Qantas will add another upgraded Boeing 747 to its international fleet this week.
This is the fourth rejigged jumbo to receive the more modern A380-style seats, including the fully lie-flat Skybed II instead of the angled sleeper design of the original Skybed.
In keeping with the refit there won't be any first class cabin – just 58 business class seats, 36 premium economy and 270 economy.
However, the Red Roo isn't locking this 747 into any specific route.
"This aircraft will follow the routes of the other reconfigured B747’s including Los Angeles, Dallas and Santiago" a Qantas spokeswoman told Australian Business Traveller.
"We haven’t committed to a particular route for this aircraft nor each aircraft due to scheduling requirements."
One new route for the Boeing 747 will New York via Los Angeles, where from May 6 it will replace an Airbus A330 on the Gotham leg for inbound flights to LAX.
Qantas expects two more refurbished Boeing 747s will take to the skies by the end of June.
The final three of the nine 747s slated for a makeover will be added to Los Angeles and Dallas flights, as well as Brisbane-Singapore, "by the end of October 2012."
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
23 Aug 2011
Total posts 69
What is happening with JNB and FRA route? Presume QF will be holding on to a few 744 with F and non F products. Does anyone know how many 744 will be in the fleet after thee 9 have been refurbished?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Nov 2011
Total posts 186
It looks like there will be 19 747s by years end. Currently 24, allthough there is now a surplus of 3-4 as QF29/30 is now an A330 route and QF 23/24 only requires the one 747 as it terminates in BKK. I think by some stage later this year QF 23/24 to BKK will move to an A330 as well. I believe VH - OJD will also be retired soon as all it does atm is the daily QF581/582 SYD/PER return leg. So if you remove those five aircraft at the expense of 747 flights to BKK, MEL-HKG and PER-SYD then 19 should be able to maintain the rest of the current network.
QFs decission not to invest in some 777s or A340s must really be bitting them hard right now, cause clearly they are loosing money on a few key international routes by using 747 aircraft. Yet when their only alternate aircraft is the A330 which has some of the oldest of their Y products, no W (Y+) and first gen skybeds then they are at a compettaive disadvantage.
CX will soon offer W seats on HKG - MEL, and BA W passengers transfering to QF in BKK for the journey to SYD are not going to be overly impressed at sitting in Y. I agree with Joyce's comments on the need to change QF international, but if the 787s are a few years away it seems they are being to hasty in ther decission not to offer certain services between key cities, and they may struggle to recover them in a few years. Hell in 2008/2009 QF were talking about twice daily services fro SYD/MEL - HKG on 747s and Daily SYD - PEK as well... maybe the change of gueard saw a change in their forward planning and thinking....
26 Aug 2011
Total posts 17
Does anyone know if the refurbished 747's will be used on the SYD-LAX flights?? This April??
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