Qantas fleet rebuild piece

[Scarlett]

The residents of St. Markoville (soon to be renamed Cooktown…) had better get to love those A321s.

 

[Quickstatus]

Would have been nice if QF had done like what NH and JL do, ie, put the wide body planes on some of the Japanese domestic routes.

I can't see how it would work.
Remember JP has a population size 4 times that of AU. They also used to run 747 domestically, but these have been substituted by smaller aircraft,
The best way to transport people around is high frequency, for that it is better to have smaller aircraft

The JL current fleet also has significant numbers of 737 and I believe they are also buying the Max

 

[Assassin]

I can't see how it would work.
Remember JP has a population size 4 times that of AU. They also used to run 747 domestically, but these have been substituted by smaller aircraft,
The best way to transport people around is high frequency, for that it is better to have smaller aircraft

The JL current fleet also has significant numbers of 737 and I believe they are also buying the Max

I don't know. But by all accounts the SYD-MEL has a higher volume of passengers than HND-CTS so population can't be relevant. JAL run 787s (used to be 777s) on that route, so why can't Qantas make widebodies work? Surely flights every 30 min using large planes is no worse for customers than flights every 15 min using 737s?

 

[Quickstatus]

Surely flights every 30 min using large planes is no worse for customers than flights every 15 min using 737s?

QF does not run 15min flights all the time. Maybe 6-8 times a day on a weekday does it have a XX:15 or XX:45 on the schedule. The road warriors would disagree - I suspect 15min here or there is significant.

The A321 IMO provides a better halfway solution seat number wise between a 737 and 787

 

[jakeseven7]

Surely flights every 30 min using large planes is no worse for customers than flights every 15 min using 737s?

Oh it’s critically important for those living with horrid BFOD that’s for sure

 

[Assassin]

QF does not run 15min flights all the time. Maybe 6-8 times a day on a weekday does it have a XX:15 or XX:45 on the schedule. The road warriors would disagree - I suspect 15min here or there is significant.

The A321 IMO provides a better halfway solution seat number wise between a 737 and 787

You may well be right on the A321. Given regular flight delays and cancellations I doubt anyone is assuming a 7.15 flight will arrive before the 7.30 or after the 7am.

 

[Quickstatus]

I doubt anyone is assuming a 7.15 flight will arrive before the 7.30 or after the 7am.

But that would be the same for an assumption that a 730 arriving before an 745 or after a 715.

Just out of interest I looked up the HND-CTS route

4 airlines operate it
HD: 6x737, 10x767
NH: 1x321, 11x777, 5x787, 2x737
JL: 2x737, 2x787, 1x767, 12x350
BC: 10x737

That is a massive number of seats relative to a SYD-MEL and 3rd airlines historically have been unable to make it work significantly on the SYD-MEL. The demand is not really there to prevent market share protecting fare discounting by the 2 ncumbent

 

[Assassin]

But that would be the same for an assumption that a 730 arriving before an 745 or after a 715.

Just out of interest I looked up the HND-CTS route

4 airlines operate it
HD: 6x737, 10x767
NH: 1x321, 11x777, 5x787, 2x737
JL: 2x737, 2x787, 1x767, 12x350
BC: 10x737

That is a massive number of seats relative to a SYD-MEL. As a 3rd airline historically have been unable to make it work on the SYD-MEL, I don't see the incumbents dramatically increasing supply.

I had thought SYD-MEL was busier than HND-CTS but I am out of date. There was a ~30% differential in 2022:

List of busiest passenger air routes - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Quickstatus]

ght SYD-MEL was busier than HND-CTS

So did I. I don't know about % seat occupancy though

I will check again to make sure of the number of flights. I did not count the few codeshares between NH and HD

 

[Assassin]

So did I. I don't know about % seat occupancy though

I will check again to make sure of the number of flights. I did not count the few codeshares between NH and HD

Ah I’m not sure it’s worth the effort. There is a small research project someone could do to look at the fleets operating the top 10 routes and see what conclusions can be drawn….

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

PER - CHC in QFi Y... on the (was it) 321neo or 220 in the news snippet.
If lucky can pick left, ie row A and B.

 

[exceladdict]

The residents of St. Markoville (soon to be renamed Cooktown…) had better get to love those A321s.

PER - CHC in QFi Y... on the (was it) 321neo or 220 in the news snippet.
If lucky can pick left, ie row A and B.

Yeah, hoping that both planes open up options - long & thin (NZ, south East Asia, smaller east coast cities like CNS, NTL).

Much of the trunk routes are dominated by the 737 anyway, especially after VA gave up their widebodies.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Lean, thin, mean... less fuel over the longer domestic haul, longer flying time capability, ie cheaper to run these narrow body planes, but fares will not drop, thats for sure, >>> the new QFd/short haul QFi too.
Meanwhile, those going to the US/UK ie QFi long haul can enjoy the 787/350... mmm...
Not so bad if we had more Aussie based QF CSA we can phone up to buy "comfort seat bookings" on these new narrow body planes.
===
Its the A220 thats 2 on the left, and 3 on the right.
A321neo XLR will that QF will take, still be 3x3.

 

[Quickstatus]

recipe for making a cake

I got a recipe but it does not involve making one.

 

[Quickstatus]

Meanwhile, those going to the US/UK ie QFi long haul can enjoy the 787/350

I think a Y seat is just as bad in any aircraft.
I'm not sure how a twin aisle makes it any better

 

[Flashback]

I got a recipe but it does not involve making one.

Not sure how that post made it into this thread.. and yes, I looked at that option but most want 2 weeks notice!

 

[moa999]

A321neo XLR will that QF will take, still be 3x3.

Correct. Initial batch in a 20J (recliner) 180Y config.
(It's not far off the 767s which were 30J/ 224Y)

 

[jpp42]

I think a Y seat is just as bad in any aircraft.
I'm not sure how a twin aisle makes it any better

Twin aisle seats with pairs on the sides (ie 2-4-2), are much more comfortable for couples as you get your own pair of seats. With 3-3 seating this is almost never possible (apart from the odd row near exits at times). If travelling Y, I try to prioritise A330 flights over B787/777/A350 for this reason. Best economy seating is of course is JAL's 2-4-2 on a B787, but unfortunately I'm not always travelling to Japan ...

If travelling alone and you like the window seat, on a 3-3 or 3-3-3, config you have to disrupt 2 strangers to get out, with a 2-4-2 it's maximum one person that's inconvenienced. This is a real consideration for some.

 

[Franky]

I think a Y seat is just as bad in any aircraft.
I'm not sure how a twin aisle makes it any better

After the dreaded midnight horror

 

[Franky]

Which we suffered on QF last night SIN-PER on a-chock-a-block flight which arrived at midnight, booked 6 months ago with no seats available other than Y…