Difference between aircraft on MEL-PER route

[texter]

Has there ever been a wiki / comparison of the differences between the 737/787/A330 for MEL - PER? I've seen some posts in relation to J but not Y. Anyone has any preferences? Are the meals on QF9/10 the same as the other domestic ops? Travelling with a toddler, how reliable are the ipads as IFE on the A332?

BTW, is this the only route where QF operates 3 aircraft types?

 

[AIRwin]

BTW, is this the only route where QF operates 3 aircraft types?

QF operates F100/B717/B737 between PER and:
- BME (A320 as well)
- KGI
- KTA (A320 as well)
- PHE (A320 as well)
- ZNE (A320 as well)

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

You can hope and wish, for the 330 to operate on your flight, but its not till you get your bums on the 330 and its taken off, and hasn't done a banking turn back to the originating airport, that you can enjoy the row behind the bulkhead in Y.
QF could easily swap "due to operational reasons" from the 330 to the 737!
I had to call them (QF) up 3 times, after I paid for a J seat, and they kept swapping the plane I was chasing from a 330 to a 737 MEL - SYD on a pure Aust dom flight.
Not sure of your status, and whether you can get that first row of Y seatings, right behind J cabin.
And hopefully you will make that 330 and get the bulkhead seatings for the 2 of you.
I have flown the QF A330 from PER - SIN a few years ago, both dep PER late afternoon, getting to SIN about 9.30pm, in Y, and back then, back to PER, it was a day flight.
My experience in a 747 was PER - SYD in Y, 3 abreast, and didn't know better, thought I could/would keep my smallish backpack in the spot under the seat in front of me, nak, never again.
Did 330 in Y from PER - MEL on the 330, was great, left PER about 3pm, and got to MEL about 9.30pm, 2 abreast on the 330 is a very good thing, but its a pity that QF does have to do equipment swaps, for so many reasons, one being the majority of the 330 are going Aust - NZ, so more 737s will be utilised on the Aust trans continental flights, ...
Maybe a weekday flight, has more chances of them keeping a 330 for your planned day of travel, but as we know, they can't "guarantee" types of planes to be/will be used.
The thing about QF9/QF10, with a toddler, is you have to do immi and customs, or quasi immi and customs form filling, ie, your BPs has to have the orange sticker, and you have to go through the immi counter...
First even with online checkin for the dom sector of QF9/QF10, you will still have to present photo id for the both of you, for them to issue the BP with the orange stickers, which is not kept by you, you present it in MEL T2 outgoing immi, keep it with you all the way, and at T3 PER, you surrender the BP with the orange sticker to incoming immi.
If the kid was older, it might be a plus factor to show them how outgoing and incoming Aust immi works, but if they are still too young to understand, its a lot of rushing around, walking very fast from T2 outgoing int (international) security screening, to outgoing immi (no smartgate for the dom sector), then via the myriads of duty free, to the gate, and then same on the way coming into T3 in PER.

 

[Bugalugz]

Has there ever been a wiki / comparison of the differences between the 737/787/A330 for MEL - PER? I've seen some posts in relation to J but not Y. Anyone has any preferences? Are the meals on QF9/10 the same as the other domestic ops? Travelling with a toddler, how reliable are the ipads as IFE on the A332?

In relation to QF9/10 thats my preference these days when it suits timings. You get an Intl meal with paper menu and therefore a full bar with spirits etc not that the normal box meals are bad anyways in my opinion.

But I just find the 787 more comfortable than the A330 legroom wise and always get a screen not play IFE roulette.

Yes the customs is a pain but coming into Perth its quick and by time your through bags are just coming off carousel.

In relation to your iPad question, every A330 i have been on as of late hasn't had iPads onboard just BYO and streaming/wifi......not sure whats going on there? I BYO device in that case.

 

[MickC32]

In relation to your iPad question, every A330 i have been on as of late hasn't had iPads onboard just BYO and streaming/wifi......not sure whats going on there? I BYO device in that case.

Really? A330s with no iPads? I thought they all had either personal screen or iPads? Maybe I've been lucky (though I have my own device also)

 

[exceladdict]

While the 330s are leagues ahead in J, especially on those evening flights where a "first sleep" can be achieved, in Y I tend to enjoy the inflight wifi that many of the 737s now have. When flying daytime, it can be good to stay connected to work rather than catching up once at your destination. YMMV.

 

[mannej]

While the 330s are leagues ahead in J, especially on those evening flights where a "first sleep" can be achieved, in Y I tend to enjoy the inflight wifi that many of the 737s now have. When flying daytime, it can be good to stay connected to work rather than catching up once at your destination. YMMV.

How many of the 330's have wifi currently?

 

[oz_mark]

Really? A330s with no iPads? I thought they all had either personal screen or iPads? Maybe I've been lucky (though I have my own device also)

A couple of the A330s with internet connectivity have neither seatback screens or ipads. BYOD if needed..

 

[MickC32]

A couple of the A330s with internet connectivity have neither seatback screens or ipads. BYOD if needed..

Thanks, I've learnt something today. I told my wife last week she would be fine on the Per-Syd A330 service, luckily she didn't get one without any IFE.

Curious as to which sectors you have encountered this? Maybe short sectors like Mel-Syd or Bne-Syd they don't bother putting out the iPads? I'm based in Perth, I have never been on an A330 without device or screen but it's always trans con. (well since they rolled out the iPads anyway, I remember the lottery we used to have each flight, not to mention the B767s and their tiny shared screens)

 

[moa999]

How many of the 330's have wifi currently?

Installed on 6/8 that are scheduled to get it, with EBG due back to service soon. Not sure if it's active on all of them yet though, and it will still be a bit of a lottery as the other 'international' 332s also do some domestic routes

 

[exceladdict]

I'm yet to have wifi on a 330 transcontinental.

Installed on 6/8 that are scheduled to get it, with EBG due back to service soon. Not sure if it's active on all of them yet though, and it will still be a bit of a lottery as the other 'international' 332s also do some domestic routes

 

[Croupier]

If your WP or above choose QF9 MEL to PER if the price is right and enjoy F lounge

 

[texter]

If your WP or above choose QF9 MEL to PER if the price is right and enjoy F lounge

I think that is the biggest drawcard for WPs...

 

[texter]

BTW, has there been discussion before about the seat width between the QF aircraft types?
Would a 737 and 787 Y seat be similar?

 

[oz_mark]

Thanks, I've learnt something today. I told my wife last week she would be fine on the Per-Syd A330 service, luckily she didn't get one without any IFE.

Curious as to which sectors you have encountered this? Maybe short sectors like Mel-Syd or Bne-Syd they don't bother putting out the iPads? I'm based in Perth, I have never been on an A330 without device or screen but it's always trans con. (well since they rolled out the iPads anyway, I remember the lottery we used to have each flight, not to mention the B767s and their tiny shared screens)

It was one of the directions between Perth and Melbourne. From what I was told, due to damage etc., there was not enough iPads for all the A330s, so they consolidated the ones they had, and the internet capable ones were the ones chosen to lose their iPads. Probably as most could just use their own devices without need for the app.

May have been fixed since then, they did say they were getting replacement iPads.