From posts in a group on facebook, the A340 is doing some testing on pitot tubes. That's all I've seen and know. It's the Airbus testbed aircraft, F-WWAI / MSN001.

QF BNE-LAX diverted to HNL yesterday due to technical reasons which is said to be fumes in the cockpit. Flight departed HNL 2 hours later

http://www.theqantassource.com/qanta...qf15-honolulu-technical-diversion/

Quoting qf789 (Reply 42): SQ to add 4th flight to BNE initially 3 weekly from 28 May 2016 with plans of it going daily later in the year, previously this flight has been run on a temporary basis during peak periods SQ265 SIN655-1645BNE 333 146 SQ266 BNE1800-20+1SIN 333 146

Great news for BNE, this flight runs over the summer (currently operating 4x days a week right now) and will be great to see it permanently. Hopefully this isn't at the expense of the rumoured 777 upgrade on one of the flights?

Quoting TruemanQLD (Reply 52): Great news for BNE, this flight runs over the summer (currently operating 4x days a week right now) and will be great to see it permanently. Hopefully this isn't at the expense of the rumoured 777 upgrade on one of the flights?

I don't think it will come at the expense of the 777 upgrade as the 777 wouldn't be increasing seats (unless they threw a 77W on the route), rather improving the SQ business product which is dated now compared to the competition on their regional configured A330s.

Quoting TruemanQLD (Reply 52): Hopefully this isn't at the expense of the rumoured 777 upgrade on one of the flights?

It doesn't seem to be at the expense of the 777 upgrade from the reports I have seen.

Good to see SQ in expansion mode again.

2nd daily A380 on PER-DXB from August as EK424/425 is upgauged. Go Perth!

http://www.emirates.com/au/english/a...to-perth-will-commence-on-1-august

Quoting DeltaB717 (Reply 55): 2nd daily A380 on PER-DXB

It was only a question of when. A hint had been given last May but at that time a firm date wasn't given. See discussion in comments to a trip report.

False Start New Beginning Inaugural A380 From PER (by ElanusNotatus May 11 2015 in Trip Reports)

Quoting 777Jet (Reply 46): I just got an e-mail from Air Asia about sales on OOL-AKL. Is this a new route?

Reported last week, announed this week.

Quoting QFA380 (Reply 34): I'm going to guess there may be a few possibilities for connections from ADL/PER/HBA on VA.

No direct flights on VA from HBA to CBR anymore either. With VA/NZ, QF, and JQ all offering one stops HBA to WLG flights via MEL there is a snowflakes chance in hell of a pax from HBA taking this SQ service.

Quoting 777Jet (Reply 46): I just got an e-mail from Air Asia about sales on OOL-AKL. Is this a new route?

Was announced on the 12th as a tag on from the KUL-OOL route. With MH flying KUL-AKL direct, and the Tasman already a bloodbath with so many airlines using 5th freedom I'm not sure this is a worthwhile exercise from D7, especially when there are 2+ flights per day from VA/NZ and JQ on the route, as well as the flights ex BNE that include the big EK bird.

Time will tell...

Cheers,
Boof

Quoting Boof (Reply 58): Was announced on the 12th as a tag on from the KUL-OOL route. With MH flying KUL-AKL direct, and the Tasman already a bloodbath with so many airlines using 5th freedom I'm not sure this is a worthwhile exercise from D7, especially when there are 2+ flights per day from VA/NZ and JQ on the route, as well as the flights ex BNE that include the big EK bird.

Add to that AKL-BNE has an daily 77W from NZ, along with 3-4x daily 320/738 from NZ/VA

^

Also to add the 3x weekly MCY-AKL flights that now run for 8 months of the year (Winter, Spring and the seasonal flights now expanded to Summer months)

more good news for QF, BITRE shows that in Oct 15 international passengers grew by 5.8% compared to Oct 14 which equates to 26000 more passengers who flew with QF in Oct 15

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...-fortunes-of-qantas-international/

Quoting qf789 (Reply 61): more good news for QF, BITRE shows that in Oct 15 international passengers grew by 5.8% compared to Oct 14 which equates to 26000 more passengers who flew with QF in Oct 15

Good inbound result for BNE-NRT:

Inbound: 8486 pax for 92.1% load factor
Outbound: 5357 pax for 58.4% load factor

Given it is only a 2 month old route at the time that is a decent load factor (I know, I know it's yields that matter)

I'm surprised this one has been missed.... Soloman Airlines will be leasing a QF B738 from late Feb to Early Apr until there flagship A320 gets back from SIN Maint. And I think it will be operated by QF Crew.

Quoting TruemanQLD (Reply 62): Outbound: 5357 pax for 58.4% load factor

That's not great viewing but yes it is early days.

The inbound numbers are very good though.

Given the amount of capacity on Japan-Australia routes though it could be a challenging period for all players in the market, especially yields.

Interesting news from NZ- PER to go 10 weekly 789 from Sept. Replacing the current 7 weekly 789, three weekly (seasonal) 763. I'd expect next high season we may see double daily 789, and twice weekly 763 CHC. Long term next year must got 14weekly 789. Good little niche for NZ Americas and NZ traffic.

Source - http://airlineroute.net/2016/01/15/nz-per-sep16/

[Edited 2016-01-16 00:07:23]

Quoting smi0006 (Reply 65): I'd expect next high season we may see double daily 789, and twice weekly 763 CHC. Long term next year must got 14weekly 789.

I expect that CHC-PER will also be 789 as the same aircraft is used as on the "additional" AKL-PER services. Don't know why they've just announced it = it's been visible in the timetable for weeks.

Don't know about 2x daily next year, though - that's a lot of additional capacity.

Quoting smi0006 (Reply 65): Good little niche for NZ Americas and NZ traffic.

PER is fast becoming NZ's remaining strong pillar in terms of its AKL hub connections.

Given that SYD, BNE and MEL are gaining new non-stops over time to North America, it really only will give NZ a position of strength on a couple of routes from the East Coast capitals.

As the mining boom has cooled though, we will wait to see though just how strong it will remain longer term in PER.

And the fares to NZ arnt that cheap either from Perth with NZ having a near monopoly on direct services

Would be interesting to see NZ extend something beyond Perth, even though they had said no new 1 stop routes for now anything is possible with NZ.

They currently do an have daily LHR slot that they are leasing out, that could be maybe be used? Beat Qantas to it since they said the 789 could do it direct from PER.

Quoting zkncj (Reply 70): They currently do an have daily LHR slot that they are leasing out, that could be maybe be used? Beat Qantas to it since they said the 789 could do it direct from PER.

Oh, there has to be somewhere more interesting than PER-LHR, and somewhere not so far.

Still, given the embargo on one-stops, there's not a lot of point in guessing where.

mariner

Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 16): I disagree.

I guess we can agree to disagree then...

Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 16): Now, Qantas definitely have a superior soft product but that's not what you were talking about.

I last flew UA in 2002 SYD-SFO and the IFE in Y/C was from the 70's but as you already quoted their product offering a match from nose to tail...

Quoting DeltaB717 (Reply 18): To be fair, OJM was actually in maintenance rather than 'gone tech'...

Yes, however the extended honeymoon was wasn't planned which resulted in the International network requiring shuffling around and disruptions...

Quoting qf789 (Reply 27): CX eyes more 77W services to Australia

About time CX brings in the big guns opposed to increased frequency!

Other news, QF12 diverted to BNE this morning due a tech issue with the knock on effect delaying today's SYD-DFW QF0007.

Quoting EK413 (Reply 72): Quoting qf789 (Reply 27): CX eyes more 77W services to Australia About time CX brings in the big guns opposed to increased frequency!

Hopefully BNE will see something.

Amazes me that SQ has 3 (soon to be 4) daily to Brisbane yet Cathay has one daily direct (with less optimal timing) and the 4 weekly via Cairns.

They're much closer in capacity levels in SYD and MEL.

Quoting QFA380 (Reply 73): Hopefully BNE will see something. Amazes me that SQ has 3 (soon to be 4) daily to Brisbane yet Cathay has one daily direct (with less optimal timing) and the 4 weekly via Cairns. They're much closer in capacity levels in SYD and MEL.

The frequency restrictions have hampered CX's plans in the past, where CX originally wanted to offer the same aircraft and product to all Australia's services, but thanks to the frequency restrictions, they gave of course SYD and MEL more frequencies, but as a result have lost ground to other airlines such as SQ out of BNE. Hopefully now it looks like they are happy to stray from their A330 for Australia plan, and give other routes more capacity via the 777 since they can't increase frequency.

FYI, The current daily direct non stop flight has optimal timing, its designed to meet connections in HKG, without being allowed to increase frequency, this timing is their best bet and optimal out of BNE for both inbound and outbound traffic connections through HKG. There are a bank of flights out of HKG (mainly into mainland China, and north Asia) which have a perfectly timed 50min-90min connection window, so this flight is very popular with passengers as a result. The kangaroo route is saturated these days, so CX has switched thier focus to some extent to their own back door and closer markets.

Quoting JQflightie (Reply 63): I'm surprised this one has been missed.... Soloman Airlines will be leasing a QF B738 from late Feb to Early Apr until there flagship A320 gets back from SIN Maint. And I think it will be operated by QF Crew.

That is interesting, would have expected it to be ON, didn't realise QF was in this sort of charter market (I guess when the price is right...). It's good to see IE/QF getting back in bed together like the good old days of a shared aircraft (737-200?)

Quoting QFA380 (Reply 73): Hopefully BNE will see something. Amazes me that SQ has 3 (soon to be 4) daily to Brisbane yet Cathay has one daily direct (with less optimal timing) and the 4 weekly via Cairns. They're much closer in capacity levels in SYD and MEL.

Yes but CX is limited in frequency as opposed to SQ so have to use it wisely, and I guess BNE is the lower yielding.

MU started BNE services today for a few months of the Chinese New Year before returning permanently in November. A330-200 arrived ahead of schedule but left around an hour late (reason unknown). Hopefully we will see this increase to a daily service quickly (planned 3x weekly)

Quoting TruemanQLD (Reply 75): MU started BNE services today for a few months of the Chinese New Year before returning permanently in November. A330-200 arrived ahead of schedule but left around an hour late (reason unknown). Hopefully we will see this increase to a daily service quickly (planned 3x weekly)

Speaking of which I noticed an A330-243 was parked in the QF hangar 416 tonight plus an up gauge of equipment yesterday and today they sent a B77W... I didn't read anywhere regarding the equipment up gauge???

EK413

Just came back from a trip to Oz where I was very pleased to fly in both retro 738s on consecutive legs, MEL-ADL and ADL-SYD. And add to that a trip on one of the 717s SYD-HBA - not a common aircraft around the world. Thanks QF!

Quoting EK413 (Reply 76): Speaking of which I noticed an A330-243 was parked in the QF hangar 416 tonight plus an up gauge of equipment yesterday and today they sent a B77W... I didn't read anywhere regarding the equipment up gauge???

I, too, didn't remember reading about the MU 77Ws when the chatter started on Friday and over the weekend (on facebook groups). Probably because the original announcement is now a year old!

http://airlineroute.net/2015/01/22/mu-syd-s15/
http://airlineroute.net/2015/12/09/mu-syd-feb16/

Quoting zkncj (Reply 2): Does anyone know what EDTO limit CASA has pre-approved for Qantas for the 789 entry of service? With NZ about to get 330 EDTO in June, surely Qantas would be starting at less?

QF has years of experience at 180 min ; this should qualify them to go straight to 240 min. subject to the paperwork and a proving flight.

Quoting zkncj (Reply 70): even though they had said no new 1 stop routes for now anything is possible with NZ.

Fyfe said that not Luxon .

Another air rage incident aboard a QF PER-SYD flight yesterday

http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel...y/b384a96be3952693de5d2fa2e2245d86

Quoting qf789 (Reply 80): Another air rage incident aboard a QF PER-SYD flight yesterday

The man was allowed to leave the airport, pending further investigation - disgusting!! Sick to death of being treated with abuse by drunk passengers who get a chat from the AFP and come back the next day or fly with another airline. I recognise people have issues with alcohol and I have sympathy and compassion for their addiction. Doesn't mean abuse should be tolerated by anyone.

Quoting DavidByrne (Reply 77): Just came back from a trip to Oz where I was very pleased to fly in both retro 738s on consecutive legs, MEL-ADL and ADL-SYD.

Nice!

Some people have all the luck  

Quoting DavidByrne (Reply 77): And add to that a trip on one of the 717s SYD-HBA - not a common aircraft around the world.

Great catch  

Quoting qf789 (Reply 80): Another air rage incident aboard a QF PER-SYD flight yesterday http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel...45d86

I can't recall reading about one of these incidents here for a least a week so I guess this was overdue  

Quoting 777Jet (Reply 82): Nice! Some people have all the luck

Yeah, don't they just   What I wouldn't do!

Quoting EK413 (Reply 72): I guess we can agree to disagree then

Quoting EK413 (Reply 72): I last flew UA in 2002

Having done six long haul flights on United last year, I feel that my experience is slightly more topical.

Quoting 747m8te (Reply 74): The current daily direct non stop flight has optimal timing, its designed to meet connections in HKG,

If CX want to get in a pissing contest with CZ, and soon MU, over low yield connections to the Mainland then that is their prerogative, but by optimising the flight for that market then they have turned their back on the corporate market. Who in their right mind would finish their meeting in the afternoon, and then hang around all evening, spend an extra night, hang around all of the next morning, not leave until lunchtime, arriving home at midnight? It's absolute madness, especially when Qantas can get you home before you would have even left to go to the airport on CX. And Qantas' schedule still allows you connect to all major markets of any importance on the BNE-HKG flight arriving in the evening ... connecting on CX/KA.

Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 84): Quoting EK413 (Reply 72): I last flew UA in 2002 Having done six long haul flights on United last year, I feel that my experience is slightly more topical.

It would still be the same flight attendants as 2002. LOL (If they were the UA one's)

Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 84): If CX want to get in a pissing contest with CZ, and soon MU, over low yield connections to the Mainland then that is their prerogative, but by optimising the flight for that market then they have turned their back on the corporate market. Who in their right mind would finish their meeting in the afternoon, and then hang around all evening, spend an extra night, hang around all of the next morning, not leave until lunchtime, arriving home at midnight? It's absolute madness, especially when Qantas can get you home before you would have even left to go to the airport on CX. And Qantas' schedule still allows you connect to all major markets of any importance on the BNE-HKG flight arriving in the evening ... connecting on CX/KA.

CX knows something about their passenger market out of BNE that you don't. Otherwise they'd change their flight times.

Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 84): If CX want to get in a pissing contest with CZ, and soon MU, over low yield connections to the Mainland then that is their prerogative, but by optimising the flight for that market then they have turned their back on the corporate market. Who in their right mind would finish their meeting in the afternoon, and then hang around all evening, spend an extra night, hang around all of the next morning, not leave until lunchtime, arriving home at midnight? It's absolute madness, especially when Qantas can get you home before you would have even left to go to the airport on CX. And Qantas' schedule still allows you connect to all major markets of any importance on the BNE-HKG flight arriving in the evening ... connecting on CX/KA.

Business market in HKG isn't their only market, business travellers flying to BNE for work in BNE are another market, as are the connections through HKG, they would be looking at all of these to see which works best for them, and for the most part it does except for the CX157.

The flight is timed well for outbound connections from HKG, CX156 arrives in HKG in the am, good for connections through Asia but also perfect if going to a meeting in HKG, your point is moot compairing it to QF as that flight arrives into HKG in the afternoon and you have lost a full days work there too, which ever carrier you choose you lose a day/night, this scenario would only be resolved if both flew double daily to capture both times fo the day.

Likewise arriving into BNE it arrives at night CX157, so if you have business in BNE you go to bed and can get up and have a full day in BNE of work before returning to HKG that evening on the CX156. Yes the flight leaving HKG into BNE (CX157) is the only sucky part if you are working in HKG that day, but they do have the 4 x weekly service that leaves in the evening as well (yes it transits CNS)...Ideally CX would like to go daily on both am and pm flights but with the restrictions they have, i'm sure they know which flight time has more demand and they have gone with it (short of having the aircraft spend all day in BNE which would NOT be cost effective)...

As you say with CZ and MU on the scene that may change but it hasn't happened yet, will be interesting to see whether it changes CXs focus, however many premium pax would rather fly CX over CZ/MU and if they are going to secondary Chinese cities, then connecting with CX onto KA is much easier through HKG than having to clear customs at the first point of entry into mainland China, as thay have to do if they are going via PEK, PVG, CAN and recheck-in for their domestic flights. Big part of the reason why Jetstar Hong Kong would have worked well for QF as it would have given them a good easy launch pad for transiting pax.

But hey, this is where the CX and QF flights compliment one another depending on oneworld frequent flyers travel habits to/from BNE/HKG.

Quoting sydscott (Reply 85): CX knows something about their passenger market out of BNE that you don't. Otherwise they'd change their flight times.

Indeed! Their day flight used to be the daily service, with the night flight ex BNE only being 4 x weekly...they switched that a few years ago to make the night service ex BNE the daily service, so it must indeed be working for them.

Looks like SQ officially announcing SIN-CBR-WLG tomorrow.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/7605...ingtoncanberra-service-from-august

Quoting Unclekoru (Reply 87): Looks like SQ officially announcing SIN-CBR-WLG tomorrow. http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/7605...ingtoncanberra-service-from-august

Whats with the reference to using 772's on the route? the article shows it was specifically corrected from A330's to 777s!!


Could it be due to Y capacity and onboard J product? there is one seatmap with 26J/245Y config with flatbeds...

I'm so excited, yet so confused!

A friend of mine was present at the announcement & says the B777 was mentioned, not A330. Definitely not expected but you won't hear me complaining! Congrats to all parties involved.

Over the moon that SQ to Canberra and Wellington is finally confirmed. Even more so that it will be with the 777-200!

SQ 291 SIN-CBR 2300 / 0835 +1
SQ 291 CBR-WLG 0950 / 1505

SQ 292 WLG-CBR 2015 / 2205
SQ 292 CBR-SIN 2330 / 0550 +1

First flight 20 September.

Quoting qantas747 (Reply 88): Whats with the reference to using 772's on the route? the article shows it was specifically corrected from A330's to 777s!! Could it be due to Y capacity and onboard J product?

This SMH story seems to more or less quote SQ as choosing 'to use a 777-200 rather than an A330 because the former offers more business class and fewer economy class seats on a route expected to attract a proportionally large amount of premium traffic'.

77E is in the official press release:
http://www.singaporeair.com/jsp/cms/...ess_release_news/ne0316-160120.jsp

In some QF Group news today, GK have just announced service to Manila with NRT, NGO and KIX all being connected from late March / early April. That will mean the GK International network will comprise

HKG - NRT/KIX
TPE - NRT/KIX/NGO
MNL - NRT/KIX/NGO

http://zipanguflyer.blogspot.com.au/...apan-reveals-manila-downsizes.html

GK will also be the first Japanese based LCC into Manila.

QF1 is operating with a ~15 hour delay ex SYD, departed at 8:21am this morning.

Anyone know why?

VH-OQF had an issue earlier this week (yesterday or Wednesday). Could be related?

Quoting sydscott (Reply 93):

I note that the MNL & TPE flights are red-eyes but HKG is not. I wonder why they haven't gone for increased utilisation by flying overnight.

Also noteworthy that 3K & GK have ATI for Japan-Philippines & Japan-Taiwan. Hopefully this will help GK on its way to profitability.

Quoting qfvhoqa (Reply 96): I note that the MNL & TPE flights are red-eyes but HKG is not. I wonder why they haven't gone for increased utilisation by flying overnight.

For Hong Kong it is a slot and utilisation issue. The MNL and TPE flights will be lined up to depart almost simultaneously from NRT/KIX/NGO late night and return early morning but for HKG it's different. You'll also note that the GK HKG departure times also coincide with 3K and BL departures so there is also probably a cost efficiency in there as well.

Quoting qfvhoqa (Reply 96): Also noteworthy that 3K & GK have ATI for Japan-Philippines & Japan-Taiwan. Hopefully this will help GK on its way to profitability.

Hopefully. The combined network will have 3 x daily TPE flights from KIX plus daily from NRT and NGO, daily FUK-BKK and combined daily MNL-TPE, (3 pw from 3K and 4 pw from GK), along with up to daily from NRT and NGO. So not a bad build out of service at the moment. The question is what's next and I'd say it's probably a new domestic base along with some leisure oriented routes like GUM or Saipan. The A320NEO will also allow 3K to do SIN-OKA without payload penalty as well.

Today SYD saw a UA B789 for the first time due to a weather diversion from MEL.

Today CASA announced rule changes for airlines landing in bad weather.


http://www.theaustralian.com.au/busi...y/7798c36cea937205e3cda990f950f9d3

You have to do a search on it and get one shot only in reading it !