Qantas to fly 747-400 Domestically

[Snorzac]

Qantas today announced that it would be using a 747-400 on a daily Sydney to Perth service (QF581). This will be the second domestic flight scheduled to be a 747-400 all the time and the first fully domestic flight to have a 747-400, although you can fly from Brisbane to Sydney on the final sector of QF8 from Dallas Fort-Worth.


They also announced that they would be reconfiguring some A330-200s to have a business class seating arrangement of six across in a 2-2-2 config. Funny they should do this as it is only the two newest A330s that came configured differently with a seven abreast 2-3-2 arrangement in business class. I think this would set a new record for the shortest lasting seating arrangement on any major airline as both aircraft with it are less than three months old.


http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/8847209/qantas-747s-to-fly-perth-sydney/

[smitho]

QF used to use the 747s on the Sydney-Perth route - it was one of the last stamping grounds for their 747-200s.

The also used to run 747s on Sydney-Cairns...maybe they still do.

[Snorzac]

Yeah, after the 200s it was the 300s. I think they will do this with the RR 744s. All but three of these are due for retirement before the end of 2014 leaving the three standard ones and the 400ERs in service alongside the A380.

With the 744s on transcontinental work the A330-200s will most likely move to the longer east coast services (SYD-DWN, CNS, etc), trans-Tasman services and other international work around Asia allowing the 767s to retire.

Qantas is really seeing some changes to the fleet, by the end of this year the 737-400s should see their long overdue withdrawal, replaced with the shiny new 737-800s with their seat back ptvs.

[smitho]

I think the other reason for the delayed withdrawal of the 737-400s is that Qantas expected to have the Dreamliners in the fleet by now...they must be up to 2 years late.

I chuckle when I see the old QF 400s being identified on the side of the aircraft as just a 'Boeing 737' rather than 737-300....QF trying to hide the fact that it has some veterans in its fleet. The absence of winglets is a bit of a giveaway though.

It'd be interesting to know if any of the 400s date back to the Australian Airlines era.

[Snorzac]

All of them are ex Australian Airlines except for TJW, Y and Z however the latter two both carry the designation "737-476" which was the Australian Airlines designation. I believe they were ordered by Australian but delivered to Qantas.

Boeing has only ever changed the customer code of aircraft on the production line once, funnily those 11(?) 737-800s now belong to Qantas, who took over the order after they were deferred post 9/11 by American Airlines. Hence technically the earlier VX series Regoed 737-838s are actually 737-823s (823 been the American Airlines customer code and 838 been the Qantas one.

[Sir Pompously]

http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=11295&nseq=10
I Believe this is the AA interior in our 737-838's.

The Dreamliners and the -400's are not related. The Dreamliners are solely to replace the 767's, the -400's are waiting for their -800's. I believe the Boeing 737 on the side is quite normal, some have Boeing 737, others have Boeing 737-400. -TJW is the oddball of the fleet, it is a -4L7 (Air Nauru). -TJZ has been returned to the fleet from JetConnect, has been given its original name of Port Pirie.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Australian-Airlines/Boeing-737-476/1313446/L/ God she looks fine in Australian livery. Would love to see TJE sent to Longreach in Australian Livery.

[Snorzac]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCPpCCV1lz8
here is the launch of the service, VH-OJS operated the first service, that is the Soceroos livery.

Also on the topic of 737-400 withdrawls, there are reports that VH-TJR has been sighted in Melbourne without Qantas title and with the Kangaroo painted over, these reports are however unconfirmed.

[smitho]

Nice ad, thanks. Wonder if the dancers are real QF hosties...

[Snorzac]

This isn't an ad. This is the celebration at the gate before the first 747 Perth service last Monday.