Qantas is poised to reveal its Boeing 787 seats and the aircraft’s first routes at a media event on Thursday October 27, as the airline takes the next step towards the Dreamliner’s debut in late 2017.
The first international route for the red-tailed Boeing 787 will be one from Qantas’ existing network, with all-new destinations to follow as Qantas builds up its 787 fleet.
The Boeing 787 will also appear on a series of domestic flights on a short-term basis so that pilots and cabin crew can become accustomed to the new bird.
Also on the cards: the long-awaited unveiling of Qantas' Dreamliner seating and cabin configuration.
Earlier reports based on an internal Qantas seating diagram sighted by Australian Business Traveller indicate the aircraft could have 42 business class seats, with 28 premium economy seats and 165 seats in economy.
The business class seats are likely to be an evolution of Qantas’ existing A330 Business Suite (below)...
... but it's premium economy which could pack the big surprise, with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce promising a “revolutionary” design.
Economy seating will follow a nine-across (3-3-3) layout, with all eyes on the legroom granted to travelers in the cheap seats.
Australian Business Traveller will be attending the Qantas media event to bring you the news live on the day, while you can also follow us on Twitter (@AusBT) for this and other breaking news as it happens.
Also read: Here's what we know about the Qantas Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Connect with other business travellers in our Qantas discussion group
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
30 Jul 2015
Total posts 134
i hope qantas's economy seat is thomson aero's cozysuite seat
21 Jul 2012
Total posts 128
I've heard the cozy suite rumour too. Now reading this...
"... but it's premium economy which could pack the big surprise, with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce promising a
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2013
Total posts 390
18-19" width and 34" pitch
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Nov 2013
Total posts 475
Gosh it would be nice if Qantas would break with traditional PR "control the message" wisdom and host an event for its loyal customers.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Dec 2012
Total posts 40
Actually as one of QF's "loyal customers" I will be attending this event.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Nov 2013
Total posts 475
True, I had forgotten that AusBT had mentioned that fact a while ago..!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jun 2014
Total posts 7
Platinum Ones in SYD have been invited. You don't get more 'loyal' than that!
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 353
Qantas has invited a number of Platinum One frequent flyers in Sydney to the event, Mark.
18 Apr 2015
Total posts 67
Shame that Qantas is still Sydney-centric when it comes to these things. I always found it odd when I was travelling a lot a few years back I never heard boo from Qantas, despite the odd Sydney-based colleague getting invites etc to things. The irony for me was that I was travelling routinely to Sydney and given it was on Qantas they knew exactly where I was - so my home postcode shouldn't have precluded me from an invitation.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 317
i was the same unfortunately.. being based in Adelaide... was P1 for a couple years but didn't ever get 1 invite... Now i only manage to maintain Platinum, so definitely no invites unfortunately...
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1424
Super, as a Gold I get invited to QANTAS things here in Canberra. Usual a lunchtime do once a year. Haven't gone though as I am usually busy at that time.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 650
maybe because it's their biggest base (home base/head office) and has the facilities available , all those 'minor' details, for such an event.
ho hum...more sour grapes from those who are feeling 'unloved' lol
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 650
They are/It is :)
I (and i'm sure others) are not sure what you are bangin on about.
Sounds like sour grapes to me ;)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Nov 2013
Total posts 475
As a Qantas Platinum flyer it definitely wasn't sour grapes...I'd just like to see Qantas do more to have real engagement with customers - and as I noted above, I had forgotten that it was previously announced that P1's had been invited!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2011
Total posts 232
OK, be honest, who is going to be pressing CMD+R or CTRL+F5 all day on Oct 27 in the hope to grab seats on the first flight?
And do you reckon they will do the same thing they did when the A380 came and sell fares that are a multiple of 787 when they pick the first international destination?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 May 2011
Total posts 362
I'm picking Auckland as the first destination to familiarise the crew and pilots
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 353
Very unlikely to be Auckland, as Qantas uses its offshoot 'JetConnect' crew for this, but the 787 would need to be flown by QF pilots and crew. I expect familiarisation flights to be east-west plus a few BNE-SYD-MEL legs, and these will be as much for publicity as anything else.
NZ
13 Aug 2016
Total posts 65
Nothing has been said yet about which Qantas Crew will get the 789. Nothing from legally stopping them to crew the 789 by JetConnect. JetConnect already provide long-haul crew to the Qantas Group for services ex-AU.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2011
Total posts 232
I thought they would want to stay 'over land', near a runway :)
I'm tipping some SYD-MEL-BNE triangle routes (in lieu of a A330) and then some PER-E-Coast flights before some Asian routes before settling on a final route.
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 595
Been previously announced (including think on this board) that they will operate domestic flights for familiarisation.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1378
While Qantas mostly uses ZK (Jetconnect) aircraft for TransTasman flights, recent maintenance and additional flights have meant some VH (Mainline) planes and crews have been used.
That said I would expect more likely to go on the SYD/MEL/BNE-PER routes as its an easier replacement for a 330 service
05 Oct 2016
Total posts 14
So what's likely to be the revolutionary PE seat? A copy of the NZ almost business but not quite seat?
31 Mar 2016
Total posts 621
Now I understand why AJ has been talking about his 789s can/will open ULH routes like PER->LHR or DFW->MEL(i.e. nearly 14,500km excluding margin for headwind). It's not just his fantasy but may indeed be operationally econ feasible.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 464
I will be watching with interest to see how much extra range QF can achieve by operating with a reduced payload. FLX has commented on extra fuel carried, though this does not extend beyond the capacity of the standard tanks. Are other operators significantly limiting their fuel loading ? There is also a fuel saving from reduced payload, which is used now on DFW-SYD flights, but it seems questionable as a business strategy to target using a new aircraft type for services it isn't spec'd to run. I lean toward sceptical on the long range routes being touted, waiting to be surprised!
20 Apr 2014
Total posts 93
I think we'll see these birds go immediately onto routes to retire the gas-guzzling 747s and where there is heavy competition from carriers also with 787s - perhaps SYD-HND or SYD-SFO
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1251
Unless they re-time the flights (unlikely), using it at HND would be unwise, due to the excessive 'dead' ground time there.
31 Mar 2016
Total posts 621
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
SFO requires 2 aircraft. While it is a likely 787 route, it won't happen until they have more aircraft.
HND can be done with 1 aircraft, however QF keeps the aircraft parked in Tokyo all day so the timetable requires 2. Due to timezones, flight times and the HND slot limits, the timetable options for a single aircraft operation would become problematic.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1251
If they launch a route with a single plane, it could be a mixed fleet 787/747 route initially.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1027
QF is unlikely to get more slots at HND unless the Department of Infrastructure gets a deal with the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (and we all saw how well that went with the US slots with Delta wanting enough slots at HND to move their entire NRT operation there).
HND long haul slots are assigned on a per country basis by MLIT with half the slots for each country going to Japanese carriers. The current allocation for Australia is 14 night slots (10pm-6am) with all in use, 7 for QF and 7 for NH.
The old US agreement was for 4 night slots. The new agreement is 5 day slots and 1 night slot. NH has the night slot and 3 day slots, JL has 2 day slots.
HA has the night slot and 1 day. UA and AA have 1 day each, DL has 2. That agreement took almost 3 years to complete.
The problem with the HND slots (or really TYO) is that ground transport all but stops between 2330-0000 and 0430. Departures from HND between 0130 and 0530 are going to be very difficult for pax to get to the airport. Arrivals between 2230 and 0330 can lead to long waits to get into the city.
The Japan-Australia air service agreement is unlimited capacity, other then to/from HND. QF can fly as much as it wants - to NRT.
31 Mar 2016
Total posts 621
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1424
Also HND is popular so going from 360 seats to 235 or whatever doesn't make sense unless it as an extra. They will boost an existing schedule for Christmas say Melb LA for three days a week or an extra HK or Singapore rotation from anywhere.
07 Oct 2012
Total posts 1251
I would guess that QF would use a bird for familiarity flights and then when the 2nd bird arrives then soon launch the long-haul flight (I'm recall reading somewhere that the first birds were coming not that far apart).
20 May 2015
Total posts 581
BNE - LAX - JFK would make sense because it would be a huge cost-cutter with respect to the onward 'tag flight,' and with AA's airside connection, terminal renovations and A321 transcon fleet the loss of capacity between LAX and JFK on QF metal won't be too much of a problem. That said, I don't think QF will want to lower capacity ex-BNE since they'd want to bring their A-game to compete with Virgin Australia.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 464
BNE-LAX-JFK would require significantly more crews for the start up, though there would be a benefit from a larger reduction of 747 crews.
The SYD-centric nature of QF suggests to me that the first route will be out of SYD, so my guess is SYD-SFO
31 Mar 2016
Total posts 621
My guess is that the very 1st revenue route for QF's 1st 789 will be SYD-AKL @ least initially for both air+ground crew familiarization if the trend of most other earlier 787 operators(Also 350 operators) is a guide.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1424
I see CAPA are suggesting one London A380 would move from Dubai to through Asia (read Singapore). This would connect with A333s from Brisbane and Melb and 738s from Perth as well as a 789 Perth to London with connections from Adelaide and Canberra, as well as Sydney and Melbourne. This would put more passengers on QANTAS metal but European connections would mean a horrible LHR connection and a backtrack. This could be a radical rethink of Westbound using the 789. We shall see.
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 17
Sounds like uninformed speculation and another case of people trying to be armchair airline executives. My understanding is that Qantas has to use Dubai as its stopover for all European services under the terms of the Qantas-Emirates alliance. Maybe when they come to renew the five-year alliance this might change though, but not now.
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 1424
Tim the five year alliance is up soon in planning terms (in 2018), and so that is what I suspect is on the cards with the 787, a radical rethink of Westbound. I am not sure CAPA is entirely as uninformed as you suggest. They seem to have their ear to the gorund on quite a lot of things. If QF are re-thinking Eastbound with the 787 from 2018 then it would makes sense for them to re-think Westbound, for the end of the current Emirates agreement in two years time. It may come to nothing but they would be silly not to model various options, and a dual hub throgh Singapore and Dubai may be one of them.
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