Qantas to Launch SYD-AKL-JFK (June 2023)

[Melburnian1]

QF151 from MEL to AKL (due out at 0710 hours) often runs late (perhaps mainly in winter -lack data to compare summer or other two seasons) so one can foresee the connection at AKL sometimes missed. On the way back, even if the AKL-MEL was an 0615 hours ex AKL as suggested by Mattg, if tonight's performance of QF12 (from LAX not JFK) is anything to go by (62 late expected into SYD in morning), how often will the AKL-MEL connection be missed?

A far cheaper option with good service in the cabin in my experience is PR via MNL: on winter timings, three days a week there's a connection both ways: PR210 MEL 0810/MNL 1440x-PR126 MNL 1845-JFK 2300. On the return, PR 127JFK 0120 (may stop in YVR for refuelling I gather) JFK 0120-MNL 1020+1-PR209 MNL 2030-MEL 0640+2.

At this time of year, this alternative has elapsed time 30'50" on forward journey and 39'20" on the return. Slower than QFi, but if one saves a few thousand dollars for a J return (MEL-MNL = A333 1-2-1; MNL-JFK A359 1-2-1), it may suit some. QFi's fares are stratospheric. As individuals from corporates commented in media in recent days, the value proposition isn't good in their opinion.

QF's times to/fcrom MEL will balloon if the connection in AKL is missed. This must be a real risk. If local travel allowed SYD-AKL or vice versa (nothing says it won't be), then there may not be spare seats to redirect passengers via coughbersome Sydney.

 

[SYD]

QF's times to/fcrom MEL will balloon if the connection in AKL is missed. This must be a real risk. If local travel allowed SYD-AKL or vice versa (nothing says it won't be), then there may not be spare seats to redirect passengers via coughbersome Sydney.

The pre-Covid connections in/out of LAX would be held back (within reason) to assist with onward connections in both directions if there was a hiccup with one of the connector flights.

 

[Melburnian1]

The pre-Covid connections in/out of LAX would be held back (within reason) to assist with onward connections in both directions if there was a hiccup with one of the connector flights.

What is your suggestion as to 'within reason'?

Half an hour? 45 minutes? An hour?

 

[SYD]

What is your suggestion as to 'within reason'?

Half an hour? 45 minutes? An hour?

Probably more appropriate here…

Ask The Pilot

Would this qualify as a decompression event (not sure if it just a crack, or there was a breach). Here is another report of this incident, which suggests there was no depressurisation event. It flew back to Warsaw before the window was replaced. http://avherald.com/h?article=4fd3d076&opt=0

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Ability to make up time, other onward connections and probably a whole raft of operational considerations. The main OW hubs have a team looking at those issues.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Wonder when it'll open up to AA and AS? Been checking this evening but nothing yet.

Did anyone manage to book the inaugural flight with points?

 

[NSun]

Wonder when it'll open up to AA and AS? Been checking this evening but nothing yet.

Did anyone manage to book the inaugural flight with points?

I did.

 

[group-of-5]

The pre-Covid connections in/out of LAX would be held back (within reason) to assist with onward connections in both directions if there was a hiccup with one of the connector flights.

Our own experience in the December prior to Covid was not great. We (3 Pax) had booked BNE-LAX-JFK (same aircraft used for both sectors) to minimise chances of having connection issues and for general convenience, paying a premium cost for that convenience compared to other options that we had available.

We arrived in LAX pretty much on time to be greeted by the disaster that is LAX Immigration control. I hadn't been through there for a few years, but other travelers in the queue with recent experience said it was bad that morning but not extraordinarily so. While we were in the queue/s, representatives of other airlines were calling out and pulling their customers with onward connections out of the queue and getting them expedited. No such assistance from Qantas.

We eventually got through immigration and went to the separate baggage carousel for the JFK connection to find our bags and many others pulled off and placed to the side. Qantas staff there said we were too late for the continuing flight to JFK and would have to be rebooked. We thought still had enough time, but others were arguing that point and weren't making any progress.

Trundled through the customs barrier (we were given some sort of express pass through there) and lined up at the rebooking counter. There were probably about 20 people in the same situation (thrown off the JFK flight) plus a few more with other connection issues, with ourselves in the middle of the queue. They only had one person manning that desk of course! We eventually made our way to the front of the queue and were rebooked on a Delta flight ( no American options were made available). We then had to take our luggage and queue again at a different desk to get it dispatched into the luggage system (or rather the guy behind the desk put it in a big pile to be dispatched later as the luggage system was overloaded).

We then had to walk down to the Delta terminal from TBIT and join the huge security queue with all the locals carrying their entire household contents as carry-on, eventually making our way to the departure lounge.

After quite a long wait, we were eventually boarded on an ancient 767 that I think Noah flew on when he was a boy. Of our three seats, two were broken in some way. One seat had a broken IFE and I got the 'special' seat with a broken IFE as well as a broken recline mechanism so the seat was in a permanent recline position. The gentleman behind me was fortunately very understanding. He had boarded before me and had already tried to fix the seat, so he knew it wasn't my fault.

Eventually we pushed back and to our bemusement we could see on flight radar 24 that the Qantas flight was still at the gate. Looking at the stats later, it took off about 15 minutes after us. It was something to ponder while I consumed the stale mystery meat sandwich and glass of flat Coke that passed for the meal on that flight.

Perhaps we just had bad luck that day, but I suspect not. From what we gathered, it seemed to be a daily occurrence to greater or lesser extent according to the staff we spoke to. The extended process we had to go through was measured in hours not minutes, and I am sure that we could have been accommodated on the QF flight. Particularly galling was not getting any FF points for the sector as they put us on a non-OneWorld carrier. I was going to complain and had taken note of all the various timings, but I ended up not bothering. Why go through all that pain to get maybe 1000 FF points.

Sorry for the diatribe, but thought I should put down the entire story.

 

[oz_mark]

Perhaps we just had bad luck that day, but I suspect not. From what we gathered, it seemed to be a daily occurrence to greater or lesser extent according to the staff we spoke to. The extended process we had to go through was measured in hours not minutes, and I am sure that we could have been accommodated on the QF flight. Particularly galling was not getting any FF points for the sector as they put us on a non-OneWorld carrier. I was going to complain and had taken note of all the various timings, but I ended up not bothering. Why go through all that pain to get maybe 1000 FF points.

In the case of an involuntary change, you would have been entitled to the Status Credits and Points as per the original booking. But this would have to be requested, it's not automatic.

 

[BD1959]

In the case of an involuntary change, you would have been entitled to the Status Credits and Points as per the original booking. But this would have to be requested, it's not automatic.

Correct. This should be straight forward - QFF have been doing this for years (though maybe not their recent hires) - and is called an Original Routing Credit or ORC.

Regards,

BD

 

[DC3]

Sorry for the diatribe, but thought I should put down the entire story.

At least now, you can look back now and laugh about the experience.

 

[jpp42]

One seat had a broken IFE and I got the 'special' seat with a broken IFE as well as a broken recline mechanism so the seat was in a permanent recline position.

Just FYI, the seat with the broken recline mechanism should not have been allowed to remain in service. Under standard aviation laws (it would be this way in any country), this seat should have been booked out of use, as well as the ones behind it/blocked by it, because this affects the seats' performance in a crash as well as emergency evacuation. Perhaps the flight attendants didn't know about the problem, but had they known before departure, they would have been obligated to re-seat the passengers in the affected seats, even if it caused some passengers to be bumped. This is one of the rare cases in which passengers can actually be bumped after boarding, even with the new US legislation after the famous United incident with the doctor who got pulled out of his seat (and knocked unconscious by police).

If you wanted to ding Delta about it, this could have been reported the FAA and they would investigate.

 

[ayebee]

Just FYI, the seat with the broken recline mechanism should not have been allowed to remain in service. Under standard aviation laws (it would be this way in any country), this seat should have been booked out of use, as well as the ones behind it/blocked by it, because this affects the seats' performance in a crash as well as emergency evacuation. Perhaps the flight attendants didn't know about the problem, but had they known before departure, they would have been obligated to re-seat the passengers in the affected seats, even if it caused some passengers to be bumped. This is one of the rare cases in which passengers can actually be bumped after boarding, even with the new US legislation after the famous United incident with the doctor who got pulled out of his seat (and knocked unconscious by police).

If you wanted to ding Delta about it, this could have been reported the FAA and they would investigate.

This new way to JFK looks good, especially if connections are slick in AKL.

Ok that was relevant to the thread, but since it was raised ....
I had a seat with broken recline in 2018 or 19. Think it was AA.
Apologised straight away to the guy behind as soon as I sat down. He was cool, but I was then admonished by FAs before pushback to put it in the upright position. I explained it would not stay up. They seemed to immediately forget and came back several times to tell me off again, until I simply leaned forward until the plane was off the ground.
There was no mention of reseating, probably as the plane was full. Was not aware I could be bumped, but it would not have been good as I was heading for an international connection home at LAX. Anyway, I probably caused a chain reaction of reclines behind, but no one seemed upset.

 

[dajop]

Fascinating, very interesting alternative to restarting LAX-JFK. I wonder what connections this opens up for PER (etc) based travellers instead of DOM>INT transfer in MEL, SYD or BNE.

Even if PER returns the connection wouldn't work as PER is a red eye east bound.

If PER returns, presumably they could in theory retime it to connect to the JFK flight. But with MCT that would mean a departure from PER @ 0535 at the latest!

 

[Mattg]

If PER returns, presumably they could in theory retime it to connect to the JFK flight. But with MCT that would mean a departure from PER @ 0535 at the latest!

I can't see QF running a PER-AKL flight departing at 0535. Plus, even if they did, the aircraft would have to sit on the ground in AKL overnight in order to offer connectivity in the other direction.

 

[exceladdict]

If PER returns, presumably they could in theory retime it to connect to the JFK flight. But with MCT that would mean a departure from PER @ 0535 at the latest!

Interesting! I was imagining this may have some chance, particularly when they bring the 321s online. Even if it's an overnight stop it could be nice.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Can’t think of anything worse than being in Y for 17 hours. Hope they have wifi.
Wonder how fifth freedom flights are allocated. It’s going to give Air NZ a run for their money. Although I’d rather go on a flight with the option of those Air NZ beds.

DFW-SYD is 16:45 hrs & PER-LHR 17:15hrs, so not a lot different time wise.

Au & NZ are a single aviation market. QF operated AKL-LAX in the past. Air NZ operated AU domestic services, with 100% owned subsidiary Ansett. Are several airlines operating AU<-->USA & NZ<--->USA other than QF & Air NZ. Most passengers only care about 3 things on long haul flights:- price, price & price. Many have no idea how long they will be in that seat and what f&b are offered or are in the price. We on AFF are in the 5% minority who look at such things.

I can't see QF running a PER-AKL flight departing at 0535. Plus, even if they did, the aircraft would have to sit on the ground in AKL overnight in order to offer connectivity in the other direction.

The same aircraft does not need to fly back to PER. It could fly to another AU east coast airport. QF crew AKL-PER would be (cheap) Jetconnect NZ based. But agree cannot see QF restarting a PER-AKL service with a 05:35 international departure. Only a few would continue on to USA.

 

[Daver6]

Fascinating, very interesting alternative to restarting LAX-JFK. I wonder what connections this opens up for PER (etc) based travellers instead of DOM>INT transfer in MEL, SYD or BNE.

If you want to get from PER to JFK go one stop on QR via DOH. Much better J experience than anything QF can possibly offer.

 

[exceladdict]

If you want to get from PER to JFK go one stop on QR via DOH. Much better J experience than anything QF can possibly offer.

Yes, I've flown PER-DOH-IAH before and enjoyed the experience thoroughly, but QR is currently on a no fly list for me after the incident.

 

[Daver6]

Yes, I've flown PER-DOH-IAH before and enjoyed the experience thoroughly, but QR is currently on a no fly list for me after the incident.

If you don't care about OW then you've still got EK or SQ for one stop to the US east coast.

 

[jrfsp]

If you don't care about OW then you've still got EK or SQ for one stop to the US east coast.

Also ANA and CX when they hopefully return