Upgraded A330s out there yet Which routes?

[PaulST]

I recall that Qantas was upgrading the J class seats in their A333s to these fantastic new ones: Up close: Qantas' new Airbus A330 business class 'suites' - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller
The first planes with the new seats were meant to hit the market late last year yet I haven't heard anything about them. Are the "refurbished" A330s out there and which routes are they usually on?

My other question is quite an obvious one having read that the new configuration is 1+2+1. How was Qantas make money of them when J class was 2+2+2? That's a lot less money per row. Are they absorbing the costs or is J going to become more expensive?

 

[amaroo]

A) Don't bother looking for these until next year or most probably the year after......

B) They are copying CX......

C) Yes, they are pathetic!

 

[PaulST]

There was a delay? Or were AusBT a bit optimistic in the first place suggesting the first upgrade would be out before the end of 2013?

Damn.

 

[amaroo]

There was a delay? Or were AusBT a bit optimistic in the first place suggesting the first upgrade would be out before the end of 2013?

Damn.

Look for the ^^^^ C)

C) = QF

 

[Mr_Orange]

There was a delay? Or were AusBT a bit optimistic in the first place suggesting the first upgrade would be out before the end of 2013?

Damn.

AusBT were obviously optimistic. In fact, the first maintenance to install the new J suites was always scheduled for Dec 2014, meaning early 2015 before it would be in service.

IME, the 2+2+2 layout was never full anyway!

 

[kpro]

There was a delay? Or were AusBT a bit optimistic in the first place suggesting the first upgrade would be out before the end of 2013?

Damn.

I don't recall AusBT ever saying the upgrades would occur in 2013. There's no reference in that article you linked either.

Qantas have always stated that the upgrade would occur late 2014 - About Qantas - Media Room - Media Releases - Qantas Group fleet update

 

[PaulST]

I don't recall AusBT ever saying the upgrades would occur in 2013. There's no reference in that article you linked either.

Mid way down the page it says:

Qantas will launch the new Business Suite on both domestic and international routes "at the end of this year, around November-December” Simon Hickey, Qantas International CEO, confirmed to Australian Business Traveller.

Since the article was published in 2013, you'd imagine that the "this year" they refer to is 2013.

 

[TonyHancock]

...slightly off topic but did QF announce a premium service, Red Q, with a base in Asia? Presumably it should be about ready to go now?

 

[Himeno]

...slightly off topic but did QF announce a premium service, Red Q, with a base in Asia? Presumably it should be about ready to go now?

They wanted to, using part of the 110 A320s ordered for the JQ brands.
They couldn't get the needed basing rights in SIN or KUL.

 

[TonyHancock]

They wanted to, using part of the 110 A320s ordered for the JQ brands.
They couldn't get the needed basing rights in SIN or KUL.

You're not suggesting that QF failed to deliver on yet another strategy are you?

 

[kpro]

Mid way down the page it says:

Since the article was published in 2013, you'd imagine that the "this year" they refer to is 2013.

I guess they did say 2013 in that article then. Although, in a subsequent article (Qantas taps Brisbane for extensive Airbus A330 upgrade - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller), they state "end of next year". In any case, it didn't start in 2013.

http://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-previews-new-a330-and-b717-interiors
http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/fleet-developments/global/en#airbus-a330

 

[Isochronous]

Hopefully before the fit-out starts they wake up to themselves at QF and realise the A330s need PE!

 

[JohnPhelan]

QF said right from the start that these seats would be installed from late 2014. That's why so many people complained, because it was about 18 months from the date of announcement!

I believe the original AusBT info was incorrect and was quickly corrected in the follow-up story.

 

[codash1099]

You're not suggesting that QF failed to deliver on yet another strategy are you?

It's not just that they failed to deliver. They failed to think it through. Real amateur stuff, really.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My other question is quite an obvious one having read that the new configuration is 1+2+1. How was Qantas make money of them when J class was 2+2+2? That's a lot less money per row. Are they absorbing the costs or is J going to become more expensive?

the 1-2-1 configuration has a lot less pitch due to the layout, so there's many more rows.

you'll get almost as many seats in the same space having 1-2-1 or 2-2-2.

 

[Barks]

Hopefully before the fit-out starts they wake up to themselves at QF and realise the A330s need PE!

Agreed. What is the reason they have given for not including it? I've always found QF's Y+ product to be very good.

 

[Sprucegoose]

My other question is quite an obvious one having read that the new configuration is 1+2+1. How was Qantas make money of them when J class was 2+2+2? That's a lot less money per row. Are they absorbing the costs or is J going to become more expensive?

business and marketing strategy against mkt supply and demand set seat pricing. I think there will be fewer upgrade opportunities with seats taken up with full fare paying pax.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Hopefully before the fit-out starts they wake up to themselves at QF and realise the A330s need PE!

Well said that man . I'd be in PE every time to Asia when on self-funded travel (in fact I will be in June) and would even consider paying the difference from Y when on work travel, or at least applying for points upgrades.

 

[Barks]

Well said that man . I'd be in PE every time to Asia when on self-funded travel (in fact I will be in June) and would even consider paying the difference from Y when on work travel, or at least applying for points upgrades.

Me too. I don't really need to be in J for 6-8 hr flight (although it would be nice).

 

[markis10]

Hopefully before the fit-out starts they wake up to themselves at QF and realise the A330s need PE!

QF have been selling PE at massive discounts ex Asia for a few years now, its obvious that is not making sense for them on the shorter flights which naturally the A330s do so they are not going ahead with expansion of the class, in fact its declining of course.