Getting OT, but anyway....
But how many A330 on the dom run will be retired, and if they don't bring any 787s/350s into dom runs, we have to bear with the 220 on dom runs.
Even now, a lot of the 330s get swapped to the 737, and on the weekend, trans Au, all the fights are 737s.
Oh boy you STILL haven't forgiven QF for that time they subbed your 767 what... ten years ago by now?! You really need to get over it
Look, your contention above was:
They are buying more planes, but the planes they are buying, are of the narrow bodied variety, ie, less seats on a flight. capacity wise.
But more planes, as in numbers, but on a narrow body, which means, they would carry less people on each flight, so they can charge more for a rev tix, and have less U class of seats available per flight.
And yet, I've demonstrated in just about every case, the aircraft types that QF is purchasing to renew the existing fleet have HIGHER capacity than the aircraft they're earmarked to replace - that totally nullifies your argument because hey presto - there's MORE capacity. Am I wrong?
What you're really saying is that you hate narrowbodies. OK fine, but that doesn't change the fact that the 220->717 and 321->73H. The only case you could potentially make is 321's taking the role of 330's for a lower capacity.
And that brings me to your point about 330's on domestic routes. I don't know if you've noticed this, but the number of A330 on domestic routes is vastly reduced from even say five years ago - mostly now on MEL/SYD-PER and a few MEL-SYD's (maybe a couple a day) and that's about it with the odd exception (I've seen some SYD-BNE rotations recently). I'm actually scheduled for a 333 in a couple of days. If it's subbed I'll laugh and blame you
Anyway, they won't put the A350's on domestic routes apart from initial testing and crew training (as was done with the 789 in 2017 for a couple of months) - and even then they may or may not make them revenue services - time will tell on that. The 787-10 may take on some peak transcon routes, but I think the primary mission will become mid haul international to asia and perhaps places like HNL.
Because the A321 has a capacity in between the 73H and the A332, they'll almost certainly take on more transcon flying as they come in - the capacity would likely be a good match and would enable more schedule flexibility - potentially to offer more services which is what customers in general prefer.
I KNOW THEY ARE NOT WIDEBODIES.. but that's what will work to match demand and provide flexibility vs what customers would probably prefer (and tbh, in Y, the extra cabin width will be appreciated, even if 2-4-2 gives way to 3-3. It will allow for slightly wider seats potentially. As for J, well lack of lie flat is a not favourred of course, but the competition isn't offering (alas) anything better so they'll probably go with that.. and bar red eyes, an A321 on a 4-5 hour flight (done plenty on AA in the US with worse service and less food) are just fine imo.
This is the new world of efficient aircraft matching need - where transatlantic flying has been done in 757 and A321's for years now, and 321XLR's offering even more opportunities for longer and thinner routes. That's the reality. You might not like it, but that's the way it's going.
And why do you think QF is putting 737's on transcons on weekends? Because capacity matches demand AND they can offer frequency - and again that's what most punters want. Remember, most passengers go on price and schedule above all else. It's niche groups like AFF that even care what aircraft type it is, let alone worry about if it's lie flat in J (and most customers are in Y and just want to get there as cheap as possible....)
At any rate, you never addressed the likely actual capacity increase offered by new aircraft over existing apart from making it clear you want widebodies on every single route. So I still disagree with your contention that capacity will be less and thus higher ticket prices and less reward seats. Assuming a long term near 1:1 replacement of both 737 and 330 capacity with 320/321 and 787-10 (I do realise there are more 332/333 currently than 787-10 on order) will still see a modest capacty rise - specially for domesti in the medium-long term (and not counting the higher capacity offered by a larger fleet of 220's replacing the 717's and the extra capacity the E190's are already bringing to regional routes which wasn't a thing five years ago).
Personally, I'd prefer the 321 over the 737 cabin on domestic routes. Yes, we'd all rather an A330/787, but it's just not going to be like it used to be. tbh using these medium/long haul aircraft on small hops like MEL-SYD are wasting cycles. Yes, great for capacity, but really not what these aircraft were designed for tbh.
I also think you meant "320 series" rather than "220" in your comment regarding what you have to "bear" with. Since the 220 is replacing the 717's, you can't even use the argument hat they'd be replacing a widebody.
Its like VA now, saying they are now only a single type of plane op, ie, the 737, whether it be the 700/800, and no wide bodied.
No, it's not. How is this even close to relevant? QF has and will continue to have plenty of wide bodies. Maybe not in the routes YOU want, but that's life.
