Last QF 747 service?
Classy arrival. Not the send off the Queen deserves, but probably the best that can be asked for right now. I'll never get to fly one, but there was a model of a Roo tailed 747 on my desk as a kid all the way through primary and high school while studying to be a pilot. Many great QF guys who drove them that I met at YSBK as a kid gave me the drive and motivation to do the job I'm doing now.
I'm sad to see it go, and I have never even stepped foot in one! For the drivers who are looking at who knows what right now after this, my thoughts are with you; and all of you guys and girls at the moment.
I'm sad to see it go, and I have never even stepped foot in one! For the drivers who are looking at who knows what right now after this, my thoughts are with you; and all of you guys and girls at the moment.
I remember as a kid in the 90s going right up to the fence near 34L in Sydney. I swear the wing almost went over your head as the QF 747 taxied past. Even got a wave from the FO.
It’s the aircraft I always wanted to fly as a kid. Never did and never will now. Sad to see it go.
It’s the aircraft I always wanted to fly as a kid. Never did and never will now. Sad to see it go.
Simple Flying is reporting (here: https://simpleflying.com/qantas-747-parking/) that "Contrary to media reports, Qantas has since confirmed to Simple Flying that this was not the last 747-400 flight ... the Queen of the Skies hasn’t had her final Qantas swansong quite yet – that much we can confirm"
Rumour has it that the purchaser of the last 4 has gone broke and the deal has fallen over.
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With crude below $20 a barrel (West Texas Intermediate hit $19.92 last night according to the FT) and likely to stay low for a good year or two (the Russia/Saudi peeing contest showing no sign of abating), Qantas might well decide to extract another year of flying out of the remaining 747's, when the time comes to resume operations.
In fact, they might even get airborne before the A380's. With oil at those prices fuel burn suddenly becomes less of a dominant concern and other factors become more important. I know several QF engineers who say rude words when asked about maintaining the A380 and nice(r) things when asked about the 747. And the 747 is, from a seat sales point of view, big but not massive, unlike like the A380. If travel starts up slowly in six months time, considering the above factors, you might find the 747's running SYD-LAX or SYD-LHR while the A380s stay grounded, waiting for load factors to grow enough to justify bringing them back.
It would be just like the 90's again.
In fact, they might even get airborne before the A380's. With oil at those prices fuel burn suddenly becomes less of a dominant concern and other factors become more important. I know several QF engineers who say rude words when asked about maintaining the A380 and nice(r) things when asked about the 747. And the 747 is, from a seat sales point of view, big but not massive, unlike like the A380. If travel starts up slowly in six months time, considering the above factors, you might find the 747's running SYD-LAX or SYD-LHR while the A380s stay grounded, waiting for load factors to grow enough to justify bringing them back.
It would be just like the 90's again.
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I think the point of the early retirement of the 747 is that there won’t be enough demand for Qantas’ full Wide Body fleet for a very long time. I don’t think you’ll see any international airline return to a full schedule within 18 months. If they were sold to GE it would be an easy cash grab too, at a time when cash is key to survival.
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Unfortunately may I add further salt into our aviation wounds as ironically as it sounds KLM finished up their 747 services
on the same day as QF. Their last service was KL686 Mexico City to Amsterdam PH-BFT a combi version.
However all the 747 freighters are working flat chat due to present environment.
Folks I'm still hurting since B707/727/DC-8s/DC-9s/Tridents/VC-10s/Comets/BAC-111/L1011s/CV-880/990 finished up.
Stay healthy.
on the same day as QF. Their last service was KL686 Mexico City to Amsterdam PH-BFT a combi version.
However all the 747 freighters are working flat chat due to present environment.
Folks I'm still hurting since B707/727/DC-8s/DC-9s/Tridents/VC-10s/Comets/BAC-111/L1011s/CV-880/990 finished up.
Stay healthy.
Nunc est bibendum
I’d like to think that even if the decision is made to retire the 747 that they’d bring one of them back for a month or so to do the aeroplane justice. It deserves that sort of send off and to allow the travelling public and crews to say goodbye properly.
Flyovers of every Australian Capital city wouldn’t be out of the realms. Heck the PR value alone in each city would cover the costs.
Flyovers of every Australian Capital city wouldn’t be out of the realms. Heck the PR value alone in each city would cover the costs.
Qantas had a film crew documenting the arrival, the car park in front of Sydney TCU was packed as was Shep's mound so I'd say that apart from a few YSSY-KVCV flights it's all over red rover for QF747 pax ops.
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I’m not saying this is definitely the last pax flight but I guess when you think about it QF probably had an obligation not to advertise it to the world with social distancing/crowds etc 😞
A year ago QNewsroom said QF is WET-Leasing a couple of 747-8Fs for a while...
https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/me...freight-fleet/
How are they branded? Are they UPS, Cathay, Cargolux hulls?
https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/me...freight-fleet/
How are they branded? Are they UPS, Cathay, Cargolux hulls?
A year ago QNewsroom said QF is WET-Leasing a couple of 747-8Fs for a while...
https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/me...freight-fleet/
How are they branded? Are they UPS, Cathay, Cargolux hulls?
https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/me...freight-fleet/
How are they branded? Are they UPS, Cathay, Cargolux hulls?