Qantas upgrades SYD-JNB to A380 service

[jb747]

I think its more to do with no flight or cabin crew to operate the aircraft. Its pretty disappointing considering other airlines have been able to get their A380's back & operating alot quicker. Melbourne always seems to get shafted!

I seem to recall saying ages ago, that it would take years to replace the flight crew that they were so quick to get rid of. I have a number of friends who left during covid, who are still young enough to be occupying their previous seats, but who wouldn't dream of going back. It's not that they've burnt any bridges, but rather Alan burnt them as soon as they'd left.

 

[cpatters]

I seem to recall saying ages ago, that it would take years to replace the flight crew that they were so quick to get rid of. I have a number of friends who left during covid, who are still young enough to be occupying their previous seats, but who wouldn't dream of going back. It's not that they've burnt any bridges, but rather Alan burnt them as soon as they'd left.

I think you've summarized it very well exactly what's going on!

 

[AIRwin]

I have a number of friends who left during covid, who are still young enough to be occupying their previous seats, but who wouldn't dream of going back.

Are they still flying?

 

[bPeteb]

For Y flight over I was able to select 59A and for J flight back already allocated 3A. Both of my flights are revenue. QF63 is July 31, 64 is Aug 24.

bAlt had 51C and 8K allocated for the new 787 flights. These are reward bookings.

I called this morning and had bAlt moved to beside me (59B) on 63 and to 7A (on the same side of the plane as me) on 64 back from JNB.

Weirdly I couldn't get him sat beside me on 528 up from Sydney (I'm in 3A). He had no seat so I asked if he could be sat beside me in 3C. Nope, apparently 3C (and D and F) are already allocated. He was given 2A and then I was told I couldn't be moved to 2C even though it was available! Bizarre.

Also odd is that we have both received updated e-tickets for the flights to JNB where change was 5 minutes, but nothing yet for the flight back where flight time change is slightly more.

 

[ss2106]

F.rk!! just got this email:

Hi kpc, We’re sorry to let you know that your cabin class on your upcoming flight QF63 to Johannesburg has changed. Unfortunately, due to supplier delays and supply chain issues impacting the plans for routine heavy maintenance on some Airbus A380 aircraft, your flight will be operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. There are no First (P) cabin seats available so we’ve booked you in Business (U) cabin for your flight should you still wish to travel on the same flight. For your reference, we’ve included your new flight details below. Accept these changes or view more options We appreciate this change may impact your travel plans and we’d like to provide you with the following options: • If you’ve booked through Qantas and you’d like to travel on these new flights, confirm the changes at ... Once you have confirmed your new flight details, we will process a refund of the difference in fare to your original form of payment over the next 2 weeks. If your booking was made using Qantas Points (i.e. a Classic Flight Reward or Points Plus Pay – Flight booking), we will credit the points difference {would be 2 pax x 94800 = 189600 Qf pts refund - the only positive ) to the Frequent Flyer account used to make your booking. If you have any questions, please call our priority number 1300 041 605 or +612 9123 7494. • To view more options, including how to request a full refund or, where applicable, a Flight Credit at ... Thank you for your understanding. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to welcoming you onboard soon.

I got the same email. I'd pounced and managed to snag 2 First Class Rewards Seats for my wife and I, which was really going to be a special opportunity for us. Unfortunately now that's not a possibility as like others in this thread, we then booked safaris based on those dates.

This is probably dreaming - but has anyone had any luck with contacting Qantas about an instance like this and getting something in addition to the points difference refund. For example, access to the First Class Lounge still OR (probably even more far fetched) the ability to be offered First Class Rewards ability on a different route for a different holiday?

 

[jb747]

Are they still flying?

Mostly, no.

 

[RSVKanga]

It wouldn’t be a stupid decision for QF to reverse the retirements of VH-OQE and OQF. As other members on this forum have pointed out; there has been significant computer activity recorded from both of these airframes currently at VCV. I reckon it’s the right decision to bring back these airframes to ease the severe and intense constraints and requirements the current QF international fleet is under.

 

[jase05]

It wouldn’t be a stupid decision for QF to reverse the retirements of VH-OQE and OQF. As other members on this forum have pointed out; there has been significant computer activity recorded from both of these airframes currently at VCV. I reckon it’s the right decision to bring back these airframes to ease the severe and intense constraints and requirements the current QF international fleet is under.

Haven’t they already started to be stripped?
Regardless I’d say zero chance that it has even been considered. They simply have to work with what they’ve got even if that means trimming frequencies or routes

 

[SYD]

Haven’t they already started to be stripped?
Regardless I’d say zero chance that it has even been considered. They simply have to work with what they’ve got even if that means trimming frequencies or routes

They probably need the spare parts to keep the other 10 flying (to overcome some of those “supply chain” issues).

 

[p--and--t]

'Supply chain issues' - if I had a dollar for every time I have heard that excuse word from various companies across all industries in the last 2 years...

For a project I am working on, we have nearly $1m worth of manufactured goods sitting in Europe for which the supplier cant get a freight forwarder to commit to a date for delivery to Australia. The issues with getting ships to/through the Suez seems to thrown all schedule to the wind.

 

[elanshin]

For a project I am working on, we have nearly $1m worth of manufactured goods sitting in Europe for which the supplier cant get a freight forwarder to commit to a date for delivery to Australia. The issues with getting ships to/through the Suez seems to thrown all schedule to the wind.

Also Panama canal delays are getting pretty long too. The 2 main bottlenecks in the world.

 

[Himeno]

Also Panama canal delays are getting pretty long too. The 2 main bottlenecks in the world.

between the local drought and the canal system losing water from the lakes into the ocean every time a ship transits the locks, they are limiting transit to ~20 ships per day.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Is there really enough demand to fill an A380 on SYD-JNB?

 

[Mattg]

Is there really enough demand to fill an A380 on SYD-JNB?

Qantas used to run a Boeing 747-400 6-7 days per week on this route. So filling an A380 4 times per week should be easily possible.

 

[RooFlyer]

Both of my flights are revenue. QF63 is July 31, 64 is Aug 24.

I’m on those flights on 12 August and the 28th respectively but might catch up with you somewhere in between

 

[kpc]

I’m on those flights on 12 August and the 28th respectively but might catch up with you somewhere in between

Into Jnb on 2 Aug, out 21 Aug...from 3-18 Aug, will be travelling to Namibia to Botswana to Victoria Falls.

 

[mrflyby]

For a project I am working on, we have nearly $1m worth of manufactured goods sitting in Europe for which the supplier cant get a freight forwarder to commit to a date for delivery to Australia. The issues with getting ships to/through the Suez seems to thrown all schedule to the wind.

QF are likely using Etihad engineering to do the refurbishment of the spare A380 because its cheaper than the original plan to use Airbus in Dresden before COVID.
Although if using the Airbus factory, there shouldn't be shipping issues that is impacting the current refurb plans.

 

[bPeteb]

Namibia is sounding popular this year We're going with World Expeditions on the African Wildlife Safari departing Vic Falls on Sunday Aug 4, arriving into CPT via Zambia, Botswana and Namibia on Aug 19

 

[N860CR]

Is there really enough demand to fill an A380 on SYD-JNB?

Yep. It’s a massively underserved market. Plenty of people trek via Singapore or the Middle East due to a lack of capacity.

 

[evanb]

I think its more to do with no flight or cabin crew to operate the aircraft. Its pretty disappointing considering other airlines have been able to get their A380's back & operating alot quicker. Melbourne always seems to get shafted!

Tell me, who has?

Emirates have 28 still parked or in maintenance. Lufthansa have only managed to get 4 back in service. Singapore have got 10 of 12 back in service, but only thanks to cannibalising the 7 they didn't return to service.