Air New Zealand 747 In Rockhampton

[320subria]

Does anyone have any info on a Air New Zealand 747-400 that arrived into Rockhampton tonight approx 2000hrs local time. Was out at the airport meeting someone off a DJ BNE-ROK flight to see it land. The terminal was full of men of Asian origin, I am guessing it may have been a charter flight to Singapore, but there was no information displayed at the airport.

[positivegee]

320subria, spot on, these flights are usually charters from Singas. for troops participating in Mil. exercises at Shoalwater Bay.

+G

[reubee]

I saw a NZ 744 parked at Singapore on Thursday night

[Oakape]

There is a big military exercise going on in Singapore at the moment - started today. Airspace closures & restrictions all over.

They were probably taking guys & girls up to that

[ghw78]

The annual (?) Singapore/ Australian Armed Forces exercises for 2010 have commenced.

Expect to see Air NZ 747/777s at Rockhampton periodically over the next few weeks going to/from Singapore transporting the troops.

Beats flying around Military Class ( C130 and the like ).

[Skyhawk XP]

What !, no Strategic ?

[Arlyss]

Positivegee and other posters are very accurate as to why AirNZ 744 was in Rockhampton and Singapore.

AirNZ is the only commercial airline chartered by Australia to deliver and collect Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan because Qantas does not charter its aircrafts for military exercises nor does it want its aircrafts entering war zones.

[Capt Fathom]

deliver and collect Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan

Maybe you meant troops from Iraq and Afghanistan

Troop charters to the Middle East usually terminate in Dubai or Kuwait!

No airline would operate in a war zone!

[Groaner]

"No airline would operate in a war zone"

Except the A300 operator that copped a MANPAD out of Baghdad a few years back?

It's true, however, that getting insurance in war zones is difficult. Perhaps not impossible (could think that a government wishing to ferry its troops might well offer insurance for the flights).

[QF22]

ZK-NBW transporting S'pore troops to Rockhampton for war games.

Doesn't go anywhere near Middle East and has already returned to AKL.

I think coming back next week to return said troops to S'pore.

[Taildragger67]

I saw a NZ 744 parked at Singapore on Thursday night

...'twas also parked opposite T1 at Changi on Weds morning when I arrived there. I was wondering why it was there, thanks all for the explanation.

Would've thought the RSAF would use their own (SIA) metal though, rather than charter NZ?

[DrPepz]

RSAF has used SIA in the past, but they also use TG for ferrying troops to Thailand, BI for Brunei and Eva Air for Taiwan.

I guess up till a year ago, SIA didn't have spare 744s for lease and Air NZ did. I still don't see how Air NZ can do it cheaper than SQ by ferrying a 744 empty to SIN, ferrying the troops to ROK and back then ferrying the 744 empty to AKL.

[TrafficTraffic]

...maybe he was beached az...

TT?

[StallBoy]

It might have been lost and just landed to get some directions:ok:

[j3pipercub]

Were the guys in uniform or in civies?

[Sqwark2000]

I still don't see how Air NZ can do it cheaper than SQ by ferrying a 744 empty to SIN, ferrying the troops to ROK and back then ferrying the 744 empty to AKL.

AirNZ commonly offers cheap staff travel specials on the ferry sectors. For this trip, $250 & $350 return fares + taxes were offered to staff. Not sure how many took up the offer.

S2K

[QF22]

I don't know how ANZ got the gig?

Don't know if grunts where in uniform, but on RBI charters they are.

360 staff on SIN-AKL sector last Wednesday.

[The Tn Man]

Qf has operated in the past ,the last time which was a while ago using the 74 combi and 300 ,also Eva ,Brunei & SIA have been involved .

I would think It depends on who has the equipment available at the time.