When will the 747-300's retire?

[Adam T]

Hi Everyone,

I'm curious as to when QF will retire the 743's they are using? I fly SYD-PER on a regular basis and they seem to be a bit long in the tooth.

The last time I flew on a 743 (2 weeks ago) the cabin ceiling started leaking water onto all the passengers which continued for about 2 hours. 3 weeks before that my seat (along with others) had broken headrests and the IFE system wasn't functioning.

The list goes on and on for the last 12 months

Adam

[Rhys Xanthis]

Their are a few threads around, namely this one http://yssyforum.net/board/showthread.php?t=38

QF A332's will be reaplacing the 743's as soon as qantas can get them.

They are really getting to the end. VH-EBU has been sitting stripped for a while at Avalon awaiting doom !

[Michael Morrison]

they are not in any PER timetables from the 5th or 6th of January onwards

[Brenden S]

The water would be coming from the upper galley chillers, no doubt the drains are blocked. Or it can be cause by heavy condensation which normally last just after takeoff. As for the IFE, on any aircraft it is a problem, its called computers not wanting to play the game.

[D Chan]

> When will the 747-300's retire?

Progressively phased out towards the end of this year. Oil prices doesn't help and neither does the lack of a/c to replace them on the SYD-PER MEL-PER runs

[Paul C.]

They will be missed but shall provide plenty of spares to keep other 743's running around this world.

[Bernie P]

They will be missed but shall provide plenty of spares to keep other 743's running around this world.

So, they will be 'parted out' rather than going to a 'new' operator then???

That is, if anyone wants them ! :p

[Brenden S]

December.

[Jason Carruthers]

According to Galileo next week QF are using 743 for a few days on the QF25/26 run. first flight was 03JUN so it appears it's replacing the 332.

QF's website shows the usual mix of 332/744's. SO I have no idea what's going on.




Jason

[Grant Smith]

Again, I'm surprised Rhys or Craig Lindsay haven't come out suggesting that QF flog the 743's to GA...

:rolleyes:

[Rhys Xanthis]

Again, I'm surprised Rhys or Craig Lindsay haven't come out suggesting that QF flog the 743's to GA...

:rolleyes:

ive flown on them numerous (at least 6 or 7 since they have been doing per runs) times, and considering they are flown almost 24x7 i have no problem with them:)

(if they didnt have personal IFE i might've been tempted to say that though:p)

edit: and i never knew qf used 332's on mel-akl-lax!

[Erik H. Bakke]

Again, I'm surprised Rhys or Craig Lindsay haven't come out suggesting that QF flog the 743's to GA...

Actually, I thought they did flog them to GA for a month every year...

[Rhys Xanthis]

Actually, I thought they did flog them to GA for a month every year...

indeed one of the 743's was leased to garuda for a period of time...

[Marty H]

indeed one of the 743's was leased to garuda for a period of time...


VH-EBY

[Anthony J]

indeed one of the 743's was leased to garuda for a period of time...
More than one!
http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?airline=Garuda%20Indonesia%20(Qanta s)

Several airframes also spent time on a damp lease to JAL.
http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?airline=Japan%20Airlines%20(Qantas)

[Grant Smith]

AJ,

Check those links mate... Come up with nothing...

[Grant Smith]

Actually, I thought they did flog them to GA for a month every year...

There you go... Even more reason to be surprised Rhys or Craig hadn't suggested QF flog them (permanently) to GA...

[Montague S]

Again, I'm surprised Rhys or Craig Lindsay haven't come out

so am I... :D

[Craig Lindsay]

Again, I'm surprised Rhys or Craig Lindsay haven't come out suggesting that QF flog the 743's to GA...

:rolleyes:

And why would i do that.Why would GA buy something thats airworthy?

[Nigel C]

I hate to admit it, but that's actually a fine question.:eek:

[Anthony J]

AJ,

Check those links mate... Come up with nothing...
JetPhotos is down at the moment....they'll be back!

[Rhys Xanthis]

And why would i do that.Why would GA buy something thats airworthy?

hehe, good answer:D

[Nic P]

I've always chosen to fly on the 743s due to the PTVs, however I think I shall avoid this from now on.

I left PER for SYD on QF580 on Saturday at 3pm, left over three hours late (partly due to weather but also maintenance issues), I was due to return the following eveing on QF 584. This flight was then delayed by around three hours.

They then cancelled it due to Tech issues - hotels were booked out so we were offered to overnight in the QP or take a voucher and try our luck in town. Luckily I have a mate in SYD who put me up (at 1 am in the morning!!).

I recheduled to this morning QF 575 (it seems to be another 743) which was due to leave 20 minutes ago and hasn't begun boarding yet. The departures board reads 'Update at 8.50'. No word yet - seems ominous.

Sitting in the QP - Pitty the bar doesn't open until 12.

So far I've spend 8 hours in the QP over two and a half days due to the ole 743s.

If only QF had PTVs on other transcon aircraft!

[Montague S]

Wow...try taking a book next time! surely you can get by without PTV for 3.5 to 4hrs?

[Marty H]

Did another B743 go u/s last night in PER? DJ298 had QF pax onboard is the reason I ask.

[Montague S]

QF 648 was cancelled last night. yes its a 743...JQ 653 to AVV was also delayed 3hrs yesterday.

QF 583 was also cancelled from Sydney last night & that is also a 743, pretty sure that switches and heads back to MEL.

[Marty H]

Thanks Monty

[Bernie P]

More than one!
http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?airline=Garuda%20Indonesia%20(Qanta s)

Several airframes also spent time on a damp lease to JAL.
http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?airline=Japan%20Airlines%20(Qantas)

Here are some on A.net (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?airlinesearch=Garuda%20Indonesia%20%2 8Qantas%29&distinct_entry=true)as well for GA, and more A.net (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?airlinesearch=Japan%20Airlines%20-%20JAL%20%28Qantas%29&distinct_entry=true)for JAL

[Rhys Xanthis]

The 743 situation is getting desperate. They cant keep going tech everyday!

Mum came back last night from MEL, was meant to be a 743 but was a 763 instead. (lucky i guess!).

[Adrian B]

Our travel agents are specifically advising people which flights to book, and more importantly not to book, purely based on which a/c runs the service.

[Rhys Xanthis]

Did another B743 go u/s last night in PER? DJ298 had QF pax onboard is the reason I ask.

i believe QF648 was due to be ops by 763 coming from MEL, which was delayed by 2 hrs. (QF481, was meant to be ops by 743).

Apparently the 743 had to stop in Adelaide because the weather changed to fog after it left. Apparently there is an investigation into why it changed...

[Mick F]

Why would there be an investigation into why a forecast changed?

Welcome to the world of weather. Constantly changing, therefore it needs to be constantly updated.

Mick

[Montague S]

i believe QF648 was due to be ops by 763 coming from MEL, which was delayed by 2 hrs. (QF481, was meant to be ops by 743).

Apparently the 743 had to stop in Adelaide because the weather changed to fog after it left. Apparently there is an investigation into why it changed...

only relaying what ive been told


how do you figure this?

QF 648
Operated by:
Qantas Airways
Depart: Perth 1 Jun at 23:35
Arrive: Melbourne 2 Jun at 04:50
Stopover: -
Total Time: 3:15 hours
Aircraft: Boeing 747-300

QF 481 was operated by 743 from MEL-PER and did land 2hrs late and turned around and went back as the Sydney flight. Its the Sydney-Perth flight from last night that caused the problem which I have already pointed out was cancelled and due to be operated by 743.

:rolleyes:

[Nigel C]

Maybe it was the scheduler who had the fog in his eyes...

[Rhys Xanthis]

montague - my mum was on the flight (481.). it was meant to be ops by 743, but online check in led to a 2-3-2 config, obviously not a 743.

[Brett A]

I was on the 11.45am QF580 flight from Perth to Sydney last Tuesday (27/5). When I got to the airport, the boarding time had been changed to 12.30pm. No biggy I thought. But then things started to get worse and we were eventually told that the 743 that had arrived from Sydney (I think) had a problem with its navigation which could not be fixed and so they would tow a plane from the international terminal to replace it. Revised boarding time 4.10pm.

At the time, I said to my friend whom I happened to meet at the Q Club that we would be pushing to get in before curfew in Sydney.

From my recollection, we finally boarded about 4.30pm and then a further series of delays occurred. First, an unruly passenger was kicked off and his bags had to be located. Once that was done, we were told that the fuel gauge in the cockpit was not working and because the plane had been using its APU since it had been pulled over from the international terminal, they didn't know how much fuel was in it. This meant they had to do a manual check with fuel rods.

And then the clincher, all the time that the plane had been sitting at the international terminal and then at the domestic terminal, it had not been catered.

From recollection, we finally took off between about 500pm and 530pm and were told that Qantas were on the phone to Canberra to get an extension on the curfew. At this point, I leaned over to my friend and told her that this was probably unlikely given what I had read on this forum about flights in similar circumstances not getting an extension. I made a bet with her that we would end up in Melbourne.

We were eventually told that Canberra had in fact given them an extension until 11.20pm. Perhaps the new government are taking a different approach to this issue? However, the flight path showed us landing in Sydney at 11.27pm! I then asked the head purser (who was going around getting feedback from everyone) if we were going to Melbourne. He declined to answer that question.

When we passed Melbourne I thought that was probably a good sign and at top of descent, the captain told us we had a further extention until 11.30pm. I think our wheels touched down in Sydney at 11.29pm.

Even with all the delays, I thought Qantas did a good job of keeping everyone fully informed. The captain and all the crew were extremely apologetic throughout. They kept me and my friend served with wine and peanuts. Admittedly, we were in business class so I can't comment on economy class.

I think the moral of the story however, is not to book on a 743 from or to Perth if you want to get there on time.

Happily, my return flight on the Thursday from Sydney at 7.20pm left on time and arrived 10 minutes early. And yes it was a 743!

[Nic P]

Monty - I prefer to watch films on flights, I find craning my neck to read a book quite uncomfortable, plus I'm not a huge reader.

I felt most sorry for the QF 583 Pax who had no where to go in Sydney - I saw the QP staff unloading blankets and pillows!

Further to my earlier post, we only ended up being about 45mins late leaving today - better than the past two flights!

[Philip Argy]

ADF chief backs push for larger VIP jets

Defence Force Chief Angus Houston has urged the Government to consider buying or leasing bigger VIP aircraft.
He says the RAAF operates two jets now but they are too small to carry an entire entourage for a travelling federal minister or prime minister.
Media organisations called for change last year after a Garuda airline crash in Indonesia, when Australian journalists who would have travelled on then-foreign minister Alexander Dower's plane were killed.
Air Chief Marshal Houston has told a Senate committee he supports a change.
"Senator if I might chance my arm I think it would be really good if we went for a couple of bigger aeroplanes for the VIP task, because frankly the 737 aircraft is too small for the task," he said.
He told the committee that the risks were shown tragically in the Garuda crash.
"It's imperative we look after our journalists in places where the airline standards are perhaps not as high as they are in our own country," he said.
"I think it's fine if you're in Australia, but when you're travelling in many places around the world there are concerns about certain carriers and their particular airworthiness and flying standards."

[Andrew McLaughlin]

Perfect use for retiring 743s?

You're kidding, right? :eek:

[Philip Argy]

What's the saying about killing two birds with one stone ...

;)

[Rhys Xanthis]

More likely we'll see a 767 bought in my opinion. Has the range to reach most of asia, and most of the world with one stop (maybe two). Can carry a load of people too.

[Rhys Xanthis]

747-300 VH-EBX is back from C-Check in Hong Kong.

[Andrew McLaughlin]

More likely we'll see a 767 bought in my opinion. Has the range to reach most of asia, and most of the world with one stop (maybe two). Can carry a load of people too.
...in my opinion.
:eek::eek::eek:

Or...

Maybe they'll get an extra A330-200 or two, aircraft that have commonality with the KC-30 tankers the RAAF is getting. :rolleyes:

[Rhys Xanthis]

VH-EBX operating QF566 YPPH-YSSY this afternoon.

Good point Andrew, i didnt think of that:p..even after reading all that stuff on the KC-30 in AA:p

[Jamie D]

if this is any indication i just read this on airliners.net regarding the former vh-ebt "VH-EBT Departing on one of her last ever passenger flights across to Perth before flying to HNL on the 24APR07 then onto RME in New York where the engines will be sent to Russia somewere and the rest will be sold for spares. The rest of the 747 classics will go in the next 2 years. "

has she been broken up? Does anyone know

[Montague S]

I shot the very last pic of EBT in Australia and it was in May 2007 when she departed for the US.

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5988755&nseq=9

[Nic P]

Well further to my previous posts I have some good news...

As compensation for my cancelled flight a fortnight ago I received via Express Post yesterday a $400 voucher for use on Qantas Services in the next twelve months along with an apologetic letter...

Well done Qantas! Very Impressed.

I'll probably take another 743 to Syd next week in return!

Would only QFF's get this or would every passenger have received this?

[Rhys Xanthis]

Would only QFF's get this or would every passenger have received this?

Impressive!

I would say every passenger.