QF A332s on domestic SYD/MEL-PER flights
 

Are the 332s used on the PER trans-con flights ever operated with the intl SkyBed cabin or is it the Millenium seat? Thanks...

sorry if this has been answered before but I did search and couldn't find it...

Yep - international config (Skybed) is used. VH-EBL is an INTL configurated aircraft. As you can see from the log, plenty of flights to Perth. There are two domestically configured A332's.

http://www.16right.com/ACARS.php?Reg...&submit=Search

As far as i know EBJ and EBK are both domestic config and dont have Skybed. But i have noticed some of the intl config A332's do some SYD-PER-SYD runs.

Its mixed at the moment.

But looking at the schedules for early next year it appears no more A333s or Intl A332s just domestic A332/B763s on the PER runs.

QF take delivery of 2x domestic A332s in NOV and FEB apparently fitted with AVOD PTVs. (Same as new trans tasman B73Hs)

Looking at the schedules for early next year I guess QF will have some spare Intl A333/A332 capacity to use else where?

SYD-HNL-SYD take over from the domestic config 763s maybe?

EBG, EBH, EBI and EBL are all fitted with skybeds.

I flew QF581 3 days ago SYD-PER on intl 332.

Would be great to get these on the Perth-Japan runs. 763 doesnt cut the mustard for pax.

Thanks for all the replies guys...

Im flying on 29OCT and back 31OCT - so I guess it's too far out to tell which aircraft - maybe I can ask again closer to date and find out rego?

Thanks again

Generally speaking QF 581/582 SYD-PER-SYD and QF 577/566 SYD-PER-SYD are operated by the international config 332s with the latter sometimes operated by a 333. QF 485/802, QF 575/580, QF 481/648 and QF 583/568 are the ones usually operated by the domestic config aircraft.

This is a general rule only as these are sometimes changed around slightly.

I was recently ops upgraded midflight on VH-EBK (some problems with some seats further down the back - so those passengers were moved to my seat and the blocked seat next to me). The J seat was a lot more comfortable than I expected, and seemed to have more ergonomic positions than the Millenium seats I remember on the 76's. It wasn't a skybed, but not bad for a red-e deal ticket:D

International 763s ops to HNL with Dreamtime seats in Business.

It appears the above rule is true up till this Saturday (the introduction of the NW10 schedule). Effective 25 October, QF581/582 will revert back to a B763.

One has to wonder what on earth QF is going to do with all the spare intl A332 capacity? The only route that regularly sees the A332 is SYD-PVG and the odd SYD-NRT or SYD-HKG.

Could they do the PER-NRT-PER route? The 763 is very unpopular with pax on this route!

I believe that after the next International config 332 arrives in Feb next year, there will be daily AKL-LAX-AKL flights (March 2010). Chances are that a 333 will also fly LAX-NYK-LAX daily, replacing the 744 on that route (also from March).
With the higher gross weight 332 being available soon (238 tonne MTOW), more opportunities to properly utilize the range of this aircraft are being investigated.

The A333 flying LAX-NYK(do you mean New York/JFK :confused: )-LAX would be interesting as it requires QF to operate an A333 across the Pacific to LAX. The question is, does the A333 have the legs to do AKL-LAX considering the QF birds are 'regular' A333?

I thought LAX-JFK-LAX was going to be operated by a A332 Intl, it could then rotate thru on the AKL flights. Although I'm not sure how it would find it's way back onto Australian soil.

Word is that from early next year a 332 (not 333) will operate SYD or MEL to AKL-LAX-JFK.

Can a 332 make it unrestricted from AKL to LAX? :confused:

Yes. Firstly there are no ETOPS issues across the Pacific, and the flight duration is 12hours 30mins (travelling west) which is acheivable for the 332; after all they did operate as QF25/26 for a short time in mid 2008

The AKL-LAX-AKL flight does not connect with JFK hence the dedicated A-333 for the LAX -JFK-LAX route. The 298 seat A-333 has to replace a 307 seat 4 class B-744. A JFK training package is being constructed for the 330 Pilots now (Carnasie approach etc). For info, the A-333 carries approx 77 tonnes of fuel & the A-332 has 114 tonnes (subject to specific gravity of the fuel on the day).

AKL-LAX does connect to LAX-JFK. QF25 arrives at 7.00, QF107 departs at 9.15. Likewise for 108/26 in the other direction.

Mike, please refrain from quoting the entire previous post, thank you. - mod


Isn't 107/108 ex Sydney? (not that it matters I suppose)

Small problem the next 2 A332s are in domestic config for domestic flights.

Yes it does. And where are the spare A333s gonna come from for the LAX-JFK-LAX route?

I dont see QF pulling the B744 of the JFK run as that will mean no more first class or Y+ and it will halve the number of J seats.

Doesnt really make sense!

I agree, but I heard from a source inside Qantas a few weeks ago that this is going ahead - i wasn't sure of the dates though, and i believe Qantas is going to make the announcement very soon

Where does the 333 come from? Presumably it would be a 332 doing AKL-LAX-JFK ??

Unless the A332 will be in addition to the current daily B744.

My mistake, on the current schedule the AKL flight does connect each way. The next new domestic 332 goes to QF next month & Jetstar get one of their used ones. As I understand it, the following new domestic 332 goes to Jetstar & the 3rd 332 arriving in Feb is an international config a/c for Qantas. The schedules are yet to reflect this change of aircraft type.
The 333 payload uplift is ok on Shanghai most occassions, so it is not essential that the 332 be used on that route.
BNE-LAX & HKG-LHR routes are being looked at for the HGW 238 tonne A-332.

Will the dedicated A333 then have to carry a 'N' reg if it's solely flying LAX-JFK-LAX?

I understood that both EBM and EBN were coming as Domestic machines

Any talk of A330s doing LAX-JFK, BNE-LAX, HKG-LHR is typical short-term thinking from Qantas.

By the time they make the changes and get them up and running on those routes, the demand will pick up and there will be a shortage of seats. And the 747-400s that used to fly them will be parked in a desert somewhere.

But what would I know?

I have also heard from a QF cabin crew member the LAX-JFK-LAX will be operated by a 332. He mentioned the QF25/QF26 AKL-LAX will be 332 ops from the new summer 10 sked.

I think it would be good for the A332 to do the LAX-JFK-LAX sector. I flew this one in early 2007, and talking with the cabin crew it usually struggles to get a 50 per cent seat factor even at the best of times, but seems to be retained for strategic value. Therefore, it's probably in their best interests to get another aircraft with capacity more matched to the demand and likely better operating economics to run it. Sure, it may not be able to offer Premium Y or First, but it will be better than most domestic US carriers which are the only alternatives.

Tom, the aircraft do not have to be N registered, as strictly speaking it is still an international service. Qantas can't pick up domestic pax in LAX, it's all connecting traffic. They've operated this tag flight for a while with VH registered 744s.

Incorrect!

Only 2x A330s are on order both are QF domestic one due in NOV and the other in FEB both will be fitted with the new PTV IFE.

JQ will be taking the current QF domestic A332 VH-EBK and thats it till 2011 when the new HGW version arrives for JQ.

QF have no further A330s on order!

Hey guys thanks for the info...

FYI my flight QF575 SYD-PER tomorrow will be with the domestic config 332 so no Skybeds :-(

When I checked in online it had a 2x3x2 config

Unfortunatley yes Jon, QF575 tomorrow is VH-EBJ which is domestic config

The new QF domestic A332s EBM/EBN will be in a 36J/265Y config featuring the new style seats and IFE.

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airl...-332/global/en

As already mentioned VH-EBK will leave the fleet shortly bound for JQ, the other current domestic A332 VH-EBJ will remain in the QF fleet.

Does anyone know if VH-EBJ will be upgraded with the new seats/IFE to match the 2x new domestic A332s?

Thanks

Watch out for 744's back on SYD-PER-SYD in the near future.

If B744 or B74W are back on SYD-PER-SYD then Qantas may have to introduce Domestic Premium Economy?

Sounds a good idea as it can effectively turn Virgin Blue's high yield customers back to Qantas and beat Virgin Blue.

Re Mick's comment about "Any talk of A330s doing LAX-JFK, BNE-LAX, HKG-LHR is typical short-term thinking from Qantas", I doubt whether Qantas will do that because A333 cannot do HKG - LHR nor BNE - LAX sectors, otherwise Cathay Pacific will have deployed A333s on HKG - LHR service already. A332 may have enough range to do HKG - LHR, but there's big enough to provide sufficient number of seats to customers or else Qantas risk their passengers being transferred to its competitor Cathay Pacific.