Qantas upgrades Sydney-Perth, Brisbane-Perth flights from April
By John Walton, January 15 2013
Qantas' Sydney-Perth flights will move to exclusively Airbus A330 aircraft on weekdays from April — a month earlier than previously announced — with Brisbane-Perth weekday flights shifting to refurbished Boeing 767s.
The airline also intends to roll out the A330s for all weekday Melbourne-Perth flights from May.
"We will now have wide-body aircraft on all weekday flights between the eastern states and Western Australia," says Qantas Domestic CEO Lyall Strambi. That's a change from the mix of wide-bodies (with two aisles) and Boeing 737s (with one aisle) currently used.
But the Red Roo isn't saying whether the Sydney-Perth and Melbourne-Perth services will see the comfortable angled lie-flat Skybed Mk I business class seats or the significantly less relaxing recliners with their blocked-off middle seat, as reported in Australian Business Traveller last November.
Qantas' now-infamous "workspace" seats are seen on its newest domestic A330s.
A330s are popular in economy because there are fewer passengers to clamber over (it's a 2-4-2 layout compared with 3-3 on a 737) but the lack of consistency in business class is an ongoing annoyance — which CEO Alan Joyce recognises, since he's looking to upgrade them to a better standard of seat.
Meanwhile, Brisbane-Perth passengers will be flying only on Qantas Boeing 767s from Monday to Friday, starting 31 March.
The stalwart domestic workhorses are undergoing refurbishment, with six of the sixteen 7676s slated for renovation now flying with upgraded interiors and 10 more lined up for a make-over which includes iPads using the wireless Q Streaming entertainment system in both business and economy, and leather recliner style seats in business.
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Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.
10 Mar 2011
Total posts 526
Well it's something... And an improvement on the rubbish old unfurbished 767's still found on these sectors. Would be even better if it was guaranteed to be the Skybed Mk1 though...
31 May 2011
Total posts 1
Although it may not impact many Business travellers, who generally are in J/C, the Economy Service is getting a slight refresh too. On Breakfast flights the 2nd Service will no longer be a water/mueslie bar. It will now be a (sensible) tea/coffee service with a biscuit.
On lunch and dinner services, say goodbye to the ever popular Icecream 2nd Service. It will now be a drinks trolley and cheese/biscuit. So enjoy your Pavlova or Lamington icecreams in economy while they are still around, as they will be gone from Jan 23.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 650
did some random searches SYD/MEL-PER LATE MAY 2013..ALL flights seems to be only using the A332..QF currently have 4 INT config and 5 DOM config A332s..i'm guessing they need 5-6 aircraft to cover the 16 total return SYD/MEL-PER flights per day..so you MIGHT see the odd skybed aircraft used..(bearing in mind the INT 332 has nearly 70 LESS Y/C seats than the DOM 332) . i'm guessing that the INT A333/332 aircraft will be used on more international flights from APRIL / MAY onwards..(tied in with the EK / QF deal)...just my prediction!!
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
23 May 2012
Total posts 268
Qantas will get heaps of A330s from Jetstar when the low-cost offshoot gets its 787s. I think the Flying Kangaroo will get 10. I even think that since there will be 2 787s in Qantas colours, they might roll them out on the transcontinental route.
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
2 787s in Qantas colours??
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
23 May 2012
Total posts 268
That's what I heard! 2 of Jetstar's 787s will be in Qantas colours but operated by Jetstar.
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
I'd be pretty surprised if that happened. Where did this come from?
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
Please, aero-seat, spare us from the same "I have heard from a reliable source" rumours which seem to full so many other websites and forums into a frenzy. Anybody can say that Qantas will get some 787s and plenty of people have already been spouting this for months if not years. Even Ben Sandilands from 'Plane Talking' has trotted it out and had to retract it because Qantas has affirmed they will not be getting any 787s. I'll believe it when I see it repoirted as fact on AusBT or when I see the white roo on a 787's tail!
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
23 May 2012
Total posts 268
Still no new seats! Seriously Qantas! The refubished 767s competing with Virgin's 737s on business class (from Brisbane) is quite the same but it's the A330s that are really failing for the Red Roo. Virgin's product is lie-flat international-style comfortable and spacious seats compared to the rubbish recliner with footrest and 'workspace' that Qantas is serving.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Mar 2012
Total posts 211
and when you say recliner aero-seat, you are being generous as these have very little recline and very tight seat pitch...much tighter than the old 767 which, while they had no decent IFE, were still better seats than the 'new' recliner seats in the 332.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 650
as those 10 JQ 332s get transferred back to QF over time (i'm assuming as JQ get 1x 788 delivered..1x 332 will go to QF..1 FOR 1), those 332s will then be used to replace the QF 767s..and seeing as 767s are currently extensively utilized on the 'golden triangle' SYD / MEL / BNE....installing a sleeper/skybed1 type seat on 332s would be overkill on such sectors.....just my opinion
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
23 May 2012
Total posts 268
Qantas won't be getting rid of its 767s because it cancelled the 787 order earlier. That's the reason why they are being refurbished.
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
The 767s are due to be phased out by 2016-17 or so, replaced by the 12 A330s that Jetstar currently has (which are being replaced by 15 787s). I guess there will also be some more 737s to cover the rest of the 767s.
The 787s that Qantas cancelled would have been international aircraft. The 767s are being updated because they are so old and rundown.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 650
correct 'am'... i googled 'QANTAS 787 ORDER' and a bloomberg article has all this info..
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 650
the 787-8 are replacing JQs A332s..these A332s are then being tranferred to QF to replace the 767s..ALL OF THIS IS BEGINNING LATE 2013 AND ALL 767s SHOULD BE RETIRED BY 2016.. this has nothing to do with the QF 50x 787-9 order being cancelled.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 650
OOOOOPS...NOT 50 CANCELLED...35 CANCELLED....BUT STILL 50 FIRM ORDERS...SORRY!!
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