Qantas Metal to NAN

[markis10]

Perhaps it was just a one off or maybe its a sign of things to come but QF operated an A330 to NAN over the weekend using positioning/charter numbers.

 

[maninblack]

Perhaps it was just a one off or maybe its a sign of things to come but QF operated an A330 to NAN over the weekend using positioning/charter numbers.

Imagine if QF started to fly A330's to Nadi whilst still flying 763's to HNL. That would really be a QF divorce scenario for me having 3 trips to HNL on for next year (One is already booked with NZ)

Did it return or perhaps fly on to LAX or somewhere else. I would expect that it was either a charter or a fill in for Air Pacific. Did they operate a scheduled flight that day?

 

[straitman]

Imagine if QF started to fly A330's to Nadi whilst still flying 763's to HNL. That would really be a QF divorce scenario for me having 3 trips to HNL on for next year (One is already booked with NZ)

An interesting comment from my perspective.

From an aviation standpoint I would much rather the 767 to the A330. From a passenger perspective the 767s are very tired internally and desperately need a lot of TLC.

 

[docjames]

I dont know if too much can be read into that. Interesting nonetheless.

 

[maninblack]

An interesting comment from my perspective.

From an aviation standpoint I would much rather the 767 to the A330. From a passenger perspective the 767s are very tired internally and desperately need a lot of TLC.

Are you referring to the view held by some that the 767 is a more 'reliable' aircraft? Yes obviously from a passenger perspective it's a no-brainer. I thought with the A$ so strong QF would have switched to 744's (rather than sitting them in the desert) and maybe dumped the JQ service and deploy those aircraft into other destinations. Anyway, I digress..again

 

[serfty]

I believe the 330's are generally more fuel efficient than the 747 and 767 aircraft.

This is an important factor for commercial operations.

 

[richie9x]

Interesting.
It left Sydney as QF6030 at about 9:30am. I thought it could have been filling in for JQ119 but that left ok about 30 before it. Nor was it filling in for the FJ910 flight which operated normally.
Returned to Sydney later that night as QF 6031 at 8:20pm.

 

[maninblack]

I would be exceptionally surprised if QF were re-commencing services to Fiji and even if they were I doubt that they would be needing to conduct 'proving' flights.

Must have been a charter.

 

[docjames]

Schoolies charter? I heard a story on radio the other day that Fiji is te new bali for schoolies, and of about three islands booked out for schoolies with estimated attendance ~ 500.

 

[VHOEJ]

On the Honolulu arguement, operating the A330 wont neccessarily be cheaper than a 767.

 

[milehighclub]

My friend was on this flight

The day before the QF flight a FJ 747 had a pressurisation problem and returned to NAN about an hour after take off. The captain was on oxygen (as a precaution) and apparently sounded like Darth Vader over the PA.

Passengers were offered a flight to MEL the same day on the same aircraft but most refused to board it so QF came in to get them home.

 

[markis10]

My friend was on this flight

The day before the QF flight a FJ 747 had a pressurisation problem and returned to NAN about an hour after take off. The captain was on oxygen (as a precaution) and apparently sounded like Darth Vader over the PA.

Passengers were offered a flight to MEL the same day on the same aircraft but most refused to board it so QF came in to get them home.

There you go, mystery solved.

 

[haydensydney]

Intense - I wouldn't be terribly keen to get back on the aircraft too after that one.

I've always been wary of those Air Pacific 747's... the are old, look old, and I don't have 100% faith in the carrier for top notch upkeep on maintenance. [of course im expecting someone to slam me for this statement lol]

 

[haydensydney]

FYI

I have never had a problem with Air Pacific on the 12 occasions we have been to Fiji. This time was a disaster. We paid for our holiday back in May, only to be kicked off the flight within the final days of our boarding. First we were told the flight had been cancelled and we were placed on a Virgin flight. We had to leave morning rather than afternoon. Then we found out they had overbooked flights for the Air Pacific and it was never cancelled. On our return flight to Sydney, we were delayed by 3 hours. Finally in the air for an 1.5 hrs we lost cabin pressure. To captains credit, he chose to return to Nadi. That's when the hassle really started, lack of communication, poor contingency, planning and no organisation between Air Pacific and terminal staff. We waited in line after line until 4 hours later we finally got to hotel rooms. Perhaps some training for staff on how to handle these events as they happen.

Air Pacific Customer Reviews | SKYTRAX

 

[Simo]

i have only been to NAN twice and both times on FJ.

There planes all seem generally a bit older than most other fleets in Aust.

Maybe similar age to some similar carriers in Asia.

 

[Timba-Jet]

Passengers were offered a flight to MEL the same day on the same aircraft but most refused to board it so QF came in to get them home.

Can understand why most would be hesitant to reboard the craft.
You would assume craft is safe to fly if they are offering the flight, so interesting FJ gave customers the choice. Is this normal?

 

[TheInsider]

Just an FYI, WP's will not be able to check-in at the 1st Suite anymore at all.. This is due to FJ getting rid of QF for their ramp and customer service work in Australia. Now being done by Menzies.

 

[Austman]

My friend was on this flight

The day before the QF flight a FJ 747 had a pressurisation problem and returned to NAN about an hour after take off. The captain was on oxygen (as a precaution) and apparently sounded like Darth Vader over the PA.

Passengers were offered a flight to MEL the same day on the same aircraft but most refused to board it so QF came in to get them home.

Or was it the 767? It was supposed to be the 767 on 18th November that rotates to SYD as FJ911/FJ910 and then rotates to MEL 85mins later as FJ931/FJ930.

And it seems the 767 is in the FJ news:

HKG schedule updates
19 November 2011

Air Pacific wishes to advise its customers that due to rescheduling requirement on its B767-300ER aircraft, there will be a change in schedule for to its Nadi-Hong Kong service on Thursday 24th November 2011.

Air Pacific service FJ391; Nadi - Hong Kong on Thursday 24th November will now be rescheduled to depart 24 hours earlier. The flight will now depart Nadi on Wednesday 23rd November 2011 at 0925am.

Air Pacific Hong-Nadi service on Thursday 24th will depart as normal.

FJ's 767 is 17 years old (younger than the 747s).

 

[crum]

There was a party for FJ staff and corporate customers recently for this announcement...

Media Centre - News and Events - Air Pacific

 

[ChrisGibbs]

Just an FYI, WP's will not be able to check-in at the 1st Suite anymore at all.. This is due to FJ getting rid of QF for their ramp and customer service work in Australia. Now being done by Menzies.

I hadn't seen this post before jumping in the F queue at SYD today to check in for QF391 (aka FJ910) to NAN. The queue was quite long with up 12 people checking in via the 2 counters operating counters. During this time I struck up a conversation with a gentlemen in front of me who was checking in himself and 6 others on the same flight as me to Nadi on Air Pacific. After about 20-25 minutes in the queue I got to the checkin counter only to be told that I would have to head over to the FJ counter run by Menzies for checkin as Qantas no longer looked after FJ flights. I thought this was reasonably amusing as some of the bags in the next lane to me were still being tagged for Nadi and heading down the conveyer belt. I asked the checkin attendant looking after me if there was a problem checking me in compared to the person next to us. He then queried his colleague next - after a lengthy chat the net result was that I was told the QF checkin agent would have to "reverse" the check in he was doing and I would have to head over to the FJ checkin.

We went over to the FJ counter and checked in with no fuss and no time delay. Now I know the rules for QF code share check in to NAN I won't waste the time or engage in the "pleasure" of checking in via the QF F aisles. However I would recommend to QF staff they be upfront and say they "screwed up" in checking in another passenger rather than covering their butt and saying they would need to "reverse" the check in for the previous passengers.

As for FJ to Nadi - bring on any reasonable J class pricing / competition on the SYD-NAN-SYD sector and it would be interesting to see their response.