Qantas announces A380 refurbishments

[moa999]

but as usual with QF this stuff is 2-3 years away. gawd... they are rotating a 380 out of the fleet starting in March, you'd have thought they'd start this work then. I know they mention 2nd q of "2019 year" which i take as end 2018/start 2019, but still )

They actually say 2nd quarter calendar 2019. So from April 2019.... And not complete until end 2020.

On another thread also mentioned that the two un-refurbed 330s will be getting some joy.

I'm assuming the silence means nothing for the 6 744ERs which will be with the fleet for a while yet

 

[Ansett]

They actually say 2nd quarter calendar 2019. So from April 2019.... And not complete until end 2020.

On another thread also mentioned that the two un-refurbed 330s will be getting some joy.

I'm assuming the silence means nothing for the 6 744ERs which will be with the fleet for a while yet

One 747 is to go Mid 2018 and the other 5 to remain in the fleet into the 2020s

Sorry will correct as per below

Qantas retired one 747-400 in July this year with another to leave the fleet around mid-2018. A total of five older jumbos will be retired to make way for the eight Dreamliners. The remaining six extended range 747s are expected to remain until the early 2020s.

 

[hj.au]

What about lavatories in F? Any upgrades?

 

[moa999]

One 747 is to go Mid 2018 and the other 5 to remain in the fleet into the 2020s

Currently 10 747s.
1 goes mid-2018 (seemingly OEB a 1993 vintage)
3 seemingly go with the next 4 787s. (OJS-OJU which date from 99/00)

Leaving 6 744ERs (OEE-OEJ which were 02/03 deliveries)

 

[mviy]

What about lavatories in F? Any upgrades?

I don't think they've provided that much detail. But from what's been said it sounds like the improvements to F will be fairly minor and the minimum of what could be expected. QF doesn't want to axe First flights completely but at the same time doesn't feel the need to invest a lot in improving it either.

 

[michaele]

Currently 10 747s.
1 goes mid-2018 (seemingly OEB a 1993 vintage)
3 seemingly go with the next 4 787s. (OJS-OJU which date from 99/00)

Leaving 6 744ERs (OEE-OEJ which were 02/03 deliveries)

A good thing, OJS-U are often on the 15/16 rotation and are pretty tired inside. Given no plans to do up the cabin I'm personally pretty keen to see it replaced with a 787!

Only downside is the mini-j row 43/44 will disappear, and with the upper deck Y going too times are tough for those of us with status who fly long haul Y

 

[Flying mermaid]

I don't think they've provided that much detail. But from what's been said it sounds like the improvements to F will be fairly minor and the minimum of what could be expected. QF doesn't want to axe First flights completely but at the same time doesn't feel the need to invest a lot in improving it either.

chicken and egg situation - the less effort they put into F, the more paying customers move to a better offering and then they can't see the need to put any effort in.... they way it is at the moment, plenty good enough for awards and upgrades.... have to say I still like their bed, but apart from that nothing enticing.

 

[mviy]

Well the axing of the F seats to LHR by not putting any on the 787 shows how much they care about the F market at the moment.

 

[Danger]

I agree with the F comments. Qantas could hardly call itself a premium airline without F but it's clear it's not a priority for them.

 

[pauly7]

Well the axing of the F seats to LHR by not putting any on the 787 shows how much they care about the F market at the moment.

Not many airlines seem to these days...

 

[Hvr]

Apart from the occasional droop I feel that the A380 J seats are much better than the A330 J seats.

The A380 seats are wider and IMHO way less claustrophobic.

 

[kermatu]

Overall I like the sound of these changes, but it is frustrating they are announced a couple of years before work even commences.

I'm in the 'ditch the lounge' camp but not a big deal. More J seats should be good for points and upgrades.

Feel like no change to F is a lost opportunity. But I was fearful the cabins would be shrunk or ditched altogether, so am happy they at least stay. Bathroom (which is a joke for F) would appear not to be touched and that's a shame. But the biggest thing I think they could do for F is significantly lift the food and beverage quality - and that doesn't need a refurb.

 

[njba]

It feels incredibly half-hearted so far as F goes, as others have pointed out. Not so much a pardon but a stay. And will the fantastic A330/787 seat feel as impressive in 2019 onwards?

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

I've been desperately hoping all day that the "second quarter of 2019" was a typo and they actually mean second quarter 18. Seems unbelievable that they think it ok for that business product to remain untouched for almost another two years before the process even begins!

 

[mviy]

One hoped after they got regular F passengers to give them feedback under NDA that they would have come up with more substantial improvements for F.

Anyway I'm hoping I'll have my first experience of QF F later this year (as a WP hopefully I've got some chance of an upgrade even if it's just for DXB-LHR). I had been wondering whether to wait for a refurb but then they announced they were cutting F from the route I would be most likely to use it on, namely MEL-LHR. So when I decided to go back to LHR this year I knew this would be my opportunity to try for an upgrade rather than in the European summer next year when it'll no longer be available for QF9/QF10.

 

[njba]

One hoped after they got regular F passengers to give them feedback under NDA that they would have come up with more substantial improvements for F.

It's not like how to improve F is some dark mystic secret right? Bigger, more private seats? Better airport experience? Improved F&B? And yet they have deemed better seat cushions (not even seat reupholstering!) and bigger screens to be entirely sufficient for a $10,000 seat in 2017. Or, does their data say, the vast majority of F pax are just J upgrades, so there's no sense wasting capital on improving a cabin for those lot?

 

[kermatu]

It's not like how to improve F is some dark mystic secret right? Bigger, more private seats? Better airport experience? Improved F&B? And yet they have deemed better seat cushions (not even seat reupholstering!) and bigger screens to be entirely sufficient for a $10,000 seat in 2017. Or, does their data say, the vast majority of F pax are just J upgrades, so there's no sense wasting capital on improving a cabin for those lot?

And that's all they will be unless the F product is vastly improved...

 

[TheRealTMA]

And that's all they will be unless the F product is vastly improved...

Yes we'll pay for EK F but not interested in paid QF F. Badly needs upgrades, doors, non silly swivel seat, better bathrooms, dramatically better tv and entertainment, notwithstanding a proper F drinks menu.

 

[levelnine]

I've been desperately hoping all day that the "second quarter of 2019" was a typo and they actually mean second quarter 18. Seems unbelievable that they think it ok for that business product to remain untouched for almost another two years before the process even begins!

Indeed. What a joke. We are ages away from seeing these upgrades in person, by which time the market will have probably moved on and the product will already be out of date.

 

[moa999]

Agree the timing is the most disappointing thing.

Personally I like the low-key privacy of Qantas F, and don't think doors are needed (although wouldn't be that hard to install in the existing layout. Not sure why they haven't been able to get approval to takeoff in an angled position given others have.

Upgrading the IFE system and screens will help.

(And I am hopeful there is more to come with the upstairs lounge - the render suggests a walkway to the other side)