Qantas Frequent Flyer - Which configuration will I be on?? PER-SYD

Hi Everyone,

I'm flying Sydney to Perth and back this week for work, and my return flight - QF566 (29/10) is scheduled to be operated by an A330-200. What I am wondering is whether or not this will be a domestic or International configuration? I'm considering using miles to upgrade the return, but if I know it's an international config, no consideration necessary, it's a done deal.

As far as I can make out from the QF website, there are only 2 X Domestic config A332's (VH-EBJ and VH-EBK). While there are 4 X International configured A332's.

Given that there are multiple daily transcon A332 flights between SYD/MEL-PER, can the 2 x domestic aircraft cover them? I doubt it. So what's the chances of my flight being on a international configuration?

Any information most welcome.

Cheers
Ozvirginuk

Cant confirm but in my experience the international config aircraft are more often on the aftrernoon flights ex PER and the domestic config on the red eyes - obviously to fit in with the Qantas international schedules ex East Coast.

Thanks Workflyer

So do you think it's worthwhile to spend 16K miles for an upgrade??

Thanks Workflyer

So do you think it's worthwhile to spend 16K miles for an upgrade??

It depends on what value you put on miles - but I wouldn't hesitate to go for the upgrade - domestic or international configuration.

Somewhere there's a thread about this question, I seem to remember a post that the int'l config A330 did QF566 on alternate days.

However, I wouldn't go for the upgrade - SYD-PER, yes, 5 hours+ and the risk of being kept hanging around on the tarmac. But PER-SYD's a much shorter flight, not much more than 3 hours; on QF566 they can't play that trick of loading the pax on-time but leaving late (they'd miss the SYD curfew); and the A330 is quite comfortable in Y, the window seats have some extra space at the side. Save your points!

Another consideration is that upgrades are keenly contested on this route, it's stressful to sweat on an upgrade then miss it.

As a QF employee I would always encourage the use of miles ;)

But as someone said its not a bad flight down the back on the A330 (even better if it is international config with AVOD). Can you have a few drinks up the front in a couple of hours to make your dinner worth it?

As a QF employee I would always encourage the use of miles ;)

Of course... anything to reduce the liabilities on the balance sheet hey.. :-)

But as someone said its not a bad flight down the back on the A330 (even better if it is international config with AVOD). Can you have a few drinks up the front in a couple of hours to make your dinner worth it?

I'm being picked up at Sydney, so I can have as many drinks as I like.. and that alone (and of course a nice dinner) and the prospect at even a little shut eye after a very busy day and a half in Perth I think might just justify the miles.

So I just went onto the QF website to request my upgrade for the return sector and was greeted with the message -

"Domestic Upgrade Seat Not Available" - NO upgrade seat is available at this time, please try again later.


I thought the whole purpose of requesting the upgrade online was that you were then added to a waitlist until 24 hours before departure when they started to confirm them

Have I got this wrong? I mean I know I'm only Gold, but I did think there might be some possibility of a seat up front.....

Thoughts??

I thought the whole purpose of requesting the upgrade online was that you were then added to a waitlist until 24 hours before departure when they started to confirm them

Have I got this wrong? I mean I know I'm only Gold, but I did think there might be some possibility of a seat up front.....

Thoughts?? That is how it is done for international upgrades, domestic upgrades are confirmed immediately, and there needs to be availability in U class (award business class inventory) for it to go through.

Dave

That is how it is done for international upgrades, domestic upgrades are confirmed immediately, and there needs to be availability in U class (award business class inventory) for it to go through.

Dave

Correct. And while the plane has plenty of J and D there is no availability in U. If the OP would be a CL or Platinum then QF might make a seat available.

However, I wouldn't go for the upgrade - SYD-PER, yes, 5 hours+ and the risk of being kept hanging around on the tarmac. But PER-SYD's a much shorter flight, not much more than 3 hours ...Why is this so? I know that prevailing winds make a difference (eg LON-NYC is about an hour longer than NYC-LON), but SYD-PER is a much shorter distance.

I notice that the QF timetable has the schedules pretty consistently as 4:55 for SYD-PER and 4:10 for PER-SYD, which looks less unusual. But if this translates in real life into >5h for SYD-PER and just over 3h for PER-SYD, then something seems wrong.

Correct. And while the plane has plenty of J and D there is no availability in U. If the OP would be a CL or Platinum then QF might make a seat available.

So the best option remaining for the OP might be to request an On Departure Upgrade in the QP on the day of travel, if there is a seat free. (I see they are SG, so can visit the Club!)

QF 566/577 nearly always operated by international config A330.

So the best option remaining for the OP might be to request an On Departure Upgrade in the QP on the day of travel, if there is a seat free. (I see they are SG, so can visit the Club!)

Best option equals only option for the OP I guess.

Wirelessly posted (Nokia2760/2.0 (05.20) Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

Correct. And while the plane has plenty of J and D there is no availability in U. If the OP would be a CL or Platinum then QF might make a seat available.

So the best option remaining for the OP might be to request an On Departure Upgrade in the QP on the day of travel, if there is a seat free. (I see they are SG, so can visit the Club!)

That's what I'd be doing, an ODU (whilst checking for U class to open up).

Why is this so? I know that prevailing winds make a difference (eg LON-NYC is about an hour longer than NYC-LON), but SYD-PER is a much shorter distance.


Tendency to remember extreme examples I suppose. The strength of the winds varies during the year, and sometime PER-SYD is faster than other times. I have done it in around three hours on a 747, but by the same token have had plenty of flights that have taken over four hours.

Looking at a couple of fights on flight stats for yesterday it seems they were taking over four hours to do PER-SYD yesterday.

Why is this so? I know that prevailing winds make a difference (eg LON-NYC is about an hour longer than NYC-LON), but SYD-PER is a much shorter distance.

I notice that the QF timetable has the schedules pretty consistently as 4:55 for SYD-PER and 4:10 for PER-SYD, which looks less unusual. But if this translates in real life into >5h for SYD-PER and just over 3h for PER-SYD, then something seems wrong.

I have a mate who flies with Virgin and recently on PER-MEL he said he was crossing the ground as fast as he ever had so much so the FO wanted and took a picture of the ground speed indicator. Now known as "super tailwind day".

I have a mate who flies with Virgin and recently on PER-MEL he said he was crossing the ground as fast as he ever had so much so the FO wanted and took a picture of the airspeed. Now known as "super tailwind day".
I hope he was taking a picture of the groundspeed - rather than the airspeed !

Why is this so? I know that prevailing winds make a difference (eg LON-NYC is about an hour longer than NYC-LON), but SYD-PER is a much shorter distance.

I notice that the QF timetable has the schedules pretty consistently as 4:55 for SYD-PER and 4:10 for PER-SYD, which looks less unusual. But if this translates in real life into >5h for SYD-PER and just over 3h for PER-SYD, then something seems wrong.

There are bands of strong winds around the globe in mid-latitudes called a jetstream and these blow from west to east (generally, they have kinks north and south too). There is one in the southern hemisphere at around this latitude (varies seasonally). So going into the headwind headed to PER and with a good tailwind from PER.

The southern hemisphere jetstream is both stronger and has less latitudinal variation than the northern hemisphere jetstream. This is due to continental geography.

If QF566 is regularly operated by an internationally configured A332 it would explain why it wouldn't let me preselect a seat.

But if this translates in real life into >5h for SYD-PER and just over 3h for PER-SYD, then something seems wrong.

This winter just gone the winds were especially strong, I and my colleagues experienced the times above on quite a few flights. I did a PER-MEL in under 3 hours.

If QF566 is regularly operated by an internationally configured A332 it would explain why it wouldn't let me preselect a seat. Umm, no, you cannot preselect a seat at all domestically until you check in - the config of the aircraft has nothing to do with it.

Dave

There are bands of strong winds around the globe in mid-latitudes called a jetstream and these blow from west to east (generally, they have kinks north and south too). There is one in the southern hemisphere at around this latitude (varies seasonally). So going into the headwind headed to PER and with a good tailwind from PER.

The southern hemisphere jetstream is both stronger and has less latitudinal variation than the northern hemisphere jetstream. This is due to continental geography.But surely not to the extent of causing a 2 hour difference on a sector as short as between Perth and Sydney?

I think perthite's suggestion about harryhv's numbers has the ring of truth. And looking up all of the gate-to-gate times for yesterday's scheduled flights (directly comparable to scheduled times), it looks like the jetstream can fail to deliver:-

SYD-PER (scheduled 4:55)
575 0810 0940 4:30
581 1012 1143 4:31
577 1453 1617 4:24
579 1419 1550 4:31
571 1828 1951 4:23
583 1943 2114 4:31
988 2241 0007 4:26

PER-SYD (scheduled 4:10)
574 0638 1429 4:51
642 0927 1700 4:33
580 1110 1840 4:30
582 1329 2054 4:25
566 1519 2239 4:20
989 0055 0851 4:56
568 2303 0622 4:19

So I can see how SYD-PER could easily be > 5h, but I have much more difficulty with PER-SYD being "not much more than 3 hours" without some truly exceptional conditions. Even a 3:15 flying time would be an average ground speed of over 1000 kph.

I recently flew QF 581/582 on 3rd/17th October and both ways it was international config which was a nice surprise as I had booked business class using miles.

Looking at a couple of fights on flight stats for yesterday it seems they were taking over four hours to do PER-SYD yesterday.Agreed, there's always a risk of flights taking longer - also there's risk of congestion at SYD in busy times like Sun nights.

But the great advantage of QF566 is the SYD deadline, it must land before 11pm, so there's some urgency to get it away on time and fly the fastest route...

...Unlike flights to PER from the east coast, which seem to get the lowest priority and are routinely delayed. There's a suspicion that airport staff are keen to board the pax and get away, even if there's known to be a delay. Sitting on the tarmac for an extra hour, that's when you appreciate being in J !

Thanks everyone for your comments.

I'm going to be cutting it fine at the airport as I have a meeting before hand, but I'm defo going to try for an On Departure Upgrade... There's actually no revenue seats for sale at the moment, so I think my chances are slim at best..

Wish me luck.

If I can just slightly hi-jack this thread as a QF newbie

Looking to do PER-SYD on 03JAN ... Will be in paid business ... I was going to go for the QF580 at 11.10am (Operated by a 332) ... but could choose the QF642 (9.05am) or QF582 (1.30pm)

Which flight is most likely Int'l config ?

If I can just slightly hi-jack this thread as a QF newbie

Looking to do PER-SYD on 03JAN ... Will be in paid business ... I was going to go for the QF580 at 11.10am (Operated by a 332) ... but could choose the QF642 (9.05am) or QF582 (1.30pm)

Which flight is most likely Int'l config ?

Your best chance to get an international configured A332 will actully be QF566 (the 15:15 departure).

QF580 is usually operated by a domestic configured A332 while QF642 and QF582 are both currently scheduled to be operated by an B763.

Your best chance to get an international configured A332 will actully be QF566 (the 15:15 departure).

QF580 is usually operated by a domestic configured A332 while QF642 and QF582 are both currently scheduled to be operated by an B763.

Thanks guys ... All 763s will be domestic config ?

Thanks guys ... All 763s will be domestic config ?Not necessarily, however you would not know until OLCI 24 hours before the flight.

Domestic configured 763's have 2x2x2 seating (with "Millenium" seats), while international are 1x2x2 (with the better "Dreamtime" seat).

Hi Everyone,

I'm flying Sydney to Perth and back this week for work, and my return flight - QF566 (29/10) is scheduled to be operated by an A330-200. What I am wondering is whether or not this will be a domestic or International configuration? I'm considering using miles to upgrade the return, but if I know it's an international config, no consideration necessary, it's a done deal. ...FWIW, QF566 tomorrow is scheduled to be an internationally configured 332. (Same aircraft as operating QF577)

Here's a seat map: http://www.qantas.com.au/infodetail/flying/inTheAir/ourAircraft/332-36J199Y.pdf

Of course this is subject to change.

FWIW, QF566 tomorrow is scheduled to be an internationally configured 332. (Same aircraft as operating QF577)

Here's a seat map: http://www.qantas.com.au/infodetail/flying/inTheAir/ourAircraft/332-36J199Y.pdf

Of course this is subject to change.

Thanks Serfty. Fingers crossed for that ODU in the QP.

Oz

You flight is showing J9 D1, so there are still some seats free. (Still showing int config.)

You flight is showing J9 D1, so there are still some seats free. (Still showing int config.)

Thanks again. I just made bag drop in the nick of time. Asked the check in girl if there was seats and she said "no flight is full". I thought, Hmmmm I'll ask at QP quickly anyway.

Enquired at QP counter, the guy who served me said should be okay. I asked whether it was international config still and he said "no it isn't... do you still want to UPGD". Of course I said "sure".

Got my new boarding pass, and headed for the gate to find 2J. Imagine my delight to be greeted by an International J cabin....

Thank god the check in girl and QP guy were wrong.

I am glad it all worked out. I am surprised of the answers though. Perhaps it's generic.

Did the guy even check?

Enquired at QP counter, the guy who served me said should be okay. I asked whether it was international config still and he said "no it isn't...

This doesnt surprise me. To some ground staff international config is a 333... :rolleyes:

If I can just slightly hi-jack this thread as a QF newbie

Looking to do PER-SYD on 03JAN ... Will be in paid business ... I was going to go for the QF580 at 11.10am (Operated by a 332) ... but could choose the QF642 (9.05am) or QF582 (1.30pm)

Which flight is most likely Int'l config ?

I think answering this question is complcated by talk that EBK is heading to JQ in December. Does anyone know what config the two new A330's will be in, and which airline they will be flying with?

I think answering this question is complcated by talk that EBK is heading to JQ in December. Does anyone know what config the two new A330's will be in, and which airline they will be flying with?

Will be delivered to QF, in domestic configuration I believe.