Qantas orders Seven More Q400s

[Oliver Gigacz]

Qantas has ordered seven more Q400s. More to come...

[Peter JB]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bombardier-sells-seven-q400-nextgen-airliners-to-qantas-2010-07-21-639550?reflink=MW_news_stmp

I like Alan Joyce's comment "These new aircraft are next-generation Q400 aircraft with upgraded cabin interiors and larger overhead compartments."

Good move as I find the existing overhead compartments are quite annoying because I can't stow my mini-case in them very easily - takes a fair bit of grunt to get them to go in.

[Kelvin R]

As a frequent customer of the Q400 all I can say is that you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig. I would love to know which customers QF are asking about these aircraft as personally I think they are no better than the Q200 or Q300 in terms of comfort and no where near the comfort of the E-Jets.

Specifically, you have to sit sideways if in the window seat due to the fuselage. The seats are not high enough or wide enough, have no recline and no wrap headrest. There are no window shades. There is no entertainment apart from watching the FA try and do cabin service on a short CBR-SYD flight in bumpy weather, often due to low loads the first 8 rows are blocked forcing PAX to squeeze in down the back, when the plane is full there is 1 bathroom which makes BNE to MKY an interesting flight and finally due to the galley size you cannot get a decent meal.

How is that an improvement in PAX comfort over a 737 which the Q400 more often than not has been replacing?

[Gareth U]

Qantas chooses not to order all the above amenity, Kelvin. The only one I believe is not available is adjustable headrests. Wet galley and ovens are available, as are window shades and better seats with recline.

[Mick F]

I don't care what anyone says, it's still a Dash 8. Give me a jet anyday.

Mick

[Max C]

As a frequent customer of the Q400 all I can say is that you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig.


They tried that... it's called -QOH! :D

[Ash W]

True Gareth, but they are still foul aircraft to fly in, for all the reasons Kelvin mentioned. Like him I wonder who Qantas consulted to come up with the conclusion that they are well like by customers?

[Max C]

They're an Accountant's dream, so sadly nothing else matters. :)

[Zac M]

I have to disagree with most of you. If you ask me, the Dash 8 Q400 is an awesome aircraft. I find it to be very comfortable, there is plenty of leg room (I am over 6ft tall) and I find the seat wide enough. The angle of climb is comfortable, and it tends to handle turbulence very well.

For flights like CBR-SYD it is an ideal aircraft, it can operate at lower altitudes and can have a quicker turn around time.

[Maikha Ly]

I like the Q400s as well, and can't see or experience what's so bad about them.

However, at the end of the day.... I'll fly in whatever gets given on the flight. I'm not really concerned to be picky over what aircraft I'd fly on if it wasn't the Canberra Airport Open day.

[Ash W]

I have to disagree with most of you. If you ask me, the Dash 8 Q400 is an awesome aircraft. I find it to be very comfortable, there is plenty of leg room (I am over 6ft tall) and I find the seat wide enough. The angle of climb is comfortable, and it tends to handle turbulence very well.

For flights like CBR-SYD it is an ideal aircraft, it can operate at lower altitudes and can have a quicker turn around time.

The biggest issue is the lack of cabin baggage space. Q400's (BTW they are NOT called Dash 8's and Bombardier has never called the 400 a Dash) are very limited and only have a 105cm, 5KG limit. A 737 is 115 and 7KG. They also have a 20KG limit for check luggage and technicaly speaking frequent flyers are not allowed any extra. So really crap if your connecting to an international flight, or another domestic for that matter too.

The 400 is even worse in this regard than the 300's. Think of the number of people that have their bags checked in as premium hand luggage when boarding one.

Now compare to the jungle jets that Virgin Blue fly. Full sized overhead bins, full sized aisle, more comfortable, bigger seats etc etc etc.

[Jarden S]

The Manager of QantasLink back in 2000 wanted a big order for a large fleet 20+ of 717s to replace the BAE-146s but was knocked back by the board who eventually decided the Q400 was the best option. I wonder if he got his way and was allowed to have a bigger 717 fleet today we could have seen Qantaslink 717s on heaps more routes eg HBA-ADL, HBA-BNE, SYD-TSV, SYD-MCY, SYD-ROK, CBR-DRW, CBR-TSV etc as the 737-800 is a bit too big for a lot of domestic runs. While the 717 is the right sized aircraft for many routes.

[Ash W]

The biggest issue is the lack of cabin baggage space. Q400's (BTW they are NOT called Dash 8's and Bombardier has never called the 400 a Dash) are very limited and only have a 105cm, 5KG limit. A 737 is 115 and 7KG. They also have a 20KG limit for check luggage and technicaly speaking frequent flyers are not allowed any extra. So really crap if your connecting to an international flight, or another domestic for that matter too.

Gord, surprised no one corrected me. The Bombardiers now have a 7KG weight restriction, but still a 105cm bag, plus the checked bag limit is 23kg, except on some specific flights. Bottom line though it is still different to mainline jet services and is a real pain in the bum when you connect to elsewhere in the Qantas network, especially international. I also find it odd on the CBR-SYD flights which are mostly business oriented and people don't want the hassle of checked baggage. Hence like I said the explosion in premium hand luggage on these flights.

Speaking of premium hand luggage, as I ordinarily live in Canberra and use the Q400's and the Q300's before that a lot I have brought a carry on bag which meets the 105cm requirement.(most you will find in the shops will be 115cm). But on about half the flights I do it gets relegated to premium hand luggage, despite being 105cm and fitting in their test rig. It normally only weights 5KG too, so not over weight. Wonder what gives there?