QF55 Australian domestic tag flight B744 opportunity

[Melburnian1]

AFFer mannej pointed out that QF55 (the less than daily B744 from BNE to LAX) operated a SYD - BNE tag flight on Thursday 27 September 2018 and is apparently doing the same next Thursday.

While the QF B744s are operating some SYD - PER - SYD flights at present, travelling from SYD to BNE will be much cheaper and take less time.

So AFFers who have the time to board what should be a 1345 out of SYD's international terminal next Thursday arvo may wish to do so.

I haven't checked to see if reward seats are available.

Some smarties may even combine a QF high class lounge meal with this short flight.

So the era of Australian domestic tag flights, while diminished, is not yet over.

The QF B744s won't be running flights for ever: with fuel prices climbing, their attractiveness to some airlines is probably less, although QF and some competitors have extensive hedging strategies that at least for a while obviate this. Hedging though isn't free.

 

[Buzzard]

I know at least 3 AFFers who were in the lounge yesterday

 

[Captain Halliday]

Interesting. I’m doing SYD-BNE next Thu coming in on the flight from KIX.

I must check the OW Award rules about a time change after itinerary start.

It would be much easier not having to change terminals! And I’d be happy with a four hour delay for that convenience. And would free up 3 J seats for QF during peak hour.So many potential positives.

 

[opusman]

No award seats available. Cheapest Y $215.

 

[Melburnian1]

No award seats available. Cheapest Y $215.

I fully understand that many airlines' supply of reward seats is unrelated to what percentage of revenue seats have been sold, but one might expect this extra flight (operating from QFi gates, not QFd) would have many vacant seats on the SYD - BNE leg so hmmm.

 

[sudoer]

No award seats available.

I9 though so WPs can probably call and request.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I did mine BNE - SYD a few years ago, my first on the 747 in the bubble upstairs.
My first experience too in the QFi BNE J lounge.
If anyone wants to do this, and has the $, go for the bubble upstairs, gives an idea of what first class travel was like, during the hey day of the 747.
Sad to see them go though, and sad too that Boeing aren't making anymore or them, or developing the 747 with more fuel efficiency.
And yes, do realise too that they 787 is now "de regueur".

 

[Deleted member]

I know at least 3 AFFers who were in the lounge yesterday

Who were in the company of 2 others

 

[samh004]

Interesting. I’m doing SYD-BNE next Thu coming in on the flight from KIX.

If you end up on this service I'll see you in the lounge

I'm heading down to Sydney on Wednesday to see an opera.

 

[Captain Halliday]

If you end up on this service I'll see you in the lounge

I'm heading down to Sydney on Wednesday to see an opera.

Sadly I won’t be there. I’m sticking with an earlier 737 from the Dom terminal. I had forgotten the IT gremlins were at work on my initial OW Award booking.

Any changes now will be very taxing. Unlike my initial award booking.

 

[samh004]

Sadly I won’t be there.

No worries, have a good flight regardless!

And catch up with you another time.

 

[ALH]

No award seats available. Cheapest Y $215.

I was able to obtain 2 x J Award seats for last Thursday by ringing the P1 team.

I just checked QF55 for 4th October and seats in Y are $ 180. PE is available for 12,000 points and EF shows plenty of empty seats in J.

 

[RichardMEL]

On a whim I got MEL-SYD-BNE in J reward seat released no issues for Thursday 24k points. Will be a bit of fun with a few hours of Flounging included

 

[ozbeachbabe]

There's also a QF56 BNE/SYD in the am on Mon 08 Oct but alas no F Lounge in BNE.

 

[samh004]

On a whim I got MEL-SYD-BNE in J reward seat released no issues for Thursday 24k points. Will be a bit of fun with a few hours of Flounging included

What time will you be in Sydney?

 

[RichardMEL]

What time will you be in Sydney?

prob in Flounge ~1100 or so I have my menu options marked out already lol

 

[ALH]

prob in Flounge ~1100 or so I have my menu options marked out already lol

The service was REALLY slow & a bit patchy on Thursday. Don’t sit in a group

 

[infinity]

I'll be in Flounge with a mate from roughly 9.30am. It will be a long day )

 

[samh004]

Don’t sit in a group

That's always the way. Once you start joining tables together they make a note against your names

I recall once having a lovely meal in there and then a large group joined a heap of tables together and got cut off almost instantly. When they tried to join me instead I was out of there and down the other end of the lounge quicker than a flash!

 

[moa999]

I definitely think not being a big group, particularly on shorter flights, is the smart way of doing things.