QF to return to A330-300 for BNE/PER-HKG

[NM]

Finally some good news for BNE and PER folks. From January 2008 QF will be returning to A330-300 aircraft operating HKG flights, replacing the current 767-300 aircraft.

QF will be talking delivery of their A330-200 in December, and the next two following in January and February. These new aircraft will initially operate SYD-PVG-SYD and SYD-NRT-SYD, freeing up the A330-300 to return to BNE/PER-HKG ops. The aircraft will operate BNE-HKG-PER-HKG-BNE as the 763 does now.

 

[Evan]

Reading into that you would assume that NRT and PVG are both destinations where QF think they can sell the extra J seats the 332's will come configured with. (IIRC 36 J instead of a 30 J config)

E

 

[NM]

Reading into that you would assume that NRT and PVG are both destinations where QF think they can sell the extra J seats the 332's will come configured with. (IIRC 36 J instead of a 30 J config)

E

SYD-PVG and SYD-NRT have range problems for the current A330-300, often requiring load limitations. And of course SYD-BOM is a well known problem resulting in DRW tech stop in one direction. BOM will be next off the ranks to get the A330-200 after PVG and NRT. So I believe the selection of PVG and NRT is more about economics with respect to range than the number of J seats, although some NRT flights are very popular in J.

 

[Evan]

I was wondering about J to BOM and thinking it seemed a little strange there was that much demand, NRT i could understand as have missed upgraded a couple of times on those flights.

sound logic to me.

E

 

[oz_mark]

Finally some good news for BNE and PER folks. From January 2008 QF will be returning to A330-300 aircraft operating HKG flights, replacing the current 767-300 aircraft.

Good to see them back.

(As an aside, I know someone last week that changed from QF to CX after finding out QF were using the 767's. Then discovered CX use regional planes = no skybed for that overnight flight )

 

[NM]

Good to see them back.

(As an aside, I know someone last week that changed from QF to CX after finding out QF were using the 767's. Then discovered CX use regional planes = no skybed for that overnight flight )

For my last HKG-BNE overnighter I took CX HKG-SIN and QF SIN-BNE in order to get Skybeds for the overnight portion.

 

[v8Statesman]

For my last HKG-BNE overnighter I took CX HKG-SIN and QF SIN-BNE in order to get Skybeds for the overnight portion.

Doesn't CX have long haul J on HKG-SYD? then hopr SYD-BNE?

 

[jpk]

Good to see them back.

(As an aside, I know someone last week that changed from QF to CX after finding out QF were using the 767's. Then discovered CX use regional planes = no skybed for that overnight flight )

i took that flight last month and it is a killer. those seats are not good for sleeping in....
service was as per usual CX high standards though, and the lounges in HKG are great.

if you are willing to overnight in HKG on the outbound, then CX PER-LHR can be done in I class, which prices out around the AU$7k mark, which is a very good deal.

 

[NM]

Doesn't CX have long haul J on HKG-SYD? then hopr SYD-BNE?

Yes they do, but that would have used one of my SWP segments of my DONE4 and I have other plans for them. I had the spare Asia segment so that is why I went that way. My pref would have been the daytime QF30 HKG-MEL and tried for a up to F, but that would have put PER out of reach for later in the year.

 

[jasonja3]

Finally some good news for BNE and PER folks. .

This could also be good news for SYD-NRT & SYD-PVG folk too, as I would assume they will be fitted out with the new fully flat Skybed, unless they plan to recycle the older ones taken from the 744's later this year....

 

[simongr]

That is the guess of the guy(s?) who have the QF fleet info QFlyer - Qantas Fleet Information

That would certainly make my SYD-NRT-HKG-SYD circle asia trips more fun - up on a flat skybed and back in F on an upgrade

 

[NM]

This could also be good news for SYD-NRT & SYD-PVG folk too, as I would assume they will be fitted out with the new fully flat Skybed, unless they plan to recycle the older ones taken from the 744's later this year....

I was not aware QF had announced they are fitting the Skybed II to anything other than the A380. I am assuming the A330-200s will have standard Skybeds, the same as the A330-300.

 

[jasonja3]

Ooopps, there I go assuming again....you know what they say about that!!

Are the new MKII versions only for the A380(in that they have a larger footprint etc)? If not would they not stop manufacturing MKI, and install MKII in all new AC?

 

[NM]

Ooopps, there I go assuming again....you know what they say about that!!

Are the new MKII versions only for the A380(in that they have a larger footprint etc)? If not would they not stop manufacturing MKI, and install MKII in all new AC?

As far as I know, there are no current plans to install Mk II in the current 744 or A330 fleets. Just for the A380 at this time.

To put them into the 744 or A330 aircraft would mean a reduction in the total passenger capacity, so either less J seats or less Y seats.

They have announced the addition of W cabin into the 744s.

 

[jasonja3]

To put them into the 744 or A330 aircraft would mean a reduction in the total passenger capacity, so either less J seats or less Y seats.

So they must have a larger footprint then. So I guess MKI will continue......

 

[NM]

So they must have a larger footprint then. So I guess MKI will continue......

The MK II Skybed is horizontal, so needs more length between seats than the sloping MK I Skybed.