Qantas Fleet

[TomVexille]

Could well be the case - in which case A380s are another option. They could do SCL 3x weekly and JNB 5x weekly with A380s and maintain roughly the same number of seats on the routes.

Though I do note that Air NZ is planning to operate 2-engined 777s to Argentina.

But NZ are governed by the CAA who have approved such operations. CASA remain reluctant at the moment.

 

[spiredturnip]

Could well be the case - in which case A380s are another option. They could do SCL 3x weekly and JNB 5x weekly with A380s and maintain roughly the same number of seats on the routes.

Though I do note that Air NZ is planning to operate 2-engined 777s to Argentina.

New Zealand's CAA has a different set of rules to CASA regarding ETOPS. CASA marches to the beat of its own drum, unfortunately.

 

[Mattg]

New Zealand's CAA has a different set of rules to CASA regarding ETOPS. CASA marches to the beat of its own drum, unfortunately.

I realise that this is the case now. My point is more that if NZ is allowed to do it now, there is a possibility that QF might be allowed to operate twin-engined aircraft to JNB/SCL well into the future (by the time the last 747s need to be retired).

 

[jimmylikesitwet]

They don't have any A380 options. They have 8 deferred firm orders.

Your terminology is correct. However until they firm up delivery slots I wouldn't guarantee that they're coming to Qantas. Orders have been cancelled before.

 

[maninblack]

Air New Zealand actually have the aircraft, 772ER, 773ER, 789, nice problem to have! Who on earth has been running Qantas?

 

[under the radar]

Who on earth has been running Qantas?

thankfully someone who isn't an 'armchair/social media' CEO

 

[moa999]

And someone who has seen what a mess you can get into with too many fleet types (interesting that NZ didn't learn this lesson)

 

[dajop]

And someone who has seen what a mess you can get into with too many fleet types (interesting that NZ didn't learn this lesson)

What do you mean that NZ didn't learn the lesson? 777's are the backbone of the long haul fleet. 767's are being replaced by 787's. Short haul they are soon to be exclusively A320 (if not already). They will end up with a fairly simple jet fleet without restricting themselves to a single type (like LCC's do). I guess if you count the 3 types of turbo prop that makes it more complicated.

 

[maninblack]

thankfully someone who isn't an 'armchair/social media' CEO

Hilarious. But not if you are a long term shareholder and have seen zero growth in the investment in 15 years.

 

[Melburnian1]

Or, maninblack, equally funny if you were one of the professional observers, some with aviation industry experience, who maintain QF ought to have ordered B777s (B773ERs?) a long time ago - but failed to do this. How costly was that single mistake to the long suffering shareholder base?

 

[juddles]

Could well be the case - in which case A380s are another option. They could do SCL 3x weekly and JNB 5x weekly with A380s and maintain roughly the same number of seats on the routes.

Though I do note that Air NZ is planning to operate 2-engined 777s to Argentina.

Why stay on that SYD - SCL route? Why not do daily Sydney-Lima???? Would make one-stop flying to basically anywhere in South America quick and easy. QF/LAN appear to have had a wonderful relationship for decades, so maybe this drives the SCL focus. But LAN themselves have evolved from Chile's national carrier to the dominant South American carrier, and in the process have moved their true hub of operations from Santiago to Lima. At the moment it is just as attractive for anyone in the top half of the continent (read Brazil and Colombia who have many rich travelers) to pop up to the USA and fly across the usual LAX-SYD way.

IMHO this belief of looking at replacing only current seat capacity on current routes is losing a lot of transpacific pax due to that cheaper northern option.

 

[Mattg]

Why stay on that SYD - SCL route? Why not do daily Sydney-Lima???? Would make one-stop flying to basically anywhere in South America quick and easy. QF/LAN appear to have had a wonderful relationship for decades, so maybe this drives the SCL focus. But LAN themselves have evolved from Chile's national carrier to the dominant South American carrier, and in the process have moved their true hub of operations from Santiago to Lima. At the moment it is just as attractive for anyone in the top half of the continent (read Brazil and Colombia who have many rich travelers) to pop up to the USA and fly across the usual LAX-SYD way.

IMHO this belief of looking at replacing only current seat capacity on current routes is losing a lot of transpacific pax due to that cheaper northern option.

I would personally be happy to see a SYD-LIM flight, as well as a QF flight to São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro (all 3 cities of which are partner airline hubs), though I just don't see it happening in the near future. Perhaps with the 787-9 these kind of left-field routing might become a possibility?

 

[dajop]

Why stay on that SYD - SCL route? Why not do daily Sydney-Lima???? Would make one-stop flying to basically anywhere in South America quick and easy.

I guess the extra 900 miles may make the route more difficult economically (7960 to LIM vs 7060 to SCL). Comments about Colombia notwithstanding, the big cities in Southern Brazil (GIG & GRU) are closer to SCL as well. As illustrated on great circle mapper.

 

[moa999]

Hilarious. But not if you are a long term shareholder and have seen zero growth in the investment in 15 years.

All depends when you bought and sold. If you sold at 5.50 (silly private equity bid) and bought back at 0.90 things look pretty damm good...

Airline are not historically good long-term investments

 

[Moecat]

Part of it will be the balance between frequency of service, number of seats and number of aircraft.

Personally I would prefer the 747 but I'm sure they have done their sums.

I find fault with your sentiment.... they don't always have their sums done correctly!! A second or Ten thousandth set of eyes cant hurt

 

[Mattg]

Boeing 747-400 VH-OJI has operated its last commercial flight for QF (QF22 arriving yesterday morning) and has been withdrawn from service.

This leaves just 11 747s, 2 of which are not refurbished, in the Qantas fleet.

It'll be departing for the US in a few days.

 

[PaulST]

Boeing 747-400 VH-OJI has operated its last commercial flight for QF (QF22 arriving yesterday morning) and has been withdrawn from service.

This leaves just 11 747s, 2 of which are not refurbished, in the Qantas fleet.

It'll be departing for the US in a few days.

I love the 747 but I'm glad to see one more old 747 go as I tend to have terrible luck getting them (last 4 QF 747 flights have been old birds).

 

[Mattg]

I love the 747 but I'm glad to see one more old 747 go as I tend to have terrible luck getting them (last 4 QF 747 flights have been old birds).

It also depends on the route.. Tokyo and Johannesburg seem to get more than their share of the older aircraft, while HKG, SCL and the US routes pretty much always get a refurb.

 

[PaulST]

It also depends on the route.. Tokyo and Johannesburg seem to get more than their share of the older aircraft, while HKG, SCL and the US routes pretty much always get a refurb.

Yep I had an oldie on SYD-JNB-SYD and SYD-NRT. HKG-SYD was meant to be a refurbished bird until the day beforehand (hence my first QF international J was in an old broken sloapy...). I've got JFK-LAX-SYD in Sept which is meant to be refurbished bird so hopefully that stays.

 

[Mattg]

Yep I had an oldie on SYD-JNB-SYD and SYD-NRT. HKG-SYD was meant to be a refurbished bird until the day beforehand (hence my first QF international J was in an old broken sloapy...). I've got JFK-LAX-SYD in Sept which is meant to be refurbished bird so hopefully that stays.

Hopefully that will stick, but interestingly the 2 remaining non-refurb 747s both have old F seats in the nose... so you never know, if you do end up with an old bird you might just be lucky enough to sit in one of them.