QF23 'pot luck' re aircraft type

[mannej]

Absolute rubbish....

If a sector can be operated by a 333, then any 332 can also do it. The 332 has a longer range than a 333 (with a similar fitout).

I checked Flightradar history back a few months and indeed the only A332's used on this route are EBG/EBL.

It's not entirely rubbish.

Not every route used by a 333/332 is interchangeable. For example PEK can only be operated by EBL/G - the other 332 do not have that range as they don't have the extra fuel tanks (the 333 I beleive can also operate it but it takes a payload hit)

Looking at the schedule till 21-JUN - QF23/24 is operated either by a 333 or the 332 with 36J.

Having looked at QF23/24 since January 2017, EBG/L are the only 2 332's which have made the dash.

 

[Happy Trails]

There are several 332s scheduled later in the year (October for example) showing 27J with the 1-2-1 seats.
Don't know if that's the domestic variant, with a crew rest, given, as MHC says, they don't have the range, or perhaps a new configuration for EBG/L.

 

[milehighclub]

And given that we now have some ex JQ 332, there are probably some aircraft that can reach further than the domestic 332, but not as far as the international 332, but there are other limitations for those aircraft in regards to galley space and crew rest.

 

[Pleb Status]

It's not entirely rubbish.

Not every route used by a 333/332 is interchangeable. For example PEK can only be operated by EBL/G - the other 332 do not have that range as they don't have the extra fuel tanks (the 333 I beleive can also operate it but it takes payload hit.

It is absolute rubbish. A 332 will always outfly a 333 of the same era.

SYD-BKK is 4662nm. SYD-HNL is 5066nm. MEL-HNL is 5504nm.

When in JQ livery, most of the now QF 'domestic' 332 regularly flew SYD-HNL and MEL-HNL all of the time without issue. I have personally flown HNL-MEL on the JQ/QF 332.

So unless QF decided to 'remove' the fuel tanks when they repainted them, making them the shortest range 332 on the planet, all QF 332 can easily fly SYD-BKK without an issue.

I believe it is something to do with the crew rests why EBG/L are used on the longer sectors. Nothing to do with range....

 

[Melburnian1]

Perhaps a reason is that EBG and EBL are running to BKK because it is the Chinese NY period and hence bookings on all carriers on the PEK route are havy, although the milehighclub comment repayload hit might imply fewer passengers can be carried to ir from PEK.

Like Pleb Status, I thought the major reasons the two unrefurbished A332s do the PEK run is that they have larger galleys and more suitable crew rest facilities.

Thank you all for the wide range of points.

 

[ajw373]

Out of interest, when has QF had the A380 on QF23/24?

Never. QF1/2 did route through BKK, but when the A380's started flying to London QF1/2 transferred to the the SYD-SIN-LHR rotation and QF23/24 was allocated to the SYD-BKK flight, operated by 747's and latter A330's.

 

[ajw373]

For example PEK can only be operated by EBL/G - the other 332 do not have that range as they don't have the extra fuel tanks (the 333 I beleive can also operate it but it takes a payload hit)

The issue with PEK is the A333 doesn't have the legs to fly with a full load (but does fly this route from time to time load limited). As for the A332's it is an issue of crew rest. PEK is the only route operated by QF 332's that requires additional crew rest facilities, the rest of the 332 fleet were configured mainly for domestic operations, hence no duty free sales. But after they made that decision the resource boom started to fall off some 332 capacity was redeployed from domestic to international operations with some limitations.