SYD to MEL 737 or A330 in J?

[CaptainCurtis]

I haven't flown domestically in quite some time (although I guess most of us haven't ). I see Qantas are running both the 737 and A330 - is one generally recommended over the other in J, or should I try them both?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

From the Qantas website:

Inflight services - Australian domestic flights​

Exit row seats and extra legroom seats are temporarily unavailable on our Boeing 787 and Airbus A330 aircraft.

Has this been in effect for a while? The website was updated today.

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/coronavirus/inflight-and-airport-services.html#inflight

yes, apparently. They don't want pax sitting across from crew at emergency exits due to potential covid risks.

 

[AIRwin]

Last minute aircraft swap from B737 to A330 a few days out from my flight so I've now lost my seat 4A...

 

[Guvner]

In J?

 

[AIRwin]

In J?

Economy seat 4A on B737

 

[Guvner]

Ahh OK, confused I was. The thread title is SYD to MEL 737 or A330 in J?

 

[AIRwin]

Ahh OK, confused I was. The thread title is SYD to MEL 737 or A330 in J?

Oh I missed that... Just as confusing as the flight info itself:

My flight (swapped to A330)


Another flight (already scheduled as A330)

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

Seems to be a lot of chopping and changing. The travel agency we use had 330 operating 5.30pm flights on the route but then EF and when booked it's only 737 so changed to 5pm.

I've also noticed seat blocking operating unusually within the T-80 period.

 

[AIRwin]

I've also noticed seat blocking operating unusually within the T-80 period.

Initially I couldn't select rows 23 to 28 (as they have been lifted and shifted from the corresponding rows on the B737?)
Updated - Some seats have since opened up so I managed to select row 23...

 

[sudoer]

Seems to be a lot of chopping and changing. The travel agency we use had 330 operating 5.30pm flights on the route but then EF and when booked it's only 737 so changed to 5pm.

I noticed this on the Qantas website also last week. The little aircraft icon said A330, but clicking into the flight details or viewing on EF showed 737.

Last minute aircraft swap from B737 to A330 a few days out from my flight so I've now lost my seat 4A...

Sounds like a good opportunity for a classic upgrade reward?

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

To highlight unusual seat blocking, the below is my flight well within T-80, yet all the seat blocks remain behind me and on the F side?

 

[docjames]

Our Mel-Cns has quietly subbed a 738 into what was a 330. Yet the seats rolled over. Lucky I looked. 28B not such a great seat on the 738…..

 

[AIRwin]

Sounds like a good opportunity for a classic upgrade reward?

Rather not risk this:

No Catering - Domestic J

Hi All I had an unpleasant experience on Friday (11/02) on QF 486 (A330) in J class. We were in Melbourne for my wife's 30th, i bid and landed a successful upgrade bid for our flight back to Sydney. Wouldn't usually bid for such a short flight but was a low price and special occasion and been...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Some of us on here do have a "love spot" for any of the wide bodies (planes), that QF and VA (yes, VA used to) fly.
Seeing that you lost 4A on the 737, they might offer you an op up, who knows, or they might change the plane back to a 737.
Guess the only way is to wait till OLCI opens, and see what they offer you.
(((Mr/Ms xx_, you have now got seat 1A))), imagine if that happened!
We can always dream.
Edit:

Our Mel-Cns has quietly subbed a 738 into what was a 330. Yet the seats rolled over. Lucky I looked. 28B not such a great seat on the 738…..

If you get a lot of kids in that/those rows, they might close that zone off to non parents or single men (I know, quasi discrimination, but still), and move you a bit forward.
I prefer the back of the plane, if not in J, as most of the time, they have back door embarkation and disembarkation too, so you could get on and off faster than the middle of the plane.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Our Mel-Cns has quietly subbed a 738 into what was a 330. Yet the seats rolled over. Lucky I looked. 28B not such a great seat on the 738…..

If you get a lot of kids in that/those rows, they might close that zone off to non parents or single men (I know, quasi discrimination, but still), and move you a bit forward.
I prefer the back of the plane, if not in J, as most of the time, they have back door embarkation and disembarkation too, so you could get on and off faster than the middle of the plane.

 

[AIRwin]

Seeing that you lost 4A on the 737, they might offer you an op up, who knows, or they might change the plane back to a 737.

Some seats have since opened up so I managed to select row 23...

 

[Lynda2475]

Over xmas there were 330 flying between SYD and CNS, I was wanting to book the same for this year, but every single flight shows 737 (not worth upgrading to J on a 737 imo) - where are the 330s being used? Surely 330s are better on longer flights than the quick SYD-MEL.

 

[docjames]

If you get a lot of kids in that/those rows, they might close that zone off to non parents or single men (I know, quasi discrimination, but still), and move you a bit forward.
I prefer the back of the plane, if not in J, as most of the time, they have back door embarkation and disembarkation too, so you could get on and off faster than the middle of the plane.

I’m travelling with the family - have re-selected forward seating.

 

[jpp42]

Over xmas there were 330 flying between SYD and CNS, I was wanting to book the same for this year, but every single flight shows 737 (not worth upgrading to J on a 737 imo) - where are the 330s being used? Surely 330s are better on longer flights than the quick SYD-MEL.

In the case of SYD-CNS, it's most likely just due to demand. Demand will be higher in school holidays and the winter, and somewhat lower in the wet season outside of holidays.

Yes, widebodies (if they can sell the full capacity), are often better on longer flights due to their fuel capacity and efficiency - the passenger-mile cost for an A330 will be very efficient on a longer segment like PER-SYD or MEL-CNS. If used on a short SYD-MEL flight, the costs per mile will be slightly higher due to extra takeoff/climb fuel used for the larger plane. But the reason the A330 (and before it the 767) is useful for SYD-MEL is the higher capacity per landing slot. Airports' capacity is limited mostly by number of takeoffs and landings, with the size difference of an 737 vs A330 not a major factor (although does have a small effect). So that's why you'll see larger planes being used on busy routes like SYD-MEL during peak hours - more passengers can be carried during a period when it might not be possible to add more flights.

There are other secondary reasons, such as rotating the planes to a maintenance base, which causes occasional flights to have an A330 where you might not otherwise expect. Airlines also plan their fleet utilisation carefully - a large, expensive plane like an A330 is best used as continuously as possible, so if there are gaps in the schedule where it could be used, they will try to use it. For example, many Perth to east coast flights run at night with A330's, and these same aircraft can be used for MEL-SYD shuttles in the daytime.

 

[Lynda2475]

n the case of SYD-CNS, it's most likely just due to demand. Demand will be higher in school holidays and the winter, and somewhat lower in the wet season outside of holidays.

That is why i thought they'd have at least one of the flights on the 330 over Christmas this as they did in 2021. Typically between xmas and new years there is very little business travel between SYD and MEL but a heap of holiday travel going north. I will just keep an eye out to see if they swap out aircraft.

 

[RickyT84]

In the case of SYD-CNS, it's most likely just due to demand. Demand will be higher in school holidays and the winter, and somewhat lower in the wet season outside of holidays.

Yes, widebodies (if they can sell the full capacity), are often better on longer flights due to their fuel capacity and efficiency - the passenger-mile cost for an A330 will be very efficient on a longer segment like PER-SYD or MEL-CNS. If used on a short SYD-MEL flight, the costs per mile will be slightly higher due to extra takeoff/climb fuel used for the larger plane. But the reason the A330 (and before it the 767) is useful for SYD-MEL is the higher capacity per landing slot. Airports' capacity is limited mostly by number of takeoffs and landings, with the size difference of an 737 vs A330 not a major factor (although does have a small effect). So that's why you'll see larger planes being used on busy routes like SYD-MEL during peak hours - more passengers can be carried during a period when it might not be possible to add more flights.

There are other secondary reasons, such as rotating the planes to a maintenance base, which causes occasional flights to have an A330 where you might not otherwise expect. Airlines also plan their fleet utilisation carefully - a large, expensive plane like an A330 is best used as continuously as possible, so if there are gaps in the schedule where it could be used, they will try to use it. For example, many Perth to east coast flights run at night with A330's, and these same aircraft can be used for MEL-SYD shuttles in the daytime.

Another reason for the A330s on SYD-MEL and to a lesser extent SYD-BNE is their capacity to carry a lot more freight compared to the 737's which is critical in the current environment.