QF A380 back in service from January 11

[Lat34]

VH-OQB as QF11 on the way to LAX...

 

[MarkD]

Hope you told them where to stick the vouchers!
Disgusting

Most people have netflix these days anyway. I download a heap of content before i go anywhere near an aircraft these days. I binge on my favourite shows on a decent screen rather than watch outdated old cough on an antiquated screen.

 

[NSun]

Just landed in LAX an hour ago and made it to the hotel.

It was great for the crew to have the superjumbo back and I was happy for them too. I also saw quite a few plane spotters when we landed at LAX and can already see some pics on social media.

Obviously the biggest con of the flight was the lack of entertainment. I went in thinking "at least there'll be a flight map" because even on some 737 flights without entertainment in 2020/21 at least there was a map. There wasn't even that so I was left to checking the time on my phone to see how long we had to go. Nothing was mentioned over the PA about it but my seat mate asked the CSM near the end of the flight and they didn't know what had happened to the system.

The F cabin did have some people sitting there but it wasn't full - the other 2 business cabins were full although Premium economy was only at 50%. Meals were standard international J meals although dinner was just a main course and dessert not the "small plates/large plates" option that existed pre-COVID.

 

[AIRwin]

Just landed in LAX an hour ago and made it to the hotel.

Welcome to LA! Home of Ho11ywood and entertainment (ironica11y)...

 

[madman2020]

Just landed in LAX an hour ago and made it to the hotel.

It was great for the crew to have the superjumbo back and I was happy for them too. I also saw quite a few plane spotters when we landed at LAX and can already see some pics on social media.

Obviously the biggest con of the flight was the lack of entertainment. I went in thinking "at least there'll be a flight map" because even on some 737 flights without entertainment in 2020/21 at least there was a map. There wasn't even that so I was left to checking the time on my phone to see how long we had to go. Nothing was mentioned over the PA about it but my seat mate asked the CSM near the end of the flight and they didn't know what had happened to the system.

The F cabin did have some people sitting there but it wasn't full - the other 2 business cabins were full although Premium economy was only at 50%. Meals were standard international J meals although dinner was just a main course and dessert not the "small plates/large plates" option that existed pre-COVID.

Thanks for your update.

I was due to fly back last Saturday from LAX to SYD but due to testing positive for COVID, I had to reschedule my return flight for Sunday the 23rd. While changing the flight, noticed that aircraft was the A380. Can you confirm if the seating on the plan was the new/refurbished or is it the old one?

I ask because I was planning to request points upgrade to Business and was hoping to have an state-of-the-art equipment.

Thanks,

 

[OATEK]

Thanks for your update.

I was due to fly back last Saturday from LAX to SYD but due to testing positive for COVID, I had to reschedule my return flight for Sunday the 23rd. While changing the flight, noticed that aircraft was the A380. Can you confirm if the seating on the plan was the new/refurbished or is it the old one?

I ask because I was planning to request points upgrade to Business and was hoping to have an state-of-the-art equipment.

Thanks,

The seat map for 23/1 shows the old 2-2-2 seating for Business.

 

[NSun]

Thanks for your update.

I was due to fly back last Saturday from LAX to SYD but due to testing positive for COVID, I had to reschedule my return flight for Sunday the 23rd. While changing the flight, noticed that aircraft was the A380. Can you confirm if the seating on the plan was the new/refurbished or is it the old one?

I ask because I was planning to request points upgrade to Business and was hoping to have an state-of-the-art equipment.

Thanks,

If it's VH-OQB then it'll be old, if it's VH-OQD it'll be new. You should be able to tell by which one when you look at the seating map but that could change - you'll only know when you see the one operating the inbound QF11.

By the way, I'll do a full report for the trip I'm on (I'm going on to Canada for a few days tomorrow) which will include pics. But one other observation today was noticing VH-OQK sitting over at the QF hangar - it was ferried to there from VCV and purportedly meant to go to Europe but hasn't yet.

 

[cpatters]

Does anyone know if the inflight entertainment system has been fixed for the return journey to Sydney?

 

[milehighclub]

The F cabin did have some people sitting there but it wasn't full - the other 2 business cabins were full although Premium economy was only at 50%. Meals were standard international J meals although dinner was just a main course and dessert not the "small plates/large plates" option that existed pre-COVID.

I believe F had some seats blocked out as U/S which would explain why it wasn't full.

Small plates or entrees are not on supper services, so they still exist but not on that flight.

Post automatically merged: Jan 12, 2022

Does anyone know if the inflight entertainment system has been fixed for the return journey to Sydney?

Nope. I think its going to be the next few flights.

 

[madrooster]

Small plates or entrees are not on supper services, so they still exist but not on that flight.

QF11 being an evening service probably mirrors the pre-covid QF49/95 service flow, so supper and brunch service? The return would be the standard dinner and breakfast?

 

[madman2020]

Does anyone know if the inflight entertainment system has been fixed for the return journey to Sydney?

Yeah, I would like to know also if this is going to be resolved at least before the 23nd of Jan which is when I will be flying on this plane from LAX-SYD. Otherwise would prefer to move my flight for Saturday to fly on the 787.

 

[RichardMEL]

Yeah, I would like to know also if this is going to be resolved at least before the 23nd of Jan which is when I will be flying on this plane from LAX-SYD. Otherwise would prefer to move my flight for Saturday to fly on the 787.

if it's that important to you move to the 787 and request the upgrade. You know you will get the J suite and (in theory) a working entertainment system. I doubt the 380 will be fixed by then.. or at least it's not something one could guarantee be done in a week or so I imagine.

imo

 

[Vic]

Most people have netflix these days anyway. I download a heap of content before i go anywhere near an aircraft these days. I binge on my favourite shows on a decent screen rather than watch outdated old cough on an antiquated screen.

yeah, exactly. the angst about lack of ife system is a bit surprising.
I can understand the lack of map being annoying.

 

[jb747]

yeah, exactly. the angst about lack of ife system is a bit surprising.
I can understand the lack of map being annoying.

The IFE is possibly an outsourced system. I'll see if I can find out why it wasn't working. As for the map, I'd expect the position feed would have been working, but if the underlying maps are part of an external contract, then that might explain why they weren't available. Buggered if I know how the pilots would have found their way around without it....

 

[Vic]

The IFE is possibly an outsourced system. I'll see if I can find out why it wasn't working. As for the map, I'd expect the position feed would have been working, but if the underlying maps are part of an external contract, then that might explain why they weren't available. Buggered if I know how the pilots would have found their way around without it....

My very uninformed opinion is that the IFE was simply not paid for, and hence turned off. Just based on a 737 flight in 2020 where there "wasn't an IFE at this time", except it worked fine until the point where the CSM remembered to turn it off.

I'm sure the pilots could just revert to dead reckoning, sextant, star signings and hand held compass. Please don't spoil my illusions of their superior navigational skills... lol

 

[Greg555]

OK my booking has now changed to an A380. However the seat map is currently showing as non-refurbished in that I've been given 25J which if it was refurbished would be in business. Y+ on the new A380 starts at row 31.

I knew VH-OQB came back un-refurbished but I thought it was going to be done back in Australia before re-entering service. If I can get upgraded to J then of course I'd want a refurbished bird but if I'm still in Y+ then I much prefer old Y+ seats because I found the foot-rests on the new ones far less comfortable because at 5'9 I have to "stretch" to reach then whereas for the old ones they're built into the seats.

I cannot fathom an acceptable reason why Qantas would bring back the unrefurbished plane - and with no entertainment...
Qantas continue to excel as the second worst customer service organisation in Oz (Telstra holds the #1 spot).

***My outstanding seat purchase refunds from May are at 229 days and counting... Thanks Qantas......

 

[kookaburra75]

I'm sure the pilots could just revert to dead reckoning, sextant, star signings and hand held compass. Please don't spoil my illusions of their superior navigational skills... lol

Sextants were all the rage for a while - GPS is a relative newcomer

 

[jb747]

My very uninformed opinion is that the IFE was simply not paid for, and hence turned off. Just based on a 737 flight in 2020 where there "wasn't an IFE at this time", except it worked fine until the point where the CSM remembered to turn it off.

A little bird said that the subscription wasn't renewed.

I'm sure the pilots could just revert to dead reckoning, sextant, star signings and hand held compass. Please don't spoil my illusions of their superior navigational skills... lol

I suspect they might just stick to FMS fed by GPS and IRS. Those things you mention are alien to the average pilot.

I cannot fathom an acceptable reason why Qantas would bring back the unrefurbished plane - and with no entertainment...

'Cos it was one that was ready to fly?

Sextants were all the rage for a while - GPS is a relative newcomer

After the sextants disappeared into history, the fitment holes remained, but now repurposed as a 'smoke removal port'.

 

[TheInsider]

IFE "should" be back from around the 18th this month. Panasonic were/are having issues loading content to the aircraft and are working on a fix. Unknown if they will have the fix by the 18th.
Aircraft will need to be in SYD for it to be fixed.
There is a rotation of DVDs being played lol.

 

[RichardMEL]

A rotation of DVD's?!

why not go Retro Roo, get those old projectors out, the pull down screens (and the plastic tube headphones) and put on some piece of cough from the 70's... with the projector coughping it out 20mins from the end...