Re: Gasoline prices, it hurts.

That's what a majority of Californians want. Our state doesn't maintain its beauty and cachet without keeping its environment intact. Nobody wants to look out from the Santa Barbara coast and see the flames atop oil derricks. Screw that. Then they should stop driving their SUV's and take the bus. O...

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

It seems so weird to read the previous posts, as here in the US we are past omicron, and today my kids went to school and had the option not to wear a mask for the first time in almost 2 years. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article259059303.html Omicron will pass, but the unvacc...

Re: How many airlines' 777s still have 9AB economy seating?

JL has 9ab on its 77W (and 8ab on 787).

CX (if it survives) has been transitioning to 10ab.

Re: Shane Warne dead at 52

I haven’t really paid much attention to cricket this century, but Warnie was a legend.

I love the tribute under his statue at the MCG, a VB, a pie and pack of gaspers!

(Or a can of Victoria Bitter beer, a meat pie and a packet of cigarettes for those playing outside Oz )

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

https://www.news.gov.hk/chi/2022/03/20220303/20220303_175912_881.html?type=category&name=health&tl=t Hong Kong government announced 56k new cases today, roughly 0.8% population (More than double US peak's rate?), with two-third of them presenting symptoms. No sign of peaking so far. Officia...

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

I am just trying to detect any bending of the curve in the NZ outbreak, specifically in Auckland, and wished that daily hospital admissions were published along side hospital occupancy. It is a missing part of the data puzzle. With new data released today, NSW has seen 11,603 Covid cases hospiltali...

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

https://www.news.gov.hk/chi/2022/03/20220303/20220303_175912_881.html?type=category&name=health&tl=t Hong Kong government announced 56k new cases today, roughly 0.8% population (More than double US peak's rate?), with two-third of them presenting symptoms. No sign of peaking so far. Officia...

Re: Jet2 drops face mask rule for passengers on flights

In Canada (not sure about elsewhere) the federal government makes the rules about masks on board. Even if a Canadian airline wanted to remove the mask requirement, they would be able to. Same in Australia - Federal mandate covering all airlines and terminals. Local public transport rules are state ...

Re: Cinema Shooter Acquitted

The proper response from Oulson would have been to apologize and put the phone away not become aggressive. I do not think with the evidence presented that pulling a gun was warranted but the jury spoke within the law. Then what an insanely stupid law. Only in America (of the Western world) could sh...

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

Well the "phoney war " against the Omicron outbreak here in NZ is well and truely behind us. Phase 1 of the Omicron outbreak response was a continuation of the Delta controls, PCR testing for surveillance and diagnostics, rigourous contact tracing, and extensive case and contact isolation...

Re: Actress Sally Kellerman (MASH star) passes away

I have not seen the movie but the tv-series is excellent. The TV series is "meh" to me. The movie is an all-time classic. For me, the two have to be considered separately. The movie used its long form to deliver a hard hitting message that was pretty true to its sources. The TV series was...

Re: Which aircraft's winglets are your favorites?

A350 hands down, although a soft spot for A330/340 which were manufactured by a Boeing division a few suburbs from me for a while.

Re: A350XWB not so wide cabin…

I’ve only flow in W on the A350, but I didn’t notice the narrower width to the 777. Or any significant difference once one seat is removed on the 787.

Re: Mitt Romney Was Right About Russia

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/years-mitt-romney-finally-credit-warnings-russia/story?id=61330530 Romney was right about Russia being the United States’ greatest geopolitical threat. He said that 10 years ago during the 2012 campaign and was mocked by President Obama and other Democrats. I find it...

Re: Qantas to firm up A350-1000’s for Project Sunrise by mid year

That’s 30 to 50 more seats total over the 789, and likely a large number of additional premium seats that would need to be filled. Nonstops from MEL/SYD to LHR will hurt premium demand on PER-LHR the most, as those are the passengers most likely to favor the nonstop over connecting at PER. Let's be...

Re: Qantas to firm up A350-1000’s for Project Sunrise by mid year

A capacity jump would, IMO, make little sense unless they go less than daily. After all they would likely be losing most East Coast traffic. ?? I don’t follow. Why would they go less than daily? There would still be plenty of East coast traffic, not to mention PER originating traffic. QF have also ...

Re: "Freedom Convoy 2022" in Canada

Prime Minister Trudeau is revoking the Emergency Act as it was no longer required. Independent inquiry into its use to begin within 60 days. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-event-feb23-1.6361847 Whyyyyy? We were just beginning our transformation into North Korea. As that beacon of high int...

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

The state that I live in no longer recommends mask wearing indoors. The state I live in is removing mask mandates tomorrow apart from public transport and some high risk locations (primarily health related). It is still strongly recommending masks indoors where social distancing is not possible. An...

Re: 40 Years of the Mighty 757

Royal Tonga operated the only regular 757 passenger service to Australia earlier this century. Tasman (or maybe transmile) operated a freighter when they were forced to retire their 727, and I think another freight airline was operating one for a while last year. Boeing pitched the 757 to QF for Je...

Re: Qantas A330 Replacement

I don't think any of us have enough inside information or knowledge of the 787 and A330 to make any reasonable conclusions on what is best for QF. On the same point, I suspect the 787 family of aircraft would be the more flexible option for fleet planning and crystal balling into the future. We don...

Re: Least known airlines you've flown on

Southern Pacific Regional Airlines, under contract to Ansett. Aircraft was a Nord 262, flight sometime in 1992.

Re: 40 Years of the Mighty 757

Royal Tonga operated the only regular 757 passenger service to Australia earlier this century. Tasman (or maybe transmile) operated a freighter when they were forced to retire their 727, and I think another freight airline was operating one for a while last year. Boeing pitched the 757 to QF for Jet...

Re: Popular songs that you HATE

Dancing Queen by ABBA - I quite like ABBA, but I don't understand why that particular song is so popular when they have at least 20 better songs. Mickey by Toni Basil - Just can't stand it. Hot and Cold by Katy Perry - see below. At work a several years ago now we went through a stage of overplayin...

Re: Attempted Assassination in Louisville

The only positive is that the shooter was unsuccessful. It's difficult to see a logical motivation for this act. Reading between the lines regarding the shooters history seems to suggest health issues of some type. I wonder whether they are the type of issues that would likely preclude access to gun...

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - February 2022

Just browsing Instagram- what a contrast between Bonza and Rex social media profiles. I’m no marketing expert but Bonza are nailing it compared to Rex, cohesive messaging and branding, clear information and exciting. Such a wasted opportunity from Rex. Slick! https://instagram.com/stories/flybonza/...

Re: Let's talk about your top goosebumps songs

Looking at some of these lists I assumed I was in the other thread. EVen where there are bands I enjoy, the songs I enjoy aren't here. A few songs that work for me, but the list could be pages long if I could be bothered: Teenage Fanclub: Sparky's Dream https://youtu.be/UK_CuMJJLwg Oasis (if I reall...

Re: Popular songs that you HATE

Indeed. My youngest was REALLY into it - had to beg the family to stop sending BS stuff for her to play with. Back to the topic "Come On Eileen" is near the top of my list. There are others but that one comes to mind at this moment. Ugh yeah that’s one 80s hit I can certainly do without. ...

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

Is it known which variant is dominant, and were there underlying health issues, as that seems very atypical? Of around 450 deaths in my home state (NSW, Australia) since 26 November 2021, 1 was a person aged under 20yo. Over 350 were aged 70 or older.

Re: Australian Aviation Thread - February 2022

NTLDaz wrote:

I can take SQ or JL to SFO in November for substantially less than QF or UA. Not sure about a 26 and a half hours trip though. I'd be taking FJ before either of them.

Re: "Freedom Convoy 2022" in Canada

It really sucks that this protest has affected those living in Coutts and trying to go through that border crossing (Here in southern AB). I'm pleasantly surprised that the convoy protests haven't been as bad in downtown Calgary compared to Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa. Given the mandate was an AB...

Re: Will Scott Morrison be re-elected?

It's hard to find a word in the UAP advertising that isn't a lie, or at least a falshood, but there are certain type of people who'll fall for it. Palmer spent an estimated $80 million on his vanity party last election to shore up the Coalition. Yeah, people forget it isn’t as much ALP vs Liberals,...

Re: Will Scott Morrison be re-elected?

The UAP factor is a big one. Clive Palmer and Craig Kelly are running adverts non stop across TV and Internet. Although they didn’t win any seats in 2019 they managed to direct enough preferences away from Labor to deny them victory. Their goal is to prevent a Labor government first and foremost, a...

Re: European Widebody Flights ??

I've also seen LH putting widebodies, especially the A350, on FRA-MUC vv flights. Mostly they seem to pop up close to the flight rather than being scheduled long before it though. It's not surpising though - it was a regular A300 route back in the day, and still (outside Covid) has sufficient deman...

Re: Will Scott Morrison be re-elected?

What's the approval rating for Scott Morrison now? Well I think he's good Problem is that he isn’t, he’s gone from one blunder to the next and the faceless men of the LNP will get rid of him. Barnaby Joyce even openly criticised him. They’ve been there for too long and need a few terms in oppositio...

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

Australia (apart from the state of Western Australia) is reopening to vaccinated tourists from 21 Fenruary 2022. They will also need to abide by any local restrictions, which may still include some indoor masks at that point. Will a negative test also be required to enter or will you just have to b...

Re: When will Virgin Australia return to LAX?

I thought they still had some 330s? The A330s were ex-Etihad leases. They were the first widebodies to go. It will be years if ever before they operate outside the South Pacific again, unless Bali picks up in a big way. A widebody sub-fleet is extremely unlikely. They had 2 ex EK A332s to start. Th...

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

Australia (apart from the state of Western Australia) is reopening to vaccinated tourists from 21 Fenruary 2022. They will also need to abide by any local restrictions, which may still include some indoor masks at that point.

Re: Individual gold medalist at five different Olympic Games: Ireen Wüst

A fantastic acheivement!

Re: When will Virgin Australia return to LAX?

Never in the foreseeable future. They have returned all their widebodies and are 737 only now. I thought they still had some 330s? The A330s were ex-Etihad leases. They were the first widebodies to go. It will be years if ever before they operate outside the South Pacific again, unless Bali picks u...

Re: Qantaslink Dash 8 replacement?

Historical note: Until the flying boat service ended in 1974 (?) they vote in what ever seat Rose Bay was in. For anybody who is interested here is a trip report I posted about a trip I took to Lord Howe, posted 11 years ago, the trip took place 50 years ago!!! https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewt...

Re: Choosing a Canadian Prime Minister

An interesting similarity, sometimes missed, is that most bicameral Commonwealths of States have a "States' House" - the Senate (or equivalent). Canada is interesting in that there seems to be some attempt at proportionality in allocating Senate seats, less in the US and Australia is prett...

Re: Choosing a Canadian Prime Minister

As per previous posters, the Canadian system is very similar to that used in much of the Commonwealth. You vote for the local rep of the party you want to hold power, and the reps elect their leader. In the upcoming Australian election, most people people will say they are voting for Scott Morrison ...

Re: "Freedom Convoy 2022" in Canada

What would have been more effective is not this convoy. It should have been a universal work stoppage from all truckers until the mandates are lifted and the rest of us deal with the consequences of that. They have the leverage as there was a trucker shortage before the mandates were put in place. ...

Re: Three Flights you were most excited about...

1. SYD-?-SYD mid-1970s. My first RPT flight, in the days the two Australian airlines sold excess capacity as mystery flights at reduced fares. It turned out to be SYD-WGA-SYD with Airlines of NSW on F27 2. SYD-SIN-AMS (LHR). My first overseas trip, first two legs were on PH-BFA. First time on a 747 ...

Re: Finnair to launch new premium economy & business class next week

EFHK wrote:

And nowhere does it say that. 2-4-2 PE is for A350, while 2-3-2 PE is for A330.

Re: I never see these flying anymore?

Of the types mentioned, 717s are the only one in regular passenger service at my airport. MD11F is regular. Australia is where Fokkers come to die before Africa, but even the F100 is fast being replaced by old E190s. But two BAe 146 recently came onto the register. As we saw in 2001 and then 2008, s...

Re: Finnair to launch new premium economy & business class next week

I can't say that 2-4-2 PE on A330 sounds like a good thing, but it does depend on the seat they have chosen.

Re: COVID-19 Non Aviation Thread - Q1 2022

Is Denmark just being realistic - it is too contagious to contain? I am coming to the view that trying to do that creates far more collateral damage (social and economic) than the damage COVID-19 itself inflicts. I think that's a foregone conclusion by now. Most nations couldn't control Delta or an...

Re: "Freedom Convoy 2022" in Canada

There have also been claims by people reported at the convoy that "this is about democracy". 90% of relevant drivers are fully vaccinated, as are 88.7% of the Canadian voting age population. Prett much half of the 18+ population has already had a booster dose. By my understanding of repres...

Re: Tornadoes- Mostly an American Phenomenon?