Qantas management seems overly preoccupied with bringing their staff down a peg.

If you knew anything about the 777 you would realise the first generation of -300s were only good for about 7 hours , so not very useable on QF routes , by the time the new models came out QF had already the A330s.:{

One last hurrah perhaps?

The 300 ER came out about five years before the 380 entered service, so would have fitted into QF's requirements on the Pacific. As I recall, the 330 was purchased cheaply and was required by Airbus because they didn't want initial ratings on the whale without previous AB experience.

That’s right Scooter - Nobody expects airline management to consult with manufacturers with regard to aircraft types. The 777-300ER entered into service with Air France two years after the A330 arrived at Qantas. Who would have thought that Boeing would keep the development of this aircraft a secret from these geniuses praying for low fuel prices, and a miracle in the Qantas boardroom.

At this point the 777 had been flying for six years at various long haul airlines. Boeing offered the 300ER two years before the A330 arrived at Qantas, and it was flying in service two years after Qantas received its ‘game changing’ A330.

Muppet.

Oh god, not another game changer!

What we all forget is the Qantas mantra, right aircraft for the right route. You see the worlds best airline Singapore Airlines has just put a brand new 787-10 on Singapore Perth but we in Qantas no this is not correct , it’s only suitable for a 737-800. Idiots.

But Singapore Airlines doesn't have the 737 in its fleet? So what is your point?

I think his point must be that if SQ can operate a new 787 profitability on that route then their load factors must be > 75%. Hence, right aircraft for the route.

When passengers have a choice they tend to eschew smaller aircraft.

Well maybe. But SQ also hubs through Singapore so they have far more transfer pax with which to fill an aircraft than Qantas could ever hope to have (even during their heyday). It's not really a fair comparison. Of course SQ can have 4 widebodies a day when they are carrying people to destinations all over Asia and Europe thereafter.

Oh sure, through traffic is a big deal. Once Qantas embraces its back-to-the-future more fully there will be similar traffic for us. Currently the LHR bound 380 is full both ways through SIN. Don't forget QF connects in SIN to its own extensive JetStar services. (sarcasm)

Chuboy
Go back 10 years we (QF) had 2 services (A330) a day running Per-Sin-Per plus an A330 doing Adl-Sin-Adl, an A330 on the Bne-Sin-Bne and the A380s out of Syd and Mel through Sin to Lhr, plus the 747-400 doing Sin-Fra or Sin to Cdg. If the timings were just right you would sit in your cockpit doing a preflight and be surrounded by 6 or 7 redtails; But that was back when QF was an airline rather than the management money making machine it has become today!!! :D

Plus Mumbai, Bali and Jakarta were also connected thru Singapore but than was when Qantas was an airline. At least you get it, thanks.

As much as it pains me to admit it, HH is right. Scuttlebutt is that Boeing isn't even offering the 747-8i any more (although if someone and wanted to buy a dozen I'm sure they'd figure out a way to oblige). Boeing is still optimistic that the 747-8F has a strong future as the freight market improves, but I fear we've already seen the last new passenger 747.

It's a real pity as any 74 is a far better pax experience overall IMHO.

Was on a TG 744 recently and reinforced my opinion.

Not flown FINNAIR's A350s then ZFT?

Not quite so. Qantas used to have a significant real hub at Singapore. In fact, in some old UK CAA figures, at one time they were surprisingly boarding more pax at Singapore for London, on just point-to-point (not through from Oz), than British Airways were; Singapore AL were top, but BA were pushed down into third place.

In the day, Qantas had more presence at Changi than any other foreign operator. I often wonder where it went wrong. Did the genii in the "Public Service" in Canberra cede too much to the ME3? I suggest that the benefits they bring to Australia are illusory.

An astute observation.
Government data (on passenger numbers ex Australia) shows a very abrupt decline when Qantas exited Singapore. To understand what the airlines flying through Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore thought of Qantas' "advance to the rear" abandoning Asia, have a look at the additional services they put only following April 1.

Is it likely that due real hard crew limits, the Perth London is beyond the reach to be a sustainable reliable service?

In that event, should a London winter kill the schedule integrity, expect the Melbourne, Perth to London service to quietly go through Singapore and the service be scaled back to non-existent.

Staggering the loss of patronage, Operating Revenue and footprint Qantas surrendered for little Napoleon's five year random walk through Dubai.

I wouldn’t say loss of patronage. Having looked at loads out of Singapore most flights are pretty full as are those out of Perth. Chatting to several different customers on way up to London and most were upset they couldn’t get on the 9/10 out of/to Perth. They see the one stop on the West Coast as a great advance, which to be honest surprised me but they are the paying public not the Pprune experts.