Originally Posted by
nonce
The 75% load factor is basically a full 744 is it not? Late Dec all the business travel is done so I dare say the plane was full down the back with any spare seats up front. That seems pretty typical for the route for this time of year. Isn't the A380 20% (?) more fuel efficient than the 744 based on like for like PAX numbers? If so then the plane is still making more money than a 744 on the same route. Finally the A380 may have been full of freight which I understand gets backed up at LAX at this time of year normally.
Perhaps QF deliberately sold only 744 worth of seats, in case the A380 did not operate (I think this was the first LAX-SYD regular rotation operation). The A380 is weight limited (cannot fill the 3rd deck completely except with bubble wrap), so pretty easy to add extra freight on board I suppose. Christmas presents (hopefully not perishable).