Apparently QF28 on its way back from Santiago is the last ever QF 747 flight

[bPeteb]

Just read on Sam Chui that Qantas has announced the retirement of the last five 747s. QF28 of on its way from Santiago and that is it. With the landing does that mean QF has lost the ability to fly to either South America or South Africa? I thought I’d read on here that civil aviation won’t allow QF 787s to fly the routes? Maybe I read that wrong?

 

[RooFlyer]

Just hope that like Dame Nellie Melba, the Queen will have a number of 'final farewells' after retirement.

 

[NSun]

Just read on Sam Chui that Qantas has announced the retirement of the last five 747s. QF28 of on its way from Santiago and that is it. With the landing does that mean QF has lost the ability to fly to either South America or South Africa? I thought I’d read on here that civil aviation won’t allow QF 787s to fly the routes? Maybe I read that wrong?

For Santiago, Qantas already announced it would be putting the 787 on that route last August. It was first due to happen on June 24 then in an earlier round of cuts this was delayed to August 1 this year. Presumably now it'll just start whenever international service resumes.

Qantas has not announced what they'll do for South Africa but if the the 787 got the green light for Santiago I don't see why it couldn't handle Johannesburg.

It'll be a shame it has come to an end so fast without a farewell both on a company-wide level and individual level. I was looking forward to a personal farewell SYD-JNB flight later this year as a 747 farewell but at least I got a farewell on a SCL-SYD flight last year.

 

[Cossie]

We were meant to be Sydney to Johburg in July, returning August. Interestingly enough I had to change the dates, so was hit with a $400 each fee for the privilege, fair enough it was a sale fare, I guessing if it's cancelled and we get a refund, that amount won't be included. First world problems I know!

It probably would have been our last 747 flights.

 

[jb747]

One of my friends was the FO on that flight. He did the landing on the flight over to Santiago, and, even at the time, he was treating it as his last one ever. Whether that's in the 747, or overall, only time will tell.

 

[flyer89]

One of my friends was the FO on that flight. He did the landing on the flight over to Santiago, and, even at the time, he was treating it as his last one ever. Whether that's in the 747, or overall, only time will tell.

Saw the video. Greased it.

 

[DavidFlynn]

Just read on Sam Chui that Qantas has announced the retirement of the last five 747s.

Nope. Qantas has not announced any such thing. It's been 'reported', based on what at least one person claims to have been told by a Qantas B747 pilot, and is now running around the blogger echo-chamber. And it could well be true. I'd not be surprised in the least. But let's not make the assumption that it's fact based on a blogger reporting second-hand hearsay, and certainly not say it's been announced when no such announcement has been made.

 

[Rangalad]

Nope. Qantas has not announced any such thing. It's been 'reported', based on what at least one person claims to have been told by a Qantas B747 pilot, and is now running around the blogger echo-chamber. And it could well be true. I'd not be surprised in the least. But let's not make the assumption that it's fact based on a blogger reporting second-hand hearsay, and certainly not say it's been announced when no such announcement has been made.

[Tongue-in-cheek mode active] But Kochie reported it on Sunrise so it must be true. [Tounge-in-cheek mode disabled]

 

[DavidFlynn]

All hail Kochie!

 

[bPeteb]

We were meant to be Sydney to Johburg in July, returning August. Interestingly enough I had to change the dates, so was hit with a $400 each fee for the privilege, fair enough it was a sale fare, I guessing if it's cancelled and we get a refund, that amount won't be included. First world problems I know!

It probably would have been our last 747 flights.

Us too! We haven’t touched ours yet.

 

[DavidFlynn]

I'm really holding out hope beyond hope that QF will have at least one B747 to roll out for a victory lap once the worst of the coronavirus is behind us.

And I know this is very unlikely, but I'd posit that the upbeat vibe would be a good thing. I know that Qantas had big 747 retirement plans to roll out, but hey, it had big Qantas centenary plans for 2020 too, for which the coronavirus has proven the ultimate party-pooper.

 

[moa999]

Wonder if QF28 will do a harbour lap today?

 

[jb747]

Nope. Qantas has not announced any such thing. It's been 'reported', based on what at least one person claims to have been told by a Qantas B747 pilot, and is now running around the blogger echo-chamber. And it could well be true. I'd not be surprised in the least. But let's not make the assumption that it's fact based on a blogger reporting second-hand hearsay, and certainly not say it's been announced when no such announcement has been made.

I haven't heard any claims regarding the original source of the information. But, unless it was a management pilot, then he simply would not know. Information never flows downwards within QF.

 

[DavidFlynn]

I haven't heard any claims regarding the original source of the information. But, unless it was a management pilot, then he simply would not know. Information never flows downwards within QF.

Quite so. As I understand it, one pilot remarked about his last B747 flight, and one blogger told me he'd heard it "from a few Qantas insiders", and that seems to be it. Poor form.

 

[moa999]

Turning right. Looks like a flyover

 

[CaptJCool]

Well maybe someone had a sense of humour

SMILES

 

[N860CR]

I just booked QF63 for mid June. Still showing as a 74 so it’s all speculation for now.

 

[moa999]

Ch 9 news was covering it as QF28 was the last scheduled QF international flight. Any future flights likely to be government charters only.
They only mentioned it 'might' also be the last 747 passenger flight.

One of only 3 international flights arriving at SYD this evening

Edit.. actually turns out late running QF10 will be the last Australian arrival

 

[bPeteb]

I just booked QF63 for mid June. Still showing as a 74 so it’s all speculation for now.

That’s some wishful thinking

 

[N860CR]

That’s some wishful thinking

Probably. But better to have a seat and not be able to use it than to not have one. At some point, we’ll need to get back to work.