Qantas Airbus A380 reconfig will put the first class suites upstairs

25 replies

DeepAvThroat

Member since 21 Mar 2017

Total posts 22

DeepAvThroat

is back with another solid scoop from behind the lines.


Qantas plans to begin the refresh of its A380 fleet in Q2 of 2018. One of the two 'spare' A380s from cancellation of MEL-DXB-LHR will backfill as each of the other 11 A380s undergoes a reconfig.

That reconfig will see the first class cabin moved from the main deck to the upper deck. The new suites will be 1-1 with a centre aisle and Qantas will reduce the number of suites from 14 to 10 or 12. Not known if the 'business class lounge' at front-right of the A380 will remain as a new first class lounge or be converted to a new first class loo.

The business class cabin will be pushed back and extend right to the tail, where there may be a new lounge area with snackbar. As has already been documented the new seats will be pretty much the same as on the Boeing 787.

Premium economy will move to where first class currently is, at the front of the main deck, and the new seats will be the same as on the Boeing 787. Just hope Qantas doesn't forget to add an extra couple of inches of pitch!

Economy will fill the remainder of the main deck, same seats as on the Boeing 787.

Yes, this is the same layout as SQ's new A380, 'premium' upper deck and 'economy' main deck.

Whenever this news is officially released by Qantas, just remember that you read it here first!

freshthoughts

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 08 Aug 2016

Total posts 112

very interesting, i wonder if we will see a net increase in the number of business seats... and PE seats for that matter...

moa999

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 02 Jul 2011

Total posts 835

Slightly different spin was published on Whirlpool a week ago on Apr-27 by Grover51
Still has First moving up, but also has PE upstairs.
Also has the staircase going (Airbus has recently showed a revised staircase at Door 2 that fits above the down stairs to the crew rest)


First is moving upstairs. The front stairs are going.

First, business and PE will be upstairs.

Downstairs will be economy only.


Mjudd

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 14 Dec 2016

Total posts 57

Unlikely to see more business class seats, as the current configuration is 2 - 2 - 2, and is changing to 1 - 2 - 1. Also the upper deck is currently basically all business class, with a few rows of PE at the back. However, first class will take a chunk more room is suspect.

freshthoughts

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 08 Aug 2016

Total posts 112

Unlikely to see more business class seats, as the current configuration is 2 - 2 - 2, and is changing to 1 - 2 - 1. Also the upper deck is currently basically all business class, with a few rows of PE at the back. However, first class will take a chunk more room is suspect.

also economy after PE and the new J seats are pretty space efficient compared the current ones i don't think they take up too much more room

John Phelan

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 28 Oct 2011

Total posts 261


also economy after PE and the new J seats are pretty space efficient compared the current ones i don't think they take up too much more room



Well, on the A330s, there are now 28 J suites where there used to be 36 Skybeds.....

Last editedby John Phelan at May 04, 2017, 10:22 PM.

GregXL

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 26 May 2014

Total posts 322

John, yes 8 fewer J seats but 44 additional Y seats

ThePerthTrav

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 18 Dec 2016

Total posts 20

I think putting Premium Economy where First Class used to be is a great idea

Livewireshock

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 17 Mar 2016

Total posts 7

I will believe the 'specifics' when they are officially released by QANTAS, not by 'someone' on the internet. Until then, it is still all speculation/gossip. Just my humble opinion :)

moa999

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 02 Jul 2011

Total posts 835

I think the Suite is much more space efficient than the SkyBedII (the A330 comparison above was to the SkyBedI which had a much lower pitch)


I suspect the Suite effectively fits 2x4x2 (IE. Two ovelapping rows of 1x2x1) in not much more room than a single row of 2x2x2

David Robertson

Member since 13 Sep 2016

Total posts 12


Also has the staircase going (Airbus has recently showed a revised staircase at Door 2 that fits above the down stairs to the crew rest


I don't think the staircase is 'going', doesn't the A380 have to have front and rear staircases for safety reasons? But it would probably be replaced by a version which takes up less space.

David Robertson

Member since 13 Sep 2016

Total posts 12

Also while I think these changes make sense I am not, with respect, going to take them as anything more that rumour until I read about them on AusBT or see a press release from Qantas.

undertheradar Banned

Member since 28 Oct 2011

Total posts 234

+1 to 'David Robertson'

David

Member since 24 Oct 2010

Total posts 1,020

Also while I think these changes make sense I am not, with respect, going to take them as anything more that rumour until I read about them on AusBT or see a press release from Qantas.

Thanks David – and this is one good thing about the Community here, people can share their own info and others can discuss same, without relying on AusBT to write an article (which in this case we'd be unlikely to do until we had something more concrete, as sensible as this reconfig reads).

undertheradar Banned

Member since 28 Oct 2011

Total posts 234

But sadly some people believe EVERYTHING they read on 'social media', 'Scoops'/rumours create expectations(for some people).and then those people will direct their 'displeasure' directly to the company/business, in this case, QANTAS, when the 'scoop'/rumour isn't ENTIRELY true, while the 'perpetrator' of such scoops/rumours is NOT held to account...welcome to the internet!! Hence why I will only believe when it comes straight from QANTAS media.

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