Qantas boosts international capacity, wet lease Finnair aircraft

[Saab34]

This is from Finnair. Crews won’t be live here, pilots are extending the duty for a likely 8 day ish trip. Cabin crew are Asian based.

Finnair pilots will fly scheduled Finnair flights from Helsinki to Singapore and from Helsinki to Bangkok; then, they will continue flying scheduled Qantas flights between Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney before returning to their home base in Helsinki. The cabin crew are provided by Finnair partners based in Singapore and Bangkok, and the aircraft maintenance is performed by Finnair partners at the Qantas destinations.

 

[Quickstatus]

This is from Finnair. Crews won’t be live here, pilots are extending the duty for a likely 8 day ish trip. Cabin crew are Asian based.

In the future, can't AY just operate an AY flight to AU?

 

[downtheback]

I know both Qantas and Finnair use Panasonic eX3 IFE systems, but I assume by this statement they mean it will have Qantas' user interface and media library. Would they actually be re-programming the IFE system in Singapore every stop to switch between Qantas and Finnair systems?

I think you'll find the two A330s will be based in Australia and be cycled only periodically as required for maintenance reasons. I'd expect the same plane to stay on the same route going back and forth for weeks at a time. So small things like reprogramming the IFE won't have to be done that frequently.

No different to NZ173/174 between AKL-PER-AKL which just shuttles back and forth daily with the same aircraft, wet leased from Wamos Air.

As noted elsewhere, HEL-SIN/BKK use the A350, so these flights would need to subbed for any plane transfer (or more likely, plane could be ferried empty or as an additional flight from asia to HEL and vv).

 

[exceladdict]

In the future, can't AY just operate an AY flight to AU?

Yeah, Id be keen to know why this and a formal JV/codeshare weren't a preferable option - maybe qf didn't want to give up the traffic?

 

[Quickstatus]

maybe qf didn't want to give up the traffic?

It's relinquished a lot of international traffic so far

 

[Mwenenzi]

This is from Finnair. Crews won’t be live here, pilots are extending the duty for a likely 8 day ish trip. Cabin crew are Asian based.

Finnair pilots will fly scheduled Finnair flights from Helsinki to Singapore and from Helsinki to Bangkok; then, they will continue flying scheduled Qantas flights between Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney before returning to their home base in Helsinki. The cabin crew are provided by Finnair partners based in Singapore and Bangkok, and the aircraft maintenance is performed by Finnair partners at the Qantas destinations.

If the crew (flight deck &/or cabin) lived here (that is Australia) that would bring all sorts of issues with work permits, AU tax, AU union agreements and more. That is never going to happen.

The matching AY media report ---> Finnair to lease two A330 aircraft to oneworld partner Qantas

<snip>
During the wet lease period, the aircraft will be deployed in Qantas’ network on routes from Sydney and Singapore as well as Sydney and Bangkok. Finnair pilots will fly scheduled Finnair flights from Helsinki to Singapore and from Helsinki to Bangkok; then, they will continue flying scheduled Qantas flights between Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney before returning to their home base in Helsinki. The cabin crew are provided by Finnair partners based in Singapore and Bangkok, and the aircraft maintenance is performed by Finnair partners at the Qantas destinations. Finnair has secured sufficient pilot resources to match its fleet size, including the aircraft leased to Qantas. The Qantas agreement does not impact the number of cabin crew at Finnair, as they are fully deployed in other operations.
<snip>

 

[Quickstatus]

"cabin crew are provided by Finnair partners based in Singapore and Bangkok,"

Sounds like labour hire companies.

 

[justinbrett]

Yeah, Id be keen to know why this and a formal JV/codeshare weren't a preferable option - maybe qf didn't want to give up the traffic?

They could do one of SIN or BKK but not both.

Australia/Finland Air Services agreement is capped at 2800 seats per week, or 400 per day.

The full treaty isn’t available online so I don’t even know if they have 5th freedom rights.

 

[Saab34]

"cabin crew are provided by Finnair partners based in Singapore and Bangkok,"

Sounds like labour hire companies.

Jetstar International do it. Pilots all Aussie. Cabin Crew from either Bangkok, Denpasar, Toyko.

 

[mbell1510]

Would be this the first time Qantas has wet-leased aircraft for its international routes? I know they used some British Airways 747 in the early 2000s, but that appeared to be a dry lease.

The British Airways Boeing 747 That Spent 3 Years On Lease At Qantas

The 'City of Westminster' spent most of its life with British Airways.

simpleflying.com

 

[oz_mark]

Would be this the first time Qantas has wet-leased aircraft for its international routes? I know they used some British Airways 747 in the early 2000s, but that appeared to be a dry lease.

The British Airways Boeing 747 That Spent 3 Years On Lease At Qantas

The 'City of Westminster' spent most of its life with British Airways.

simpleflying.com

I don't remember the contractual basis, but Cathay operated some Hong Kong service for Qantas when the A380s were grounded.

 

[Princess Fiona]

"cabin crew are provided by Finnair partners based in Singapore and Bangkok,"

Sounds like labour hire companies.

AY has had outsourced Cabin Crew at SIN and HKG for a long time now.

I assume its those crews that will be doing the wet lease flights just the same as they currently do SIN-HEL etc

 

[henrus]

Would be this the first time Qantas has wet-leased aircraft for its international routes?

Do the freight only Atlas 747s count?

However no it's not a first in fact there are multiple examples over the years but yes they are few and far between.

In 2001 Qantas wet-leased 7 767-300s from Air Canada to operated across the Tasman and Pacific

HL7267 Boeing 767-38EER

history of asiana boeing 767-38eer hl-7267 cn 25404-411.

aussieairliners.org

Back in the 80s QF leased a DC-10 from Martinair Holland. It operated it operated on SYD-BNE-SIN flights for about 3 months.

PH-MBT Douglas DC-10-30CF

history of martinair holland douglas dc-10-30cf ph-mbt cn 46985-264.

www.aussieairliners.org

In the late 50's/early 60s a BA Comet was also leased to QF.

G-APDL de Havilland Comet 4

history of boac de havilland comet 4 g-apdl cn 6413.

www.aussieairliners.org

 

[Rangalad]

Do the freight only Atlas 747s count?

However no it's not a first in fact there are multiple examples over the years but yes they are few and far between.

In 2001 Qantas wet-leased 7 767-300s from Air Canada to operated across the Tasman and Pacific

HL7267 Boeing 767-38EER

history of asiana boeing 767-38eer hl-7267 cn 25404-411.

aussieairliners.org

Back in the 80s QF leased a DC-10 from Martinair Holland. It operated it operated on SYD-BNE-SIN flights for about 3 months.

PH-MBT Douglas DC-10-30CF

history of martinair holland douglas dc-10-30cf ph-mbt cn 46985-264.

www.aussieairliners.org

In the late 50's/early 60s a BA Comet was also leased to QF.

G-APDL de Havilland Comet 4

history of boac de havilland comet 4 g-apdl cn 6413.

www.aussieairliners.org

Also during the 80s Qantas leased a Tower Air 747-200. Believe it was a dry lease, IIRC.

Also a complicated leasing arrangement with a QF 747-200 painted in (then) Air Pacific colours. IIRC operated the old QF29/30 SYD/DPS/JKT (HLP as it is known now) v.v.

 

[jakeseven7]

I am absolutely stoked about this !!!!!

I think the AY Air Lounge is the best J hard product out there !!!!!
Can’t wait !!!!

It’s very exciting, I realised I will be on one of the Finnair birds by complete accident, looking forward to it!

 

[jase05]

It’s very exciting, I realised I will be on one of the Finnair birds by complete accident, looking forward to it!

You are very lucky to book on Qantas and actually get a decent product for once

 

[pauly7]

Personally I’m more excited by Brisbane Wellington for business purposes for our QLD based team, no more routing via the other caps.

 

[nancypants]

Lol. Literally the only direct flight from Australia to London.
Let me talk to you about living in Canberra..

*Darwin has entered the chat*

 

[jase05]

*Darwin has entered the chat*

DRW has DIL at least
ADL is far bigger than CBR and DRW combined and QF give us absolutely nothing

 

[pauly7]

DRW has DIL at least
ADL is far bigger than CBR and DRW combined and QF give us absolutely nothing

It’s not about population though.

Poor relative yield, has been that way for years. ADL needs to get more $, more corporates, business, HNWIs etc etc etc. As you probably know

The token i-flying that ADL gets now is by carriers not constrained by Australian laws and subsequent cost bases that we incur here to our disadvantage, meaning more services out of higher yielding ports where there is still demand to be soaked up / stolen from other carriers will always be preference over ADL. Certain carriers are also heavily subsidised by hook or crook but let’s not go there…

It’s not personal, it’s just business economics