A380 To Fly Special MEL > SYD Flight 23feb24 (QF7168)

[yachty]

The domestic gates that could take 747s can take A380s. Airlines just chose not to use them because having access to that 3rd air bridge makes boarding an A380 much faster.
Nothing prevents an A380 being boarded via 1 door and using the internal stairs besides time.

None of the gates at SYD or MEL domestic are listed as A380-compatible on the Airservices apron charts, but I don't know if that's the source of truth for such things.

Possibly the first time an A380 has been used domestically, I had a similar experience about 10 years ago.

I was flying PER-SYD and SYD ended up being closed due to extreme weather about an hour out from us landing, so my flight (as well as many other SYD bound flights) was diverted to MEL and we had to stay overnight in a hotel. The next morning we were flown back up to SYD on a 747 which was pretty surreal for a 1hr flight! There was a handful of 747's used that day to reposition all the diverted pax back to SYD.

Granted, the 744's did used to operate trans-con so it's not quite the same, but it was still a nice surprise for an avgeek like me

I remember ending up on a 747 on a MELSYD when the cricket was on or something similar. It was fun!

 

[Ansett]

The first lounge in Melbourne is packed. I am off to DPS and couldn't get a guest in as a P1

 

[Tannin]

The first lounge in Melbourne is packed. I am off to DPS and couldn't get a guest in as a P1

Those pesky DOMESTIC loungers... flight is due to depart at 6.55p AEDT so should hopefully empty out. (UPDATE: FlightAware says it's now 7.29pm... can't imagine onboarding was quick and SYD arrivals delayed 45+ minutes due to storms)

 

[ayebee]

Flight just took off at 7.23pm,
Something strange happening with AFF posts, at least on my PC, showing 2 hours later than reality.

 

[MooTime]

So it's taken off 2.5 hours late.
My goodness, pax supposed to have delayed MEL at 4pm, have now departed 3.5, hours later.

Off course getting the domestics thru international would be bit of a logistic nightmare, but really.

I'm calling this was a PR stunt that's gone rather not so good.

Still fun if you didn't have to be somewhere at certain time.

 

[TheDefenestrator]

ETA 20:30 I assume by now lol.
The storm that was around SYD seems to have mostly passed from what I can tell so fingers-crossed no further issues from here.

 

[elanshin]

So it's taken off 2.5 hours late.
My goodness, pax supposed to have delayed MEL at 4pm, have now departed 3.5, hours later.

Off course getting the domestics thru international would be bit of a logistic nightmare, but really.

I'm calling this was a PR stunt that's gone rather not so good.

Still fun if you didn't have to be somewhere at certain time.

Depends on who I guess. If you're one of those people that got upgraded to F or J you'd probably still be alright. Likely checked out the dungeon or QF F.

The QF dungeon is still miles ahead of QP assuming there was space in there.

Or even Y pax that got PE.

 

[AIRwin]

Depends on who I guess. If you're one of those people that got upgraded to F or J you'd probably still be alright. Likely checked out the dungeon or QF F. Or even Y pax that got PE.

I'd have thought that only Platinums and above booked on this flight would have access to the F lounge

 

[DC3]

Still fun if you didn't have to be somewhere at certain time.

Exactly. Big risk to plan on any flight running to schedule. I usually plan to arrive the day prior to anything of importance.

Post automatically merged: Feb 23, 2024

I'd have thought that only Platinums and above booked on this flight would have access to the F lounge

They’re all WP/+ … and their guests?

 

[RichardMEL]

I was 7 minutes out. Woot.

The delay came from OQD leaving SYD late.. probably related to the weatger. They may have also held a bit departing MEL due to the pause in ops at SYD due to the weather.

Swift delayed also

 

[Aggi]

They will probably be stuck on the tarmac once they land due to no gates free in Sydney. I’m on QF648 from Perth which landed at 19.45 but we are still waiting for a gate an hour later. Hoping I can still get onto QF 493 to Melbourne which is now scheduled to depart at 21.30 .

 

[PaulyB]

I’m wondering if the weather has had any effect on BNE Syd flights. My daughter’s family coming in from o/s for Tay Tay has had their Syd flight 557 cancelled. Sigh maybe a 380 was needed there too!

 

[RichardMEL]

They will probably be stuck on the tarmac once they land due to no gates free in Sydney. I’m on QF648 from Perth which landed at 19.45 but we are still waiting for a gate an hour later. Hoping I can still get onto QF 493 to Melbourne which is now scheduled to depart at 21.30 .

Remember it coming into T1 - gate situation at international may not be so dire, of course there are limited 380 gates, and there are a few hanging out in SYD in the evening (EKx2, QR etc).

 

[jrfsp]

Would it not have been easier to use remote stand and bus from domestic terminal?

 

[TheInsider]

Would it not have been easier to use remote stand and bus from domestic terminal?

Don't think there are any passenger stairs for the upper deck for the A380, nor any lower deck stairs.

Engineering stairs would be available, but not for passenger use.

 

[jb747]

Don't think there are any passenger stairs for the upper deck for the A380, nor any lower deck stairs.

Engineering stairs would be available, but not for passenger use.

I’ve used stairs for the 380 (lower deck) in Sydney, so unless Alan sold them too, they should be there somewhere.

 

[TheInsider]

I’ve used stairs for the 380 (lower deck) in Sydney, so unless Alan sold them too, they should be there somewhere.

With all the different GSP's, I don't think there are any around anymore for passenger use that would be easily obtained.
Alan has sold them off, or the ones available are for engineering use only.