aster

Of course barring any engine mishaps or out of the ordinary stuff, is it likely that QF will continue to have both flights to LHR with the A380 come June or is there a chance they will revert on of those flights back to a 747?

If there is a decent probability of one of the A380s being pulled off this route, which flight is the one most likely to change: 23:05 or 23:59 (SIN-LHR times)?

bugayev

QF9 would be more likely to be a 747. QF32 will be the one to be having the highest chance of daily A380 operations.

Himeno

Once they have 6 A380s in service, they can operate both AU-SIN-LHR routes with daily A380. Assuming they don't restart the LAX routes.

vbroucek

And the word is they want to restart the LAX route...

og

So, if 3 x A380s make it a daily QF 11/12 and another one or two do the MEL-LAX route, that suggests LHR is going to see a lot more 744s. Which comes right back to the OPs question....

vbroucek

Can't find it, but I think I read somewhere that they want to get back only QF11/12 in the first instance...

Himeno

They only need 2 aircraft to make each pacific route daily.

QF has 7 388s. One stuck in SIN, one in SYD getting new engines and due to head to FRA for a C check. The other 5 are operating MEL/SYD-SIN-LHR.
There are 2 more due to arrive this month. The 10th (VH-OQJ) is due in March and OQK and OQL are due in August or September.

By June, there should be at least 8 aircraft in operation with up to 10 depending on the state of repairs to VH-OQA and the C check cycle.

The current schedule is showing:
QF11 as A380 3 times a week between Jan 18 and 30, then 6 times a week (x wed).
QF12 as A380 3 times a week between Jan 18 and 30, then daily.
QF93 is showing once a week from Feb (Wednesdays) (but not on QF94).
This could be done with 2 aircraft. Maybe the two that are due to arrive this month?
Of course, CASA still has to approve restarting A380 Pacific operations.

eoinnz

I would say the return to LA is pretty certain from the 17th. I have LAX on my roster.

aster

Does that mean they will have to pull one of the A380s from the LHR route? I'm still seeing two A380 flights in June so I'd hope they are not taking bookings if they already know one of the flights will be a 747...

eoinnz

I would say 99% no. There will be enough A380's in the QF fleet to operate to London and LA daily from Sydney. Of course there could be a million other reasons why you could get a 747.

No airline is not going to take bookings just because of an aircraft sub. The airline has to get you from A to B. Qantas, if not all airlines, never make any guarantee that you'll get any particular aircraft.

Enigma

I fly QF9 this Sunday from Melbourne and it's saying 747-400 if that helps anyone.

jb747

That's two aircraft PER route.

Himeno

... that's what I said.