Qantas A330s on SYD/MEL

[VirginiaF]

I have in the past occasionally caught a QF A330 between SYD and MEL. Nowadays, I can't seem to find them rostered on this leg. Is this correct? Have they all been diverted to MEL/SYD - PER? Or are they allocated to the SYD/MEL run on certain days only?

Any news or insights would be very helpful.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[lovestotravel]

I booked a A330 for MEL-SYD in on a Saturday in a few weeks.. It was a departure around 10am, so yes they are still around

 

[VirginiaF]

Yes - I have found an occasional A330 scheduled on weekends, but during the week, they look pretty scarce.

 

[simongr]

I got one three times in a row - QF409 on a Wednesday.

 

[markis10]

You wont see A330s on the SYD-MEL turn during peak because they are too slow to turn around.

 

[simongr]

Well they have been on the peak - I have three times had them SYD-MEL on QF409 (same crew on two occasions as well).

I have however just checked my forward bookings and only have 763s on all 10 return trips.

 

[oz_mark]

You wont see A330s on the SYD-MEL turn during peak because they are too slow to turn around.

They'll likely be using A330s during peak in the future as the 767s are sent to pasture....

 

[markis10]

Well they have been on the peak - I have three times had them SYD-MEL on QF409 (same crew on two occasions as well).

I have however just checked my forward bookings and only have 763s on all 10 return trips.

Last op was 28 March and are now trans con for that reason.

They'll likely be using A330s during peak in the future as the 767s are sent to pasture....

Possibly, or 738s with more frequency.

 

[nlagalle]

You wont see A330s on the SYD-MEL turn during peak because they are too slow to turn around.

It is usually the 7am (QF408) MEL-SYD.

 

[Fruitcake]

Possibly, or 738s with more frequency.

But with 19 out of 28 SYD-MEL flights a day being scheduled as 767s (on a Tuesday at least, other days of the week should be similar), would SYD cope with the extra movements?

Also widebodies on the triangle are a key selling point for QF (as a generally VA-only customer I'm a bit jealous of that).

 

[oz_mark]

But with 19 out of 28 SYD-MEL flights a day being scheduled as 767s (on a Tuesday at least, other days of the week should be similar), would SYD cope with the extra movements?

..and the flights are every 15 minutes between 4 and 6 each afternoon. I don't know how much further they could push that,

 

[markis10]

It is usually the 7am (QF408) MEL-SYD.

Again sometimes, not consistent for the reason quoted. Some interesting rego numbers for 738s on this flight

01/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-VZC	B737-800	12J/156Y
02/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBN	A330-200	36J/265Y
03/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBP	A330-200	42J/268Y
04/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBV	A330-200
05/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXD	B767-300ER	30J/214Y
06/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-TJK	B737-400	CY150
07/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXC	B737-800	12J/156Y
07/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXC	B767-300ER	30J/214Y
08/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXC	B737-800	12J/156Y
08/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXC	B767-300ER	30J/214Y
09/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBV	A330-200
10/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXF	B767-300ER	30J/214Y
11/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBP	A330-200	42J/268Y

 

[Paddy55]

I know I'd prefer the A332s to 767s... A333s would be even better!

 

[nlagalle]

Again sometimes, not consistent for the reason quoted.

01/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-VZC	B737-800	12J/156Y
02/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBN	A330-200	36J/265Y
03/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBP	A330-200	42J/268Y
04/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBV	A330-200
05/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXD	B767-300ER	30J/214Y
06/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-TJK	B737-400	CY150
07/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXC	B737-800	12J/156Y
07/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXC	B767-300ER	30J/214Y
08/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXC	B737-800	12J/156Y
08/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXC	B767-300ER	30J/214Y
09/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBV	A330-200
10/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-ZXF	B767-300ER	30J/214Y
11/04/2013	QF408	Melbourne		Sydney	VH-EBP	A330-200	42J/268Y

Being you are pointing to School Holidays the demand for them is most likely elsewhere. I catch a Mel-Syd flight almost every week and i can pretty much get the A330 at least 90% of the time if i want to leave at 7am. Check out March you will see it is mainly the A330

 

[simongr]

What is the difference in whY? Same seats pretty much - though the A330 have in seat power don't they? The key advantage is the exit row at row 23. But if you score the international config 763 you get that leg room in row 24.

 

[markis10]

Being you are pointing to School Holidays the demand for them is most likely elsewhere. I catch a Mel-Syd flight almost every week and i can pretty much get the A330 at least 90% of the time if i want to leave at 7am. Check out March you will see it is mainly the A330

In the past yes, but moving forward school holidays or not you wont see them too often, now that the all A330 transcon ex SYD/MEL has kicked in. While they may put them on a flight, you wont see one solely going between MEL and SYD all day, they dont work well in that context. Same reason VA dont do it.

 

[nlagalle]

In the past yes, but moving forward school holidays or not you wont see them too often, now that the all A330 transcon ex SYD/MEL has kicked in. While they may put them on a flight, you wont see one solely going between MEL and SYD all day, they dont work well in that context. Same reason VA dont do it.

i've just booked and they are still showing at least twice a week, usually Tuesdays and Thursday. Being that 408 generally goes to PER straight afterwards. My guess is they just keep doing a big triangle MEL-SYD-PER-MEL or reverse.

I have only seen them in the morning and sometimes afternoon, never during the day