QF Freight A332’s

[Tom/PER]

Was reading yesterday that before heading off the DRS for conversion EBE undertook some training flights on the East coast with EFA/AAE crew.

Is it safe to assume the Express Freighters guys that currently fly the 3 A321P2F’s will also fly EBE and EBF?

Also does anyone know what the plan is for the sole 763F once EBF arrives back in August?

[soseg]

I’ve heard it’ll initially only be management pilots at EFA flying the big bus.

[soseg]

As for the 767 they’re still doing commands on it.

My guess is, considering Q Group is re-active not proactive, they’ve realised during Covid that freight makes a hell of a lot of money which is how they can justify pulling two a330s out of passenger service when they need them most. They’re incredibly short on frames, are regretting scrapping two a380s and would benefit from having a few 744s in service as the fleets cannot keep up with demand thanks to management buying only 14 game changers in the last 15 years while all the money making international routes are serviced by foreign carriers.

So yeah, the 767 will stick around for some time.

[Tom/PER]

As for the 767 they’re still doing commands on it.

My guess is, considering Q Group is re-active not proactive, they’ve realised during Covid that freight makes a hell of a lot of money which is how they can justify pulling two a330s out of passenger service when they need them most. They’re incredibly short on frames, are regretting scrapping two a380s and would benefit from having a few 744s in service as the fleets cannot keep up with demand thanks to management buying only 14 game changers in the last 15 years while all the money making international routes are serviced by foreign carriers.

So yeah, the 767 will stick around for some time.

Cheers soseg 100%,

I think a lot of us share your sentiments, how they can still have 2 A332’s parked in BNE which have both been there for the best part of 3 years definitely defies logic. I’ve said this before but the A330’s are the most versatile aircraft in the QF fleet…non stop to India and LAX with the ability to haul impressive amounts of freight across the ditch.

I’ll never understand why they are so reluctant to lease airframes to enable network growth, there’s plenty of decent metal and carbon parked around the world looking for new homes, so many airlines have capitalised on opportunistic acquisitions but QF remain bobbing in the water like an armless man, trying to blame everyone else…. those 3 delayed 789’s are a prime example, the amount of network growth touted once they are delivered mid year is astounding, new destinations/routes blah blah.

Read the other day when the A321NEO’s start arriving there is going to be split domestic and international fleets, so straight away you loose that fleet commonality and the ability to rotate aircraft seamlessly around the network, yet another missed opportunity.

[maggot]

As for the 767 they’re still doing commands on it.

My guess is, considering Q Group is re-active not proactive, they’ve realised during Covid that freight makes a hell of a lot of money which is how they can justify pulling two a330s out of passenger service when they need them most. They’re incredibly short on frames, are regretting scrapping two a380s and would benefit from having a few 744s in service as the fleets cannot keep up with demand thanks to management buying only 14 game changers in the last 15 years while all the money making international routes are serviced by foreign carriers.

So yeah, the 767 will stick around for some time.


Yeah freight went up 5 fold, yeah?

Where's it at now?

...

[soseg]

Yeah freight went up 5 fold, yeah?

Where's it at now?

...

Enlighten me?

[RampDog]

Cheers soseg 100%,

I think a lot of us share your sentiments, how they can still have 2 A332’s parked in BNE which have both been there for the best part of 3 years definitely defies logic. I’ve said this before but the A330’s are the most versatile aircraft in the QF fleet…non stop to India and LAX with the ability to haul impressive amounts of freight across the ditch.

I’ll never understand why they are so reluctant to lease airframes to enable network growth, there’s plenty of decent metal and carbon parked around the world looking for new homes, so many airlines have capitalised on opportunistic acquisitions but QF remain bobbing in the water like an armless man, trying to blame everyone else…. those 3 delayed 789’s are a prime example, the amount of network growth touted once they are delivered mid year is astounding, new destinations/routes blah blah.

Read the other day when the A321NEO’s start arriving there is going to be split domestic and international fleets, so straight away you loose that fleet commonality and the ability to rotate aircraft seamlessly around the network, yet another missed opportunity.

Gday Tom/PER
Just an fyi, Jetstar have 2 v A321NXs already operational, I had VH-OFP parked near me in SYD yesterday and VH-OFQ is operating East Coast also.

Cheers

[VHOED191006]

As for the 767 they’re still doing commands on it.

They’re incredibly short on frames, are regretting scrapping two a380s and would benefit from having a few 744s in service as the fleets cannot keep up with demand thanks to management buying only 14 game changers in the last 15 years while all the money making international routes are serviced by foreign carriers.
Makes you wonder how these people got into a position of power, doesn't it?

Cheers soseg 100%,

I think a lot of us share your sentiments, how they can still have 2 A332’s parked in BNE which have both been there for the best part of 3 years definitely defies logic. I’ve said this before but the A330’s are the most versatile aircraft in the QF fleet…non stop to India and LAX with the ability to haul impressive amounts of freight across the ditch.

I’ll never understand why they are so reluctant to lease airframes to enable network growth, there’s plenty of decent metal and carbon parked around the world looking for new homes, so many airlines have capitalised on opportunistic acquisitions but QF remain bobbing in the water like an armless man, trying to blame everyone else…. those 3 delayed 789’s are a prime example, the amount of network growth touted once they are delivered mid year is astounding, new destinations/routes blah blah.

Read the other day when the A321NEO’s start arriving there is going to be split domestic and international fleets, so straight away you loose that fleet commonality and the ability to rotate aircraft seamlessly around the network, yet another missed opportunity.

It also astonishes me how they can do that. There's literally is no excuse at all. As a result of their almost criminal-like negligence, EBD is now apparently very corroded internally. Management just don't want to spend the money at all (particularly leasing as we've seen) and are willing to sacrifice service opportunities.

[PPRuNeUser01531]

Should have kept the six mighty 747 ER's. Big mistake letting those birds go prematurely. Almost as stupid as the Dixon and Jackson circus not ordering the 772.

[davidclarke]

As for the 767 they’re still doing commands on it.

My guess is, considering Q Group is re-active not proactive, they’ve realised during Covid that freight makes a hell of a lot of money which is how they can justify pulling two a330s out of passenger service when they need them most. They’re incredibly short on frames, are regretting scrapping two a380s and would benefit from having a few 744s in service as the fleets cannot keep up with demand thanks to management buying only 14 game changers in the last 15 years while all the money making international routes are serviced by foreign carriers.

So yeah, the 767 will stick around for some time.

The decision to convert the A330s to freighters was made smack in the middle of Covid. A good decision at the time. International traffic wasn’t expected to recover until late 2024. Conversion deposits were paid and plans put in place.

Looking back it probably wasn’t the best decision, but everything in hindsight.

Almost every Asian legacy carrier has substantial freighter fleets. It’s just another example a the current QF management shortsightedness, just like it’s failure to order more 787s.

Freight makes money, but it’s not glamorous. AJ only like the latter…..

[Going Nowhere]

Makes you wonder how these people got into a position of power, doesn't it?



It also astonishes me how they can do that. There's literally is no excuse at all. As a result of their almost criminal-like negligence, EBD is now apparently very corroded internally. Management just don't want to spend the money at all (particularly leasing as we've seen) and are willing to sacrifice service opportunities.

EBB is on a test flight now leaving EBD to go. A -300 also came back into service recently after months in the hangar so it looks like QF is slowly getting capacity back.

Slowly being the key word there..

[soseg]

Management just don't want to spend the money at all (particularly leasing as we've seen) and are willing to sacrifice service opportunities.

$7 share price is the rumoured magic number for the boss to step down looking glamorous.

The question then becomes - will his replacement be forced to spend money and invest in growing the company or sit tight another twenty years trying to make it all look nice on paper?

[B772]

Gday Tom/PER
Just an fyi, Jetstar have 2 v A321NXs already operational, I had VH-OFP parked near me in SYD yesterday and VH-OFQ is operating East Coast also.

Cheers
It was my understanding Jetstar have 4 x A321NXs in service. The first one arrived in July 2022.

[B772]

Cheers soseg 100%,

I think a lot of us share your sentiments, how they can still have 2 A332’s parked in BNE which have both been there for the best part of 3 years definitely defies logic. I’ve said this before but the A330’s are the most versatile aircraft in the QF fleet…non stop to India and LAX with the ability to haul impressive amounts of freight across the ditch.

I’ll never understand why they are so reluctant to lease airframes to enable network growth, there’s plenty of decent metal and carbon parked around the world looking for new homes, so many airlines have capitalised on opportunistic acquisitions but QF remain bobbing in the water like an armless man, trying to blame everyone else…. those 3 delayed 789’s are a prime example, the amount of network growth touted once they are delivered mid year is astounding, new destinations/routes blah blah.

Read the other day when the A321NEO’s start arriving there is going to be split domestic and international fleets, so straight away you loose that fleet commonality and the ability to rotate aircraft seamlessly around the network, yet another missed opportunity.

The first 4 of the 18 A321NEOs (A321NX) (A321LR) are in service. The A321XLR fleet will be have different interiors (seats) depending upon domestic (incl NZ) and true international. The main difference being the business class seats. Fleet commonality will still exist with the ability to substitute dom/int a/c when required.

[VHOED191006]

It was my understanding Jetstar have 4 x A321NXs in service. The first one arrived in July 2022.
Speaking of the NEOs, where the hell are those 45 A320neos that were ordered in 2011?

[VHOED191006]

$7 share price is the rumoured magic number for the boss to step down looking glamorous.

The question then becomes - will his replacement be forced to spend money and invest in growing the company or sit tight another twenty years trying to make it all look nice on paper?
If history is anything to go by, it will probably be the latter.

[AerialPerspective]

Cheers soseg 100%,

I think a lot of us share your sentiments, how they can still have 2 A332’s parked in BNE which have both been there for the best part of 3 years definitely defies logic. I’ve said this before but the A330’s are the most versatile aircraft in the QF fleet…non stop to India and LAX with the ability to haul impressive amounts of freight across the ditch.

I’ll never understand why they are so reluctant to lease airframes to enable network growth, there’s plenty of decent metal and carbon parked around the world looking for new homes, so many airlines have capitalised on opportunistic acquisitions but QF remain bobbing in the water like an armless man, trying to blame everyone else…. those 3 delayed 789’s are a prime example, the amount of network growth touted once they are delivered mid year is astounding, new destinations/routes blah blah.

Read the other day when the A321NEO’s start arriving there is going to be split domestic and international fleets, so straight away you loose that fleet commonality and the ability to rotate aircraft seamlessly around the network, yet another missed opportunity.

It's ridiculous. JQ is the low-cost arm, they should be told to make do with A321XLRs, take the 11 787-8s (which belong to Qantas anyway, well, so does JQ of course) and put them in domestic with some international ops. That would give a fleet of 25 787s and allow more A330s (200 and 300) to be converted or retired and get rid of the 767-381F. It would also eventually standardise the QF fleet on A220/A320-21/787/A350 (with the A380s hanging around until the second batch of A350s arrive).

Remarkable when you look at early 90s and how quickly QF standardised on a basically 737/767/747 fleet.

Eventually maybe less capable versions of the A350 could replace the 787s.

Agree though with some on here, keeping the 747-438ERs would have been a good move. If they found they had too many they could have converted some of them to ERFs.

[Jetsbest]

Qantas has had A330s for approaching 25 years now. QF pilots have flown passengers, freight (esp during Covid), international & domestic for the whole time, and yet QF have twice shifted some of the profitable & efficient type to ‘other entities’ while:
- paying for more management under different AOCs (JQ International start-up & now EFA),
- training new pilots onto A330,
- making QF pilots less efficient/productive, &
- cynically feigning ignorance of why some feel disrespected.🙄

[AerialPerspective]

Qantas has had A330s for approaching 25 years now. QF pilots have flown passengers, freight (esp during Covid), international & domestic for the whole time, and yet QF have twice shifted some of the profitable & efficient type to ‘other entities’ while:
- paying for more management under different AOCs (JQ International start-up & now EFA),
- training new pilots onto A330,
- making QF pilots less efficient/productive, &
- cynically feigning ignorance of why some feel disrespected.🙄

Yes, very different company now.

I remember back when I was there, we had something called a Staff Suggestion Scheme. People suggested changes/innovations and they were actually reviewed, passed by the leadership of the relevant department and quite often adopted. When adopted, the employee received a monetary reward which was based on something like a percentage of the perceived saving per annum - I know because I made a suggestion once and got $100 cheque and a letter from Senior Management for my suggestion.

Maybe I'm old fashioned but that system worked and when you got a suggestion accepted, it made you feel valued and as though you were a contributor to the big breathing entity that we all laboured for, with pleasure mostly. Silly, silly us, how did we miss all those years ago that if we'd only let management be filled by 'reach out' and 'going forward' spouting mid-level MBA graduates, how much more efficient it would be.

I would argue that Qantas was FAR more efficient before all of this. Money wasn't thrown around willy-nilly on BS and over a 20 or so year period where the government put ZERO in capital into Qantas, it not only expanded, but managed to squirrel away $967M in retained profits and that's in late 70s/early 80s dollars.

[Ken Borough]

I would argue that Qantas was FAR more efficient before all of this

Too bloody right! The advent of certain people from Melbourne led by JBT. saw an efficient company become very inefficient. It wasn’t possible to buy a paper clip or bog roll without meetings being held and project teams formed - a complete waste of time and money. I suspect that it’s much worse today.

[mmmbop]

Qantas has had A330s for approaching 25 years now.

B.S. The first arrived in December 2002.

[soseg]

B.S. The first arrived in December 2002.
Well that’s not approaching 20 years is it? Sounds like it’s approaching 25 to me.

Go back to your office

[74world]

Was reading yesterday that before heading off the DRS for conversion EBE undertook some training flights on the East coast with EFA/AAE crew.

Is it safe to assume the Express Freighters guys that currently fly the 3 A321P2F’s will also fly EBE and EBF?

Also does anyone know what the plan is for the sole 763F once EBF arrives back in August?

Yes, EFA pilots will be flying the 330s
Yes, only management pilots /trainers have been qualified/re qualified on the 330, but regular line pilots will start conversion mid year
No retirement date is currently set for the only 767

regarding your comment “is it safe……”..for info, a number of 321 pilots have also 330 experience.

[AerialPerspective]

Too bloody right! The advent of certain people from Melbourne led by JBT. saw an efficient company become very inefficient. It wasn’t possible to buy a paper clip or bog roll without meetings being held and project teams formed - a complete waste of time and money. I suspect that it’s much worse today.

Not only that, we behaved like a big successful business. You went to the stationery cupboard and grabbed a floppy disk (before CD-ROM) and it had a Qantas (91D) stationery code for easy re-order and the logo printed on it. I'm sure the bean counters thought having them logo'd was a waste but in fact it wasn't, we were ORGANISED and went to a supplier and said "We'll have 10,000 thanks, we want a 70% discount for volume and by the way, print our logo on it or no deal". (I knew someone in supply). When the likes of "JBT" (I suspect the BT stands for a type of male adornment worn around the neck?) arrived, one of the first things they did was sell the printing presses in QCD. Apparently it was a disaster because the geniuses that had migrated from Franklin Street, with no knowledge of what went on beyond the 7 mile limit, let alone how a 'big international' airline operated, forgot to check if there was any problems removing said equipment. Of course there was.

The same 'source' in supply told me about a certain 'large' man who had been brought in with the clutch of cronies from down south to be the head honcho of finance. Many will know this person from the stories of complaints calling the Airport Manager on a Sunday to tell him/her about chewing gum on the escalator at the Qantas Domestic Terminal and going spare allegedly when he arrived and his chained off reserved parking spot in Valet had been used (some enterprising Valet employee who knew they were busy had cut the chain and shock, actually used the spot for a paying customer) ordered two 'cow leather' in-trays. The supplier I was told had to make THREE versions because fat-guts kept returning them because they looked a slightly different colour in the afternoon sun. In the end, the supplier 'allegedly' told the head of supply to tell the above senior manager that he'd been in the business for 40 years and you can never match these things in all light because the part of the cow they come from doesn't contain enough skin to make two of them and made a rather anatomical-based suggestion that if he didn't like it, he was free to keep all 6 of the trays on the proviso he inserted them up his arse.

Not a surprise really, that same company, from whence the Melbourne invaders sprang, had a big opening of a City Freight Terminal in the 60s I think. I know because my father was invited to the opening. The first truck rolled up, drove through the new shiny facility and then and ONLY THEN, did it dawn on the geniuses from 'god's gift to aviation' that they'd obviously copied the design from a US operator and guess what? Name the main thing that is COMPLETELY THE OPPOSITE as far as any road vehicle is concerned in the United States, compared with Australia?

They built the bloody thing for left-hand-drive and NO ONE even bothered to look at the plans or ask the question until the $M's had been wasted. From what I'm told they had to jury-rig the thing to make it work. Reminds me of another example in Melbourne of the trains being 'privatised'. Some electrician friends that worked for one of the contracted maintenance organisations for rail said one of the early private operators imported dozens of new rolling stock and it sat in sidings for ages because they didn't check the voltage of the Melbourne suburban electric rail system and of course ordered rolling stock designed to run on a different voltage (I'm pretty sure they didn't even get the DC part right and ordered the wrong numerical voltage and AC).

We have 5ft 3in broad gauge here, unlike everyone else except SA, I think. I guess back then we should have been grateful that they at least got the gauge right and didn't order 4ft 8 1/2 in or 3ft 6in rolling stock.

[Gnadenburg]

Heard a rumour EFA will be doing Mixed Fleet Flying on the A330/321.

This has not worked at a number of airlines and I’ve seen it trialled and quashed by a union. I guess with freight at least there’s only one to share the embarrassment with when you crunch it on or float past the piano keys.

[ShandywithSugar]

Read the other day when the A321NEO’s start arriving there is going to be split domestic and international fleets, so straight away you loose that fleet commonality and the ability to rotate aircraft seamlessly around the network, yet another missed opportunity.


Where was that written?

[VHOED191006]

Heard a rumour EFA will be doing Mixed Fleet Flying on the A330/321.

This has not worked at a number of airlines and I’ve seen it trialled and quashed by a union. I guess with freight at least there’s only one to share the embarrassment with when you crunch it on or float past the piano keys.
JQ did this. Did it not work over there?

[PPRuNeUser01531]

Lets rewind a bit. TN/QF merger was a mistake. Just so happens it was a big one. Had the employees at the time been asked to vote on the proposal it never would have eventuated. Red into blue,blue into red,it just never coaqulated. Ramifications have been ongoing and still exist today. Aircraft choices and fleet structures right up there with many other negative outcomes. Take Australian Airlines (AO) which existed 2002-2006. Based in CNS operating 5 sub-leased 767-338ER's. One of QF's success stories terminated overnight to make way for Jetstar. On many occasions the QF Group has proved to be it's own worst enemy.

[deja vu]

Heard a rumour EFA will be doing Mixed Fleet Flying on the A330/321.

This has not worked at a number of airlines and I’ve seen it trialled and quashed by a union. I guess with freight at least there’s only one to share the embarrassment with when you crunch it on or float past the piano keys.
No union to speak of here.
But with at least one 330 based in SYD and no 321's, no much chance of mixed fleet flying out of there. Other 330 based in MEL with 9 321's ( proposed) gonna be a rare occasion that its an issue. Of course that could all change

[deja vu]

Well that’s not approaching 20 years is it? Sounds like it’s approaching 25 to me.

Go back to your office
" approaching the OM, only 50 more miles to go"

[AerialPerspective]

Lets rewind a bit. TN/QF merger was a mistake. Just so happens it was a big one. Had the employees at the time been asked to vote on the proposal it never would have eventuated. Red into blue,blue into red,it just never coaqulated. Ramifications have been ongoing and still exist today. Aircraft choices and fleet structures right up there with many other negative outcomes. Take Australian Airlines (AO) which existed 2002-2006. Based in CNS operating 5 sub-leased 767-338ER's. One of QF's success stories terminated overnight to make way for Jetstar. On many occasions the QF Group has proved to be it's own worst enemy.

I was told something interesting once by a former manager who had been very senior in Ansett and had come to Qantas in the early 90s. He was in industrial relations but was very respected by everyone and he had huge capability as he moved to other departments successfully (there's a story in that - he had someone put above and below him and he went to the bow-tie man and asked him if there was anything he needed to know - Mr bow-tie, and this was straight from this manager's mouth, first hand, said he was told "You're the best we have in that discipline and there's a long future for you at Qantas BUT, because you're part of the 'old Qantas' - read, 'red' - we need to move you out to another department for a few years and then bring you back in to your specialist area. Why? He asked. JBT allegedly said "Because I'm creating a 'perception' of change in Qantas and it's unpalatable in that sense for you to remain, you need to be moved and come back so we can create a narrative to suit" (or words to that effect). Let that sink in.

Anyway, this manager told me that when he was at Ansett, he was in comms with the very highest levels of the company (this was before a lot of the 'asset reallocation had weakened the AN balance sheet beyond repair) and he told me that Qantas was offered 60% of Ansett in 1990. It was because apparently Murdoch was already bored and Abeles wanted to go and play TNT in Europe. The plan was that Qantas would buy 60% of Ansett for something like $150M and it would include all of NEWS' shareholding and 10% of TNT's. The expectation was that with Abeles withdrawing to TNT and Qantas occasionally being capitalised, the TNT shareholding would eventually wither and AN would become a fully owned subsidiary of Qantas.

I've always thought, looking at the way Ansett conducted business operationally, as a domestic carrier but firmly entrenched in the IATA way of doing things, tick for consistency with Qantas, had IBM (BA-based) Departure Control and Reservations Systems, tick for consistency with Qantas, had a fleet of Boeings including 767s which with some fleet adjustment (getting rid of the 737s) would have fit in nicely with an expanded group fleet. So many other things Ansett did were more international-like than TN.

TN operated with an obscure, Lufthansa developed Res and DCS, a 'toy' system that would, in the interests of getting away on time, allow the load controller to sever the link with check in and 'make up' the final figures and produce a loadsheet. Estimated weights from freight would allow a loadsheet to be issued, QF and AN's system wouldn't, it would warn that weights had not been finalised and would not allow a loadsheet to be produced until all checkin activity had been finalised, etc. Check in could also not make changes without the LC returning the flight to a pre-loadsheet status.

There were a number of loose operational matters that were similar, but at AN they were all of the same ethos as Qantas.

There would have been no reason Ansett couldn't have put a blue tail and a Qantas Kangaroo on it and had the word Ansett in the Qantas typeface. Eventually the operations might have been merged domestic and international as Qantas with the regional arm perhaps retaining Ansett.

One wonders if Ansett weren't the better partner?

[Ken Borough]

Because I'm creating a 'perception' of change in Qantas

Many of us referred to it as 'ethnic cleansing'! :}

[AerialPerspective]

Many of us referred to it as 'ethnic cleansing'! :}

We used to ask the question "What have Qantas and McDonalds got in common?" A: "Both being run by a f-cking clown with a bow-tie".

Of course, when the big fight was on as to whether we'd cripple the airline internationally by adopting the stupid TN system (called "TAARSAN"), Qantas instead, thankfully, opting for an updated version of the British Airways' system that the then current Qantas system (Qantam) was based on, the continual joke when they were looking for a name (eventually won by an international Captain who came up with 'Qantas Universal Business Environment' or 'QUBE', who got two J/Class longhaul and $25K I think, or the $25K I might be getting confused with the Staff Suggestion of the Year added to the Staff Suggestion Scheme by J L Menadue) was "They've decided what to call the new system" "Yeh, what?" "Jane. Because it's being f-cked by TAARSAN".

[C441]

eventually won by an international Captain who came up with 'Qantas Universal Business Environment' or 'QUBE', who got two J/Class longhaul and $25K I think, or the $25K I might be getting confused with the Staff Suggestion of the Year added to the Staff Suggestion Scheme by J L Menadue)
You may be confusing that with the naming of the 744.
Capt. Lenny Alphabet won that with the name "Longreach".
He did get a pair of Round-the-World tickets….not sure about the $25K spending cash.

[Ken Borough]

Capt. Lenny Alphabet

If Captain A's surname began with a 'K', his name was often used by a bloke I knew, now long departed, who scheduled all of the companies special flights, charters etc. Whenever Indonesian approvals were required, he had to provide the captain's name. He invariably used Captain K's full name which he thought must’ve confused the Indonesians no end. I bet there isn't any levity like that in Alphabet City these days!

[C441]

If Captain A's surname began with a 'K', his name was often used by a bloke I knew, now long departed, who scheduled all of the companies special flights, charters etc. Whenever Indonesian approvals were required, he had to provide the captain's name. He invariably used Captain K's full name which he thought must’ve confused the Indonesians no end. I bet there isn't any levity like that in Alphabet City these days!
Capt K it was. If Len's name were a scrabble word you could win the game with a triple word score of his name alone.

As a new S/O I only did a couple of trips with Len and found him to be a good bloke to fly with when a few other Captains were not so pleasant.

[Ken Borough]

Capt K it was.

As was said decades ago in a television advertisement for rice, Australians have funny names! :}​​​​​​​

[Australopithecus]

Trying to rewrite history about the TN/QF merger makes me laugh. Both were government entities caught up in the 1990’s spasm of privatisation. QF needed a domestic arm to yield a better market valuation, and the whole was worth more than the parts.

That management completely was unequal to the task seems obvious now in retrospect. The entire project was arguably a good idea barely adequately executed.

[Ken Borough]

As a new S/O I only did a couple of trips with Len and found him to be a good bloke to fly with

​​​​​​​ I recall that the Brits held Polish pilots very highly during Britain's dire time of need, That high esteem continues to this day.

[73to91]

Speaking of the NEOs, where the hell are those 45 A320neos that were ordered in 2011?

It was a few more than 45. Below was from the annual report, they were to come into service 7 or 8 years ago. Is that, was that, incorrect reporting to the market?


On 16 August 2011, the Group announced the purchase of between 106 and 110 A320 aircraft with 194 purchase rights and options.

Included in the 110 aircraft are 32 “classic” A320 aircraft and 78 A320neo, being Airbus’ new engine option for the A320 family to enter service in 2015. It incorporates latest generation engines and large “Sharklet” wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 per cent in fuel and CO2 emission savings.

[VHOED191006]

It was a few more than 45. Below was from the annual report, they were to come into service 7 or 8 years ago. Is that, was that, incorrect reporting to the market?
My apologies about the number. However, the first one was meant to come originally between 2016 and 2017. So, where on earth are these frames? An investors' presentation by QF says that the first bunch are meant to come during FY2025, with 7 here by FY29. Waiting 15+ years for those frames is ridiculous. A relative of mine was in kindergarten was those birds were first ordered. They're now about to finish Year 12.... I suspect JQ's capacity/lack of frames issue wouldn't be as bad if those NEOs had arrived when they were meant to.

[DeltaT]

Hi, anyone able to supply a EFA roster please?