Qantas: Non-stop flight to UK will happen within two years

[SeatBackForward]

I don't know why everyone engages in such wild speculation when the airline has ordered only a handful of aircraft and has stated these are to replace existing 744s which mean there will be no new routes. Full stop. End of speculation.

You mean Alan Joyce?

 

[smit0847]

I don't know why everyone engages in such wild speculation when the airline has ordered only a handful of aircraft and has stated these are to replace existing 744s which mean there will be no new routes. Full stop. End of speculation.

If they ordered another dozen or so aircraft, then you can go crazy on speculation. In any case, they wouldn't be here for a very long time and the aviation environment changes quite quickly so 5 years plus speculation is pointless. Plus the Airbus fleet will be looking tired soon, so more 787s may just replace the 330's.

This x 100

 

[dajop]

I don't know why everyone engages in such wild speculation when the airline has ordered only a handful of aircraft and has stated these are to replace existing 744s which mean there will be no new routes. Full stop. End of speculation.

If you removed wild speculation from AFF, you would get rid of half of the threads. Isn't speculation half the fun?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Think I saw that AJ mentioned that co-location of Dom and int flights at PER was coming soon also with the terminal upgrades

That is a long LONG way off.
The long long term plan for YPPH is to relocate everything to the same precinct as the current international terminal.
However the first step is moving VA domestic to the new pier it is currently completing at T1.
This will see the QF group expand to exclusive occupation of the current domestic T3 & T4, where they have just opened their new J lounge.
Moving across to international will require building a completely new terminal to the east of the current T1.
Realistically this will probably not occurr until after construction of the third runway east of T1 which will involve construction of eastern taxiways needed for both projects.
The construction of a new international pier at T1 is also a higher priority than moving QF across.
So while the QF move is currently scheduled for "the early 2020s" according to the YPPH masterplan, it is likely to be pushed years later.
Nothing at YPPH is completed on time - witness the still-delayed opening of the new VA pier at T1.

 

[woodborer]

The only reason you would do this is if there was some competition for the longest route in the world. Outside terminals, there are still issues around whether the available alternate airports are sufficient for such a flight (e.g. Perth closes for fog or something), the fact the the runway in Perth isn't really that long in the scheme of things - I think it is over 1 kilometre shorter than the Sydney runway, for example. The flight may happen, but not anytime soon.....

 

[mannej]

Woodborer, PER has a main runway length of 3,444m. From memory The main runway length of SYD is a touch under 4000m, so not quite over a K in difference between the two.

 

[cmon0005]

I think I would still rather transit DXB, unless PER got a proper F lounge like MEL and SYD.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

For the majority of the Australian population its still a two hop journey. So if DXB doesn't bother you, this probably doesn't change much in that respect.

Exactly. From the east coast there'd be no real time saving. If PER can barely support a QF mainline to SIN, how would they fill a flight to London?

 

[opusman]

From east coast it would actually be longer wouldn't it? 4 hours + transit + 18 hours vs 14 hours + transit + 7 hours.

 

[vantage03]

LH don't have any long-haul flights departing Berlin...

Yes, that's the point, you're forced onto a LCC or through LH's FRA/MUC hubs. Not ideal for the flying public but works in favour of German airlines.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes, that's the point, you're forced onto a LCC or through LH's FRA/MUC hubs. Not ideal for the flying public but works in favour of German airlines.

I was thinking about this... wouldn't it also work in favour of foreign airlines? Ie the KLs/AFs/BAs - if you have to transfer in FRA/MUC anyway, you might as well transit in LHR/AMS/CDG/HEL?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

The only reason you would do this is if there was some competition for the longest route in the world. Outside terminals, there are still issues around whether the available alternate airports are sufficient for such a flight (e.g. Perth closes for fog or something), the fact the the runway in Perth isn't really that long in the scheme of things - I think it is over 1 kilometre shorter than the Sydney runway, for example. The flight may happen, but not anytime soon.....

Lack of diversion airports could be a factor.
However as the 787 only has a take off distance of between 2,600m and 3,100m I can't see runway length being an issue.
Even though the 3,100 for the 787-8 is, curiously, a bit longer than the 2,950m needed for the A380, it's less than the 3,200m required by the 747-400.
All three aircraft operate through YPPH.

 

[bsb]

If you removed wild speculation from AFF, you would get rid of half of the threads. Isn't speculation half the fun?

Touche!!!!!

 

[woodborer]

However as the 787 only has a take off distance of between 2,600m and 3,100m I can't see runway length being an issue.

The airport operator thinks otherwise. There is some detail in the mster plan about needing to extend the runway to cater for long haul flights to Europe taking off in the middle of summer.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Obviously they know best. But the specifications suggest it's not the 787 which is most likely to be driving that plan. More likely the 777 which requires up to 3,380m for the 200LR variant.

 

[mannej]

The airport operator thinks otherwise. There is some detail in the mster plan about needing to extend the runway to cater for long haul flights to Europe taking off in the middle of summer.

I have just had a quick look at the masterplan - it looks like the extension of the runway will only add an extra ~350 metres or so, which will still make it shorter than SYD!

 

[Flying Fox]

Will be interesting to find out what price the tickets will be.

Will there be a premium on top of the standard J ticket prices as QF will only be doing this to make money?

 

[dk4]

I predict that we will see Virgin (dunno which one) first to London nonstop from Australia.

IMO Qantas isn't an innovative company, its M.O. is reactive.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I predict that we will see Virgin (dunno which one) first to London nonstop from Australia.

IMO Qantas isn't an innovative company, its M.O. is reactive.

I think the Qantas blurb in their history section would beg to differ!

I guess a lot of the 'innovation' is perhaps behind the scenes, technical issues and safety - which is all good stuff. I agree on board they aren't necessarily in the 'A' league. I'm scratching around but I think their last major 'thing' was business class in 1979? (Although their flagship lounges are good!)

 

[yohy?!]

I predict that we will see Virgin (dunno which one) first to London nonstop from Australia.

IMO Qantas isn't an innovative company, its M.O. is reactive.

Not sure if EY would allow it but you may be right given the PER hub to London idea was JB's from his time at QF.