markis10

Sad day!

https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/me...rewell-jumbos/

• Six additional 787-9s ordered for Qantas International
• Retirement of last six 747-400s by end 2020
• Will bring improved efficiency, passenger comfort and route options

Qantas has today announced an order for six additional Boeing 787-9s to fly on its international network, bringing its fleet of Dreamliners to 14 by the end of 2020.The arrival of the new aircraft will enable the airline to accelerate retirement of its last six Boeing 747s – an aircraft type that has been in its fleet in various forms since 1971. Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the announcement was an important moment for the national carrier.“This really is the end of one era and the start of another. The jumbo has been the backbone of Qantas International for more than 40 years and we’ve flown almost every type that Boeing built. It’s fitting that its retirement is going to coincide with our centenary in 2020,” Mr Joyce said.

og

So a reduction in seating capacity. That means full planes which, I suppose, is good for the airline.

shuuy

impacts on cargo revenue?

markis10

LondonElite

Well, that's just one aspect of the accounting equation, including fuel prices, hedging, deployment frequency, maintenance, cargo capacity, etc.

Mwenenzi

QF has been slower to retire the B747, for passengers use, compared to many other major airlines. BA has the most flying. Still many B747 in use as freighters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._747_operators (probably not up to date)
https://www.planespotters.net/operators/Boeing/747?p=10

Himeno

more 787s were expected.
early retirement for the 744ERs wasn't.
could change again. QF has changed their minds about when to retire aircraft before.

Seems odd to get 8 787s to replace 5 747s, then get 6 more 787s to replace 6 747s.

number_6

Wonder what the risk is from having ETOPS vulnerability such as going to ETOPS 120 due to engine defects such as hit 737 recently ... routes such as PER-JNB become difficult to fly without 4 engines. I suppose that risk is considered low enough and covered by having A380s in the fleet for non-ETOPS coverage when needed. Certainly the new 787s are a much nicer pax experience than those end of life 747s, but still sad to see them go. And for a full pax load I think the 747-8 economics are competitive with all of the 2 engine planes -- but require fat routes. Sadly QF chose not to acquire 747-8s (almost no airline did, LH is the only big operator but rather ironically CX bought 14 as freighters but none for pax use). Rather amaxing that a plane from the 60s has lasted this long.

LondonElite

Isn't that a bit like saying today's Porsche 911 is a car from 1963? Yes, the shape and the name are the same, but inside everything is different.

JClasstraveller

nldogbert

I just hope that they will not remove the 747 for the SYD-HND route for this year as I have a flight later in Dec as my last opportunity to fly the QF 747.

Cheers!

LimaFoxtrotRomeo

The PR spin talks of greater passenger comfort, but clearly that won't be the case in 9 abreast 787 Y - where the majority of pax fly. PE is arguable too having received lukewarm reviews on the Qantas 787. J is unarguably an improvement, but I hope to have at least one more opportunity to fly on the upper deck of a Qantas 744!

libertyuk

Worth remembering that from 1979 till 1985 Qantas marketed itself as the world's only all 747 airline (pre merger with TAA/Australian of course). That was obviously a great source of pride and valuable in marketing terms at a time when competitors had DC-10s, L-1011s and a fading generation of 707s and DC-8s. Difficult to beat the experience of the small upper deck of the 747 or the nose, but BA, Lufthansa, Korean and Air China will be operating them (the latter three with the -8 series) for a few more years to come. Thai is meant to phase its ones out by 2020 too.

LondonElite

I think about a year ago LH stated talking about an earlier phase-out of the 747-8 fleet than initially contemplated.

shuuy

No way! That's super cool to know.