Qantas Frequent Flyer - Qantas 747 at MAN, UK

I saw a Qantas 747 at MAN, UK yesterday (16th). Assume it was a special for the Australian Olympics team?

No, the Qantas Source (http://www.theqantassource.com/) reports:-15th July 2012 - VH-OJS European Charter.

Boeing 747-438 VH-OJS operated a religious group charter flight as QF6051 this afternoon routing Sydney - Singapore - Manchester.

The charter will continue as follows:

21st July - Manchester - Cardiff-Wales - Lyon.

23rd July - Lyon - Manchester.

30th July - Manchester - Singapore - Sydney.

Manchester, Cardiff, Lyon - religious group:confused::confused:

Ah well - maybe Globaliser knows what it's all about - he is a (flyertalk) evangelist after all;)

Certainly would have needed devine intervention if the routing was Bristol instead of Cardiff!

That would certainly have made the locals look up and notice.:eek:

Ah well - maybe Globaliser knows what it's all about - he is a (flyertalk) evangelist after all;)Would that I had the power to charter 747s to fly around the world!

A little bit of digging suggests that it's for a group called The Exclusive Brethren (http://peebs.net/forums/news-room/five-qantas-747-charters-ferry-the-exclusive-brethren-around-europe-during-july).

I aways wondered what the BD route planning team would do following the merger. Looks like they have found their niche - that's a very odd itinerary!

Would that I had the power to charter 747s to fly around the world!

A little bit of digging suggests that it's for a group called The Exclusive Brethren (http://peebs.net/forums/news-room/five-qantas-747-charters-ferry-the-exclusive-brethren-around-europe-during-july). That lot are seriously weird.

Back on topic, it isn't the first QF 747 at MAN, the QF1 used to fly SYD-BKK-LHR-MAN a few years back.

Dave

That lot are seriously weird.

..compared to people who discuss airline FF programs over the internet? :)

..compared to people who discuss airline FF programs over the internet? :)

Yep, the Brethren are SERIOUSLY weird, we are truely normal compared to that lot. We have a lot of them up here, and they have a temple in North Katoomba (they say it is in Leura, but that is just to boost property values, anything in Leura is worth more than anything in Katoomba).

The Brethren (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Brethren)

Dave

Yep, the Brethren are SERIOUSLY weird, we are truely normal compared to that lot. We have a lot of them up here, and they have a temple in North Katoomba (they say it is in Leura, but that is just to boost property values, anything in Leura is worth more than anything in Katoomba).

much like Roselle people prefer to say they live in Balmain.

In any case, I'm surprised that the QF 744 isn't visiting provincial Canada - where I sit at the moment there could be quite a meeting of like minds (avoiding specific mention of towns).

The Exclusive Brethren are VVIP to QF. It seems to be a yearly charter.

Was flying SYD-LHR in J and a mate was crewing F. He gave me a tour of the A380, and informed me that the ENTIRE F cabin was the Brethren. Their business is so important that all of the crew are informed of who is on board, what their religious practices are (as they relate to the board experience) and so on. This religion (read cult) wield enormous influence, even on our Prime Ministers.

Imagine flying all that way, forbidden to use the IFE? I did chuckle watching them try to find the F Lounge at SIN.

I found this on wikipedia There are often global family connections due to the emphasis among members to marry within the Exclusive Brethren, and family connections often influences which side of the issue members will take.

So perhaps they are marrying their young?

[mod hat]
While this might be a fascinating topic it really doesn't add much to our knowledge of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.
So if you want to discuss religious groups, do this in OMNI. I will leave the thread open for the time being but please stay close to the topic. And this is not the place to voice who you think is weird or not, so don't go any further in this direction.
[/mod hat]

It didnt makes sense for a special charter to take the athletes to the games. So many of them went to different locations for training camps - the swimming team were spread out over about 4 countries before going to Manchester. A lot of atheletes are arrivng from different parts of the world. The homecoming is obviously a special event to celebrate, so that is the reason for the charter.

...Back on topic, it isn't the first QF 747 at MAN, the QF1 used to fly SYD-BKK-LHR-MAN a few years back....Except that there was an equipment change at LHR and LHR-MAN was operated by a Bae146; still 4 engines but a bit smaller than 747 :)

QF did this to preserve the LHR slots that they purchased at LHR (used for the HKG-LHR service -- rather ironically now dropped), and average load for MAN-LHR sector was smaller than than the crew size. I actually took that flight once :)

Except that there was an equipment change at LHR and LHR-MAN was operated by a Bae146; still 4 engines but a bit smaller than 747 :) I was going back before that. The 747 actually went all the way to MAN back in the 90's, I caught it once or twice.

Dave

Unless my memory is playing tricks, at some stage QF had a flight that went into Manchester without first going through LHR. I recall a radio ad which had two northerners talking. One said, "Ah, I miss London", to which the second one replied, "Aye, that's the best part".

I think it was during the '80s (but it may have been the '90s), and I have no knowledge of the routing it took.

Edited to add: Maybe it was actually the the flight that thadocta was referring to, and that it didn't literally "miss London", but gave passengers the option not to stop in London.

c.1993 there was a poster on the airport drive "Qantas and Manchester - United"

Unless my memory is playing tricks, at some stage QF had a flight that went into Manchester without first going through LHR. I recall a radio ad which had two northerners talking. One said, "Ah, I miss London", to which the second one replied, "Aye, that's the best part".

I think it was during the '80s (but it may have been the '90s), and I have no knowledge of the routing it took.

Edited to add: Maybe it was actually the the flight that thadocta was referring to, and that it didn't literally "miss London", but gave passengers the option not to stop in London.

As an ex-employee I am positive that you are correct and that QF did for some time offer B747 service directly into Manchester without routing via LHR.

IIRC it was originally an extension from one of the other European ports (AMS?) ~ starting about 1984 and continuing for about 10 years ~ although I think at some stage it also went via FRA and eventually became an extension from LHR.

EQ used was initially B742s, then B743s / finally B744s?

I believe it was dropped after the BA/QF alliance developed and then became the tag flight operated by BA metal as mentioned above.

This was at a time when QF really did have a (small) network of euro ports... although they were mostly unprofitable routes, as James Strong discovered on his arrival as CEO...

I have a copy of a World Airline Directory from 1996 that says Qantas stopped the LHR-MAN tag in March 1995. It was still serving Frankfurt, London and Rome at that point.