Qantas is keeping nine 747's. Six of them are 400ER, plus three of the newer 747's (delivered around 2000). The Qantas Source lists the updated non-ER planes as beng registered as VH-OJS, VH-OJT, VH-OJU. The remaining 747's will be progessively retired.
I believe SYD-DFW has to be a 747ER, so you'll always be on an refurbished plane. Qantas lists SYD-SCL, SYD-JNB, BNE-LAX, SYD-LAX-JFK, BNE-SIN as the routes being flown by refurb 747's. However, I suspect the BNE-SIN will/has been replaced with an A330 and you could be really unlucky and get on one of the old 747's heading for retirement in the USA. QF sometimes flies them to LAX from SYD/BNE and then they position to the desert for storage.
It would be pretty hard to park a plane on a dessert. I imagine you'd get cream everywhere.
But yes, stored aircraft are stored on the desert itself. These storage facilities hold hundreds of aircraft, some of them in short term storage and others that are in varying states of decomposition. Type 'Victorville boneyard' int google and look at the images if you want to get an idea for the scale of these places. To park everything on tarmac would be close to impossible.
They are parked in big "parking lots" in Victorville, CA or Roswell, NM at or near the relevant airports as the conditions are conducive for planes not to rust.
IflyQF
IflyQF
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 03 Apr 2013
Total posts 11
Are all QF 747's been updated??
I know that QF are only keeping the 747-400ER and they have all been updated.
But on their website it just says 747-400 are they updated or not??
Such as SYD-LAX-JFK
Or SYD-DFW
hutch
hutch
Member since 07 Oct 2012
Total posts 771
Qantas is keeping nine 747's. Six of them are 400ER, plus three of the newer 747's (delivered around 2000). The Qantas Source lists the updated non-ER planes as beng registered as VH-OJS, VH-OJT, VH-OJU. The remaining 747's will be progessively retired.
I believe SYD-DFW has to be a 747ER, so you'll always be on an refurbished plane. Qantas lists SYD-SCL, SYD-JNB, BNE-LAX, SYD-LAX-JFK, BNE-SIN as the routes being flown by refurb 747's. However, I suspect the BNE-SIN will/has been replaced with an A330 and you could be really unlucky and get on one of the old 747's heading for retirement in the USA. QF sometimes flies them to LAX from SYD/BNE and then they position to the desert for storage.
driley28
driley28
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 07 May 2012
Total posts 299
I think there is another B747 destined for storage shortly, as I saw it at SYD with its livery removed. Unfortunately I did not catch the rego.
Really
Really
Member since 02 Jan 2013
Total posts 54
Saw the rego.VH-OJJ
IflyQF
IflyQF
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 03 Apr 2013
Total posts 11
Are the 747's actually parked on the dessert??
I heard that they were being parked in Arizona dessert but I assumed on a Tarmac!
am
am
Member since 15 Apr 2011
Total posts 216
It would be pretty hard to park a plane on a dessert. I imagine you'd get cream everywhere.
But yes, stored aircraft are stored on the desert itself. These storage facilities hold hundreds of aircraft, some of them in short term storage and others that are in varying states of decomposition. Type 'Victorville boneyard' int google and look at the images if you want to get an idea for the scale of these places. To park everything on tarmac would be close to impossible.
driley28
driley28
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 07 May 2012
Total posts 299
They are parked in big "parking lots" in Victorville, CA or Roswell, NM at or near the relevant airports as the conditions are conducive for planes not to rust.
moa999
moa999
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 Jul 2011
Total posts 835
So to summarise.
9 refurbs - 6/6 ERs, 3 others.
6/7 non-refurbs - these won't be refurbed and will leave the fleet in the next few years
am
am
Member since 15 Apr 2011
Total posts 216
I think we need an official Qantas 747 Fleet Live Status Indicator on the homepage. This question seems to be asked at least weekly...