Routes for QF's 5th and 6th A380

[Oliver Gigacz]

What will Qantas use there 5th and 6th A380 when they arrive later in the year. Will they increase MEL-LAX or SYD-LHR?

[Ash W]

They have already made it clear the intention is for daily A380's on SYD-SIN-LHR (QF31/32) and I beleive an increase in one flight per week on SYD-LAX and MEL-LAX.

[Jack B]

is there any suggestion of which will be the next cities to receive A380 service? eg, SFO or HKG or some other currently 744 city?

[Arthur T]

Surely OQE & OQF will make the LHR - SYD to be A380 daily then to make LAX - MEL/SYD 3x - 4x daily A380?

Just wondering perhaps after arrival of 6th A380 they will have excess capacity to operate HKG - SYD on A380? But I worry this move will make Cathay Pacific very angry...

[Ash W]

Why would Qantas worry about making Cathay angry? Sure they are the same allicance but appart from that are rivals?

As for A380 to Hong Kong, I personally doubt it. On a "short" route like that frequency be preferential to capacity.

[Adam W]

From Qantas.com

"Our fifth and sixth A380s are also due for delivery by the end of the year, after which we will offer customers daily A380 services to London and Los Angeles from Sydney and increase Melbourne-Los Angeles services from two to three per week."

[Arthur T]

Both Qantas and Cathay Pacific are operating flights almost the same time between Sydney and Hong Kong, hence if Qantas deploy an A380 to Hong Kong, think it might grab some Cathay passengers to Qantas (as Qantas has W seats and more Y seats that she can attract more Y or J passengers), particularly where times is not pretty good like now, it may damage the partnership between these 2 carriers.

Frequency is pretty important as you had mentioned. Think Qantas and Cathay should work together like the partnership between QF & JL that try to spread out their flights across the day to prevent QF & CX HKG flights leaving too close to each other (particularly the 2/3pm slots).

In that case even if Qantas have sufficient passenger (and not enough long range planes) to operate HKG route, deploying A380 will benefit both carriers the most I believe.

[Adam.S]

From Qantas.com

"Our fifth and sixth A380s are also due for delivery by the end of the year, after which we will offer customers daily A380 services to London and Los Angeles from Sydney and increase Melbourne-Los Angeles services from two to three per week."

At this stage, Fridays will be the 3rd flight of the week for QF93.

[Mick B]

Not sure exactly when these deliveries were due to take place, but expect a further delay on the 5th and 6th aircraft to be announced soon.

[Jason A]

Aircraft 5 & 6 delayed until at least Feb 18.:(

[Andrew M]

Hmmm more A380 delays...kinds sounds like the 787 debacle!

At least Airbus has pushed some out of the factory before delay after delay for QF :cool:

[Sarmad Al-Khozaie]

Andrew,

I think its qantas being to fussy, Alan Joyce said they want aircraft to be perfect ranging from paint job and other stuff before aircraft being accepted.

[Daniel F]

When you're buying such an expensive machine, aren't Qantas entitled to be fussy about what they receive??

[Ash W]

Considering the cost of the things wouldn't you want them perfect too? So hardly being picky.

[Ash W]

Hmmm more A380 delays...kinds sounds like the 787 debacle!

At least Airbus has pushed some out of the factory before delay after delay for QF :cool:

They are still delivering them to other customers, so this delay can in no way shape or form be compared either with the early delay problems with the A380or indeed the 787 delays.

[Andrew M]

Please refrain from quoting the entire previous post, thank you - mod

Has the reason for this delay from Dec to Feb been specified ? Or are we just saying everything is always okay at Qantas and Airbus no matter what :rolleyes:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/10/15/333463/qantas-a380-deliveries-delayed-due-to-flight-trim-issue.html that was the latest delay, and this latest delay could be an extension of that.

Until I see something everything is hearsay

[Fred C]

Andrew,

I think its qantas being to fussy, Alan Joyce said they want aircraft to be perfect ranging from paint job and other stuff before aircraft being accepted.
So what you are saying is that you would be happy to hop on board a substandard aircraft. Am I reading that correctly?

I like fussy people fixing and flying my aeroplanes. :D

[Ash W]

Who said everything is OK? Clearly the fact there is a delay says things are not ok.

The point I quite clearly made is the problem is quite clearly not related to the earlier delays to the A380 program, nor to the debacle that is the 787.

[Mike W]

^ I think the reference to the 787 is apt as, for those that have forgotten, the 3fatty was two and half years late into service (even though first flight was more or less on time - which you can't say about the Dreamliner and there's still a long way to go for that model) and even now, things still aren't right. Both from the new craft being delivered and even some of the examples in service have on going 'issues'.


Still, as reported in Flightglobal, the 380 when on song has "stellar performance" so let's hope they get their act together soon.

[Oliver Gigacz]

Well there 5th has rolled out of the Outfitting hangers so still could easily be a 2009 delivery.

http://a380production.com/2009/11/27hr/

[Malcolm Parker]

New services for the 5th and 6th A380 are as follows.

QF A380 MEL/LHR QANTAS has today announced it will launch A380 services between Melbourne and London, via Singapore from 18 Jan following the arrival of its fifth superjumbo (TD yesterday) and the delivery of its sixth in coming days.
QF will operate up to 2 flights per week with the A380 to London on QF9 on Mon and Sun, and QF10 on Fri and Sat.
When the sixth Airbus A380 comes online Qantas will ramp up superjumbo services from 29 Mar as follows: Sydney-Los Angeles will operate daily (up from the current 4 p/w); Sydney-Singapore- London will be 5 p/w; Melbourne-Los Angeles will increase to thrice weekly (up from twice weekly) and MEL-SIN-LHR twice weekly.
The 5th A380 has been named Lawerence Hargrave and the 6th has been dubbed Charles Kingsford Smith.
source : travel daily

[Oliver Gigacz]

This is great news. This leaves only Tuesday and Thursdays that Melbourne dont get a daily QF A380. Hopefully with the arrival of there 7th and 8th in Q3/Q4 2010 they will make MEL-LAX daily.

[Brett o]

Does anyone know when and where OQE will go for it's first revenue flight ?

[Oliver Gigacz]

And when do you expect there sixth to arrive in Sydney?

[Tim Bowrey]

I heard Jan 1

[Ash W]

Qantas has clearly changed it's plans. Last plan was for SYD-SIN-LHR daily, though now it seems as if 2 have been dropped to enable MEL-SIN-LHR.

[Brad Myer]

Qantas has clearly changed it's plans. Last plan was for SYD-SIN-LHR daily, though now it seems as if 2 have been dropped to enable MEL-SIN-LHR.

Prob because SQ is now operating the A380 on SIN-MEL-SIN.

With the 2 new MEL-SIN-LHR return services SIN-LHR-SIN will actually become daily. 5x QF31/32 and 2x QF9/10.

[Oliver Gigacz]

As QF009 departs at 17:05 this is 5 mins after SQ228. So easily could be one after the other.

[Kelvin R]

I take QF9/ 10 to MEL-SIN and v.v. a couple of times a year and QF10 is usually full about 4 weeks in advance on a Friday night, while QF9 also seems to go out near full. So I don't think the SQ A380 has that much to do with MEL getting the QF A380 but more QF needs the additional seats.

[Malcolm Parker]

Might be getting ahead of ourselves, do we know when the 7th is due, given there is only three or four I think to be delivered next year. I heard it was not for some time another 6 months time.
I think this is MSN047 which has been completed long ago but was covered in primer, engines removed some time ago.

[Mike W]

When the sixth Airbus A380 comes online Qantas will ramp up superjumbo services from 29 Mar If this frame is being delivered this year (Dec 31 or whatever), why is it taking 3 months to go into service?

Especially after QANTAS has today announced it will launch A380 services between Melbourne and London, via Singapore from 18 Jan following the arrival of its fifth superjumbo which is only four weeks or so? :confused:

[Daniel F]

29 Mar is when the northern summer schedule starts. Between now and then, it will do adhoc flights when available, just like when the first of the A380s arrived.

[Oliver Gigacz]

If this frame is being delivered this year (Dec 31 or whatever), why is it taking 3 months to go into service?

Especially after which is only four weeks or so? :confused:

It will be delivered to Qantas on the 27th December.

[Lee G]

One of the aircraft is conducting the Antarctic Charter at NYE this year... will be an early morning departure with a stop in MEL then down to the ice....

Wish I was on it :(

[Greg McDonald]

Wish I was on it :(

Wish I could AFFORD to be on it!!

[Mike W]

It will be delivered to Qantas on the 27th December.

OK. Add another few days to going into service. Why so long relative to #5? Waiting for the Northern Summer is a good reason to have how many million bucks of metal sitting around for 3 months doing SFA?

[Ash W]

It won't be sitting around doing nothing. It will be used on flights just like the others. Also maybe there is some maintenance due on some of the others.

[Oliver Gigacz]

MSN029 should be delivered today in Toulouse. Also the remaining parts of MSN062 (Qantas #10) should arrive in Toulouse around mid January.

http://a380production.com/2009/12/30tt/

[Tim Bowrey]

And when do you expect there sixth to arrive in Sydney?

Apparently still due on New Years Day, Jan 1st at about 6.35pm named Charles Kingsford Smith.

[D Chan]

Andrew,

I think its qantas being to fussy, Alan Joyce said they want aircraft to be perfect ranging from paint job and other stuff before aircraft being accepted.

Not fuzzy - it is common sense given when they handover the aircraft everything should be functional e.g. taking delivery of an aircraft and for the first flight back home staff find that the inhold system doesn't work!!

It's like buying a car and taking the keys and finding out something doesn't work - I'm sure most would request to have the problem fixed before taking over the keys.

[Sarah C]

VH-OQF won't arrive on New Years Day so don't plan any spotting activities around its arrival.

[Jason H]

VH-OQF is now due in SYD on Jan10 at 1935 as QF6028

[Andrew M]

10th of Jan now... Interesting.

[Mike W]

So, what day is the actual Toulouse "Delivery Day"?

[Ash W]

Presumably the day Qantas signs the paperwork and is handed the keys!

[Michael Rychter]

Just curious!

I'm supposing that deivery of a commercial aircraft is like the delivery of a car (not!)

Is there an actual set of keys? How about a Boeing/AirBus key ring or two:)?

What actually does get past across the table?

[Andrew M]

A big fat cheque for a few hundred million :rolleyes:

[Andrew M]

www.sydneyairport.com.au is showing the 6th A380 for QF arriving at 7:35pm on New Years Day which was the original plan.... :confused:

[Sarah C]

It won't happen - don't rely on that information because they haven't been told of the delay - it will arrive the following week (more likely later in the week).

[Lee G]

Read one of the above posts ... 10JAN and it will be in the evening after sunset (not sure of the actual time but close to 820pm)

[Sarah C]

Still due in at 7:30pm on Sunday but the big cold of Europe at the moment might still have a day in its departure time.

[Tsen Tsan]

VHOQF QF6028 from TLS to SIN, arriving 10/1 has been cancelled.

[Sarah C]

Snow on the runway causing the delay and more snow forecast for the coming days as well.

[Lee G]

Never glad to see a cancellation but at least I now might get a chance to photograph the arrival instead of being on night shift!

[Michael Atkin]

According to the Sydney Airport site its now due at 620am on the 13th

[Fred C]

Snow on the runway causing the delay.
Not a weather related delay but rather a technical delay.

[Mike W]

^

What? Another one?

[Fred C]

Yes. Much better to get the manufacturer to fix it where all the parts and resources are.

Mike, you must remember it is a machine, and machines will break, new or old.:D

[Andrew M]

According to the Sydney Airport site its now due at 620am on the 13th

Still showing at the 13/1/2010 but now 8:00am

[Tsen Tsan]

Departed SIN at 2216hrs local time. I guess estimate in Sydney around 9ish.

[Malcolm Parker]

arrived this morning at 0846am as QF6028 under perfect skies, did any one manage to get some pics, it would have been a graceful sight.

[Noel White]

VH-OQF just departed as QF11, on its first revenue flight.

[Grahame Hutchison]

VH-OQF is heading out now on PP as QF11 climbing through 11,500ft heading 086 at 404kts.

[Brad Myer]

Anyone got the dates the next few QF A380s are due?

Thanks

[Oliver Gigacz]

MSN047 and MSN050 will be next in August and September.

They are currently in storage in Toulouse and be transfered to Hamburg in April and May.

[Oliver Gigacz]

MSN047 (Qantas #7) had engines number 1 and 4 re installed late last week and will have engines number 2 and 3 installed this week. She is currently on schedule to restart flight testing in late March.

http://a380production.com/2010/02/49ff/

[Oliver Gigacz]

Roll out of Qantas's seventh A380 should be this week. Transfer to Hamburg for Outfitting in late March.

http://a380production.com/2010/02/49ts/

[Oliver Gigacz]

Qantas's ninth A380 (MSN055) has just started Final Assembly.

http://a380production.com/2010/03/31pc/

[Oliver Gigacz]

Qantas's seventh A380 (MSN047) will now roll out Monday. Roll out was ment to be Friday. A fault in engine number three caused the delay.

http://a380production.com/2010/03/50rr/

[Oliver Gigacz]

MSN047 (Qantas #7) has been delayed once again and is now scheduled for a Tuesday roll out.

http://a380production.com/2010/03/pu1/

[Oliver Gigacz]

Qantas's seventh A380 has finally finished it's seven month long term storage and is now back on the A380 flightline in Toulouse and is being prepared for a flight to Hamburg for painting and outfitting.

http://a380production.com/2010/03/02sr/

[Oliver Gigacz]

Qantas's tenth A380 (MSN062) is now on the flight line in Toulouse, after completing the first stage of Final Assembly. She will enter second stage Final Assembly within the next two weeks.

Delivery is scheduled for late Q1 2011.

http://a380production.com/2010/04/62wf/

[Adam.S]

How far off is VH-OQG?

[Oliver Gigacz]

OQG (MSN047) was to be transferred to Hamburg yesterday, for outfitting. Delivery is currently scheduled for December.

[Adam.S]

Thanks for that Oliver.
December still feels a long way away at this stage. Fingers crossed it doesn't get put back any further.

[Oliver Gigacz]

Qantas's seventh A380 (MSN047) has still yet to transfer to Hamburg and may have to wait another month before entering an Outfitting bay.

Delivery may slip into 2011.

http://a380production.com/2010/05/47st/

[Arthur Boy]

Excuse me if this has already been posted, but I have it from a very reliable source that pilots in the sim are doing lots of HKG and BKK practices.......

Anyone care to confirm/deny???

[Gareth U]

Delivery may slip into 2011.

I am still waiting for my two year secondment to the 380. I wish this aircraft would hurry up!

I have heard the both HKG and BKK are on the cards. That's just employee rumour though.

[Brad Myer]

I have heard the both HKG and BKK are on the cards. That's just employee rumour though.

No rumour! Its a fact all LHR flights will eventually be A380 including the stops in SIN, BKK, and HKG. The only thing holding it back is the lack of A380 deliveries...

[Oliver Gigacz]

MSN047 (Qantas #7) is scheduled to make it’s ferry flight to Hamburg today, But this is likely to change to Wednesday or Thursday.

http://a380production.com/2010/05/lh01/

[Oliver Gigacz]

Qantas's ninth A380 has been rolled out of the Final Assembly Line.

When delivered this aircraft will allow the MEL-SIN-LHR route to go six times weekly and the MEL-LAX route to got four times weekly.

http://a380production.com/2010/05/52rr/

[Oliver Gigacz]

Qantas's eighth A380 (MSN050) has finally transferred to Hamburg for Outfitting and painting. Delivery is currently scheduled for January 2011.