Retimed Asian Flights - Good or Bad

[Aussie_flyer]

It doesn't look good but it has to be considered over the long term, the changes are still new so maybe give it a bit of time.

 

[markis10]

Good 'ol QF32 ... 'twas chopped and changed but kept that am SIN departure to Oz.

Did not realise it was that recent for some reason, big fan of the day flights.

While I haven't been on the retimed services, SYD-SIN in Y ex-both ports are at the lowest price point in more than 4 years, and the specials are unrestricted - school holidays apply as well. And, for ex-SIN, Y, Y+, and J are all on sale ($527, $1450, and $2600 respectively, all-inclusive, AUD equivalent). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that nobody is flying on QF anymore.

All my recent SIN flights (8) have had very good loads with QF, over 80%, with the last one Y8.

 

[cmon0005]

Also from the original Asia announcement a few months ago it mentions:

Expanded network within Asia through local partners (such as Japan Airlines, China Eastern, Jet Airways, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines)

Other than China Eastern MU, no movement or announcements regarding JAL, Jet Airways, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines. You have to wonder whether anything was ever going to happen?

Red Roo, are these partnerships still planned?

 

[moa999]

I think the times are great for SYD and MEL residents,
definitely not so good for those who need to connect.

 

[davec]

Fly ex MEL-HKG a few times a year, mainly J. Used to travel outbound via SYD just to get the earlier arrival into HKG (a bit after 5pm) so could get to hotel & them somewhere for drinks / dinner - rather than the old 9.30pm arrival. So outbound the early departure suits. But QF30 landing at 7.30am on the return is a pain - battling peak hour from Tullamarine into the city..... An hour earlier or later would be much nicer. Like my delayed flight last week.....

And if they dont update / upgrade the A330 interiors soon I (and my company) will be moving (to CX). Including a PE cabin would be good also.....

 

[Fantic125]

QF 127 used to be good for me on a Sunday, when you could catch the first flight out of ADL at 07:00 and still have a little bit of F lounge time before departure.

Now with the move to 09:50 departure for QF 127, Sundays are out as 07:00 departure from ADL doesn't meet the MCT.

 

[ozmille]

Don't really like the new times to BKK, I don't like getting to the airport that early in the morning, I try for 3hrs pre departure so have to be there before 7am

 

[browski]

OK, the new times are preferred but they are still not perfect.
Let's look at QF 35 and QF29

QF35 MEL-SIN 10.00am - 4.00pm
QF 29 MEL-HKG 10.00am - 5.30pm

The ideal departure time factors:
1. one that makes for a nice arrival time in the arrival city (let's say between 6-7pm, allows for dinner, drinks, massage, drinks, bed)
2. one that makes for an arrival time to connect to other Asian destinations.......and still arrive at that next destination before 10.30pm (so you can get to hotel before midnight; or still have time to find another hotel when the booking is lost)
3. one that allows for a normal wake up time (let's say 7.00am); a nice leisurely breakfast; a 30min pack and a non-peakhour drive to the airport
4. one that allows you to awake hungover at 9am, gives you time to remember that you are actually flying that day, perform a bit of a pack, grab a coffee and head to the airport.

So in my world
This would allow a 12.00 midday MEL departure for SIN and a 11am Departure for HKG.
Return flight timings.............who really cares on the inbound leg; it's not important. (but I must admit, QF8408 is my favourite; quick immigration, quick luggage, quick taxi home and good sleep)

 

[Red Roo]

OK, the new times are preferred but they are still not perfect.
Let's look at QF 35 and QF29

QF35 MEL-SIN 10.00am - 4.00pm
QF 29 MEL-HKG 10.00am - 5.30pm

The ideal departure time factors:
1. one that makes for a nice arrival time in the arrival city (let's say between 6-7pm, allows for dinner, drinks, massage, drinks, bed)
2. one that makes for an arrival time to connect to other Asian destinations.......and still arrive at that next destination before 10.30pm (so you can get to hotel before midnight; or still have time to find another hotel when the booking is lost)
3. one that allows for a normal wake up time (let's say 7.00am); a nice leisurely breakfast; a 30min pack and a non-peakhour drive to the airport
4. one that allows you to awake hungover at 9am, gives you time to remember that you are actually flying that day, perform a bit of a pack, grab a coffee and head to the airport.

So in my world
This would allow a 12.00 midday MEL departure for SIN and a 11am Departure for HKG.
Return flight timings.............who really cares on the inbound leg; it's not important. (but I must admit, QF8408 is my favourite; quick immigration, quick luggage, quick taxi home and good sleep)

Along with other feedback on this thread, your comments, personal experiences and preferences have been passed on.

 

[oz_mark]

There used to be a time when you could catch an afternoon flight SIN-PER and then catch the PER-MEL evening flight, to evade an overnight flight as well.

(Sometimes great plans came unstuck if the flight was delayed out of SIN, resulting in a rebooking onto the PER-MEL redeye, but that only happened to me once :shock: )

 

[love_the_life]

There used to be a time when you could catch an afternoon flight SIN-PER and then catch the PER-MEL evening flight, to evade an overnight flight as well.

(Sometimes great plans came unstuck if the flight was delayed out of SIN, resulting in a rebooking onto the PER-MEL redeye, but that only happened to me once :shock: )

That must have been a while back as the last time I did SIN - PER (probably about 10 years ago now) we got in half an hour after the east coast flight left (but we were going to CBR so may have been different) so we had 8 hours wait and the red eye as I had work the arrival day.

 

[AIRwin]

That must have been a while back as the last time I did SIN - PER (probably about 10 years ago now) we got in half an hour after the east coast flight left (but we were going to CBR so may have been different) so we had 8 hours wait and the red eye as I had work the arrival day.

Last year I flew QF 72 from SIN arriving PER at 4.40 am and was able to connect with a domestic flight to MEL...

 

[love_the_life]

Did you say arriving at 4.40 AM? or did you mean PM? Ours was a daylight flight. So it must have been a connection to CBR that created the problem as I remember we could not get back on a daylight one at all. Good to know MEL worked OK.

 

[mannej]

Did you say arriving at 4.40 AM? or did you mean PM? Ours was a daylight flight. So it must have been a connection to CBR that created the problem as I remember we could not get back on a daylight one at all. Good to know MEL worked OK.

AM and it wasn't DST, came in 10 minutes earlier than the 68 from HKG as well for a fair amount of time.

 

[love_the_life]

That would explain it then - we had a daylight flight from SIN - PER and this was the one that could not make the east coast connection. Overnights are avoided if possible.
I remember the trip as we used FF points for J for a cheap break but then added... the Indian Pacific to Perth, a cruise in SIN and J back to CBR. Wasn't so cheap in the end.

 

[wandering_fred]

I think that QF's Asia strategy may have missed the plane by about 18-24 months. During that time both SQ and CX have expanded their flight schedules to allow for passenger flexibility. And CX added a Y+ cabin to their A330s. (Note to self: any flight of more than 6 hours overnight should have a y+ cabin) One flight a day at anti-social hours (either at the start or end) causes people to look for alternatives.
Which it appears QF only have from SYD. Where's the afternoon/evening PER-SIN and the morning/midday SIN-PER? And where is the PER-HKG-NRT at any time? Or PER-AKL? And which airline is going to fly CMB-PER-MEL when UL join OneWorld? If such existed I suspect the UL flights CMB to Europe might be financially challenging for QF/EK.

But I will still consider occupying a seat on QF SIN-PER when I resume flying. Just with the ticket issued by BA. Though I might consider 3K to get to SIN. It seems some of their flights are less than fully occupied and as a result the pricing favors the consumer. And the new 3K flight and QF leave roughly the same time in the morning. Probably not good for QF loads.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[Brettmcg]

QF5 SYD-SIN Retimed to Afternoon Departure

Effective for flights on/after 27 October 2013, QF5 (Sydney-Singapore) will depart Sydney later in the afternoon at 1505 arriving into Singapore at 1955.

 

[Brettmcg]

Qantas Supplementary Flights - Narita

Qantas has added the following supplementary flights to Narita to the Qantas International Schedule:

[TABLE="class: basic"]
[TR="class: underline1"]
[TD]QF25[/TD]
[TD]03JAN14[/TD]
[TD]A333[/TD]
[TD] SYD[/TD]
[TD] 09:00[/TD]
[TD] NRT[/TD]
[TD]17:15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: underline1"]
[TD]QF26[/TD]
[TD]03JAN14[/TD]
[TD]A333[/TD]
[TD] NRT[/TD]
[TD] 20:30[/TD]
[TD] SYD[/TD]
[TD]08:35 +1[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


[TABLE="class: basic"]
[TR="class: underline1"]
[TD]QF25[/TD]
[TD]04JAN14[/TD]
[TD]B744[/TD]
[TD] SYD[/TD]
[TD] 09:00[/TD]
[TD] NRT[/TD]
[TD] 17:00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: underline1"]
[TD]QF26[/TD]
[TD]04JAN14[/TD]
[TD]B744[/TD]
[TD] NRT[/TD]
[TD] 20:30[/TD]
[TD] SYD[/TD]
[TD] 08:05 +1[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


[TABLE="class: basic"]
[TR="class: underline1"]
[TD]QF25[/TD]
[TD]25JAN14[/TD]
[TD]A333[/TD]
[TD] SYD[/TD]
[TD] 09:00[/TD]
[TD] NRT[/TD]
[TD] 17:15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: underline1"]
[TD]QF26[/TD]
[TD]25JAN14[/TD]
[TD]A333[/TD]
[TD] NRT[/TD]
[TD] 20:30[/TD]
[TD] SYD[/TD]
[TD] 08:35 +1[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[wandering_fred]

Re: QF5 SYD-SIN Retimed to Afternoon Departure

Effective for flights on/after 27 October 2013, QF5 (Sydney-Singapore) will depart Sydney later in the afternoon at 1505 arriving into Singapore at 1955.

Could to be to compete with the BA SYD-SIN flight? OR even better connect with BA to LHR in SIN?

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[madrooster]

Re: QF5 SYD-SIN Retimed to Afternoon Departure

Effective for flights on/after 27 October 2013, QF5 (Sydney-Singapore) will depart Sydney later in the afternoon at 1505 arriving into Singapore at 1955.

That's only half an hour later than currently. Perhaps just a slight slot shuffle?