Qantas boosts international capacity, wet lease Finnair aircraft

[mbell1510]

Qantas will return to pre-Covid international capacity by early 2024 with the help of wet leasing two Finnair A330 aircraft, which will operate selected Qantas flights between Sydney and Singapore from late October and all flights between Sydney and Bangkok from late March 2024. For the first two-and-a-half years of this agreement, flights will be operated by Finnair pilots and cabin crew.

• More flights to key destinations including Tokyo, Los Angeles and New York
• Frequency between Australia and Japan to double with four daily flights to Tokyo (Melbourne and Brisbane shifted to Narita)
• Two new international routes to launch from Brisbane
• Two Airbus A330s to be leased from Finnair to meet demand
• Around 300 more pilots and cabin crew required to support extra flying

United States
Melbourne – Los Angeles	Flights to increase from daily to nine per week, increasing capacity by around 60 per cent with more A380 flying.
Sydney – New York via Auckland	Flights to increase from three to four per week.
Asia
Australia to Tokyo	Flights to double, increasing from 14 to 28 per week, offering the choice of four daily flights to Japan from 26 November. · Sydney –Tokyo to increase from daily to double daily. · Melbourne – Tokyo to increase from four per week to daily. · Brisbane – Tokyo to increase from three per week to daily. Services from Melbourne and Brisbane will move to Narita Airport.
Sydney – Shanghai	Flights to commence for the first time in more than three years with daily A330 flights.
Sydney – Hong Kong	Capacity boosted by more than 50 per cent over the peak Australian summer season, with daily flights to be operated by a mix of A380 and A330 aircraft.
Melbourne – Hong Kong	Flights to increase from four per week to daily.
Melbourne – Singapore	Flights to increase from 10 to 14 per week from 31 March 2024.
Sydney – Singapore	Flights to increase from 14 to 15 per week from 31 March 2024.
Melbourne – Delhi	Flights to increase from three to six per week over the peak Australian summer season.
Pacific and Tasman
Brisbane – Wellington	New route to operate daily with E190 aircraft.
Brisbane – Honiara, Solomon Islands	New route to operate three days per week with E190 aircraft.
Sydney – Christchurch	Flights to increase from 11 to 14 per week.
Sydney – Queenstown	Flights to increase by up to one per week, with up to 14 flights over the peak Australian summer season.

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-boosts-international-network-restoring-capacity-adding-more-aircraft-launching-new-routes/

 

[Danger]

Source, please.

 

[ChrisMars]

That's a great news, looking forward the industry is back to 100%+ pre-covid.

"Tickets for the new services will be progressively available for sale from today at qantas.com and through travel agents. Customers who have already booked on flights with schedule changes will be contacted directly in the coming days."

So another round of re-ticketing issue expected in the coming weeks

 

[Mwenenzi]

Source, please.

QF newsroom --> QANTAS BOOSTS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK: RESTORING CAPACITY, ADDING MORE AIRCRAFT, LAUNCHING NEW ROUTES

<snip>
The Finnair A330 aircraft will operate selected Qantas flights between Sydney and Singapore from late October and all flights between Sydney and Bangkok from late March 2024, freeing up Qantas aircraft and crew to boost flying elsewhere. For the first two-and-a-half years of this agreement, flights will be operated by Finnair pilots and cabin crew, with customers continuing to receive Qantas’ inflight food and beverage service, amenities, inflight entertainment and baggage allowance. From late 2025, two Finnair A330s will be dry leased, operating for up to three years with Qantas pilots and cabin crew, creating new jobs and further promotional opportunities within Qantas
<snip>

In a small E190 ! Little surprised BNE-WLG is not OOL-WLG

Brisbane – Wellington	New route to operate daily with E190 aircraft.
Brisbane – Honiara, Solomon Islands	New route to operate three days per week with E190 aircraft.

 

[jrfsp]

With the older business cabin?

Should have kept the two other A330s instead of disposing of them

 

[TheInsider]

Interesting with the wel lease arrangement and then the dry lease arrangement a few years after.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Interesting with the wel lease arrangement and then the dry lease arrangement a few years after.

Indeed. Committing 5.5 years for an older aircraft.
Seat map -->Finnair Airbus A330 - aeroLOPA | Detailed aircraft seat plans

Finnair normally operates a fleet of eight Airbus A330-300 aircraft on services linking Helsinki with North America and Asia. There are two configurations: the 45J 218M and the 28J 21W 230M replacement launched in 2022

 

[exceladdict]

Interesting with the wel lease arrangement and then the dry lease arrangement a few years after.

Yes, Finnair seem to be doing quite a bit of leasing and operating for others? But it's a long way from home for their crews.

Edit: duh, they're probably based in Asia, I didn't really think that through.

 

[TheInsider]

Yes, Finnair seem to be doing quite a bit of leasing and operating for others? But it's a long way from home for their crews.

Edit: duh, they're probably based in Asia, I didn't really think that through.

Also I just read that when the 'dry lease' arrangement comes in the aircraft will then be painted in a Qantas livery and then under the Qantas AOC.
I think Qantas wanted the dry lease from day one, but finnair wanted their crew to operate for the first two or so years.

Flight numbers will be:
• QF291, Sydney-Singapore
• QF292, Singapore-Sydney
• QF295, Sydney-Bangkok
• QF296, Bangkok-Syd

Also this:
The aircraft being used under these leasing arrangements have been reconfigured in the past year with latest-
generation onboard product - new seats, inflight entertainment (IFE), lavatories and other cabin features were
fitted as part of the reconfiguration program.
The inflight food and beverage offering will be provided by Qantas. Finnair crew will undergo Qantas service
training and operational support will be in place to support onboard service delivery. Pillows, blankets, amenity
kits and IFE content would also be provided by Qantas.

 

[HS-TQE]

Interesting to see that QF moves both HND slots out of SYD. I wonder what'll happen to the subsidised arrangements out of BNE and MEL with their state Aviation Investment Funds since they're moving those flights back to NRT, although both are now daily rather than the split arrangement out of HND.

 

[mbell1510]

Flights to Singapore and Tokyo from Sydney at least are available to purchase. The new QF59 will depart at 12.20pm and arrive 20.15 local time before QF60 leaves at 22.00 (the exact same time as QF26).

Bit disappointing that Qantas didn't use the opportunity to run a day flight from Haneda to Sydney instead of leaving QF25/26 parked all day.

 

[justinbrett]

In a small E190 ! Little surprised BNE-WLG is not OOL-WLG

I love flying the E190

 

[Brettmcg]

Also I just read that when the 'dry lease' arrangement comes in the aircraft will then be painted in a Qantas livery and then under the Qantas AOC.
I think Qantas wanted the dry lease from day one, but finnair wanted their crew to operate for the first two or so years.

Flight numbers will be:
• QF291, Sydney-Singapore
• QF292, Singapore-Sydney
• QF295, Sydney-Bangkok
• QF296, Bangkok-Syd

Also this:
The aircraft being used under these leasing arrangements have been reconfigured in the past year with latest-
generation onboard product - new seats, inflight entertainment (IFE), lavatories and other cabin features were
fitted as part of the reconfiguration program.
The inflight food and beverage offering will be provided by Qantas. Finnair crew will undergo Qantas service
training and operational support will be in place to support onboard service delivery. Pillows, blankets, amenity
kits and IFE content would also be provided by Qantas.

Here are some FAQs from the QF Industry site: https://www.qantas.com/agencyconnec...hy-book-qantas/finnair-a330-300.html#business

 

[moa999]

Indeed. Committing 5.5 years for an older aircraft.
Seat map -->Finnair Airbus A330 - aeroLOPA | Detailed aircraft seat plans

From what I can tell all 8 Finnair 333s are now refurbed to the new J/PE/Y standard.

They are all 2009/2010 deliveries so younger than QFs current 333 fleet (QF has 8 332s of a similar 2009-11 vintage)

 

[dajop]

Bit disappointing that Qantas didn't use the opportunity to run a day flight from Haneda to Sydney instead of leaving QF25/26 parked all day.

As a general rule Qantas do not do day flights into Australia east coast. Apparently most people, especially business travellers, prefer not to waste a day travelling because it is totally unproductive day. Far better to fly overnight and pretend you are productive the next day

 

[justinbrett]

I thought this was interesting:
As this is a lease arrangement the flight is published as if it is a Qantas aircraft operating these services.  A Finnair flight number will not be published for these services. You will see the wording “Operated by Finnair for Qantas” when making your customer’s booking.  

I think AY codeshare on BA between SIN-SYD. So someone flying AY from HEL to SYD will be on BA metal instead of their own. It makes commercial sense but will be a bit bizarre for pax.

 

[JohnM]

Aaahhh..., what's not to love? - NP Rabbit Food(TM) and Picnic Cutlery(TM) with a Nordic twist!

 

[Princess Fiona]

I am absolutely stoked about this !!!!!

I think the AY Air Lounge is the best J hard product out there !!!!!
Can’t wait !!!!

 

[SYD]

Yay! More A330 PE options to/from Asia for cheeky weekends away.

Especially Y+ up and J home. Either points or upgrade lottery.

 

[RooFlyer]

Qantas pilots aren’t happy. The Oz on line





Do they have a point re the A330 conversion and lack of fleet planning?