Who’s bringing an Airbus A380 to DFW?
Apr 20, 2014, 6:20 am
#31
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agree - if there is any QF9/10 retime ( and who knows where this is up to??)) then they A380 should go on SYD to HGK route. QF has a monopoly on first class and would be crazy to give that up, then again, given recent announcements, not sure what their strategy is at the moment
Apr 20, 2014, 1:04 pm
#32
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Maybe if they could sell all 14 seats for a high price every single time, and pax using various oneworld products do not deliver higher revenue than QF only sector bookings, but will those 14 seats be enough for profitable deployment of such an expensive asset? I think only QF knows that for real.
Apr 20, 2014, 6:36 pm
#33
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Ignoring first on the A380 (given the cost, I find that very easy to do 
) , the other cabin which QF can promote/sell on the HKG/SYD route is Y+. Given that CX has PEY on the A330 (and QF does not) QF will lose sales if there are no aircraft with a comparable cabin.
If AA is not going to fly USA to Australia/NZ in the next couple of years, QF really do need to find the $$ for the high gross weight A380s for DFW-SYD. Maybe EK would help if they could have a code share on the route
Happy wandering
Fred
) , the other cabin which QF can promote/sell on the HKG/SYD route is Y+. Given that CX has PEY on the A330 (and QF does not) QF will lose sales if there are no aircraft with a comparable cabin.If AA is not going to fly USA to Australia/NZ in the next couple of years, QF really do need to find the $$ for the high gross weight A380s for DFW-SYD. Maybe EK would help if they could have a code share on the route
Happy wandering
Fred
Apr 21, 2014, 8:22 am
#34
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Posts: 1,689
Ignoring first on the A380 (given the cost, I find that very easy to do ) , the other cabin which QF can promote/sell on the HKG/SYD route is Y+. Given that CX has PEY on the A330 (and QF does not) QF will lose sales if there are no aircraft with a comparable cabin.
If AA is not going to fly USA to Australia/NZ in the next couple of years, QF really do need to find the $$ for the high gross weight A380s for DFW-SYD. Maybe EK would help if they could have a code share on the route
Happy wandering
Fred
) , the other cabin which QF can promote/sell on the HKG/SYD route is Y+. Given that CX has PEY on the A330 (and QF does not) QF will lose sales if there are no aircraft with a comparable cabin.If AA is not going to fly USA to Australia/NZ in the next couple of years, QF really do need to find the $$ for the high gross weight A380s for DFW-SYD. Maybe EK would help if they could have a code share on the route
Happy wandering
Fred
I wouldn't be surprised if they haven't even bothered costing a buy --> sale/leaseback of 2 new A380s to run daily on SYD-DFW-BNE, which might reveal that the route would be profitable and pay back the cost of acquiring the new plane. Not to mention that DFW being such a long flight, F is likely to have appeal.
Apr 21, 2014, 5:15 pm
#35
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QF management are obsessed with cutting costs and seem to show little interest in revenue growth. Witness the "OMG" reaction when they trialled PER-AKL last summer on a spare A330 and saw how popular and profitable it was.
I wouldn't be surprised if they haven't even bothered costing a buy --> sale/leaseback of 2 new A380s to run daily on SYD-DFW-BNE, which might reveal that the route would be profitable and pay back the cost of acquiring the new plane. Not to mention that DFW being such a long flight, F is likely to have appeal.
I wouldn't be surprised if they haven't even bothered costing a buy --> sale/leaseback of 2 new A380s to run daily on SYD-DFW-BNE, which might reveal that the route would be profitable and pay back the cost of acquiring the new plane. Not to mention that DFW being such a long flight, F is likely to have appeal.
I am sure QF would have run the numbers for deferring the next scheduled A380 deliveries.
Apr 22, 2014, 8:56 am
#36
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Sydney, NSW Australia
Posts: 895
The A345 never lived up to its claims - but if the price was right SYD-DFW-SYD would have been very achievable and those aeroplanes good for another 10 years.
(of course, 20/20 hindsight & not playing with one's own money is very helpful for me to propose such lunacy)
Apr 22, 2014, 3:35 pm
#39
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I'm sure the 345 can go almost anywhere, so long as you don't mind carrying feather weight loadings. I presume no airline wants an orphan aircraft (thinking back to the 747SP). For starters, the engines are different to the 330 so that's a whole maintenance area that needs to be established.
If TG and SQ didn't want the 345, perhaps QF made a sound business decision and thought the same way (ie avoid it).
Apr 22, 2014, 4:16 pm
#40
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IMO the A340-500 is the best looking aircraft flying, not many left flying now and with EK scrapping theirs even fewer. Of course how an aircraft looks has no bearing on how much money it makes....
IIRC there are airlines that allow mixed aircraft flight crews, eg IB with A330 and A340 crews the same so that can be managed. The issue is really engine maintenance but I do wonder if RR are happy to offer good terms to keep its maintenance teams viable.
What got the A340-500 was its relative weight and higher fuel burn against the 777-200LR and 777-300ER but only one of those types seems to have sold very well.....
IIRC there are airlines that allow mixed aircraft flight crews, eg IB with A330 and A340 crews the same so that can be managed. The issue is really engine maintenance but I do wonder if RR are happy to offer good terms to keep its maintenance teams viable.
What got the A340-500 was its relative weight and higher fuel burn against the 777-200LR and 777-300ER but only one of those types seems to have sold very well.....
Apr 22, 2014, 7:26 pm
#41
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Couple of relevant posts from jb747, a QF A380 pilot on the Ask The Pilot thread on another forum
I've never had anything to do with the "Qantas" Dallas operation. I'd expect it "the 747 operation" probably has no cargo capacity. 380 would probably also be limited, but any long haul operation always is. You can never have full passengers, and cargo, and fuel simultaneously. Pick any two.
The compromise is built in to every aircraft. The maximum zero fuel weight is the controlling factor for payload, and maximum take off weight the overall limit.
On an A380, max zero fuel is 360 tonnes. Max take off weight is 569 tonnes....so if you have maximum payload, the maximum fuel you could carry would be 209 tonnes. But the tanks will hold 250 tonnes. On various flights I've used each of those limits...
On an A380, max zero fuel is 360 tonnes. Max take off weight is 569 tonnes....so if you have maximum payload, the maximum fuel you could carry would be 209 tonnes. But the tanks will hold 250 tonnes. On various flights I've used each of those limits...
May 6, 2014, 10:38 pm
#42
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Add QF
Now it is QF^
qantasnewsroom.com.au
qantasnewsroom.com.au
Qantas customers to experience world-class A380 services to Dallas/Fort Worth
Qantas customers travelling on the popular Sydney-Dallas/Fort Worth route will soon be able to enjoy the world’s largest passenger aircraft on the world’s longest route, with an A380 replacing a B747 from September 2014.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the new A380 service was the result of several scheduling changes designed to unlock more flying time, as flagged in February this year under the Qantas Transformation Program.
“As part of our strategy to build a stronger Qantas, we’re reducing the amount of time our domestic and international fleet spend on the ground,” said Mr Joyce.
“Aircraft are one of our biggest fixed costs and maximising the amount of time they spend in the air is good news for our customers and for Qantas – especially when it comes to the A380.
“We have retimed A380 services between Melbourne and London to create a win-win for both our European and American networks.
“This schedule change unlocks more A380 flying time that we can use on the Dallas route, and now offers four times the number of onward connections to Europe because of the new arrival time of the Melbourne flight into Dubai,” added Mr Joyce.
Mr Joyce said constantly improving onward connections was key to delivering a better flying experience for customers.
“Dallas has become an important gateway for Qantas customers since we started flying there in 2011. It is the hub for our partner American Airlines and offers more than 30 destinations beyond the west coast of the United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico on their network.
“When you combine the A380 with the onward connections available from Dallas, this is a great example of the right aircraft on the right route,” he added.
The additional range of the A380 over the B747 it replaces on the Dallas route will see the return service operate direct to Sydney rather than via Brisbane. The larger aircraft also means Qantas will fly six return services per week between Sydney and Dallas (every day except Tuesdays) compared to seven days a week with the B747. This represents a net increase of seats on the route by more than 10 per cent per week.
Adjustments will be made to the mix of A380s and B747s flying on the Sydney to Hong Kong route in order to facilitate the upgrade to Dallas services.
Fleet and network adjustments are earmarked to save up to $600 million over three years for the Qantas Group from the overall $2 billion cost reduction target that is at the centre of the airline’s turnaround plans. Increased aircraft utilisation and accelerated retirement of older, un-reconfigured B747s form part of this.
Last month Qantas announced a seasonal Perth-Auckland service that uses an A330 aircraft that previously spent weekends on the ground in Perth, when regular business travel demand is much lower. In December last year Qantas increased its Brisbane-Los Angeles schedule to daily.
This month marks the 60th anniversary of Qantas services to the US. In 1954, Qantas operated a Super Constellation from Sydney to San Francisco – its first trans-Pacific route to North America.
Qantas has worked closely with its tourism partners, Destination NSW and Sydney International Airport to secure its new A380 Dallas/Fort Worth service, and previously Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane Airport Corporation to secure its daily Los Angeles service.
Qantas customers travelling on the popular Sydney-Dallas/Fort Worth route will soon be able to enjoy the world’s largest passenger aircraft on the world’s longest route, with an A380 replacing a B747 from September 2014.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the new A380 service was the result of several scheduling changes designed to unlock more flying time, as flagged in February this year under the Qantas Transformation Program.
“As part of our strategy to build a stronger Qantas, we’re reducing the amount of time our domestic and international fleet spend on the ground,” said Mr Joyce.
“Aircraft are one of our biggest fixed costs and maximising the amount of time they spend in the air is good news for our customers and for Qantas – especially when it comes to the A380.
“We have retimed A380 services between Melbourne and London to create a win-win for both our European and American networks.
“This schedule change unlocks more A380 flying time that we can use on the Dallas route, and now offers four times the number of onward connections to Europe because of the new arrival time of the Melbourne flight into Dubai,” added Mr Joyce.
Mr Joyce said constantly improving onward connections was key to delivering a better flying experience for customers.
“Dallas has become an important gateway for Qantas customers since we started flying there in 2011. It is the hub for our partner American Airlines and offers more than 30 destinations beyond the west coast of the United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico on their network.
“When you combine the A380 with the onward connections available from Dallas, this is a great example of the right aircraft on the right route,” he added.
The additional range of the A380 over the B747 it replaces on the Dallas route will see the return service operate direct to Sydney rather than via Brisbane. The larger aircraft also means Qantas will fly six return services per week between Sydney and Dallas (every day except Tuesdays) compared to seven days a week with the B747. This represents a net increase of seats on the route by more than 10 per cent per week.
Adjustments will be made to the mix of A380s and B747s flying on the Sydney to Hong Kong route in order to facilitate the upgrade to Dallas services.
Fleet and network adjustments are earmarked to save up to $600 million over three years for the Qantas Group from the overall $2 billion cost reduction target that is at the centre of the airline’s turnaround plans. Increased aircraft utilisation and accelerated retirement of older, un-reconfigured B747s form part of this.
Last month Qantas announced a seasonal Perth-Auckland service that uses an A330 aircraft that previously spent weekends on the ground in Perth, when regular business travel demand is much lower. In December last year Qantas increased its Brisbane-Los Angeles schedule to daily.
This month marks the 60th anniversary of Qantas services to the US. In 1954, Qantas operated a Super Constellation from Sydney to San Francisco – its first trans-Pacific route to North America.
Qantas has worked closely with its tourism partners, Destination NSW and Sydney International Airport to secure its new A380 Dallas/Fort Worth service, and previously Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane Airport Corporation to secure its daily Los Angeles service.
May 7, 2014, 7:50 am
#44
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: American AAdvantage
Posts: 1,045
I'd be curious to see if only one A380 will be parked at Terminal D at a time.
Per DFW's twitter account...
Does this mean there will be more A380s available in case of mechanical issues? On my last SYD-LAX flight, they had to swipe out an A380 for a B747.
Per DFW's twitter account...
Qantas Airways will upgrade #DFW service with the A380 beginning Sept. 29, 2014. The route will operate direct to Sydney six times weekly.
Last edited by Sant; May 7, 2014 at 7:58 am