Qantas Ceasing 747 Transcon Services (Again)

[Noob]

Qantas is set to swap fuel-guzzling 747 jumbo jets for renovated single-deck 767s on flights from the east coast to Perth

Qantas, Virgin hold fire on home front

 

[Paddy55]

Disappointing as 747 J was about as good as domestic J gets IMHO
Refurb 767 don't have Skybeds do they?

Seems the 747 is announced with great fanfare... And their withdrawal rather more quietly.

 

[atreides]

I can see that line in the sand getting slowly blown away

 

[cove]

Yes the flights 581 and 582 between Perth and Sydney in what was the front of plane first class has been the best. I will miss it.

 

[Major]

It could be a case of these 747's already marked for retirement and and replaced as soon as the refurb's were completed

 

[eastwest101]

The Financial Review article was pretty interesting about capacity reductions from both QF and DJ. Or to be more correct - less aircraft utilization. I had noticed a few more idle aircraft sitting around over the last few months - often aircraft are parked up on weekdays as well - plus the weekends when it would be expected.

 

[markis10]

It could be a case of these 747's already marked for retirement and and replaced as soon as the refurb's were completed

Yes, they simply don't have the spare aircraft, even as it is, the main aircraft is a bit of an orphan having been the only two class left in the fleet.

 

[Limewood]

Be nice if they transferred the 747 to the SYD/HNL route, instead of the clunkers they have been getting away with for years and charging a premium.

 

[mannej]

Be nice if they transferred the 747 to the SYD/HNL route, instead of the clunkers they have been getting away with for years and charging a premium.

If they transferred the PER-SYD 747 to that route, she ain't no spring chicken either.

In fact, how old are most of the international 767's, they would be younger than OJD for sure.

 

[lovestotravel]

Qantas still needs to retire about 8 744's so not surprising here!

 

[lovestotravel]

I will also add from the article linked in the opening post

"Scheduling data obtained by The Australian Financial Review  and confirmed by the airlines shows a spike in flight cancellations by Virgin in August as it reduced frequencies on golden triangle routes to maintain passenger loads"

Yep Virgin cancelled the evening CBR-MEL flights in July/August/Sept/Oct it was the 8pm flight and left thousands of annoyed people.

I spoke to a few in the Qantas lounge about the schedule change and they said that since Virgin had forced them to change plans/re-book flights etc, they will now simply book with Qantas, as Qantas does not have the LCC mentality to simply cancel a flight due to poor loads. Virgin have been doing this for years and have caught me out many times!

Virgin need to realise that while cancelling a flight might save $xx_x it will then cost them $xx_x in future business. Listening to a bean-counter is not always a good thing!

From me alone they have lost a chunk of money, as the CBR-MEL flight cancellation caused me to give Qantas a good try again, and Virgin have pretty much lost me as a customer until I considering retaining Platinum with them in Late 2013/Early 2014.

 

[cove]

Big Bird don't fly no more! It is a sad moment in the joys of flying to Sydney and back. I will miss you Big Bird!

 

[Fruitcake]

Yep Virgin cancelled the evening CBR-MEL flights in July/August/Sept/Oct it was the 8pm flight and left thousands of annoyed people.

I spoke to a few in the Qantas lounge about the schedule change and they said that since Virgin had forced them to change plans/re-book flights etc, they will now simply book with Qantas, as Qantas does not have the LCC mentality to simply cancel a flight due to poor loads. Virgin have been doing this for years and have caught me out many times!

A shame you don't get JQ into Canberra, they'd be perfect for you. JQ had half the cancellation rate (0.7%) of Qantas (1.4%) during August.

 

[lovestotravel]

A shame you don't get JQ into Canberra, they'd be perfect for you. JQ had half the cancellation rate (0.7%) of Qantas (1.4%) during August.

Not sure if you are serious, but there is no reason for me to EVER fly Jetstar

 

[docjames]

Not sure if you are serious, but there is no reason for me to EVER fly Jetstar

I think tongue in cheek pointing out that cancellation as the deciding factor may not be all its cracked up to be, and "LCC" approach may be the wrong terminology.


often the lccs are less inclined to cancel as the plane ends up out of position for following flight - it really only works if the aircraft is running "out-and-back" and both flights have very low loads.

 

[Berlin]

Does anyone know when this change will be implemented? I got a SYD-PER-SYD coming up early April and it still says 747 in my booking. Should I expect a rather annoying change coming up? :evil:

 

[harvyk]

Does anyone know when this change will be implemented? I got a SYD-PER-SYD coming up early April and it still says 747 in my booking. Should I expect a rather annoying change coming up? :evil:

I thought you where anti 747's?

 

[Berlin]

I thought you where anti 747's?

Oh yes- compared to A380s on long-haul routes I am. Well spotted! But I hate the old 767s even more, especially if they don't have the flatseats on a 5 hour flight :evil:

 

[harvyk]

Oh yes- compared to A380s on long-haul routes I am. Well spotted! But I hate the old 767s even more, especially if they don't have the flatseats on a 5 hour flight :evil:

You can probably relax a little, if they do swap out the 744, it'll most likely be for a 332. Whilst no skybed in J, they are hardly a 763. I do believe that's what they put onto the route last time they cancelled the 747 service.

 

[Berlin]

You can probably relax a little, if they do swap out the 744, it'll most likely be for a 332.

I wish you were right but the article specifically talks about "renovated 767s" and while I'll be curious to see the new interior, I'd prefer that to happen on a short hop to Brissy or Melbourne!