Qantas international routes not resumed

[SYD]

Qantas are moving away from fifth freedom flights not adding them. No real benefit to adopting them. They take up valuable aircraft time and dilute the earning unless really good margins - such as LHR and JFK.

Yes, that’s the whole point of Sunrise and the other ULH B787 routes.

There’s also a reason no continental European carriers operate from Europe to Australia (other than under wet leases ). It’s expensive to operate such services.

They also operate simple Hub and Spoke networks from their often single main city (CDG, AMS etc). LH is one of the exceptions with FRA and MUC (less so BER). So it makes sense to codeshare with the likes of QF, CX, SQ etc to spread their wings into Oz ports.

QF effectively used SIN as a hub to consolidate Oz to/from Europe (and now Asia via 3K.

QF 1/2 operated via BKK to LHR in an era when the ME3 hadn’t yet reached their full stride. In fact before it was discontinued 1/2 via BKK was one of four QF 4-engine jet services to LHR (along with 9/10 and 31/32 via SIN and 29/30 via HKG).

There was also BA LHR-BKK/SIN-SYD/MEL under the old partnership (pre EK) that you could easily book as a QF codeshare.

My earlier point was that QF could have done QF1/2 via SIN pre DXB but chose BKK (there must have been a market back then ). Or did I answer my own question - they’re feeding leisure PAX through SIN to 3K and you can go just about anywhere in SE Asia now.

 

[dajop]

My earlier point was that QF could have done QF1/2 via SIN pre DXB but chose BKK (there must have been a market back then ).

They didn't choose BKK over SIN, they already had two services via SIN - QF 9/10 and QF 31/32 through SIN then (in thinking mid-late 2000's). I don't think they needed a third service via SIN, hence BKK and HKG rounded out the four services. But 15 years on the market is very different.

 

[SYD]

They didn't chose BKK over SIN, they already had two services via SIN - QF 9/10 and QF 31/32 through SIN then (in thinking mid-late 2000's). I don't think they needed a third service via SIN, hence BKK and HKG rounded out the four services. But 15 years on the market is very different.

I’m talking pre A380 QF31/32. So 1990s. QF and BA flights were always chockers but yes, pre ME and then Chinese carriers dumping capacity on Oz.

In my younger days I used to argue that BKK was QFs hub in Asia until I realised how many other flights actually went via SIN. So still odd that the flagship flight didn’t go via SIN and a QF31/32 equivalent could have gone via BKK/HKG.

I suspect they just continued to fly BKK even after they dropped the BAH tech stop.

 

[jrfsp]

Didn’t want to start another topic, looks like US demand might be softening with reports of light loads at the moment.
QF has trimmed the schedule from next year July:
MEL-LAX reducing to daily potentially removing most A380 flights
SYD-LAX reduced to daily
AKL-JFK now planned for 5 weekly

 

[Virgin Bart]

Didn’t want to start another topic, looks like US demand might be softening with reports of light loads at the moment.
QF has trimmed the schedule from next year July:
MEL-LAX reducing to daily potentially removing most A380 flights
SYD-LAX reduced to daily
AKL-JFK now planned for 5 weekly

With cost of living and the exchange rate as it is I'm surprised it wasn't sooner.

 

[elanshin]

Didn’t want to start another topic, looks like US demand might be softening with reports of light loads at the moment.
QF has trimmed the schedule from next year July:
MEL-LAX reducing to daily potentially removing most A380 flights
SYD-LAX reduced to daily
AKL-JFK now planned for 5 weekly

Surprising they're doing it at US peak travel season. Would've thought it'd make more sense in Sep.

Would it be adjustments because they get more a380 back?
If there are more 380s back in the fleet then where would they fly? I'd guess they would make MEL <> LAX a daily 380 instead of the current 789/380 mix.

That would then not dramatically change the seats available and free up some 789s to do other duty.

Akl - JfK increasing is interesting. Guess they're seeing decent demand there.

 

[levelnine]

Akl - JfK increasing is interesting. Guess they're seeing decent demand there.

It's not increasing. It was supposed to be going daily, and no longer is.

 

[dylarr]

Didn’t want to start another topic, looks like US demand might be softening with reports of light loads at the moment.

Not surprised if this is the case. Given the insane airfares to the US, strong USD and inflation making accomodation and food prices explode, I would have questioned the sustainability of ongoing strong demand for the US right now. I've personally deferred US travel plans for these reasons.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Not surprised if this is the case. Given the insane airfares to the US, strong USD and inflation making accomodation and food prices explode, I would have questioned the sustainability of ongoing strong demand for the US right now. I've personally deferred US travel plans for these reasons.

As have we.

 

[HS-TQE]

With cost of living and the exchange rate as it is I'm surprised it wasn't sooner.

Also to add UA's recent NW adds/upgauge putting yield pressure on QF's own services. However many of UA's recent NW adds are largely seasonal and even UA had to downgauge or end services early in February (as people head back to school/work/etc).

 

[Captain Halliday]

I've personally deferred US travel plans for these reasons.

As have we.

I’m another in this category.

Jagged three U seats to HNL in the latest “sorry release” TM.

I changed them to another destination a couple of days later after seeing the accommodation prices, combined with exchange rate.

 

[encryptededdy]

MEL-LAX reducing to daily potentially removing most A380 flights

Qantas Revises Planned North America Expansion From July 2024 — AeroRoutes

Published at 0001GMT 29DEC23 Qantas in the last few days filed service changes to North America from July 2024. Based on available flights for reservation, the airline has scaled back planned service expansion announced earlier this year. As of 28DEC23, planned changes based on available flights f

www.aeroroutes.com

MEL-LAX is still planned to be A380 6-weekly and 787 once-weekly. This is a reduction from the previously announced plan (9/wk) but still an increase over now (2 weekly A380)

 

[Himeno]

It looks like they are freeing up a couple of 787s for use elsewhere.

 

[pauly7]

It looks like they are freeing up a couple of 787s for use elsewhere.

Hoping for a particular new/resumption of a US route but suspect we already know the answer

 

[jrfsp]

T

Qantas Revises Planned North America Expansion From July 2024 — AeroRoutes

Published at 0001GMT 29DEC23 Qantas in the last few days filed service changes to North America from July 2024. Based on available flights for reservation, the airline has scaled back planned service expansion announced earlier this year. As of 28DEC23, planned changes based on available flights f

www.aeroroutes.com

MEL-LAX is still planned to be A380 6-weekly and 787 once-weekly. This is a reduction from the previously announced plan (9/wk) but still an increase over now (2 weekly A380)

However F seems to be removed from sale which suggests the A380 might not last

 

[yachty]

However F seems to be removed from sale which suggests the A380 might not last

When did you look, out of interest? I was poking around for a few dates in August/September 2024 and there was plenty of F inventory showing on MEL-LAX.

 

[jrfsp]

When did you look, out of interest? I was poking around for a few dates in August/September 2024 and there was plenty of F inventory showing on MEL-LAX.

July, seems F only a few days a week, otherwise via SYD

 

[levelnine]

When did you look, out of interest? I was poking around for a few dates in August/September 2024 and there was plenty of F inventory showing on MEL-LAX.

The linked website post suggests the A380 will be reduced to 2x per week:

'eff 14JUL24 First Class reservation on A380 is now only available for reservation on Day 16 from MEL, Day 46 from LAX'

 

[encryptededdy]

The linked website post suggests the A380 will be reduced to 2x per week:

'eff 14JUL24 First Class reservation on A380 is now only available for reservation on Day 16 from MEL, Day 46 from LAX'

Yeah it's strange that they do that yet scheduled 6 days as A380s. I guess they're thinking about downgrading again.

 

[bjm76]

I’m surprised by MEL-BKK. QF SYD-BKK is daily(?) and near on impossible to get CR seats. We’re in BKK now but had to book SIN-SYD CR to get home…

Agree with this - QF23/24 (and the new Finnair operated flights) are so hard to get CR redemptions even in Y - and the J cabin is always full (even when I was WP I never got a points upgrade). I wish this would be a double daily route - the demand seems to be there but maybe even the J seats dont sell at a high enough yield....