Qantas orders six more 787s, plans to retire all 747s by 2020

[Himeno]

New 787s come on line from late 2019 which could be partially directed to a restructure of JNB flying. Gives Qantas a full summer season to analyse - in fact, two if it wishes. (If the latter deliveries of the 787 conversions are favoured)

The next 4 787s (BNE based) are due mid July, late August and 2 in November.

 

[Must...Fly!]

The next 4 787s (BNE based) are due mid July, late August and 2 in November.

I'm referring to the new (converted from the order book) deliveries announced this week . The deliveries due this year are spoken/accounted for in terms of deployment.

 

[sevenfourtyseven]

It will be interesting what new routes the new 787's will be used for. We know that Paris (CDG) has been spoken of and routes to the US East Coast. I'd like to see a MEL or SYD to Seoul (ICN). Unlikely MEL given Korean Air couldn't make it work.

 

[moa999]

Given they are withdrawing 747s alongside this latest order, I don't expect to see any new destinations

 

[Toad]

Qantas will not be doing this just for seasonal runs sake. They haven't done it for years despite having capable aircraft. This is about testing the market and SAA ability/willingness to dig in for a fight.

New 787s come on line from late 2019 which could be partially directed to a restructure of JNB flying. Gives Qantas a full summer season to analyse - in fact, two if it wishes. (If the latter deliveries of the 787 conversions are favoured)

? Seasonal runs sorry i didn't ask anything to do with seasonal runs must of been someone else.

 

[Stillhorses]

Is there any indication yet on when the B747 Simulator experience will not longer be available?

 

[mviy]

Is there any indication yet on when the B747 Simulator experience will not longer be available?

I'd assume that's still a while off. Only once pilots no longer need to do hours in the simulator would they remove the simulator one would think.

In the simulator they can practice for some emergency scenarios that they'd rarely if ever encounter in actual flying but need to be prepared for just in case.

 

[Must...Fly!]

They might keep it after the fleet disappears, you never know. They are very expensive and money can be made from leasing out the hours on it.

 

[straitman]

In the simulator they can practice for some emergency scenarios that they'd rarely if ever encounter in actual flying but need to be prepared for just in case.

The simulator is used for most ‘normal’ situations also. Without exception any scenario that could happen in the aircraft can be reproduced in a simulator.

 

[moa999]

A poster ''vorellanaj" on airliners.net Qantas Fleet thread has discovered the Qantas 747s on an airline sale site.
Boeing 747 - Available Assets - MyAirTrade

AD column is available date, presumably a month or so after aircraft are withdrawn.

First up are the 3 non-ERs identified by delivery date and engines

1st : OJS 15-Feb-2019
2nd : OEB 15-Apr-2019
3rd : OJU 15-Aug-2019

And then the 6ERs between Feb and Dec 2020

Last aircraft predicted to be Ceduna (OEI) , she had D-Check recently or Wunala (OEJ)

 

[Silvia]

OEB is so overdue from retirement! I flew last Sept and it was in a very sad condition.

VH-ZNG was delivered on the 13th and arrived to Mel on the 15th
VH-ZNH seems to be doing the initial flight testing to/from Everett so I'm assuming it will be arriving quite soon as 787s to HK start next month.

 

[moa999]

Agreed will be glad to see the end of the horrible Rockwell Collins IFE system (also present on 332s EBL which is currently under refurb and EBG which is scheduled for early 2019).

So it seems we have an increase in capacity over holiday period with ZNG/ZNH delivered but then we lose OJS/OEB.

And then at the moment from the start of FY20 (July 2019) we lose 7 747s over 18months with only 6 789s presently scheduled.

 

[Mattg]

Having a look at Expert Flyer, it appears to me that the last commercial flight for VH-OEB could be QF64 JNB-SYD on 25 March. I can't see any Qantas 747 flights after this date showing the old seating configuration.

Am I missing something, or does VH-OEB have only 3 weeks left of working life?

 

[serfty]

does VH-OEB have only 3 weeks left of working life?

Often it gets used for Charters ... but you could be right.

 

[moa999]

Am I missing something, or does VH-OEB have only 3 weeks left of working life?

Sounds about right, OEB previously been listed as available for sale from 15Apr, though think Victorville is more likely.

OJU also expected to leave in July/August, just leaving the six ERs.

No more 787s expected until Nov/Dec, but should get 3 over that period so they have capacity over the busy holiday period.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Dunno why passengers would be happy with the replacement of 747s by 787s... much reduced capacity means much harder to get award seats and higher fares. Good for shareholders.

 

[Saltywings]

Forgive my ignorance with exact models and I may have missed it - I've got QF25 in November which seems to be flown by a whole assortment of B744s. What are the chances (even just speculatively) that I'd be swapped out to a 787 before then?

 

[Himeno]

Forgive my ignorance with exact models and I may have missed it - I've got QF25 in November which seems to be flown by a whole assortment of B744s. What are the chances (even just speculatively) that I'd be swapped out to a 787 before then?

Unlikely. The HND flights are often sold out. Either full in J and W or oversold in Y with opups. The 787 would be a large capacity cut for a route that is doing very well.
Outside of MILT giving Australia another HND slot (and QF jumping on it), or QF getting enough aircraft to replace one daily SYD-TYO with twice daily (1xHND, 1xNRT), I would expect HND to be one of the last 3 routes (along with SCL and JNB) to lose the 747.

SFO, HNL and the seasonal North American routes will be the next to go to 787 (or return to fully 330 in the case of HNL).

With firm orders as they stand, Qantas can't retire all the 747s and maintain their current route frequencies, much less open new routes.

 

[Saltywings]

Unlikely. The HND flights are often sold out. Either full in J and W or oversold in Y with opups. The 787 would be a large capacity cut for a route that is doing very well.
Outside of MILT giving Australia another HND slot (and QF jumping on it), or QF getting enough aircraft to replace one daily SYD-TYO with twice daily (1xHND, 1xNRT), I would expect HND to be one of the last 3 routes (along with SCL and JNB) to lose the 747.

SFO, HNL and the seasonal North American routes will be the next to go to 787 (or return to fully 330 in the case of HNL).

With firm orders as they stand, Qantas can't retire all the 747s and maintain their current route frequencies, much less open new routes.

Fair analysis. That said, I frequently find reward availability of up to 6 in J and 6 in Y outside of peak periods, and even 2-4 in J during peak periods sometimes. Bit odd for a high-load route.

 

[sudoer]

Fair analysis. That said, I frequently find reward availability of up to 6 in J and 6 in Y outside of peak periods, and even 2-4 in J during peak periods sometimes. Bit odd for a high-load route.

I would imagine loads to Tokyo are some of the most variable on Qantas' route map.

Loads during January, March, April, August and December are consistently very high. This year will see high loads in May (extended golden week) and Sep-Oct (RWC) too, and obviously Jul-Aug next year for the Olympics.

Loads outside of these months tend to be very low so I'm not surprised if QF are releasing 4+ J awards, particularly on BNE-NRT.

It wouldn't surprise me to see a 787 to KIX if that Qantas keep flying there, which would free up an A330 to go elsewhere (HNL etc)