So you need a new fleet Leigh?

[knobbycobby]

Beer Baron.
The A380 Replacement will do nothing but Sydney London and Sydney New York and Sydney Rio or equivalent.
Alan Joyce was clear in a presentation to the ASX.Its a double sunrise 23-24 hour TOD machine.
The 787 Perth London patterns are not MDC, Nor are any of the Los Angeles patterns.
Also told 787 crews will NOT slip in JFK but fly LAX-JFK-LAX in one return 3-4 pilot so as to avoid MDC. AIPA did not include the 787 to have a two day slip requirement in JFK.
The trip length has to be at least over 7 days, really 8-9 for the MDC to be higher than the stick hours.
The loss of night credits is why the 787 loses on the majority of patterns, not to mention zero overtime. The hourly rate increase never equals the equivalent loss of overtime or night credit for pattern credit in the take home pay.Bigger number sounds good though.
If it did some Asia flying it may mitigate the loss somewhat but it does not.
I suspect due to to ETOPS restrictions the 747 will hang around longer. SYD-JNB and SYD-SCL won't be able to be flown by 787 as far as I can see currently. I don't think QF would have checked this with flight ops.Sure a bag of cash, some Chairmans lounge memberships and some First upgrades may change it in time.
As others have wisely commented, A RIN only functions properly in a slowdown.Even then it is a disaster. Training is at max, retirements are increasing so a RIN will be a nightmare for QF in that environment.Feel for the Allocations department and the training section.
747s owe nothing, are refurbished and the newest ERs are not that old.
As ex classic crews will tell you its not over till it is over.