QANTAS Fleet and Operations

[Peter C]

Originally Posted by Peter C

...

Begs the question as to what has happened to VH-ZNG which arrived in Perth with QF10 more or less on time on Wednesday morning.

Answering my own question, with VH-ZNG enroute to Melbourne as QF6006 (at normal altitude), seems to have been a crew time expired issue.

[Ben W]

Originally Posted by James Smith

Brad, it is an ongoing issue with the resumption of QANTAS A380 services being put back. QF11/12 was due to increase A380 frequencies from 3 to 6 pw from August, which has been put back to December, 2022. QF93/94 was due to be operated by A380s 3 pw from 2/12/22 and 6 pw from 25/3/23 which has now been shelved.

QANTAS has four A380s currently operating (OQB, OQD, OQH, OQK) - three for QF1/2 daily and one for QF11/12 two or three times per week. OQJ would have increased this to five to operate the increased A380 QF11/12 flights but after resuming flying in June has been in maintenance in SYD since 31/8/22. OQG has been in maintenance in AUH since 30/7/22 and it was presumed that when these two A380s resumed flying the increased A380 services from December would be achieved with the six aircraft. The next A380, possibly OQA, would have had maintenance and refurbishment in time to operate the increased QF93/94 services from late March, 2023.

But this schedule has now been put back for reasons unknown. Is the maintenance work required on the A380s taking longer than planned? Is there a tech crew shortage to fly them? Do forward bookings not justify the increase in seats deployed? This last question does not seem to be true with other airlines on North American services increasing flights - United, Delta and Air Canada, with American returning at the end on this month. Or some other reason or reasons.

It would be very interesting to hear from someone in the know as to what is delaying the return of previously planned A380 services.

I'd be interested as well James. I booked to fly to MEL in December and the only reason I booked with QF was because both flights were A380's. Both have now been changed to 787 unfortunately. Seems there is more $ to be made with less capacity on the 787's so they're in no hurry to bring more A380's back.....

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by Ben W

Seems there is more $ to be made with less capacity on the 787's so they're in no hurry to bring more A380's back.....

As posted earlier they cannot bring any back without undergoing urgent wing spar work which takes 50 days

[James Smith]

The A380s are required to undergo checks on their wing spars per an EASA airworthiness directive, which is what's happening to OQJ now. Others that are in service currently (not sure whether all four, but I would assume so given timings) will require this same check in turn after OQJ.

https://services.casa.gov.au/airwort...022-0174R1.pdf

Ben, I too was concerned that the return of the QANTAS A380s was being put back seemingly without reason, but seeing it is due to a CASA directive it has to be done. This urgent work has put the A380 return schedule back even further and is out of QANTAS' control. 50 days is nearly two months and will take upwards of one year and eight months to complete on the ten aircraft. Hopefully, the inspections and work can be performed at other locations to speed up its completion, hence my question about it being done in AUH and LAX.

Are you able to change your flight in December to fly on an A380 from LAX to SYD or vice versa and catch a domestic flight to MEL? There are A380 flights on this route on certain days of the week.

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by Rowan McKeever

The A380s are required to undergo checks on their wing spars per an EASA airworthiness directive, which is what's happening to OQJ now. Others that are in service currently (not sure whether all four, but I would assume so given timings) will require this same check in turn after OQJ.

https://services.casa.gov.au/airwort...022-0174R1.pdf

The issue initially only affected the first six aircraft and has been in place since 2019, with Qantas having done at least two aircraft back then.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michael...h=64ff96b25c27

[James Smith]

Thanks for that further information and link to the Forbes article, Mark,

[Ben W]

Thanks for the reply's James and Mark. Interesting stuff. Good to see OQJ back in service as QF11 this morning. James, I will look into a change through SYD- thanks for the suggestion.

[James Smith]

A380 OQK arrived in SYD as QF2 on 21/10/22 and has not flown since. I presume that she has entered maintenance to have her wing spar checks done, replacing OQJ, which returned to service on 23/10/22 as QF11.

[Mayer F]

Hi all,


VH-ZNM (MSN 66077) was ferried from VCV to BFI on 31oct22 as BOE281:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...900Z/KVCV/KBFI

P. S.- A picture arriving at BFI is available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thegre...s/52469135948/

[Peter C]

Originally Posted by Mayer F

Hi all,


VH-ZNM (MSN 66077) was ferried from VCV to BFI on 31oct22 as BOE281:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...900Z/KVCV/KBFI

P. S.- A picture arriving at BFI is available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thegre...s/52469135948/

VH-ZNM moved on to Everett Thursday morning PDT - arrival picture