Load factors DFW-SYD/BNE?
Aug 18, 2013, 8:38 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 398
Load factors DFW-SYD/BNE?
I am sitting in the boarding area for tonight's DFW-BNE flight, waiting for a flight at the adjacent gate. I just counted the passengers in the boarding area, and there are fewer than 100 waiting to board the Qantas 747... Is this load factor typical for this flight? If so, yikes! That's a nearly empty plane!
Take care,
Saunders111
Take care,
Saunders111
Aug 18, 2013, 8:43 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10,949
or the many bars and restaurants in T-D. If I was about to bord a 12-14 houtr flight I would not be siting in the gate area for an hour, I would time my arrival at the gate to the very last minute before the doors close.
Aug 18, 2013, 9:40 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
Since tonight's flight has already left (I keep forgetting it is only 7:41PM where I am right now 
), I can't dig it up on EF. However, tomorrow's flight only shows Y6. Thursday shows Y7 (QF will show a max of 9, so any less means that is actually the number of seats they are willing to sell at full Y). Also likewise, I'd be far away from the gate, partaking of terminal D's establishments. If that boarding door closes at T-15, I'm aiming for T-16 before a flight of that length if in Y.
This also may make more sense to be in the Qantas forum.
), I can't dig it up on EF. However, tomorrow's flight only shows Y6. Thursday shows Y7 (QF will show a max of 9, so any less means that is actually the number of seats they are willing to sell at full Y). Also likewise, I'd be far away from the gate, partaking of terminal D's establishments. If that boarding door closes at T-15, I'm aiming for T-16 before a flight of that length if in Y.This also may make more sense to be in the Qantas forum.
Aug 18, 2013, 9:45 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 335
I have heard from people within the industry that QF's DFW service is very successful - full flights and heavy loads in the premium cabin. As others have said, I would be in the lounge until boarding time if I were taking a long haul flight. QF dumped SFO (which did well) for DFW, and from what I have been told, they have no regrets about that.
Aug 18, 2013, 9:47 pm
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
There is a limit of how many economy seats that Qantas can sell on that flight iirc due to weight restrictions, so good option for economy at a gamble for an empty seat
I doubt that many of the business class passengers were hanging out by the gate and that is a fair number of passengers. There are only 275 economy seats on the aeroplane , so 100 is at least a third of the number that can be taken
I doubt that many of the business class passengers were hanging out by the gate and that is a fair number of passengers. There are only 275 economy seats on the aeroplane , so 100 is at least a third of the number that can be taken
Aug 18, 2013, 10:27 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: USA
Programs: UA Plat, Hilton ◆
Posts: 89
I fly DFW-BNE & SYD-DFW a lot. I'm usually in premium economy, but from what I can see considering all three cabins it usually is 85%+ occupied. Especially the last several months, it's always been very full.
Not that my flying is a statistically significant sample...
Not that my flying is a statistically significant sample...
Aug 18, 2013, 11:11 pm
#9
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,417
As this query is about QF flight loads and not related to AA, we'll move this over to the Qantas forum for further discussion. Thanks! 
/JY1024, AA forum co-moderator
/JY1024, AA forum co-moderator
Aug 23, 2013, 9:36 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LON
Programs: QF Plat & LTG, VA Plat
Posts: 1,435
Friends taking this flight recently have said it's been rammed in economy every time, very few empty seats. The route seems to be doing well for QF. Majority of people connecting onto AA of course.
Aug 23, 2013, 10:43 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
). In my mind if flying economy, I want to get from point A to point B as absolutely quickly and painlessly as I possibly can. DFW works better than LAX for almost all origins east of the Rocky Mountains in this regard for sure.
Aug 24, 2013, 11:15 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 103
It does seem to be a better option if flying economy in a way. I would rather connect at DFW than LAX as a general rule every day of the week (especially when arriving in the USA), and AA has many more services to many more airports/markets than from LAX. The A380 would likely be better in economy than the 747, but both flights are long affairs (and I just flew SQ 21 a couple of days ago, I have some inkling about long flights ). In my mind if flying economy, I want to get from point A to point B as absolutely quickly and painlessly as I possibly can. DFW works better than LAX for almost all origins east of the Rocky Mountains in this regard for sure.
). In my mind if flying economy, I want to get from point A to point B as absolutely quickly and painlessly as I possibly can. DFW works better than LAX for almost all origins east of the Rocky Mountains in this regard for sure.