Qantas to resume A380s flights

[Gerald A]

A news report from 2GB reported that Qantas will restart flights with the A380 this coming Saturday.

[Mark B]

ASX announcement: http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20101123/pdf/31v25lklcq2cz2.pdf

Looks like LAX off the radar for a bit though.

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Yes Gerald, just saw part of Alan Joyce's press statement.

He will be on board QF31 this Saturday (or Sunday) presume this will be OQA or one of the ones from LAX.

One of the A380's at LAX will ferry empty to SYD today and A380 services will resume with limited capacity (basicaly only the LHR run) as the LAX services require extra thrust and until the source of the problem is established that route will not start yet. A second A380 will ferry from LAX later this week.

The 2 new machines due next month will be put straight into service.

[Oliver Gigacz]

Will these services just be from SYD or willl the MEL-SIN-LHR-SIN-MEL service resume as well?

[Max C]

Doesn't -OQA have a few 'issues' in SIN at the moment?:confused:

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Sorry I meant OQC.

Not sure Oliver as they will only have 2 a/c available by Sat.

[Dan Collins]

QantasMedia release on the matter:

http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/au/publicaffairs/details?ArticleID=2010/nov10/5045

Dan

[Ash W]

Doesn't -OQA have a few 'issues' in SIN at the moment?:confused:

Understatement of the year I think!;)

[Matt_L]

Looks like LAX off the radar for a bit though.

how come? just due to the fact they will be going off two planes momentarily or ?

[Radi K]

if they dont trust them over the pacific i'm not sure you could say they have confidence in the aircraft full stop - just my 2c

[Dave Parer]

Any idea on what time the A380 ferry flight from LAX is due to arrive into SYD tomorrow morning?

[Dave Parer]

Just looked at the Sydney Airport website International arrivals for tomorrow and have answered my own question.

QF6002 due in at 0900 from LAX.

[Jason H]

It's the engines that are causing issues, not the aircraft...

Last time I checked, engines were a part of the aircraft...:D

[Ash W]

Indeed they are Jason. But it is the engines that have caused the groundings, and now Qantas et al have nutted out the issues and come up with a safe workaround, which it seems limits their scope of use, there is no reason why these aircraft cannot fly.

Clearly Qantas are not going to put aircraft into the skys that are in any way shape or form dangerous, especially after the experiance they have just had.

[Trevor Sinclair]

Just looked at the Sydney Airport website International arrivals for tomorrow and have answered my own question.

QF6002 due in at 0900 from LAX.

Probably helping to ferry the 600 staff stuck in the U.S. using Staff Travel.

[Ben W]

Is the additional thrust required because it's heavier on the pacific route and they need it to get off the ground? I don't know much about this obviously, but would assume they don't need extra thrust once they're at cruising altitude?

Just curious?

[Peter Agatsiotis]

VH-OQF is on its way as QF6002; just off the coast NE of SYD.

[Adam W]

Perhaps Qantas could use JATO bottles on the MEL-LAX flights :D:D:D

[Grahame Hutchison]

Back in Sydney ...

VH-OQF QF6002 24/11/2010 08:42 Qantas A380-842

Have not seen any movements for the remainded of the A380 fleet.

[Dan Hammond]

QF6003 is enroute LAX-SYD rego unknown

[Stefan Perkas]

VH-OQE appears to operating this flight.

[Dan Hammond]

I also received a message from him in a frequent flyer email today

[Andrew M]

So I guess Oprah will be coming to Sydney in the 747 then ?

:cool:

[Trevor Sinclair]

I heard reports that this was used as a Charter for L.A. Galaxy, could that be correct?

[Daniel F]

No, Qantas posted on Twitter that LA Galaxy arrived on QF12.

[Trevor Sinclair]

No, Qantas posted on Twitter that LA Galaxy arrived on QF12.

Thanks Daniel - bad reporting on 2UE 11am news then, unless of course Becks just posed with one and the reporter thought it was the aircraft he arrived on.

[Daniel F]

Hmm... this post seems to say otherwise though. http://yssyforum.net/board/showthread.php?p=53084#post53084

Not sure why Qantas is posting incorrect information on Twitter! Apologies for quoting the incorrect Qantas tweet before.

[Andrew P]

They arrived on a scheduled 747 at intl terminal were then bused around to the hanger to get thr A380 photo before flying to Newscastle

[Greg McDonald]

Lets see if Qantas use this as an indicator that their A380's are safe to fly on as they REALLY need to convince the 'person in the street' of this.. The general public will see the Galaxy walking down the A380 steps and naturally assume that they arrived on this aircraft. I can see no other reason for doing the 'A380 walk'. If that is the case, then Qantas are pretty low in my opinion for trying to hoodwink the general public. Once again, if this is the case, it could almost be false advertising!!

[Andrew M]

The general public will just see it as a big plane... :cool:

[Montague S]

Lets see if Qantas use this as an indicator that their A380's are safe to fly on as they REALLY need to convince the 'person in the street' of this.. The general public will see the Galaxy walking down the A380 steps and naturally assume that they arrived on this aircraft.

why would the public think that? if anything I thought why the heck were the Galaxy trucked over to the A380, seemed rather pointless to me, to show them off in front of the type that nearly came to grief 10 days ago seems more about Qantas trying to show off its alliance with a sporting team, than anything to do with the safety of the aircraft.

[Grahame Hutchison]

VH-OQE QF6003 25/11/2010 08:42 Qantas A380-842 Los Angeles-Sydney

No other QF A380 movements recorded on ACARS globally.

[Andrew M]

17:30 tomorrow the A380 will leave SYD bound for SIN with passengers and AJ...

I wonder how many TV crews will be there.....

Hope there are no delays for any reason as the media will pounce on anything for this one.

[Trevor Sinclair]

Flight closed. Looking hopeful for on time departure.

[Andrew M]

She has left SYD

1 min late

Wonder if anyone has some photos of her taking to the skies again!

[Oliver Gigacz]

Any word on when A380 flights will resume from MEL?

[Stefan Perkas]

Any word on when A380 flights will resume from MEL?

Melbourne – Singapore – London Heathrow eff 05DEC10 (LHR eff 04DEC10)

Melbourne – Los Angeles eff 15DEC10 (Day 357; Increase to 4 weekly from 06JAN11)


Info from: http://airlineroute.net/2010/11/19/qf-380-update19nov10/ and http://airlineroute.net/2010/11/26/qf-380-laxdec10/

[Ash W]

Interesting post Stefan, but the Melbourne-LA flights seem to go against what Qantas have been saying about limiting the A380's use on flights needing higher thrust. Are you sure the source is accurate and is not just the old schedule which hasn't been updated due to the uncertainties and the fluid nature of the current situation?

[Sarah C]

Wonder if anyone has some photos of her taking to the skies again!

I was on Vh-OGF which landed on 34L ahead of her departure. A couple of pics from the landing and then taxi alongside (sorry about the smudges)

[Brian Wilkes]

Any word when and or if SQ will resume there 380 services to OZ?

[Sarah C]

Now, what the heck happened with Thai A340-642 HS-TNC? :eek:



I can tell you from experience, the approach on the flight was very rough - very side to side, you could tell it was hard to keep it level. Once I walked outside and felt the wind, you could see why. The A340 might have experienced the wind shear too.

[Stefan Perkas]

Interesting post Stefan, but the Melbourne-LA flights seem to go against what Qantas have been saying about limiting the A380's use on flights needing higher thrust. Are you sure the source is accurate and is not just the old schedule which hasn't been updated due to the uncertainties and the fluid nature of the current situation?

I am not sure Ash. Usually this source is accurate. it has been changing and updating each time the schedule had changed. Looking at the QF Scheds it appears the A380 has been loaded in from 15th December on MEL-LAX.

But as you stated it is going agianst what QF are stating. Will just have to see and keep an eye on scheds. as it will most probably change again.

[Sarah C]

[img]
Sarah: I saw your B767 - that landing approach did look rough. And it was even rougher trying to take photos - sand and dust blowing everywhere. :rolleyes: Glasses mandatory!


Great pic Chris :D

I thought it might be difficult taking a shot - I am sure all at the beach would have seen it, I thought it was kinda fun. On flights like that you just appreciate even more the skill of the flight crews.

[Montague S]

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/top-stories/qantas-relaunch-a-mega-fail/story-e6frg12l-1225962216120

and on it goes...

[Grahame Hutchison]

Qantas A380 VH-OQF is nearing the end of the first A380 service since the engine failure on VH-OQA grounded the entire QF A380 fleet. The aircraft is crusing at FL400 at 458kts heading 265, having just passed overhead Osnabruck in Germany (approx 277nm to run). The Heathrow board shows that they are right on time at present, so lets hope it was OPS Normal all the way.

SQ322 A380 9V-SKB is ahead of them, and almost across the Channel, on descent into LHR passing through FL220 at 397kts heading 279.

BA10 the B747 service from SYD-BKK-LHR is right in the middle and still crusing at FL380.

1645 QF31 crossing the English coastline at FL150 (looks like BA10 is holding at 9000ft northeast of London)
1653 QF31 has just gone into a holding pattern between Loughton and Romford, also at 9000ft
1659 QF31 heading into LHR at 8000ft
1701 QF31 directly overhead Heathrow at 8000ft
1703 BA10 on final for Runway 09L
1707 QF31 on final for Runway 09R
1711 QF31 touchdown Runway 09R

They vacated the Runway via N4W onto Alpha, then via Link 33 to Pier 6 Terminal 3.

This was the view from the cockpit on short final (Google Earth linked live to PlanePlotter).

http://www.16right.com/MessageBoard/QF31.jpg

[Andrew RC]

I noticed VH-OQD at LAX this morning missing #1 engine, and work being done on the other 3 engines. Does not look like it will be going anywhere at least for the next 2 -3 days.

If anyone wants to snap a photo, it is out in the open adjacent to the hanger complex off taxiway Echo (immediately west of TBIT). If you don't have airside acess, you might catch a glimpse of it from World Way west (off Pershing Drive), but suggest that it would be unwise to be in that area with a camera.

[Andrew M]

Thanks for the update :)

Very sad seeing the A380's sitting around :(

[Steve S... 2]

They should ground these ugly A380's forever... lol.

Sorry... just my opinion.

[Geoff W]

Why?

It is a great aircraft, I think.

When (this set of bugs) get eliminated I am sure it will be a long serving aircraft.

Some large cost is going to be incurred for the fix though.

I can now also feel THOSE costs increasing...

From The Age @ 1400

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/new-warning-over-a380-engines-20101202-18hie.html

Kind regards,

Geoff

[Stefan Perkas]

Evening all,

From http://airlineroute.net/


As per 02DEC10 GDS timetable display, QANTAS continues to push back planned Airbus A380 service resumption to Los Angeles into January 2011. Planned resumption date as follows:

QF011/012 Sydney – Los Angeles eff 01JAN11
QF093/094 Melbourne – Los Angeles 3 weekly service, eff 02JAN11



As per GDS timetable display on 02DEC10, QANTAS on 11DEC10 is to operate Airbus A330-200 aircraft instead of Boeing 747-400 on Sydney – Los Angeles QF011/108 service. Due to the aircraft change, it will be making a stop in Auckland

QF011 SYD1510 – 2010AKL2130 – 1255LAX 332 11DEC10
QF108 LAX2350 – 1010+2AKL1130+2 – 1255+2SYD 332 11DEC10

Compared to original routing schedule on QF011/108 below, travel time is increased by extra 3hrs 20 mins
QF011 SYD1510 – 0935LAX
QF108 LAX2350 – 0925+2SYD

[Stuart Trevena]

Hi All,

With those changes, I guess Oprah and her US Fans, will slum it on a B744 instead of the planned A380.

What a pity:eek::eek:

Stuart

[Maikha Ly]

Hi all

Please forgive me for my silly tedious query. Though are there specific days and flights one could expect to find the A380 on? Or is it the daily QF31 to London?


Thanks :)

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Well said Stuart; that's the first thing that came into mind when the groundings started.

Good luck to her and her 'guests' and hope they enjoy their trip and time in Oz.

[Stu M]

Qantas would be desperate to get Oprah and her followers on the A380, could they not route the aircraft through HNL ? Just a thought.

[Grahame Hutchison]

OQE and OQF are both operational now. OQF is inbound to YSSY as QF32, just passing overhead RIVET at FL140 and tracking for final approach to 34L.

ACARS mode: 1 Aircraft reg: VH-OQE [ ]
Message label: ** Block id: @ Msg no: 2317
Flight id: QF0032 [LHR-SIN-SYD] [Qantas]
Message content:-
SBS-1 Callsign: QFA32
----------------------------------------------------------[ 07/12/2010 13:50 ]-

ACARS mode: 1 Aircraft reg: VH-OQE [ ]
Message label: ** Block id: @ Msg no: 2fd3
Flight id: QF0031 [SYD-SIN-LHR] [Qantas]
Message content:-
SBS-1 Callsign: QFA31
----------------------------------------------------------[ 07/12/2010 05:36 ]-
ACARS mode: 2 Aircraft reg: VH-OQF [ ]
Message label: Q0 Block id: 6 Msg no: S03A
Flight id: QF0032 [LHR-SIN-SYD] [Qantas]
----------------------------------------------------------[ 11/12/2010 10:21 ]-

ACARS mode: 1 Aircraft reg: VH-OQF [ ]
Message label: ** Block id: @ Msg no: 683a
Flight id: QF0032 [LHR-SIN-SYD] [Qantas]
Message content:-
SBS-1 Callsign: QFA32
----------------------------------------------------------[ 10/12/2010 13:09 ]-

[Peter Agatsiotis]

Just picked up VH-OQD on Acars operating QF6022 so all three a/c from LAX have now been ferried to SYD.

[Grahame Hutchison]

VH-OQD QF6022 12/12/2010 08:13 A380-842 - Qantas - Los-Angeles-Sydney