Trip Report: QF BNE-SYD-BNE on a 747 and 767 (Photos)

[Brandon Giacomin]

Hi all,

Last Sunday (May 22) I went on my favorite day trip so far, an all day trip down to Sydney

Late last year I had heard rumors on the net about a new Qantas route to Dallas, and that the routing would be SYD-DFW-BNE-SYD. I was hoping this would come true and that the BNE-SYD route would be available to domestic travelers. And in early January I heard the good news, it was official Qantas would fly SYD-DFW-BNE-SYD four times a week starting May 16 and that you could fly BNE-SYD

As soon as I heard the news I went on the Qantas site to see what the fares were like, and QF8 was $157 So I thought I would just have to wait, then the next day I saw that Qantas had a sale on BNE-SYD so I looked at QF8 on Sunday May 22 (the soonest date I would be able to do it) and it was $81! So I asked my parents if I could do the trip and they were fine with it.

So I selected QF8 on May 22, all I had to do now was select my flight home, before booking I had a look at Virgin Blue, they didn’t have any sales, nor did Tiger so I had a look at Qantas. I wanted to return in the evening, there was a Jetstar flight at 6:30pm and it was $81 but then I saw QF548 which departs at 7pm which was $85, so I thought I’d pay the extra $4 and fly with Qantas and get free dinner and fly on the more comfortable 767

The day after booking I told my best mate at school, Josh, about my trip. He said he would like to go with me but he didn’t book, but then in late April I came to school and he said he had booked and he showed me his itinerary, he was on QF8 with me on the 22nd but because he left it so late, all the later flights were now around $150-200, so he picked up the cheapest flight he could which was QF520 departing at 11am which cost him around $80-90.

It sure was going to be a great day, as we got into May we started counting down the days and before we knew it the day had come!

Brisbane Airport

The flight left at 6:30am so I had to get there at 5am, so I set my alarm for 4am and planned to leave the house at 4:30. But I woke up at 3:30 and I knew I just wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep. Tried to go to sleep early the night before, thought I wouldn’t be able to because I’d be too excited but I managed to fall asleep at about 8pm. At about 4am I got a message from Qantas saying that QF8 was delayed and would now leave at 7am. Only half an hour late so not too bad.

Woke my parents up at about a quarter past four Packed my bag the night before so just did a quick check in the morning, made sure I had charged my camera battery the night before and also my phone. Had also done the online check in as soon as it opened at 6:30am on the 21st. Had requested 55A and I managed to get it, my friend requested 55B but had troubles doing the online check in, so he called Qantas and he was told to check in at the airport.

Got to the airport a little after 5am, Josh arrived a little earlier so he could check in, he managed to secure 55B. When he checked in he asked how full the plane was, he was told that about 100 people were continuing on from Dallas and around 10 people would be joining the flight for the BNE-SYD leg! Nice looked like we would have a bit of room!

So we went to security told them we were just going to Sydney, passed security no worries then proceeded to customs. Josh went first and he was fine then I went up and showed my boarding pass and also some ID, I was told that I needed a domestic sticker on my boarding pass, because I used the online check in I didn’t get one. So had to go back to the check in desks.

Very quiet at this time of the morning, was no line for check in. Went straight up to the counter and told them I needed the sticker, they printed me out a new boarding pass and put the sticker on and had me sign it. The guy and the counter said for flights like QF8 its always just best to check in at the airport.

So through security again, no problems and then up to customs, all was fine so my boarding pass was stamped and I was on my way to the gate. Checked the departure screens and we would be departing from Gate 80. Two days earlier at 1:30pm I was on flightradar24 waiting to see QF7 depart for Dallas as this would be the aircraft that would operate my flight. I wanted Wunala but the day before she went to Tokyo, so I would not get her. And about half an hour late VH-OEI took off from Sydney on her way to Dallas! So ‘Ceduna’ would be my first 747!

Had a look to see if there were any aircraft at the international, Strategic Airlines A332 VH-SSA was there after flying BNE-DPS-BNE the day before, today she would fly BNE-HKT-MEL, took a few shots of here, no to good though as it is still dark at 5:30am. A Pacific Blue 737 was the only other aircraft there but didn’t take any photos as I see them all the time.

At about 5:45 Royal Brunei B772 V8-BLD arrived so walked to Gate 78 I think, to get some shots of her. Sat down with Josh, was using the free Qantas Wi-Fi, went on Planefinder as balus wasn’t working, and saw that VH-OEI was on short finals for RWY19 with VH-OJN not far behind coming in from LAX. Took some great shots of OEI taxiing and pulling into the gate and also of VH-OJN taxiing behind.

Enough talking for now, time for some photos!

Check in area with the very large departures screen


Strategic A332 VH-SSA


Royal Brunei B772 V8-BLD


Qantas B744ER VH-OEI pulls into Gate 80


VH-OEI completes the 16 hour flight from Dallas


Qantas B744 VH-OJN arrives from LAX, taxiing behind VH-OEI


Emirates B77W A6-ECI arrives from Dubai


Departure lounge