28L28L From Australia, joined Nov 2005, 459 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 2432 times:
With Qantas returning to San Francisco in March, 2006 I am curious to know when QF ceased operations here. I believe it was in the early '90s and have read dates ranging from '93 to '95. If anyone has more detailed dates I'd sure appreciate it.
Wedgetail737 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5530 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 2382 times:
If my memory serves me right, QF downgraded their SFO service with a direct flight via LAX using a 767-300 during the early to mid 1990's. I have a picture of a QF 767-300 departing for SFO at LAX.
But I could be wrong. QF's return to SFO is very welcomed surprise to me! It will be great to see the Aussie's back at SFO. Likewise, the extension to YVR will be interesting to see. I wouldn't mind seeing the numbers for that flight segment.
Halophila From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 623 posts, RR: 2 Reply 2, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 9 hours ago) and read 2350 times:
I seem to remember QF serving SFO during the time of the LA riots (1992); I remember because there were news reports of their a/c having to divert to SFO because the ones headed to LA came under handgun fire (maybe media sensationalisation). Please correct me if I'm wrong (likely) but I believe QF had at least 1 counter at SFO when I was passing through in May 1999, though I never saw an a/c.
On a side note, does anyone know when the CNS/HNL/LAX flight was discontinued?
AirCop From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 2168 times:
Qantas started service to SFO in 1954 flying Lockheed Super Constellations. This is one year after a British Airliner flying from Australia to San Francisco crashed into a mountain (Kings Mountain) on its approach from the Pacific. When they suspended service in 1994 they were operating 767's by the way of HNL. The flights were not discontinued due to low load factors, but management decision to put all their resources into LAX. Other notes in 1987 they operated a 747SP non-stop a couple of days a week, with the rest of the flights each week were one-stop. 1984 they operated a mini-hub in HNL to allow flights from SYD, CNS and the other way YVR, SFO to connect with each other. At one time they also operated 747 flights to YVR from SFO which they are going to resume. I believe that (correct me if I'm wrong) when Qantas suspended service at SFO, they were the oldest international carrier at the airport.
Gemuser From Australia, joined Nov 2003, 5217 posts, RR: 6 Reply 5, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 2114 times:
Quoting AirCop (Reply 4): Qantas started service to SFO in 1954 flying Lockheed Super Constellations. This is one year after a British Airliner flying from Australia to San Francisco crashed into a mountain (Kings Mountain) on its approach from the Pacific.
Just a nit pick.
The airliner refered to above was a DC-6B of BCPA (British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines) a company jointly owned by the Australian, New Zealand, Canadian & British goverments. IIRC the aircraft was on the Australian register.
QF took over the Oz rights when BCPA was disbanded.
Timz From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 6468 posts, RR: 8 Reply 6, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 2099 times:
Further nitpick: if it was BCPA wouldn't it have to be a DC-6, not a -6B?
Wedgetail737 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5530 posts, RR: 5 Reply 7, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 2098 times:
I thought it was pretty unique to see a QF 767-300 at LAX. The SFO thing was a bad hunch on my part.
ANother From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1965 times:
I flew YVR-SFO-HNL-SYD (B747) in June 1984. Was on ID (free) ticket and got upgraded to F (good service but seat a lot less than today's J). Was only pax in F from YVR to SFO and SFO to HNL. Two more boarded in HNL.
Dutchjet From Netherlands, joined Oct 2000, 7864 posts, RR: 58 Reply 9, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1957 times:
Also remember the following - QF dropped service to SFO shortly after BA made a major investment in the airline, and at that time BA also was a major shareholder in US Air.
QF, in consulatation with BA, made the determination that it would be more cost effective for QF to focus its US operation at LAX and close the SFO station......pax numbers at SFO were decreasing since most pax travelling to/from Australia prefered the nonstop services offered out of LAX over the one stop via Honolulu service offered out of SFO (at the end, the SFO service was operated by QF with a 763.......it may have even continuned from HNL to CNS instead of SYD, QF at one time offered nonstops on the HNL-CNS route (around 1992), of course, a the SFO service was coordinated with the HNL-sYD flight in any case). Thus, the following happened, QF closed its SFO operation and instead, US operated a special dedicated flight from SFO to LAX and return to move QF pax beginning or ending their journey in SFO. It was part of the BA/QF/US connection that existed at the time.
The same approach was taken at MAN......QF discountinued service to MAN (the flight operated with a 744 and was a continuation of one of the London services) and instead, BA operated a dedicated MAN-LHR and return service to move the Manchester pax to/from London.
Wedgetail737 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5530 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1875 times:
Interesting info, Dutchjet. Since the combined support between US, BA and QF are all but non-existent (my assumption), QF has basically restored SFO to what it was before closing the SFO station back in the early 1990's. The difference is that QF doesn't have to make the stop at HNL anymore. I wonder if they will be using the 747-400ER on the SYD-SFO-YVR route.
Does anyone think that, in the future, QF may shift their YVR service from SYD-SFO-YVR to SYD-HNL-YVR...and make SYD-SFO a stand-alone segment? Or perhaps reopen ORD with the SYD-SFO-ORD flight??
Kiwiandrew From New Zealand, joined Jun 2005, 8435 posts, RR: 14 Reply 11, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1866 times:
Quoting Wedgetail737 (Reply 10): Does anyone think that, in the future, QF may shift their YVR service from SYD-SFO-YVR to SYD-HNL-YVR...and make SYD-SFO a stand-alone segment?
SYD-SFO will be stand alone for nine months of the year anyway - the YVR extension is only seasonal - hopefully this is a trial and they will extend it - but given QF's pretty half-hearted attitude towards Canada in the past I doubt it
Quoting Wedgetail737 (Reply 10): Or perhaps reopen ORD with the SYD-SFO-ORD flight??
re-open? they never actually got around to opening ORD - the proposed MEL-LAX-ORD was pulled a couple of months before it was due to open
Moderation in all things ... including moderation ;-)
Wedgetail737 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5530 posts, RR: 5 Reply 12, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days ago) and read 1811 times:
I thought QF began service to ORD briefly. But...I was wrong.
Planenutz From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 1267 posts, RR: 12 Reply 13, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 6 days ago) and read 1791 times:
QF has a long history here in SF. The airline actuallly operated its North American regional headquarters from San Francisco for many years, until 1992. QF owned the building that stands at 360 Post St. on Union Square and for years it was emablazoned with the Qantas logo at its top. Here the airline occupied the top 5 floors with its call center, administrative offices, and tickets/sales office. The airline decided to move its administrative ops to Tucson, AZ and vacated the entire building, later selling it to Tiffany & Co for what must have been a massive sum of cash.
I remember that during tha last days of QF at SFO, all ground operations were performed by British Airways, including passegner check-in which took place a the BA counter.
ETA Unknown From Comoros, joined Jun 2001, 2010 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (7 years 5 months 3 weeks 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 1755 times:
Yes- the SFO Union Square building was sold at a massive profit.
Just about all Admin/Sales are now done in a LAX office- for an operation as large as LAX, you would be surprised how few people are actually on the payroll there.
The reservation center is in Tucson as noted above- this division was moved to Arizona to take advantage of that state's employer-favored labor laws.
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