QF 743s - did they have F class

[Mwenenzi]

Hi
Just reconstructing some flight info and wondering if the QF 743 birds that used to fly AKL-LAX had F at all

One time on QF25 MEL-AKL upgraded from economy to Bus with points. Sat in a F seat. So maybe they had F seats sold as bus at time. Could upgrade from red-E tickets at the time. No idea what date this was [some time in the last 25 years !). QF25 continued on AKL-LAX

 

[BVT]

The 747-238s did not have F "beds", but certainly did have an F cabin in the nose with 2x2 recliners.

My first introduction to QF F was on a 747-200 in 1989 operating BNE-HNL, then in J (lower deck) HNL-LAX. In those days, HNL was the "hub" point for flights from BNE, SYD and MEL. Two flights continued to LAX and one to SFO so passengers swapped at HNL for their final destination.

I am not certain, but do expect, that the 747-338s would have been delivered as 3-class F/J/Y with cradle seats in F and J with the main difference being the pitch. The first of the 743s would have arrived around 1985 or so.

Once the 747-400s arrived in the early 19902, along with their lie-flat beds in Zone-A, the 743 and 742s all reverted to 2-class J/Y.

Remember that prior to 1979, the QF fleet of 747s were all 2 class, F and Y. Then they introduced business class to the world. Back then, F was more like J now, and J was more like PE today.

OT but, IIRC QF also flew to Toronto, back in the day. One also "changed" for YYZ at HNL. At one stage I regularly did BNE-SYD-HNL-YYZ-YVR-HNL-SYD-BNE. I clearly recall YVR-HNL on Canadian, whose F was fabbo.

 

[NM]

OT but, IIRC QF also flew to Toronto, back in the day. One also "changed" for YYZ at HNL. At one stage I regularly did BNE-SYD-HNL-YYZ-YVR-HNL-SYD-BNE. I clearly recall YVR-HNL on Canadian, whose F was fabbo.

Quite likely. I only remember YYZ being a 767-300 with HNL transit. Later they partnered with Canadian Airlines, with QF operating BNE/SYD to HNL and Canadian operating HNL to YYZ and YVR. How alliances and partnerships have changed. I did the Qantas/Canadian combination back in 1998.

 

[codash1099]

Looks crazy doesn't it!! Do any of our older (I mean: experienced) members remember being able to smoke inflight?

Are you talkin' to me?

I certainly remember smoking and non-smoking flights. I recall vividly flying SAS's "Trans Asian Express" - Singapore/Bangkok/Tashkent/Copenhagen in a DC8 sitting next to a chap smoking huge green and foul cigars. Almost made me stop smoking my duty free Rothmans.

BTW, there is a view that air quality (in the non-smoking section) was better in those days than it is now. The smoke required much higher fresh air throughputs.:?:

 

[maninblack]

I clearly recall YVR-HNL on Canadian, whose F was fabbo.

Flew their Empress class on the 767 on this route. It was very comfortable.

As was mentioned in an earlier post, this was back in the day when HNL was the major stopover for transpacific flights but the 747-400 really ended that era and by he mid 90's it all changed. Shame actually. As a Hawaii lover I have been on many non-stop US-AUS flights and thought to myself, wouldn't it be great if this thing still stopped in Honolulu and I could get off for a few days.

As a kid we flew PanAm 707 LA-Honolulu-Pago Pago-Noumea-Sydney getting off for a few days at each. FUN

 

[Deleted member 18152]

Mate do you have a link to part 2? Cheers

That seat map is from the Qantas product manual somebody linked to a while ago from here (or at least it's the same). Looks like the link is down and a few people missed it. Knowing how much people like this sort of stuff, here is the Google cache of it: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...l8i34g&sig=AHIEtbQ7g24nP7SdQoyqoAunZpJuFi_Byw

Warning: contains 80's fashion


Edit: I also have found seat maps from 1998 if anyone wants them. Mostly the same planes but retrofitted with Dreamtime seats, less F, 747SP still has a divider, also the QF A300.

 

[serfty]

One time on QF25 MEL-AKL upgraded from economy to Bus with points. Sat in a F seat. So maybe they had F seats sold as bus at time. Could upgrade from red-E tickets at the time. No idea what date this was [some time in the last 25 years !). QF25 continued on AKL-LAX

Probably simply a sub.

Until ~2006, QF25 flew BNE-xAKL-LAX and vv. Back then it as sold as J/Y and there were of plenty of substitutions.

Dang It! QF have switched Configs on me! - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[oz_mark]

Mate do you have a link to part 2? Cheers

Try these links

Part A:http://www.ausairuniforms.com/documents/QantasProductManual1989PartA.pdf
Part B:http://www.ausairuniforms.com/documents/QantasProductManual1989PartB.pdf

Links off this page: Aussie Airline Uniforms and Collectibles.

 

[JohnM]

I recall flying AKL-SYD on a QF 747 a long time ago and being upgraded to F "with J service" - from whY, no less :shock:.

Can't remember the year, but I do recall watching "The Big Chill" which IMDB dates at 1983, although it may have been a little while after its release. It was the weekend of the Sydney Gay Mardi Gras. I recall the CSM waltzing into the F cabin and loudly asking whether we were all on our way to it . I suspect that he certainly was :mrgreen:!

I can remember when smoking was permitted on TAA and AN aircraft (seems bizarre to even think of it now) and the following period when they had a non-smoking zone (which was pretty useless if you were near where the smoking zone started ). They used to say "cigarettes, but no cigars please" if I recall correctly.

They were the days :shock::mrgreen:!

 

[haydensydney]

Try these links

Part A:http://www.ausairuniforms.com/documents/QantasProductManual1989PartA.pdf
Part B:http://www.ausairuniforms.com/documents/QantasProductManual1989PartB.pdf

Links off this page: Aussie Airline Uniforms and Collectibles.

Thanks for posting!
What a fascinating read!

 

[JohnM]

I recall flying AKL-SYD on a QF 747 a long time ago and being upgraded to F "with J service" - from whY, no less :shock:.

Can't remember the year, but I do recall watching "The Big Chill" which IMDB dates at 1983, although it may have been a little while after its release. It was the weekend of the Sydney Gay Mardi Gras. I recall the CSM waltzing into the F cabin and loudly asking whether we were all on our way to it . I suspect that he certainly was :mrgreen:!

I can remember when smoking was permitted on TAA and AN aircraft (seems bizarre to even think of it now) and the following period when they had a non-smoking zone (which was pretty useless if you were near where the smoking zone started ). They used to say "cigarettes, but no cigars please" if I recall correctly.

They were the days :shock::mrgreen:!

On further reflection, I think the flight was Christchurch-SYD as I was doing some work near Christchurch and it must have been about the mid-1990s. I think it must have been a B743. The F seats were kind of cosy old style lounge chairs.

 

[DC3]

In 1980 I had a tour (not flying, unfortunately) of a QF 747 (not sure what model) and seem to recall that F upstairs had 3 rows of 2x2 seating.

 

[markis10]

In 1980 I had a tour (not flying, unfortunately) of a QF 747 (not sure what model) and seem to recall that F upstairs had 3 rows of 2x2 seating.

Probably a combi, ECA, ECB or ECC, 743s were not on the scene for another 5 years.

 

[Joshua]

Try these links

Part A:http://www.ausairuniforms.com/documents/QantasProductManual1989PartA.pdf
Part B:http://www.ausairuniforms.com/documents/QantasProductManual1989PartB.pdf

Links off this page: Aussie Airline Uniforms and Collectibles.

Thanks! They were down when I posted. Was worried it was permanent!

 

[arraitch]

Ah, the 1980s! ISTR that SYD-PER provided adequate time for five Drambuie miniatures after dinner and more of these ghastly things than was good for anybody, anywhere, anytime, let alone on board an aircraft. :shock:

 

[yohy?!]

The route map in part b of the manual is a little sad when comparing the state of the international network to today.

Great read though, thanks for linking.

 

[tuapekastar]

Looks crazy doesn't it!! Do any of our older (I mean: experienced) members remember being able to smoke inflight?

Absolutely! Many times. One Asian trip with a couple of lady friends, on the return (TG by the way) I elected to sit in the smoking area and smoke, they elected to sit in the non-smoking, and come up and stand in the aisle next to me when they wanted to smoke (too stuffy for them to sit in the smoking section they said). Conversely I recall a BKK-CPH flight on SK where i was allowed to smoke but for some reason deliberately sat in non-smoking and did not smoke at all on the flight (I'm not sure I even got out of my seat). Idiot!!

In 1989 I flew back from bali - once the seat belt signs went off the air ras rancid with the smoke of clove cigarettes.:shock:

Oh, the kreteks...a must-have when at Secondary School! If I was ever going to smoke again, it would be these.

 

[Deleted member]

Looks crazy doesn't it!! Do any of our older (I mean: experienced) members remember being able to smoke inflight?

Yep. And I hated flying because of it.
One of the great advances in air travel is no smoking.

 

[JohnM]

Try these links

Part A:http://www.ausairuniforms.com/documents/QantasProductManual1989PartA.pdf
Part B:http://www.ausairuniforms.com/documents/QantasProductManual1989PartB.pdf

Links off this page: Aussie Airline Uniforms and Collectibles.

Great stuff! Brings back memories .

Unless I missed it, a classic Australian aviation historical shot that seems to be missing is the AN 743 that did the nosewheel-up landing at SYD sitting with its snout on the ground and its @rse in the air: VH-INH Boeing 747.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Yep. And I hated flying because of it.
One of the great advances in air travel is no smoking.

QFT!

No way I would enjoy flying at all if smoking was still allowed on board!

Although I do see the irony of being addicted to flying