A380 OQA mostly repaired - Back in air by end of April?

[Flying Fox]

I am quite sure the parking tab will be picked up by RR or the insurer

In some general office chit chat I've heard that the parking bill was estimated to be over $13 million

Shame that they didn't use QF Valet parking, they could have earned 3 points / $1.

 

[GoldenWinger]

QANTAS QF32 SIN-SYD 21april - VH-OQA - who go the special invite?

VH-OQA "Nancy Bird Walton' is doing the QF32 from SIN to SYD - who go a special invite to be on board this very special ferry flight?

 

[milehighclub]

Re: QANTAS QF32 SIN-SYD 21april - VH-OQA - who go the special invite?

Alan, along with some other staff and the media are the only passengers. I think they total about 30.

 

[GoldenWinger]

Re: QANTAS QF32 SIN-SYD 21april - VH-OQA - who go the special invite?

I think there are also some top tier P1s that scored an invite...

 

[serfty]

A post on FT:

Originally Posted by Aus380
QF 32 will operate with 16 of the 22 cabin crew from the ill fated QF32 and will see them "complete" the flight back to Sydney. (some have moved on to other careers) The flight will have a contingent of media as well as senior QF people on board. OQA will be flown from Singapore "as new" with about 250 kg of extra metal on board due to repairs mainly in the wings.

 

[smit0847]

Is it really a good idea for QF to make a big song and dance about how the damaged A380 is now back in service? I'd pretty much forgotten about the incident as it was so long ago - if I was boarding a QFA380 tomorrow I wouldnt think 'I wonder if this one is that damaged one?' Trumpeting its return just reminds people of the incident and I would think make some hesitant to fly it (i.e. boss reggie).

Surely quietly slipping it back into rotation with a 'its no different to any of our other A380s' approach would be more suitable?

 

[simongr]

Couple of observations - I wouldn't call the original flight ill-fated given how well the crew did and in other circumstances a total hull loss would have been expected rather than averted.

I think the reason for trumpeting this is to show how confident QF are in their safety record - the fact that the CEO and exec team are happy to fly on board shows confidence in the repairs.

I do not think that Qf would have been able to sneak it back into the rotation without news.com.au flagging it on their behalf...

 

[jb747]

As soon as you start putting passengers onto the flight, it ceases being a ferry. So, at the very least they'll have to have a cabin crew....

 

[harvyk]

I do not think that Qf would have been able to sneak it back into the rotation without news.com.au flagging it on their behalf...

I strongly suspect you are right, I doubt that QF would have been able to sneak OQA back into service without news.com.au making a song and dance about it. As it stands they have used three pictures with the article, one of the damaged engine on the A/C, one of two people holding pieces of the engine with the QF logo on them in Indonesia and the other showing the damage to the wing whilst in flight. No sort of reference photos to how she looks now.

Just little reminders that QF isn't safe, brought to you by your friendly news limited team...

 

[mannej]

Out of interest was QPA or OJH/K snuck back into service?

 

[markis10]

AFAIK all the big repairs have not had any fanfare when rejoining the fleet, then again they were not the pride of the fleet either, including the 717.

 

[serfty]

More from FT (an 388 QF FA):

Originally Posted by eoinnz
... The QF32 happened to have 24 crew that day. I believe it will be 18 of the original crew.

As the A380 has a minimum operating crew of 18 and given the low passenger load for the flight, it will probably remain at 18 for this sector.

 

[Kendall Roy]

(QF) Qantas Airways 32 Flight Status

Due in 0920 local tomorrow.

 

[Ansett]

Will she be operating as QF32 or under a shuttle code as surely this would confuse with the flight from LHR to SIN with same Number ????

Cheers

 

[cove]

Better credit card the parking fee!
Fly Nancy fly home!

 

[markis10]

Will she be operating as QF32 or under a shuttle code as surely this would confuse with the flight from LHR to SIN with same Number ????

Cheers

QF32 no longer exists, she will be operating under that flight number, no confusion with QF2

 

[Awesom Andy]

Will she be operating as QF32 or under a shuttle code as surely this would confuse with the flight from LHR to SIN with same Number ????

Cheers

QF32 no longer exists as a regular schedule, as it was cancelled last month after the kangaroo routes restructure. And this flight actually appears in the flight status page of the Changi Airport website.

 

[Ansett]

Would have been nice to see the good lady return to service

Qantas welcomes back A380 after repairs

 

[Awesom Andy]

Would have been nice to see the good lady return to service

That would've been nice, although the A380s gates are on the far side where the T1 landside viewing mall cannot see. So the only option remaining is to buy a $10 SIN-KUL 3K ticket, and throw it away and go home afterwards, while avoiding the police airside as they would be trying to hunt me down since the last 3K KUL-bound flight would've departed at 19:35.

 

[samh004]

Is it really a good idea for QF to make a big song and dance about how the damaged A380 is now back in service? I'd pretty much forgotten about the incident as it was so long ago - if I was boarding a QFA380 tomorrow I wouldnt think 'I wonder if this one is that damaged one?' Trumpeting its return just reminds people of the incident and I would think make some hesitant to fly it (i.e. boss reggie).

Surely quietly slipping it back into rotation with a 'its no different to any of our other A380s' approach would be more suitable?

I speak to plenty of umm, nobodies I guess, and they all think Qantas is unsafe to fly because of the engine explosion, despite the fact that the plane safely landed. I think no amount of sweeping it under the rug or putting on a show of how much better it is will work against those types, but they chose to show it off.

I'd fly on it again.


