Qantas Project Sunrise goes ahead, 12 new A350-1000s ordered

[downgraded]

There are still 140 Y seats to fill, and surely corporates aren't going to put their staff in those?

There's a deluded portion of the world that thinks corporates don't travel Y. It is standard policy for many large corporates.

 

[LondonAussie]

Re pricing. Noted this line in the ET article:

“Hudson has also clarified pricing, saying fares on the non-stop Sunrise flights would be equivalent to Perth-London and Sydney-Auckland-New York, which themselves carry a roughly 20% premium over the Qantas alternatives.”

That’s not always true. When I’ve booked I’ve from LHR-MEL at least, going via PER was not more expensive.

 

[markis10]

Read a comment (I think on airliners) that at least one of the slots is a similar 0630 time..

So I could imagine Sunrise being a 1800 SYD departure arriving 0630 LHR.
Then you swap the PER and SYD aircraft, with QF10 retaining its 1150 departure to PER

The current leased slots cater for an early morning arrival and a mid afternoon arrival if they take them back.

 

[dajop]

Sunrise flights will be used by corporates, of which most are in Sydney

Not so much corporates per se, but big money. Sydney has the finance industry.

For example SIN-NYC works because it connects 2 finance hubs, ZRH is not a big city but LX carries F on all their long haul craft and SQ serves it with F as well (smallest city they serve with F). Why? Finance. LAX probably different I guess due to the film industry and celeb factor.

 

[downgraded]

you are not going to see $1,500 Y fares

I wouldn't bet on that. Maybe not to start with, but QF9 used to be pretty much the cheapest way to fly MEL-LHR at a little over $1300 at its cheapest (return).

 

[justinbrett]

An A350 maybe, but QF are also ordering 3 class configs. We'll see.

Are they? Haven't seen that.

 

[AuSammy]

Re pricing. Noted this line in the ET article:

“Hudson has also clarified pricing, saying fares on the non-stop Sunrise flights would be equivalent to Perth-London and Sydney-Auckland-New York, which themselves carry a roughly 20% premium over the Qantas alternatives.”

If that statement reads as I think it does, then PS flights won't be any more expensive than what QF already charges on average for PER-LHR direct.

 

[dajop]

I wouldn't bet on that. Maybe not to start with, but QF9 used to be pretty much the cheapest way to fly MEL-LHR at a little over $1300 at its cheapest (return).

MEL-LHR on QF9 was competing with everyone else as a one stop service, Did/do they offer similar fares ex-PER on the non-stop?

If they need to fill the Y cabin on SYD-LHR and can't quite the demand into/out of SYD, my bet would be protecting the fares on the non-stop but discounting from NZ perhaps. Or at a pinch MEL/BNE.

 

[TeaKozy]

Are they? Haven't seen that.

As per Qantas to retire A380 superjumbo, replace with A350
"Those 1000LRs will be a “higher-density” three-class variant of the Project Sunrise A350s, with business class, premium economy and economy cabins but not first class."

The second tranche of A350's replacing the A380's do appear (for now) to retain the four-class config, however QF aren't flying the A380 to Melbourne anymore.

 

[jrfsp]

MEL-LHR on QF9 was competing with everyone else as a one stop service, Did/do they offer similar fares ex-PER on the non-stop?

If they need to fill the Y cabin on SYD-LHR and can't quite the demand into/out of SYD, my bet would be protecting the fares on the non-stop but discounting from NZ perhaps. Or at a pinch MEL/BNE.

Exactly Ex PER the direct is generally more expensive than via SIN or DXB (codeshare) to LHR or CDG etc