goback

I'm going to miss that daytime flight HKG -LHR on QF29. I hope, but doubt, that BA's third flight will effectively take over QF29's departure time.

Blackcloud

I agree it was decent from a connection in Europe and my wife and I loved the flight.
FWIW. I think people are too fixated on the QF as an airline thing. AJ is head of a Group, and what he is announcing to shareholders is that the Group is expanding its investment and revenue base due to international restrictions, so JV with the Group using its expertise eg. LCC start ups sharing the risk with local partners that will allow access to markets that QF as an airline cannot have.
Regarding flights stopping in Asia, how many European airlines have pulled out of Australia terminating flights in Asia with codeshares on QF or Asian based partners to finish the link? It is not new.
As a Group they are growing, I am just fed up over the erosion of benefits as a QFFer. If I cannot get Status Credits, opportunity to use points for an upgrade or cheaper redemptions, then the "gateway" strategy has no interest for me. The thing so far is that QF as an international airline survives, its is just reduced and Asian Pacific focused.

SNA_Flyer

Bingo.

jjn2527

when are the details of platinum one being released

CX_First

Does this mean that the last 2 A380s that they intend to accept in the medium term will be the No First Class variety? Because Qantas last year clearly stated that after the first 12 A380s that are fitted with the First Class suites, the remaining A380s will not be equipped with the Suites.

kiwiandrew

I wonder whether that will change, it seems odd to run a sub fleet of two aircraft for several years

2old4coach

I guess I have finally lost it. I cannot find the logic in this move.

In all honesty QF service has been a bit lacking in F in the last 2 years.

But I cannot understand:
A premium airline with A320's competing with EK widebody flying palaces??
Compete with SQ in the city state?
Give up A380's to LHR?
Continue to cut 744 first class?

I guess QF is tossing in the towel trying to compete with EY, QF, SQ to OZ.

I cannot wait to fly in an A320 That can rival the first class luxury of a 777, 744 or an A380.

I trust there is some magic key stroke that Joyce sees and I am too old, dense, redundant or obsolete to understand.

And I agree: what a difference an exchange rate made! The strong currency may be good for some but it is moving the work away from OZ just like the USA. ( I hope they can find some experienced pilots in Asia)

Apologies for my non constructive remarks. Flame away.

number_6

Perhaps QF will fit them with F and run an extra daily LHR A380 service via SIN or KUL (wherever their premium-LCC will be).

justin_krusty

One of the regulars from Gruen Transfer was just interviewed on ABC24 and totally slated the current QF attempt at PR-ing & advertising these changes. It was quite interesting. In brief:
- having teasers in the papers but nothing solid/detailed to announce worked against them as it just drew attention to the negative news
- telling the truth works better than obfuscation (proclaiming "spirit of Australia" while going offshore, this is a confusing message for the public)
- work with the strengths of your brand, don't use it as a fallback.

Everything he said made a lot of sense, and highlighted a lot of poor QF marketing in recent times.

Senator Sterle has also interviewed well wrt the annoucements.

number_6

The A320s are for regional flights, up to about 4 hours duration, and split between JQ, JQ-Japan JV, and premium-LCC JV presumably based in SIN or slim chance of KUL. So these aren't serving Australia for the most part -- the new QF wants to fly anywhere but in Oz

If SIN based, it competes with SQ and SQ-lite (both using widebodies for regional flights) and mostly point-to-point traffic within Asia, though presumably trying to feed the QF/BA flights SIN-LHR and to Australia on QF to a lesser extent.

Quaint notion that QF exexutives decide they cannot fix the old, established part of the airline (routes and infrastructure) but can add value to starting new airlines in other parts of the world, after doing so well with past QF investments (in Vietnam and Fiji for example; are those 2 QF executives still in jail in Veitnam, I've lost track?). So now QF wants to do better than SQ in SIN and Air Asia at KUL, not to mention NH in Japan (despite being 6 months behind).

Seems like a strange growth strategy for an airline. As a bargaining position it makes much more sense

jcjchung

I agree starting a new premium airline with A320 in SIN or KUL doesn't make any sense. They have to battle SQ/ Silk/ Air Asia/ Tiger and Jetstar. Save the money and start a premium in HK. CX extorts on J & F. If not, start Jetstar HK.

I guess the strategy is like BA in South Africa which is hideous. Being OW preferred, you cant fly anywhere intra-africa on BA without overnighting in JNB. The schedules are so bad that QF flight doesn't even feed into into BA flights if you need to transfer to outside SA.

Traveloguy

Any word on whether the A330s will get Skybed Mk II?

QantasBelgrade

Whati will happen with FRA?I hope that QF will stay in continental Europe..

SQ325

I guess it will go sooner or later. They are the only airline remaining to have a one aircraft service on the kangaroo route to continental Europe. The last european carrier which pulled out was OS a few years ago. IMO a carrier based on one of the endpoints of the kangeroo route cannot compete truly with the carriers sitting in between (i.e. SQ, CX, Middle eastern carriers). I believe that in the mid-term QF will only keep one flight to LHR "for the tradition" (i guess this is also true for BA). With the arrival of the A380 actually almost every airline flying on that route was throwing in additional capacity and it was foreseeable that in the end someone will have to give up. Look at the connectivity for example EK is offering between Europe and Australia. There is no way that QF would be able to provide such a network.

From my point of view the shift of QFs strategy was overdue. They need to focus on their home-backyard and this is asia. With the strenght of AirAsia (and MH getting closer to them) in KUL and the existence of a JQ hub in SIN (i have problems to believe that JQ and QF want to compete on intra-asian routes) my bet is on HKG as the potential base of 'Qantas Asia'.

TPJ

I am quite sure champagne was free flowing at CX/TG/EK/EY/QR offices yesterday Traffic to Europe would be booming for these airlines.