ALL QF's 330's to get lay flat Business seating - Including Domestic

[QFflyermelbourne]

Just heard from an FA acquaintance (I know...it must be true...) that they've been told the two 200's with Skybeds are definitely remaining in that configuration. I think it's time RedRoo officially qualified this. There will be riots amongst the FFs!

 

[moa999]

It's either that or SIN doesn't paint very well. Wonder how the arrangement goes with landing at QPG as well, it's a military base after all.

NTL is also a military base, but happily coexists with civillian operations.

Could be $s, could be schedule.
It's still 8hrs to SIN, only 14hrs to VCV, and from past flights it seems that Singapore authorities force them to land at SIN, do immigration etc, then go on to QPG so its two landings both ways.
Also save on Indonesia overflight fees.

From airliners.net appears QPG has also been doing the paint on NZ 777s and AC 330s
.

 

[jimmylikesitwet]

Qantas have announced a resumption of Sydney-Beijing flights using the A330-200. Given this flight is around 2 hours longer than the Sydney-Hawaii flights it seems to discredit the argument that Qantas isn't refurbishing the last 2 A332 aircraft due to J toilet and catering issues.

 

[wenglock.mok]

Qantas have announced a resumption of Sydney-Beijing flights using the A330-200. Given this flight is around 2 hours longer than the Sydney-Hawaii flights it seems to discredit the argument that Qantas isn't refurbishing the last 2 A332 aircraft due to J toilet and catering issues.

While it might sound like bad planning, is it possible that they might be exploring a different configuration for these two A330-200s?

Although if I read deeper into the news release, it is not indicated anywhere that these flights will operate with the Business Suites...

 

[chooms]

NTL is also a military base, but happily coexists with civillian operations.

OT, but I wouldn't say "happily"...

 

[moa999]

QF this morning announced it will restart Sydney - Beijing as QF107/108 from 25 Jan 2017 using an A330-200.

QF107 SYD 1350 PEK 2240
QF108 PEK 0015/20 SYD 1455

About a 27-hr flight pattern, so will need to fit with a shorter flight to ensure maximum aircraft utilisation.

So the longest A330 flight is on an aircraft with all leather seats in Business.

 

[under the radar]

While it might sound like bad planning, is it possible that they might be exploring a different configuration for these two A330-200s?

Although if I read deeper into the news release, it is not indicated anywhere that these flights will operate with the Business Suites...

Correct. I too read and re read the Qantas press release, and no where do they mention the business suites. just throwing it out there, maybe the 2 skybed 332s will be focused on this route/the skybed is good enough for this market. (the schedule requires 2 aircraft to maintain a daily service, while doing a few east coast domestics between their SYD-PEK-SYD flights) Just a thought, and my observations/opinion

 

[JohnPhelan]

The PEK service will require two A332s. Is it logistically feasible for the same two aircraft (say EBG and EBL in rotation) to also do HNL return in the down time? That way those two aircraft would be reserved for just PEK and HNL, with the odd domestic flight thrown in?

 

[DavidFlynn]

Just an update: SYD-PEK will actually use one of the two non-refurb'd A330-200s with Skybed Mk I

 

[under the radar]

Just an update: SYD-PEK will actually use one of the two non-refurb'd A330-200s with Skybed Mk I

so you (the media) made assumptions and got it wrong...and still no ACTUAL APOLOGY for your ausbt article specifically mentioning the business suites, when Qantas NEVER mentioned them.. you just altered your article...just degrades even more the medias 'professionalism' .

 

[DavidFlynn]

so you (the media) made assumptions and got it wrong...and still no ACTUAL APOLOGY for your ausbt article specifically mentioning the business suites, when Qantas NEVER mentioned them.. you just altered your article...just degrades even more the medias 'professionalism'.

Steady on there.

First up: we have cited this change, see foot of the article.

Secondly: we had good reasons to believe it was the A330 Business Suite, and bear in mind that our original story was written and published before the QF press release landed this morning. Post-announcement we did follow-up, determined this wasn't the case and updated the article according.

The article's also been updated with plenty of other information on a rolling basis, too – including QFF Platinum and Gold lounge access and priority checkin/boarding on all domestic China Eastern flights (something not in the press release, which also stemmed from our follow-up) plus some quotes from a China Eastern exec. As a rule, that's how we work 'news' – articles are iterative, updated (and in some cases revised) many times as more info comes to hand.

 

[ajw373]

The PEK service will require two A332s. Is it logistically feasible for the same two aircraft (say EBG and EBL in rotation) to also do HNL return in the down time? That way those two aircraft would be reserved for just PEK and HNL, with the odd domestic flight thrown in?

Yep reckon it also helps explain the timings of the PEK flight, they are nicely tied to QF3/4.

QF4 arrives back 11am (ish), QF107 leaves 2pm (ish). Then QF108 arrives 3pm (ish) and QF3 leaves 22:30. (ish). On the days QF3/4 run, that gives time for a clean up/maintenance or a domestic rotation to Brissie or Melbourne. And on days 3/4 doesn't run a run to Perth.

 

[hotpaws]

Just looking at my flights booked for next year, QF4 arrives back at 8.15pm. According to my calculations, it would be impossible for QF to operate the PEK and HNL flights using two specific aircraft.
Not sure what is going to happen, perhaps A333 on some days, or maybe retiming of HNL flights??

Yep reckon it also helps explain the timings of the PEK flight, they are nicely tied to QF3/4.

QF4 arrives back 11am (ish), QF107 leaves 2pm (ish). Then QF108 arrives 3pm (ish) and QF3 leaves 22:30. (ish). On the days QF3/4 run, that gives time for a clean up/maintenance or a domestic rotation to Brissie or Melbourne. And on days 3/4 doesn't run a run to Perth.

 

[ajw373]

so you (the media) made assumptions and got it wrong...and still no ACTUAL APOLOGY for your ausbt article specifically mentioning the business suites, when Qantas NEVER mentioned them.. you just altered your article...just degrades even more the medias 'professionalism' .

What would you rather, no reporting?

 

[DavidFlynn]

What would you rather, no reporting?

I suggest UtR would rather accurate reporting the very first time around, and that's quite within his rights – that's what I want from other journalists too.

However, getting something out with speed can impact on detail in varying degrees, which is why online (at least in how we work it) has that more iterative approach compared to print or even print>online, where it's often slower to get the story up and then it's more 'locked down'.

(Allowances made for massive breaking news stories in the mainstream, of course; a difference for us is that we like to provide more audience-relevant detail than the mainstream covering things like QF SYD-PEK, and we also like to have a story up fast and first, which is why we need to iterate through several swings.)

 

[ajw373]

Just looking at my flights booked for next year, QF4 arrives back at 8.15pm. According to my calculations, it would be impossible for QF to operate the PEK and HNL flights using two specific aircraft.
Not sure what is going to happen, perhaps A333 on some days, or maybe retiming of HNL flights??

Yeah your right was looking at QF3 arrival time! But QF3/4 goes different times of the day already anyway too.

 

[moa999]

Just looking at my flights booked for next year, QF4 arrives back at 8.15pm. According to my calculations, it would be impossible for QF to operate the PEK and HNL flights using two specific aircraft.
Not sure what is going to happen, perhaps A333 on some days, or maybe retiming of HNL flights??

Agree. I see it as good news for SYD-HNL you can't operate a SYD-PEK-SYD-HNL-SYD in a 48hr pattern.
QF107 SYD 1350 PEK 2240
QF108 PEK 0015/20 SYD 1455

QF3 SYD 2225 HNL 1110 (9hr 45min)
QF4 HNL 1245 SYD 2015 (10hr 30min)
Even if you bring it forward 6hrs it doesn't work...

Downtime for the two aircraft after SYD-PEK-SYD will be 1700-1200 -- would let the two 332s operate a daily peak SYD-MEL return in the evening and maybe another the following morning.
say:
SYD 1700 MEL 1830
MEL 1930 SYD 2100
SYD 0630 MEL 0800
MEL 0900 SYD 1030


Alternatively if you push back either the SYD-CGK or SYD-MNL routes by 3-4 hours you could potentially fit it.
QF31 SYD 1450 CGK 1835 Su,M,W,F,Sa
QF42 CGK 2005 SYD 0705+1 Su,M,W,F,Sa
QF19 SYD 1310 MNL 1830 Su,M,W,F,Sa
QF20 MNL 2005 SYD 0710+1 Su,M,W,F,Sa

but I suspect 36 biz seats is too much for those routes so Im thinking they will be dedicated to the domestic peaks.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Got a delightful aircraft change alert from EF this morning. My QF41 in mid-March has changed back from non-refurb to suites

 

[hotpaws]

Just looking at my flights booked for next year, QF4 arrives back at 8.15pm. According to my calculations, it would be impossible for QF to operate the PEK and HNL flights using two specific aircraft.
Not sure what is going to happen, perhaps A333 on some days, or maybe retiming of HNL flights??

And just got the email that both my HNL flights have changed to A330-300. I am quite happy about this!

 

[JohnPhelan]

Just an update: SYD-PEK will actually use one of the two non-refurb'd A330-200s with Skybed Mk I

David, did that give you the opening to ask how long they expect the two unrefurbed a/c to continue in that state?