Qantas plans 30 new ACT jobs

[Yada Yada]

Qantas plans 30 new ACT jobs

Qantas says 30 new jobs will be created in the ACT when it expands its Canberra to Sydney service.

The airline is upgrading its 50-seat Dash 8's with 72-seat Bombardiers and a flight crew base at Canberra Airport.

Qantas ACT regional general manager Allan Williams says the bigger planes will begin flying in August.

More...

Business is obviously not declining!

 

[Groundfeeder]

Why would the stretch Crash-8 require an additional 30 bodies to turn it around? Starting to remember the old public service jokes again so must stop.

 

[Alan in CBR]

Reading between the spin, it's probably not thirty new jobs, just 30 new jobs for the region. Presumably relocated from elsewhere.

Of course I could be wrong.

 

[NM]

Why would the stretch Crash-8 require an additional 30 bodies to turn it around? Starting to remember the old public service jokes again so must stop.

Maybe they will need the extra staff when they start JQ operations to AVV?

 

[Wunala Dreaming]

You'd be correct Alan in CBR.

Sunnies will crew the SYD-CBR-SYD Q400 flights and and will have to relocate to CBR from QLD.

There's anger going around, in that there may need to be forced transfers, as none of the Sunnie crew will willingly transfer to CBR.

 

[Yada Yada]

There's anger going around, in that there may need to be forced transfers, as none of the Sunnie crew will willingly transfer to CBR.

It wouldn't be something to do with the weather, would it?

 

[NM]

There's anger going around, in that there may need to be forced transfers, as none of the Sunnie crew will willingly transfer to CBR.

It wouldn't be something to do with the weather, would it?

Nah, its just politics .

 

[Groundfeeder]

Yada Yada,

No, its getting the shift right to allocate ground staff to manually spin the props at 5.30 on a lovely August foggy morn.

 

[Yada Yada]

No, its getting the shift right to allocate ground staff to manually spin the props at 5.30 on a lovely August foggy morn.

Brrrrr.... :x

 

[JohnK]

QantasLInk to Commence Q400 Services between Canberra and Sydney and Open New Crew Ba

QantasLInk to Commence Q400 Services between Canberra and Sydney and Open New Crew Base

Canberra, 07 September 2006

Qantas said today that it would increase its Canberra capacity by more than 11 per cent by 29 October, with two new 72-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft set to operate between Sydney and Canberra.

The Executive General Manager of Qantas, Mr John Borghetti, said the first of the new aircraft to be dedicated to the Sydney-Canberra route would commence operations this Sunday, 10 September.

"Qantas will operate more than 320 services a week between Sydney and Canberra under the new schedule, including B737 Qantas services and QantasLink Dash 8 and Q400 services.

"The two new Q400s will operate 144 flights a week, replacing some 50 and 36-seat Dash-8 services and boosting seat numbers by more than 2,500."
Mr Borghetti said QantasLink would open its new Canberra pilot and cabin crew base on Sunday in time for the first Q400 service.

"Seventeen pilots and 16 cabin crew will be based in Canberra," Mr Borghetti said.

More...

Some improvement for the regular SYD-CBR travellers!

 

[aus_flyer]

Probably expanding CL !!

 

[jakeseven7]

Re: QantasLInk to Commence Q400 Services between Canberra and Sydney and Open New Crew Ba

Some improvement for the regular SYD-CBR travellers!

Great, I can't wait to try this bird out.

 

[crazydave98]

Re: QantasLInk to Commence Q400 Services between Canberra and Sydney and Open New Crew Ba

Some improvement for the regular SYD-CBR travellers!

What's the improvement?

• No addiional frequencies - just replacements (and don't be surprised to see cancellations of off-peak flights).
• The manufactuer of the Dash8-Q400 acknowledges that it is noisier inside than the Q300 and even older 200 models - see attached pdf from a Bombardier sales brochure.
• The Dash8-Q400's extra speed means nothing on a leg as short as SYD-CBR where it will have exactly the same block time, so you don't spend any less time having your ears assaulted.
• The interior is just the same as the earlier Dash8s with just a few extra rows added - big deal.

I think it's hilarious that Qantas are trying to distance the new aircraft from its predecessors by refering to it only as the "Q400" as though it is somehow a different aircraft. The sad thing is that some people are buying into it.

cheers

CrazyDave98

 

[NM]

Dave, I don't think you are accurately representing the diagram from Bombardier. Assuming the increase in noise is directly proportional to the increase in cruise speed, at the same speed as the Dash 8-Q300 the Dash 8-Q400 is about 0.25dB higher noise level. I challenge anyone to notice a quarter of a dB difference.

And at Long Range Cruise, its 1dB higher than the Dash 8-Q300 travelling 25 knots slower.

I notice the 737NG is not included in that chart. Do you have the comparison for the 737NG? In the absence of any other source of cabin noise figures, I am happy to work on the assumption that the 737NG is similar to the A318/A319, which is 5dB higher than the low-speed Dash 8-Q400, 4dB higher than the Long Range Cruise speed Dash 8-Q400, and 3dB higher than the High-Speed Cruise Dash 8-Q400.

To my thinking, there are two advantages to the Dash 8-Q400 operating SYD-CBR route:

• More seats available on those flights - availability can be problematic at peak times.
• shiny new aircraft is an improvement over the older worn Dash 8-Q300s and Dash 8-200s used on that route.

Given the great in-flight service provided by Qantas Link, and the shiny new aircraft, I would choose a Dash 8-Q400 service between Sydney and Canberra ahead of any other aircraft type, providing of course the schedule suited.

I am sure that from QF's perspective, the Dash 8-Q400 provides a good mix of frequency and operating costs for that route.

 

[crazydave98]

I notice the 737NG is not included in that chart. Do you have the comparison for the 737NG? In the absence of any other source of cabin noise figures, I am happy to work on the assumption that the 737NG is similar to the A318/A319, which is 5dB higher than the low-speed Dash 8-Q400, 4dB higher than the Long Range Cruise speed Dash 8-Q400, and 3dB higher than the High-Speed Cruise Dash 8-Q400.

I think there is a very good reason why the B737 hasn't been included in the chart - I bet if it was indeed noiser then Bombardier wouldn't hesistate to point it out don't you think?

I am sure that from QF's perspective, the Dash 8-Q400 provides a good mix of frequency and operating costs for that route.

Couldn't agree more - it's exactly what I would do in their shoes. The economics of the aircraft are very attractive. My point is just they are making out that it is somehow vastly different from the Q300. My hats off to their marketing department that people are believing it to be so.

 

[NM]

I think there is a very good reason why the B737 hasn't been included in the chart - I bet if it was indeed noisier then Bombardier wouldn't hesitate to point it out don't you think?

Perhaps my ears deceive me at times, but in my experience the 737NG cabin is noisier than the Dash 8-Q300. I have not experienced the Dash 8-Q400. In fact, in my experience I would suggest the 737NG is similar to the A320/A319 cabin noise levels. The 737 is certainly noisier than a 747 upper deck. But I have not scientific data to show one way or the other. I could carry my SPL meter with me on my next trip, but since I expect to have to travel through the UK and they are now limited carry-on size, I don't think I can easily carry it with me (its pretty big at 115 x 65 x 35mm).

Perhaps the 737 was not included in the chart due to some agreement between Boeing and Bombardier made at the time Boeing sold the aircraft program to Bombardier back in the 90s. Perhaps they can only make good comparisons (such as the 767 and 747 upper deck inclusions) and not bad ones?

 

[JohnK]

Re: QantasLInk to Commence Q400 Services between Canberra and Sydney and Open New Crew Ba

What's the improvement?

Sorry Dave! I thought 2,500 extra seats, on an already overcrowded route, was improvement enough.

For me the Dash8-400 is also a good idea. I can't wait to try it out!

 

[crazydave98]

Re: QantasLInk to Commence Q400 Services between Canberra and Sydney and Open New Crew Ba

Sorry Dave! I thought 2,500 extra seats, on an already overcrowded route, was improvement enough.

For me the Dash8-400 is also a good idea. I can't wait to try it out!

I agree that adding seats to a capacity constrained route can only be good for the travellers - but that's a different issue from the hype about the Q400 itself. You could get the same effect of more seats plus better frequencies by putting on extra Q300 flights. Qantas is only doing it for the excellent reason that it will increase the route profitability, but they are trying to sell it as a product improvement which I think is dubious.

Perhaps the 737 was not included in the chart due to some agreement between Boeing and Bombardier made at the time Boeing sold the aircraft program to Bombardier back in the 90s. Perhaps they can only make good comparisons (such as the 767 and 747 upper deck inclusions) and not bad ones?

There may be a very good reason for not including A320 or B737, but somehow I doubt your conspiracy theory.

 

[Yada Yada]

Hmmm.. I flew into CBR on a B737 about 6 weeks ago and flew out the next day on a Crash 8 (-300 I guess) and I reckon the Crash 8 is quite a bit noisier. It's certainly a different type of droning noise.

Aside from that, flying in a Crash 8 is a bit like riding a see-saw, especially if there is a bit of bumpy air! Having to sit and wait while they power down the props one at a time after parking on the tarmac (which is like sitting in a blender), riding the b*s 50 metres to the terminal at SYD, etc etc all makes for a less comfortable experience, unless you are really into that kind of thing.

 

[Dave Noble]

Aside from that, flying in a Crash 8 is a bit like riding a see-saw, especially if there is a bit of bumpy air! Having to sit and wait while they power down the props one at a time after parking on the tarmac (which is like sitting in a blender), riding the b*s 50 to the terminal at SYD, etc etc all makes for a less comfortable experience, unless you are really into that kind of thing.

Personally, I prefer the Crash 8 over the 737 and on the SYD-CBR run, the gate-gate time is 5 minutes less on the Crash 8 ( 50 mins vs 55 ) . ( On the way back to SYD, then the 737 is 5 mins quicker than the Crash 8 )

Dae