Qantas boosts international capacity, wet lease Finnair aircraft

[LionKing]

View attachment 517540
Spotted outside BNE hanger by OnlyPlanesNetwork YT

So still need to paint the tail.

The SIN and HKG traffic should increase, but the A333 fleet is already at the max capacity, and some early A333 (QPA - QPD) are already at breaking point!! Therefore unless they get more of the mid-life A333, then it is all talk and no use in action!

@Melburnian1

I wonder when Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines start retiring some of the oldest A333s whether Qantas can take them for a short term?

 

[moa999]

So still need to paint the tail.

My guess would be it's a sticker and it will fly like this for a while until they get a paint shop slot.
Better than the ex-SQ 738s that operated all-white.

 

[elanshin]

I wonder when Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines start retiring some of the oldest A333s whether Qantas can take them for a short term?

I highly doubt QF will want them. Their new planes are around the corner at this stage and introducing more seat variety is a problem too. AY planes are different in that it's already in the QF system and are more mid life (not due for retirement soon). If CX /MH are retiring, it's probably due to also needing major checks aka same reason QF is retiring their a330s.

I highly doubt ANY passenger airliner will be interested - maybe some P2F but the most likely result is scrapped for those a330. QF needs more aircraft but they're not that desperate.

 

[markis10]

Looks like the QF25/26 rotation will be using the ex Finnair aircraft from late Oct with PE on sale.

 

[Chrizztofa]

I highly doubt QF will want them. Their new planes are around the corner at this stage and introducing more seat variety is a problem too. AY planes are different in that it's already in the QF system and are more mid life (not due for retirement soon). If CX /MH are retiring, it's probably due to also needing major checks aka same reason QF is retiring their a330s.

I highly doubt ANY passenger airliner will be interested - maybe some P2F but the most likely result is scrapped for those a330. QF needs more aircraft but they're not that desperate.

The CX and MH A330s also have different engines which would further complicate integration - QF and AY use General Electric, CX use Rolls Royce and MH use Pratt & Whitney.

It's claimed elsewhere that A332 EBC will retire this month (I seem to recall this aircraft had issues with its slats) and A332 EBD will retire in January so QF can't be that desperate for aircraft!

There are also rumours that A333s QPA-QPD will exit soon as they don't seem to be getting wifi, and QF apparently expect to have all international aircraft fitted with wifi by April 2027.

When the AY lease was announced I recall rumours that QF were trying to pick up the entire AY A330 fleet (now down to 5 aircraft excluding the leased QPK and QPL). If the Iran / Ukraine wars continue QF might explore negotiating for these if they need capacity. They are between 16-18 years old so might be good for 5-6 years while the A350s and 787s come online.

 

[moa999]

also rumours that A333s QPA-QPD will exit soon as they don't seem to be getting wifi

QPB has been in QPG for 1.5wks so we will find out when it returns.
Equally though QPA-QPD are only about a year younger than EBC.

 

[elanshin]

It's claimed elsewhere that A332 EBC will retire this month (I seem to recall this aircraft had issues with its slats) and A332 EBD will retire in January so QF can't be that desperate for aircraft!

They are still desperate, but the new orders are arriving soon. The 330s that are retiring are doing so on their own timetable - when they need to do their next major D check. QF isn't about to spend tens to maybe hundreds of millions to service them.

There are also rumours that A333s QPA-QPD will exit soon as they don't seem to be getting wifi, and QF apparently expect to have all international aircraft fitted with wifi by April 2027.

Similar situation - cabin manager on my last 787 flight said they're not getting wifi as they're on their way out.

When the AY lease was announced I recall rumours that QF were trying to pick up the entire AY A330 fleet (now down to 5 aircraft excluding the leased QPK and QPL). If the Iran / Ukraine wars continue QF might explore negotiating for these if they need capacity. They are between 16-18 years old so might be good for 5-6 years while the A350s and 787s come online.

I think they wanted it, but it'll be up to AY. Maybe we'll see the 2 dryleases stay longer too.

 

[moa999]

think they wanted it, but it'll be up to AY. Maybe we'll see the 2 dryleases stay longer too.

Also a question as to whether AY has any like QPM with the leases expiring in the near term.

 

[moa999]

VH-QPM positioned down to SYD earlier today, so likely to enter service soon.

Thought maybe QF25 tonight but looks like QPC is flying that, and per SydSquad tonight it's parked on the apron near the domestic terminal.

We will likely need to have someone flying on it to determine if Wifi is active.

 

[moa999]

Report on airliners.net that VH-QPM to operate Wednesday's s QF19/20 SYD-MNL return.

And that appears to be correct.

 

[Luke B]

My seat map for a SYD-MNL flight in early Sep has just updated to the Finnair business seats.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Enjoyed my flight on one of the ex-AY birds last night as QF 82 from SIN to SYD. Not least because this is what the cabin looked like after the cabin door was closed:
Haven't had a long-haul flight this empty since before Covid, and even then, it was rare. Great for me; not so great for QF, who I'm sure hope this is an unusual fluke and not an early recession indicator.

I don't mind an A330 especially when stuck in Y, and Finnair's A330 hard product is definitely superior to QF's; excellent screen size and resolution (fun to see the Finnair branding still on it). A pity they haven't gotten the Wifi working. Crew were great, clearly enjoying the easy flight.

 

[LionKing]

Enjoyed my flight on one of the ex-AY birds last night as QF 82 from SIN to SYD. Not least because this is what the cabin looked like after the cabin door was closed: View attachment 518055View attachment 518056
Haven't had a long-haul flight this empty since before Covid, and even then, it was rare. Great for me; not so great for QF, who I'm sure hope this is an unusual fluke and not an early recession indicator.

I don't mind an A330 especially when stuck in Y, and Finnair's A330 hard product is definitely superior to QF's; excellent screen size and resolution (fun to see the Finnair branding still on it). A pity they haven't gotten the Wifi working. Crew were great, clearly enjoying the easy flight.

Isn't it supposed to have loads of International Students and Tourists flooding into Australia in August?

Why it is so empty?