Qantas Fleet

[amaroo]

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.

I've (currently) got one of those for a QF17 booking, if I can't jump ship over to CX or JL F ... I hope it sticks.

 

[Mr_Orange]

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.

I have old F for two flights next month, to and from Tokyo. Here's hoping there is no change.

 

[Flying mermaid]

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.

Based on this I have just changed our seats to 2 A and B on our flights to and from JNB in September. We had an unrefurbed 3 class in March and I couldn't believe just how bad those old J beds were! Currently we have a refurbed 3 class and I had selected upstairs, but this seems the safest option - we don't seem very lucky at the moment when it comes to delays and substitutions.

 

[JohnM]

Based on this I have just changed our seats to 2 A and B on our flights to and from JNB in September. We had an unrefurbed 3 class in March and I couldn't believe just how bad those old J beds were! Currently we have a refurbed 3 class and I had selected upstairs, but this seems the safest option - we don't seem very lucky at the moment when it comes to delays and substitutions.

If it is 2A & B, it won't be the old F seats. They were single on the sides, so 2A & K. But the front cabin configured as conventional J has a lot more spare floor space because there's no 2E & F.

 

[Flying mermaid]

If it is 2A & B, it won't be the old F seats. They were single on the sides, so 2A & K. But the front cabin configured as conventional J has a lot more spare floor space because there's no 2E & F.

yes I am aware of that - did fly it a number of times when it really was F my reasoning is if I stick to the upper cabin then I might get the old seats if they put a 4 class in. If I stick to the front cabin, then I will either get new J seats or old F seats - no chance of those nasty old J (and I won't. have to put up with Mr FM whining!).

 

[JohnM]

yes I am aware of that - did fly it a number of times when it really was F my reasoning is if I stick to the upper cabin then I might get the old seats if they put a 4 class in. If I stick to the front cabin, then I will either get new J seats or old F seats - no chance of those nasty old J (and I won't. have to put up with Mr FM whining!).

I always opt for the front cabin by default.

Wondering whether anyone has experienced either of the last two unrefurbed birds being used on the JNB run?

 

[Flying mermaid]

I always opt for the front cabin by default.

Wondering whether anyone has experienced either of the last two unrefurbed birds being used on the JNB run?

We had the F cabin going to JNB in February - as others have mentioned I think that route gets the unrefurbs quite often, which is why I was really happy to see that they don't have the unrefurbished 3 class anymore!

 

[JohnM]

We had the F cabin going to JNB in February - as others have mentioned I think that route gets the unrefurbs quite often, which is why I was really happy to see that they don't have the unrefurbished 3 class anymore!

Are you, or anyone else, aware whether it runs to a pattern? I'll be booking for JNB soon. I got the refurbs last year.

 

[Mattg]

Are you, or anyone else, aware whether it runs to a pattern? I'll be booking for JNB soon. I got the refurbs last year.

There isn't really a predictable pattern. But the non-refurbs do spend more time on the JNB and NRT runs than other routes.

In the past month, a non-refurb 747 has flown to JNB 10 times, though that number could potentially decrease after the latest retirement.

 

[JohnM]

There isn't really a predictable pattern. But the non-refurbs do spend more time on the JNB and NRT runs than other routes.

In the past month, a non-refurb 747 has flown to JNB 10 times, though that number could potentially decrease after the latest retirement.

Thanks, Matt. What's the timeline for what's happening to the last 2 birds (and are they retiring or being refurbed?), do you know?

 

[serfty]

FWIW, I'd allocate 3E/F if possible - these are good seats on both the 4 class and refurbished three class. They don't exist on the old three class.

 

[Mattg]

Thanks, Matt. What's the timeline for what's happening to the last 2 birds (and are they retiring or being refurbed?), do you know?

I believe the plan is to retire the last 2 non-refurb 747s by mid-2016.

 

[JohnM]

FWIW, I'd allocate 3E/F if possible - these are good seats on both the 4 class and refurbished three class. They don't exist on the old three class.

I agree that they are good seats - but I like a window, so I'm prepared to opt for 1A or K and punt on a seatmate. I have long legs so I never find it a problem stepping over. But for all my recent trips to JNB and SCL, there's been nobody in 1B or J .

 

[amaroo]

FWIW, I'd allocate 3E/F if possible - these are good seats on both the 4 class and refurbished three class. They don't exist on the old three class.

I thought I'd like them however, I felt like I was on display the whole time. Exit row up top for us...

 

[Foreigner]

QF 76 is 747-400 operation, YVR-SYD.

Just checked its planned altitude is 28,000 ft. Common?

 

[moa999]

Reasons behind the current A380 issues:
Qantas A380 grounded in Los Angeles after mystery problem with hydraulics

 

[Himeno]

I believe the plan is to retire the last 2 non-refurb 747s by mid-2016.

Has the plan changed? That date was also meant to be for the arrival of some 787 or A380. When they got pushed back again, did the plan to retire 2 744s in 2016 get pushed back as well?

 

[Mattg]

Has the plan changed? That date was also meant to be for the arrival of some 787 or A380. When they got pushed back again, did the plan to retire 2 744s in 2016 get pushed back as well?

That date is about a year old - the plan may well have changed. My bet is that those last two jumbos will end up staying until the first 787s arrive in 2017.

 

[moa999]

Still 3 A332s due back from JQ, and JQ schedule shows all-787s from mid-September.

So make it end-October for refurb and paint.

 

[flightobserver]

That date is about a year old - the plan may well have changed. My bet is that those last two jumbos will end up staying until the first 787s arrive in 2017.

The FY15 half year results suggested that they would all be retired in FY16. If there were any changes made to this schedule, I would think there may be more details to come when the FY15 full year results come out.