Qantas boosts international capacity, wet lease Finnair aircraft

[elanshin]

Just took the Premium economy. Couple of things to note, it's very close to bassinet areas so we had a couple of loud babies during boarding and take off (fine during cruise).

They curtain off the economy and business, but we're supposed to use the forward business toilet i think? At least that's where everyone went. The cabjn is basically secluded from Y and J.

Recline on seat itself was decent and decent legroom. Pretty normal tighter squeeze out if the person infront is fully reclined although still manageable . IFE bugged at the start but fixed itself for me.

Service was ok, although I'm guessing was finairs South East Asian based cabin crew. They're a little more stoic, but fine otherwise.

Incidentally first row bulkhead on economy has decently good legroom with the bulkhead unlike QF's a333 and I'd be pretty ok with this. (nothing compared to JL's 788 that i took preceding this flight though - I couldn't reach the bulkhead on that if I tried at 180cm).

 

[encryptededdy]

IFE bugged at the start but fixed itself for me.

I'm gonna be honest, every time I've taken a flight with the new Panasonic IFE (I'm not sure if it's necessarily their newest backend, but definitely they've been with the Arc maps), it's bugged out on me at least once per flight. Seems a lot less reliable than their older system.

I've also heard plenty of issues with IFE crashing on the new JAL A35K.

 

[http_x92]

As I took off from SYD I saw the AY A330 sitting on the tarmac in the full Finnair livery. Wow it is reality lol. Now I know what a wet lease means...

 

[AIRwin]

As I took off from SYD I saw the AY A330 sitting on the tarmac in the full Finnair livery.

Most likely OH-LTR seen here just before I boarded it in SIN last week:

 

[OATEK]

As I took off from SYD I saw the AY A330 sitting on the tarmac in the full Finnair livery. Wow it is reality lol. Now I know what a wet lease means...

Due to start SYD-BKK-SYD next month with QF295/296, so there will be two AY liveried planes around on many days.

 

[RSVKanga]

While these flights are operated for QF, would you all technically consider Finnair’s new flights as a return of EU carriers operating to Australia, since you can book flights from SYD to HEL via SIN all on Finnair metal?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

While these flights are operated for QF, would you all technically consider Finnair’s new flights as a return of EU carriers operating to Australia, since you can book flights from SYD to HEL via SIN all on Finnair metal?

View attachment 371531

Technically ‘no’. It’s a finnair aircraft in registration and paint scheme only. It’s not operating in that capacity however. It’s a qantas flight that wouldn’t otherwise be operating.

Importantly, it’s not covered by EU261 in its capacity ex Australia, (although passengers on the AY flight code might be).

 

[RichardMEL]

While these flights are operated for QF, would you all technically consider Finnair’s new flights as a return of EU carriers operating to Australia, since you can book flights from SYD to HEL via SIN all on Finnair metal?

No, I would not.

Yes, due to the wet least, you can catch AY metal with AY crews this is true,

but the SYD-SIN sector is an AY codeshare (AY5018) on the QF291. This flight (and the return) do not carry mainline AY flight numbers (eg: AY 104) and the flight itself is treated solely as a QF flight (operated via wetleast).

The aircraft could be leased from anyone - EK, NZ, CX or AY, and still be treated the same way by AY in this instance.

so while it's a technicality I guess, or an issue of semantics, I do not call this a return of an EU carrier to Oz, because AY are not operating these flights in their own right.

 

[RSVKanga]

It’s a finnair aircraft in registration and paint scheme only.

These new Finnair services are far more integrated into the AY network than the average wet lease.

• Flights are operated by Finnair pilots, cabin crew, and have Finnair IFE
• SIN is a major destination on the AY network, and the SIN<>SYD segment can serve as a tag flight for HEL travellers which can be booked directly on the AY website (with an AY flight number) without going through QF at all.

These factors in play elevate these Finnair services well above the average wet lease, and I would consider this as a return of EU carriers to Australia.

 

[SYD]

These new Finnair services are far more integrated into the AY network than the average wet lease.

• Flights are operated by Finnair pilots, cabin crew, and have Finnair IFE
• SIN is a major destination on the AY network, and the SIN<>SYD segment can serve as a tag flight for HEL travellers which can be booked directly on the AY website (with an AY flight number) without going through QF at all.

These factors in play elevate these Finnair services well above the average wet lease, and I would consider this as a return of EU carriers to Australia.

AY already had their code on QF81/82, so not entirely surprising that they codeshare on the alternate days on QF291/292.

If those aircraft continued on to HEL and back as AY flights, then you’d be onto something.

 

[jase05]

SIN is a major destination on the AY network, and the SIN<>SYD segment can serve as a tag flight for HEL travellers which can be booked directly on the AY website (with an AY flight number) without going through QF at all

You can’t however purchase just the SIN-SYD leg on AY though.

 

[elanshin]

These new Finnair services are far more integrated into the AY network than the average wet lease.

• Flights are operated by Finnair pilots, cabin crew, and have Finnair IFE
• SIN is a major destination on the AY network, and the SIN<>SYD segment can serve as a tag flight for HEL travellers which can be booked directly on the AY website (with an AY flight number) without going through QF at all.

These factors in play elevate these Finnair services well above the average wet lease, and I would consider this as a return of EU carriers to Australia.

I wouldn't consider this as AY going to the Aus Market and also BA never left Australia.

Also I don't know for other people, but besides the pilots, I believe the crew are South East Asian based. Definitely did not seem like there were European crew at least on my flight a few days ago. IFE is also QF and so is the catering. You can get a Qantas Sky Spritz on board.

The blankets and amenties are Qantas and not Finnair hence why you have the weird matress mismatch with the business class seats.

The only things that are Finnair on this flight are the actual plane and hardware and the crew and that will change in 2 years time.

 

[SYD]

and also BA never left Australia.

But the UK left the EU….(taking BA with it).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

These new Finnair services are far more integrated into the AY network than the average wet lease.

• Flights are operated by Finnair pilots, cabin crew, and have Finnair IFE
• SIN is a major destination on the AY network, and the SIN<>SYD segment can serve as a tag flight for HEL travellers which can be booked directly on the AY website (with an AY flight number) without going through QF at all.

These factors in play elevate these Finnair services well above the average wet lease, and I would consider this as a return of EU carriers to Australia.

But the fact that EU261 (european law) doesn’t apply means that it isn’t truly the resumption of mainland european service

 

[Himeno]

These new Finnair services are far more integrated into the AY network than the average wet lease.

• Flights are operated by Finnair pilots, cabin crew, and have Finnair IFE
• SIN is a major destination on the AY network, and the SIN<>SYD segment can serve as a tag flight for HEL travellers which can be booked directly on the AY website (with an AY flight number) without going through QF at all.

These factors in play elevate these Finnair services well above the average wet lease, and I would consider this as a return of EU carriers to Australia.

The IFE on these flights has Qantas content on the Finnair interface.
The wet lease transitions to a dry lease (QF crews, AY aircraft - possibly repainted in QF colours) from late next year.

 

[Jacques Vert]

But the UK left the EU….(taking BA with it).

But the UK is still in Europe (geographically), just not part of the EU (as are Andorra and others). Although it could be argued that the UK has never been part of Europe culturally.

 

[RooFlyer]

While these flights are operated for QF, would you all technically consider Finnair’s new flights as a return of EU carriers operating to Australia, since you can book flights from SYD to HEL via SIN all on Finnair metal?

Impossible. They have the coughpy QF menus, blunt picnic cutlery, IFE and the silly mattress toppers that don’t fit properly.

AY would be embarrassed to call this a Finnair (aka 'European') flight

 

[AIRwin]

Well I ended up in a seat where my screen went black in the middle of the AY sAfetY video and my IFE froze a number of times despite multiple attempts to reboot:
View attachment 370815

So I gave up, wriggled into the seat and went to sleep instead...

On the other hand, QF seems to consider it a AY flight as a response to my complaint:

 

[jase05]

On the other hand, QF seems to consider it a AY flight as a response to my complaint:
View attachment 371554

Ah, the usual deflection from QF it seems.
That’s really poor

 

[Danger]

On the other hand, QF seems to consider it a AY flight as a response to my complaint:

That's pathetic. You didn't enter into a contract with Finnair, the same way you a passenger doesn't contract with Menzies to handle their bag.