ASUDan130

When would this possibly happen if it did? November as noted previously? I have a F flight in March to JFK and was expecting the new F suite.

Jimgotkp

Correct. As of right now, you should be fine.

DownUnderFlyer

[mod hat] Also here a friendly reminder to be just that: friendly. No need to show a poster how much you don't like what he is writing. [/mod hat]

Kacee

The switch from "777-300" to "777-200" on the OZ website occurs in late October (I didn't pin down the exact day, perhaps someone with extra time on their hands can do that).

Always Flyin

The designation change from 77W to 772 occurs on 26 Oct 14.

Note that both the 77W and 772 thereafter show F being sold.

The seating chart for the 77W shows the lay-flat seats in C. The 772 shows 4 rows of C in a 2-3-2 configuration (rows 5, 6, 7 and 8), so this configuration: http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Asi...7-200_ER_D.php

I suspect this is just a place-holder configuration as I don't really see OZ using that aircraft on that route unless it is just temporary while the 77W has a C or D maintenance check. Can only check out to 25 Nov and it shows the 772 on that route through then.

Note that ORD shows the same configuration aircraft sold in a two-class configuration, which is what is being used on that route now.

KosherKimchee

Pure conjecture but I suspect the Suites equipped 777s will be moved into rotation on projected A380 routes so OZ can sell and guarantee suites on routes where it doesn't yet have enough A380s (in Q3 2014) to cover all fleet rotations.

nme7

Really? The 777-200ER that has OZ First Suite has a total of 246 seats. The lowest density A380 (Korean Air) flying has just over 400 seats. That is a huge difference in capacity. It can be seen as seat loss if the newest 777 is subbed in to support an A380. It would make more sense to keep their old 747-400s flying if they want to keep up the number of seats available.

Always Flyin

paullevi's thoughts actually make some sense. As I recall, it takes three aircraft to operate daily service on flight stages the length of ICN-LAX (where OZ says it will first deploy the A380). I doubt OZ is going to have 3-A380s to deploy on the route from the outset. So the A380 will not be daily service. On the flights where the A380 is not operating, they will deploy the present JFK 777 with suites and lay-flat business. In that way, every flight will have suites and lay-flat business, just some days will have greater capacity when the A380 is operating. OZ will know that in advance so bookings will be based on the size of the aircraft operating that day.

Since OZ is taking delivery of its first A380 in the 2nd quarter of 2014, it does make me wonder what they will do with it from then until the end of October. That is a long period of time for training crews and introducing the aircraft into long-haul service. Perhaps it will take that long to have two A380s in service? Does anyone know when the second and third airframes are scheduled for delivery?

Time will tell.

nme7

You sure about this? They have only 2 747-400s (not including cargo and combi) and yet they are able to have daily flights ICN/LAX using just the two 747s.

Always Flyin

Not sure at all and I was too lazy to make the calculations. But since you raised the issue, let's see, for example:

02 Jan (Day 1):

Aircraft 1 departs ICN at 16:30 on day 1 and arrives 10:40 minutes later into LAX at 10:10 (03:10 ICN time, day 2).

Aircraft 1 departs departs LAX at 11:50 on day 1 (04:40 ICN time, day 2) and arrives into ICN at 18:10 on day 2.

Except for maintenance, the aircraft is then free until 16:30 the next day so can be used for a NRT turn in the interim.

03 Jan (Day 2):

Aircraft 2 departs ICN at 16:30 on day 2 and arrives 10:40 minutes later into LAX at 10:10 (03:10 ICN time, day 3).

Aircraft 2 departs departs LAX at 11:50 on day 2 (04:40 ICN time, day 3) and arrives into ICN at 18:10 on day 3.

04 Jan (Day 3):

Aircraft 1 arrived the previous evening on day 2 and is available for the flight to LAX on day 3.


So, yes, two aircraft can service the route. I believe it takes three to service the U.S. and Australia, but apparently because the flight stages are longer in length.

So when does OZ take delivery of its second A380?

ORDnHKG

The US-Australia like LAX/SFO-SYD is even shorter than ORD-HKG, and ORD-HKG had been using 2 to service from day 1, not 3, same with EWR-HKG.

Always Flyin

Thanks. Learn something new most days.

So, when does OZ get its second A380?

Jimgotkp

Pretty quickly after they receive the first one. The first A380 is currently getting outfitted in Hamburg while the second one is at the final assembly line in Toulouse.

They should then expect their other two A380s in 2015. Not sure which quarter of 2015.

sol95

I think I read somewhere that OZ considers their ICN-JFK route as their flagship route. Is that right?

The reason I bring that up is to purely speculate...

Once OZ gets their 2nd A380 (possibly around October), are they planning to service the ICN-JFK route with the new A380s?

I'm not sure if they have the demand for that, as I've flown that route about 6 return flights, and the flight was full in only 1 of them.

But OZ may then move the current F suites 777 back to ICN-ORD and shift the old 3-class 777 to ICN-LAX.

Again, pure speculation and I guess time will tell

Jimgotkp

I don't think JFK is their flagship route. LAX would be their flagship route.

They need at least 2 A380s to properly service one city, so they won't use the 2nd A380 on the ICN-JFK route. Once OZ receives their 3rd and 4th A380, they might use it on the JFK route, but who knows..

I think your original guess of them putting the 777 with the Suites product on the LAX route with the A380 makes sense. They switch between a 747 and a 777 (with QS) on the LAX route for one of the flights.