737 or 767 services.

The last thing I want is to have them replace it with an A330-200 with the 'new' Millenium 'Business' seating.

Wouldn't the A330-200 be better than a 737 or 767 anyway?

 

[Mal]

Is it normal to have these International config (330-300) running 4 legs domestically on a week day? Call me a cynic, but could this just be a marketing ploy from Qantas only then to swap aircraft as they are entitled to do? The last thing I want is to have them replace it with an A330-200 with the 'new' Millenium 'Business' seating.

There are many reasons why they might have that many flights - maintenance requirements, positioning planes for overseas routes and returning them back to SYD etc. I would still prefer an A320 over a 767 or 737...

 

[oz_mark]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm a little suspicious though because I wouldn't expect these aircraft would operate MEL-SYD domestic legs very frequenetly. Check out August 26th - the following flights all have A330-300 reported as aircraft type:

QF412 @ 07:30
QF420 @ 09:30
QF434 @ 13:00
QF458 @ 18:00

Is it normal to have these International config (330-300) running 4 legs domestically on a week day? Call me a cynic, but could this just be a marketing ploy from Qantas only then to swap aircraft as they are entitled to do? The last thing I want is to have them replace it with an A330-200 with the 'new' Millenium 'Business' seating.

August is a way off yet, so things could change, but they have been operating 333's between SYD-MEL recently.

 

[Evan]

I have never heard anybody complain about the Domestic J on the A330 for QF, even the old one although the middle seat was a little less than idea it was still pretty good i thought.
In Australia we actually get some of the better services i would say for sure.

In any case i like say you should choose a B767 or A330 flight, i prefer them both to the single isle B737, especially if you get unlucky and get a convertible J switch. (ie 734 instead of a 738)

E

 

[pauly7]

Call me a cynic, but could this just be a marketing ploy from Qantas only then to swap aircraft as they are entitled to do?

You are a cynic I highly doubt this any marketing ploy. There are numerous reasons why the aircraft may be scheduled like this - as per others posts...

 

[Nigelinoz]

I think it will be interesting to watch how Qantas handles it's fleet in the coming year or so.
I noticed in the Alan Joyce interview referred to in another thread-
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/travel-news/interview-with-alan-joyce-16396.html
that Joyce seems to indicate that Qantas may possibly walk away from the 787 contract at anytime,I realise that is not relevant to the discussion about using 333's on PER-BNE but
it may say something about how they plan to utilise their aircraft in future

 

[Gold Member]

Re: A330-300 Domestic Business (MEL-SYD)

Well that's a pretty strong show of hands for the A333. I'll make the change to one of these aircraft in the hope that its not the sardine can premium economy equivalent and that I don't get a last minute aircraft change.

Just out of interest when I spoke with the Qantas rep earlier, she confirmed via her supervisor that the A333 services I was referring to were just a domestic configuration and definitely not International (skybed).... hmmm.

 

[Nigelinoz]

Re: A330-300 Domestic Business (MEL-SYD)

Well that's a pretty strong show of hands for the A333. I'll make the change to one of these aircraft in the hope that its not the sardine can premium economy equivalent and that I don't get a last minute aircraft change.

Just out of interest when I spoke with the Qantas rep earlier, she confirmed via her supervisor that the A333 services I was referring to were just a domestic configuration and definitely not International (skybed).... hmmm.

Would a skybed be that usefull on a domestic run anyway?

 

[Gold Member]

The fact that its a skybed is nice but not eseential. I will be in a skybed 1 hour later for 14 hours on my way to JNB so I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to appreciate it. What is essential though is that its not the Airbus version (or 763/73x) that has the new sardine style business class seating.

 

[Nigelinoz]

I must be the only person on the planet who finds the QF skybeds just about the most uncomfortable airline seat ever.
I think the Cathay Pacific product is much more comfortable.

 

[nlagalle]

The fact that its a skybed is nice but not eseential. I will be in a skybed 1 hour later for 14 hours on my way to JNB so I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to appreciate it. What is essential though is that its not the Airbus version (or 763/73x) that has the new sardine style business class seating.

QFlyer - Qantas

Shows you all the configurations. The only A330's that have millennium seats. Two A330-200's. I travelled on one last year and it was 2-2-2. I've not seen any in the QF fleet that are 2-3-2. So I think you'll be safe.

 

[oz_mark]

QFlyer - Qantas

Shows you all the configurations. The only A330's that have millennium seats. Two A330-200's. I travelled on one last year and it was 2-2-2. I've not seen any in the QF fleet that are 2-3-2. So I think you'll be safe.

All the 2-3-2 configured 332's have an orange star on the tail, but before that were in QF colours. J travellers did not like the config.

 

[pauly7]

I realise that is not relevant to the discussion about using 333's on PER-BNE but
it may say something about how they plan to utilise their aircraft in future

IIRC QF has already trialled the A330 on their bread and butter legs (the golden triangle) a while ago and they had issues turning the aircraft around fast enough....

Maybe they will consolidate their schedule (bigger aircraft every 45 mins instead of 30....) to compensate.

 

[oz_mark]

that Joyce seems to indicate that Qantas may possibly walk away from the 787 contract at anytime

...and do what instead?

,I realise that is not relevant to the discussion about using 333's on PER-BNE but
it may say something about how they plan to utilise their aircraft in future

If they have some bigger aircraft available at peak times (due to not using them elsewhere), seems reasonable to use them on domestic sectors. In the scheme of things its only a smattering of flights around the place (and if crews aren't being used to fly planes on int flights, they gotta fly somewhere!)