QF Announcement at BNE airport today

[pauly7]

Let's not bet on that. QF A330 may be an "experience" but if their bean counters say otherwise they'll swap out the A330s to more "useful" markets, leaving the transcon experience as plain as possible.

VA also apparently have some sort of new 737 J in the pipeline that is going to once again blow QF out of the water. Irrespective of anyone's leaning towards VA or JB, only a fool would not take them seriously and that could be the thing which tips the transcon experience back to at least even keel for VA, even with 737s.

It will be interesting to see what happens. I think though VA may struggle to do anything significant with Y in their trans con 737 fleet which is where the battle will really be won/lost. A competitive new J will give the VA marketing team something nice to play with but QF is extracting a healthy margin on Y too so I hope VA don't forget they need to do something there too.

 

[Bundy Bear]

This is Qantas I can't see it being too creative with new routes.

BNE-LAX-JFK could go to a 787 from a 747, that might then suggest a BNE-DFW-BNE route might work as there is less seats on a BNE-LAX service.

Or to be really boring, make BNE-NRT and or BNE-HKG daily on a 787.

 

[docjames]

"based" in BNE doesnt mean all that much to me. I think SYD-YVR would be a likely 787 route.

So a combo of BNE-LAX, SYD-YVR and MEL-LAX would then be able to rotate aircraft in LAX

MEL-LAX-BNE-LAX-SYD-YVR-SYD-LAX etc

Add in MEL-PER-LHR into the mix and should have good fleet utilisation.

The BNE aspect presumably includes some offline maintenance (like the A330 base).

 

[Himeno]

"based" in BNE doesnt mean all that much to me. I think SYD-YVR would be a likely 787 route.

So a combo of BNE-LAX, SYD-YVR and MEL-LAX would then be able to rotate aircraft in LAX

MEL-LAX-BNE-LAX-SYD-YVR-SYD-LAX etc

Add in MEL-PER-LHR into the mix and should have good fleet utilisation.

The BNE aspect presumably includes some offline maintenance (like the A330 base).

I don't think we'll see anything like SYD-LAX on 787s while they have reason to use A380s on that route.

I wouldn't expect there to be any new/more flights to AA hubs like DFW or ORD without the QF/AA joint venture getting approved. If it were to be approved, there would likely be changes like an AA LAX-MEL and QF MEL-DFW.

I would be looking at their making YVR a regular route, and depending on how well SYD-KIX goes early next year, a possible route there.

 

[mviy]

I don't think QF will consider stopping flying SYD-LAX on the A380 at least until they fly SYD-JFK direct using an aircraft and possibly longer. Assuming QF keeps the A380 for about 10 more years they've got about 10 years to find a way to reduce the reliance on LAX or find an alternative way to cater for the demand. Presumably if the demand remains strong SYD-LAX could well be used for the last ever QF A380 flight.

 

[Himeno]

I don't think QF will consider stopping flying SYD-LAX on the A380 at least until they fly SYD-JFK direct using an aircraft and possibly longer. Assuming QF keeps the A380 for about 10 more years they've got about 10 years to find a way to reduce the reliance on LAX or find an alternative way to cater for the demand. Presumably if the demand remains strong SYD-LAX could well be used for the last ever QF A380 flight.

There is also the the 747 routes to consider.
Unless they get rid of the A380s younger then they have for other aircraft, the 380 fleet will still be around for 3-6 years after the ERs get retired.
Depending on what happens with next gen aircraft (the A380/744ER replacements 777X/A350/other), CASA ETOPS approvals, alliance/partnership changes and other fleet developments in the early 2020s, it is possible we may see the 380s finish of their service on routes to Asia, Africa or South America.

 

[michaele]

"based" in BNE doesnt mean all that much to me. I think SYD-YVR would be a likely 787 route.

So a combo of BNE-LAX, SYD-YVR and MEL-LAX would then be able to rotate aircraft in LAX

MEL-LAX-BNE-LAX-SYD-YVR-SYD-LAX etc

Add in MEL-PER-LHR into the mix and should have good fleet utilisation.

The BNE aspect presumably includes some offline maintenance (like the A330 base).

But wouldn't that assume crew base in all three cities? Unless they fly crew to service SYD everyday there is a 787 service - and back home again afterwards. Seems excessive.

 

[milehighclub]

But wouldn't that assume crew base in all three cities? Unless they fly crew to service SYD everyday there is a 787 service - and back home again afterwards. Seems excessive.

There are already crew bases in BNE/SYD/MEL for International. Crew would simply be trained as required.

787 flying falls under part 2 of the eba (QCCA) so any 787 crew will be the existing 380 crew. Melbourne crew are currently being trained. Other bases will be trained when the aircraft begins services from their port.

Whilst BNE doesn't have any A380 trained crew the base does have plenty of QCCA crew that can (and will) be moved from 747/330 and put on 787. QAL crew can continue to elect to come over to 380/787 in their bases as has been the case from the introduction of the 380

 

[Himeno]

There are already crew bases in BNE/SYD/MEL for International. Crew would simply be trained as required.

787 flying falls under part 2 of the eba (QCCA) so any 787 crew will be the existing 380 crew. Melbourne crew are currently being trained. Other bases will be trained when the aircraft begins services from their port.

Whilst BNE doesn't have any A380 trained crew the base does have plenty of QCCA crew that can (and will) be moved from 747/330 and put on 787. QAL crew can continue to elect to come over to 380/787 in their bases as has been the case from the introduction of the 380

It's not just the cabin crew, which have more bases, it's the flight crew as well.

From this announcement, it seems that there will be 787 flight crew bases in MEL and BNE.
My understanding is that if they have a 787 flight starting in SYD, with the flight crew bases in MEL and BNE, the pilots would report for work at their base, then pax to SYD. Or that SYD would be treated as an out station for restoring purposes.
How were the ex-MEL A380 flights treated before the MEL flight crew base was opened?

 

[milehighclub]

My understanding is that if they have a 787 flight starting in SYD, with the flight crew bases in MEL and BNE, the pilots would report for work at their base, then pax to SYD. Or that SYD would be treated as an out station for restoring purposes.
How were the ex-MEL A380 flights treated before the MEL flight crew base was opened?

A380 pilots have been based only in Sydney until recently, because as you mention a MEL base was opened. Pilots would simply pax before and after a duty. Those that lived in Melbourne could simply forfeit their pax if they needed too (and use at a later date if they wanted)

It's a scenario that Melbourne could be the only 787 base for pilots and that they pax to and from BNE in the future.

 

[michaele]

A380 pilots have been based only in Sydney until recently, because as you mention a MEL base was opened. Pilots would simply pax before and after a duty. Those that lived in Melbourne could simply forfeit their pax if they needed too (and use at a later date if they wanted)

It's a scenario that Melbourne could be the only 787 base for pilots and that they pax to and from BNE in the future.

As Himeno suggested, I was referring more to flight crew.

If crew were based in MEL and reported to MEL before paxing to BNE, wouldnt that be included in duty time? A 2.5hr + transit to international terminal before starting 'actual' work would significantly eat into the available duty time, especially on a plane ideally utilised for ULH?

 

[milehighclub]

As is the case now for when A380 pilots go down to Melbourne, the trip actually starts the day before the long sector with them paxing down and then overnighting.

At the end of a trip and when the last flight of the duty is a paxing sector, pilots and cabin crew can elect to fly home earlier if they wish, forgoing their overnight.

 

[jb747]

There will be pilot bases in Perth, Melbourne, and Brisbane. And most likely Sydney when it's eventually needed.

 

[petercr]

Just caught up on this thread and thought why not BNE-YVR-JFK on the 789 with a potential option of a SYD-BNE hop on the outbound and reverse on the inbound? YVR would allow connections to other parts of CAN and north /west of the US without having to enjoy the LAX 'welcome to America' experience and for those going all the way to JFK they can go through US CBP there...

Would combine QF15/16, make QF75/76 permanent and replace the 'cross-country' leg of QF11/12.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Now with the recent announcement that QF1 to London was returning via Singapore; I wouldn't be surprised to see BNE-SIN-BNE operated with a 787, which will give you economy, PE and a decent business class.
I would think BNE-LAX-BNE will come a bit later, depending on loads.

 

[mviy]

Now with the recent announcement that QF1 to London was returning via Singapore; I wouldn't be surprised to see BNE-SIN-BNE operated with a 787, which will give you economy, PE and a decent business class.
I would think BNE-LAX-BNE will come a bit later, depending on loads.

That sounds very likely. Though if BNE-LAX changes to a 787 the 787 may have to fly onto JFK as well as the 747 BNE-LAX is currently also used to go onto JFK. Once QF starts flying SYD-JFK direct (QF hopes to do this in 2022, but I think it'll probably be later) I think the LAX-JFK QF services will cease.

 

[futaris]

Yep. Especially with the SQ A350-900s coming into service...

 

[JohnPhelan]

It's a scenario that Melbourne could be the only 787 base for pilots and that they pax to and from BNE in the future.

QF announced on Tuesday that both MEL and BNE will be crew bases (tech and cabin crew) for the 787. Interestingly, the media release didn't mention PER, but there would have to be a crew base there as well, surely.

 

[milehighclub]

For Cabin Crew: London base will do the LHR-PER-LHR part, with Melbourne base doing the MEL-PER-MEL

If/When the flying increases out of Perth, then I'm sure a Perth International base will become more economical and be opened for cabin crew.

 

[JohnK]

This is Qantas I can't see it being too creative with new routes.

All this talk about new routes. Qantas is struggling with loads on existing routes so new routes makes no sense unless they get more aircraft which Qantas is reluctant to do.