Are Qantas axing some Melbourne to London flights from November?

A quick glance at the Qantas schedules for the Northern Winter show that QF9 and QF10 will operate only 4 days a week to / from Melbourne but will remain daily from Perth. Was anyone else aware of this? It feels like a shortage of 789s has meant that a quick turnaround in Perth is being adopted at the expense of Melbourne. With no A380 alternative to Singapore to connect with QF1 that would leave nothing but A330 connecting flights to London 3 days a week. I am sure Qantas have their reasons but almost continuously since 1970 Qantas has had daily flights in one form or another from Melbourne to London, and at various times even two flights a day. With the competition building frequencies it does feel odd and a little neglectful of Melbourne

If true, then typical. Melbourne gets the short end of the deal yet again from SYDTAS (aka Qantas that Sydney centric airline...

Two reasons. 1) recommencement of SYD-SFO 5x per week; and 2) the LHR-PER sector already in high demand for those originating / terminating at Perth as is shown by MEL-SIN-LHR being cheaper than MEL-PER-LHR - Qantas would really prefer Melbourne passengers fly through Singapore to keep QF1/2 full and QF9/10 available for Perth passengers, whilst also enabling QF73/74 to SFO to recommence. MEL-LAX also increases from 7 services to 8 for the Northern Winter.

AJ Melbourne people can still connect in Perth with perhaps a little longer transfer time. The reason will be to do with having a 787 in Perth for the Rome flight. It has nothing to do with reducing capacity but rather juggling 787 utilisation.

Not true at all. The reduction in Melbourne-London is from November. Rome ends in October.

It will still be to do with utilisation. They may find it easier to turn it around in Perth as they are not going to fly it empty across the country, unless the use it for a Sydney or Brisbane domestic flight.

It doesn't fly empty across the country lol. From Mel to Per it's full, at least in J. If it's to enable Syd to SFO, it's like I said... Sydney centric...

Mel to Perth is not full of London passengers. Pre Covid it was 40% ongoing, so they are juggling utilisation of a 787, and the Melbourne Perth domestic fleet. Or may turn it around and send it back to London. They are short three 787s and when they arrive the utilisation juggling may be easier.