PER-BNE/BNE-PER A330 Reductions

[Bugalugz]

The A330's running PER-BNE and BNE-PER seem to be getting rarer and rarer with only the last flights of the day either end now running the A330. Seen a few of my flights have changed to a 737 from what was an A330.

Most prominently the 598/589 is now a 737 and can't find any days after March where it is an A330 at all. Surprising as it always seems to be pretty full in both directions.

5.5hrs in a 737 is pure bloody torture, not looking forward to that experience!

 

[SpudOz]

As is the PER-SIN run in a 737

 

[cove]

I just booked a Perth -Sydney -Melbourne in business and it is a 737 that I try to avoid. Still it is to get to my brothers birthday party so it is a one off. Fortunately the Mel-Per is the A330 Suite. Using a 737 for a flight of 4 hours is a punishment for booking late.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

SYD to AKL with QF now twice daily with 330 and once daily with 330.
If no new 330s bought or leased they would have come from Au domestic operations.

 

[RickyT84]

As is the PER-SIN run in a 737

As is the SYD-DPS run which is even longer.

QF and VA have spoilt us in using the A330s on trans con services. In the US, a lot of the trans-con services are operated by single aisle A320s and 737s and people survived the longish trek.

 

[Borisdog]

Not good.

My once a month flight BNE-PER is on 589, and it's usually pretty full.

Might have to write a little letter to QF, not the first time they've made a mistake in their advertised scheduling/aircraft type when reverting back to normal time from Summer time, or vice versa for that matter.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

QF and VA have spoilt us in using the A330s on trans con services. In the US, a lot of the trans-con services are operated by single aisle A320s and 737s and people survived the longish trek.

Don't forget in the olden AN days and the QF 767 days, we also had a lot of trans Australian domestic flights were on the 767s.
Even MEL - SYD vv on AN had a lot of 767s, and a good run of QF flights also were 767s.
Edit: must say though, after having tried it several times now, and bookable online from the get go, and for personal space at not so much of a financial killer, VA's Y(X) is quite good, premium boarding, a bit of "class", and if you buy the lounge access while as a PS, its only $330 a year ongoing, a cheap person's J class!

 

[Pleb Status]

When 597 and then 594 switched over to 'the torture chamber', the available base fares skyrocketed and rarely went on sale (versus the 332 operated services).

With VA being significantly cheaper, still operating the 332 on at least one of the flights I want to travel on and operating a far superior J class, it is a very easy choice where to spend my money. Where a 73H is scheduledm by VA, the free extra legroom seating, selectable at time of booking, makes the 73H at least tolerable (and it is the short way so only four and a half hours),

 

[Bugalugz]

I think the 767's were outstanding compared to the 737's they are just a horrible and tight squeeze on Qantas. Least on Virgin there seems to be leg room. For a full service carrier Qantas sure cram you in especially for those longer Asian destination flights they send them on.

Shame really, I certainly will be trying to go via Syd or Mel to get the A330 (and the extra status credits while I'm at it) on the longer flights and more U availability too as that will diminish with the A330 reductions to Brisbane.

Never seen that 589/98 with many spare seats so guess we can only see prices go up.

 

[kermatu]

Had an upcoming PER-MEL flight switched from an A330 to a 737 a few days ago. Thankfully I check and use Expert Flyer so caught it. Despite the next flight which is an A330 only having one J seat available I was able to change without hassle or extra charge.

I know aircraft and seat changes are part of the T&Cs but it is still pretty poor when it happens without any warning or notification from the airline given the gulf between the offerings.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Don't know, maybe it was planned, but VA have got a niche market when it comes to Y(X).
Before Y(X) I thought that the shadow lottery being a QF SG was a good game, and sometimes it goes pear shaped, and sometimes, the last cabin door has been closed and the seat next to me on that QFd flight is empty, but then...
VA brought out Y(X), bliss, I used to aim for keeping QF as my SG choice, and VA as my PS choice, but looks like, its now VA being my main choice in Y(X), and not having to get up to VA SG, but VA PS with the Lounge access ($) is enough. Will keep QF only for TT J flights with their wide bodied 330 or LATAM.
OR (Air)NZ with their 787s premY.
If QF wants to treat us bad, maybe we can teach them a lesson, go to VA (unless work stipulates flying QF all the time).

 

[Franky]

I think the 767's were outstanding compared to the 737's they are just a horrible and tight squeeze on Qantas. Least on Virgin there seems to be leg room. For a full service carrier Qantas sure cram you in especially for those longer Asian destination flights they send them on.

Shame really, I certainly will be trying to go via Syd or Mel to get the A330 (and the extra status credits while I'm at it) on the longer flights and more U availability too as that will diminish with the A330 reductions to Brisbane.

Never seen that 589/98 with many spare seats so guess we can only see prices go up.

Certainly agree with you. My wife is WP, and travels extensively to many parts of Asia, Europe and domestically to the East Coast which now seems set to be as tortuous as the run to Singapore with its 2 x 737s. For these reasons, we have joined up with Star Alliance, which for her Asian trips gives her 4 choices just getting to Singapore alone. Add Scoot to that as well if the timing suits.

 

[Franky]

Don't know, maybe it was planned, but VA have got a niche market when it comes to Y(X).
Before Y(X) I thought that the shadow lottery being a QF SG was a good game, and sometimes it goes pear shaped, and sometimes, the last cabin door has been closed and the seat next to me on that QFd flight is empty, but then...
VA brought out Y(X), bliss, I used to aim for keeping QF as my SG choice, and VA as my PS choice, but looks like, its now VA being my main choice in Y(X), and not having to get up to VA SG, but VA PS with the Lounge access ($) is enough. Will keep QF only for TT J flights with their wide bodied 330 or LATAM.
OR (Air)NZ with their 787s premY.
If QF wants to treat us bad, maybe we can teach them a lesson, go to VA (unless work stipulates flying QF all the time).

I'll now be pointing my wife in the same direction as you..

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Franky, if the other half has to fly QF because work stipulates so, maybe get her to phone up and book comfort seat request on Aust domestic flights.
Good points for flying VA, X(Y) row 3 and to about 5/6, having guaranteed more overhead space, using the aerobridge with priority boarding, more stretch space, and having to pay just that a bit extra of $29/$39/$49 extra to sit up ahead is offputting to most male or female "boofs", VA wins in my books.
A lot of my Y(X) trips, since they brought it out, and I started using VA row 3, the seat next to me has always been empty.

 

[Lemon_Party]

Franky, if the other half has to fly QF because work stipulates so, maybe get her to phone up and book comfort seat request on Aust domestic flights.
Good points for flying VA, X(Y) row 3 and to about 5/6, having guaranteed more overhead space, using the aerobridge with priority boarding, more stretch space, and having to pay just that a bit extra of $29/$39/$49 extra to sit up ahead is offputting to most male or female "boofs", VA wins in my books.
A lot of my Y(X) trips, since they brought it out, and I started using VA row 3, the seat next to me has always been empty.

VA YX is good, but the VA food and entertainment still lags behind QF. If I didn't choose base on loyalty program, I'd probably prefer a seat down the back with QF and a shadow (assuming a not full flight) than YX with VA but its a close call.

 

[Pleb Status]

VA YX is good, but the VA food and entertainment still lags behind QF. If I didn't choose base on loyalty program, I'd probably prefer a seat down the back with QF and a shadow (assuming a not full flight) than YX with VA but its a close call.

Even if VA provided NO food or entertainment at all, I would still take a free VA YX seat over the current QF offering.

Paying more for almost six hours with a 30 inch seat pitch... Why?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I think that QF should do something similar, ie, allow us to, if we choose to fly ("support") them is to put online the ability to buy comfort request seating, rather than having to phone up, and wait in the queue if you/person booking is not WP/P1/CL.
I like to know I have booked and paid, and will 80% get that Y(X) seat, than go with QF lotto system as it is and hope I as SG get a shadow, dream hat on.

 

[Lemon_Party]

Even if VA provided NO food or entertainment at all, I would still take a free VA YX seat over the current QF offering.

Paying more for almost six hours with a 30 inch seat pitch... Why?

Just overall had several relatively pleasant flights after picking QF as the schedule suited me better. I don’t normally fly QF so was all new to me really. The seats are cramped though, I do agree.

 

[Franky]

Franky, if the other half has to fly QF because work stipulates so, maybe get her to phone up and book comfort seat request on Aust domestic flights.
Good points for flying VA, X(Y) row 3 and to about 5/6, having guaranteed more overhead space, using the aerobridge with priority boarding, more stretch space, and having to pay just that a bit extra of $29/$39/$49 extra to sit up ahead is offputting to most male or female "boofs", VA wins in my books.
A lot of my Y(X) trips, since they brought it out, and I started using VA row 3, the seat next to me has always been empty.

Thanks for the tips as always Poochie - she mostly has the call on which airline to use, and has been lucky with the domestic flights with a shadow from time to time, but I suspect with the more 737s and less 330s, that privilege will slowly disappear.

 

[Ekka]

I just booked a Perth -Sydney -Melbourne in business and it is a 737 that I try to avoid. Still it is to get to my brothers birthday party so it is a one off. Fortunately the Mel-Per is the A330 Suite. Using a 737 for a flight of 4 hours is a punishment for booking late.

How extremely, not to say extraordinarily nice for you. Blow (I should have used a different verb which rhymes with "slugger") the Queenslanders, eh?

The name of this thread is PER-BNE/BNE-PER A330 Reductions, by the way.

Accordingly this is about PER-BNE and vice versa, and the A330s being replaced by B737s on that route, not about Perth to Sydney, or Melbourne to Perth. It must have escaped your notice. Yes, we know you can still get a VA 330 on the other routes, thus this thread.

It is difficult, in fact largely, if not completely impossible to get from Brisbane to Perth or back with VA in an A330.

Of course you tried to avoid a 737; don't we all, especially for a significantly longer flight?

But we cannot.