QF 747-300 on AKL/LAX/AKL

[Bombay]

I've noticed that QF operated a 747-300 on the AKL/LAX/AKL service (QF25/26 originating in MEL I think) in the last couple of days.

Any reason why they pulled the 744 off the route? Seems odd that seeing only QF and Air NZ fly transpacific from NZ to the US, meaning they effectively have a monopoly, you'd want a shiny flagship on the route, not a rather tired looking classic!

I'm not a 747 driver, but I imagine the 744 would have a better payload over that sort of range than the 743.

Any comments?

Bombay

[Wod]

As a guess, two aircraft entwined at Avalon would have put them one fleet unit down just as Buenos Aires was launched.

Only a guess mind you.

(And expensive crewing since LAX is all 400 or 380 now. )

[Jabawocky]

They are a few down on normal..........

[Going Boeing]

As Wod & Jaba said, it is simply a shortage of B744's. Problem originally started with the 2 year delay in A380 (aka Dugong) deliveries, which meant that heavy maintenance on the B744s was deferred to keep the services operating. Once all flexibility in deferring maintenance had been exhausted the aircraft had to be sequenced through HM - this was made worse by an AD from Boeing which required additional work during the "D" checks which added 11 days to the time that each aircraft is out of revenue service. Then you add the Oxy bottle explosion which took OJK out of service for 4 months in Manila and when it was about to return to revenue service, it was involved in the towing incident at Avalon - the other aircraft involved in that incident (OJM) has now been repaired & is back in service.

There are two more Dugongs scheduled to join the fleet before the end of the year so they should release enough B744 capacity to start doing the AKL-LAX-AKL route again. There is also a plan to reduce services because of the economic downturn so we will shortly have a surplus of capacity on the B744.


The Dugong

[Bombay]

330? AKL/LAX/AKL has been a -400 for as long as I can remember.

Thanks for the info guys. Interesting reading. How many -300s are still active in the fleet? The FE must be a dying breed in QF these days.

Bombay

[Going Boeing]

DA, the A330-200 was only an interim type because of the B744 shortage - it's too small & too slow to be considered as a permanent type on that route. It was preferred to the B743's because of the Business class Skybeds (which the B743 is not fitted with) but, as you said, because of capacity shortages on other routes, they had to be redeployed.

[Eastwest Loco]

Up to 30NOV the schedule is showing a mix of 743 and A332 on AKL LAX, and after that it goes to A332 and 744.

That is one damned long way on 2 mills!

One recalls the UA 777 that poodled from mid pacific to HNL for around 3 hours on one.

No thank you so much.

Best all

EWL

[Anti Skid On]

Air NZ's B777's seem to do it reasonably well. ETOPS I think it is called!