QF A380s still not refurbished?

Hi All,

Heading to HKG this week on the A380. I have just noticed the business class seating map has changed to the old 2-2-2 layout, not direct aisle access seats like the 787s. Looks like an last minute equipment change to a different A380 config. Not happy Jan!

Is Qantas really still operating flights with the old business seats? Can't seem to find a refit update or schedule from the airline.

Should have gone for the CX A350-1000!

In that case, any tips for nabbing one of the first class seats on the main deck? (they don't sell first tickets on that flight). ;)

Would seem so. On QF93 from MEL to LAX at the end of June and the seat map shows the old business layout. Interestingly first class seats are also showing up on the seat map (although none are available on the date of my flight) which would mean they are not selling first class on the days when they are using the A380 with the old layout.

Am flying SYD-HKG this week on the A380 and the seat map has just changed to the old 2-2-2 configuration. Not happy Jan!

Am surprised QF still have A380s with the old business seats. Should have gone with the CX A350-1000.

Any tips for nabbing one of the first class seats? They also aren’t selling F class on my flight.

I believe there is only one unrefurb left

VH-OQL was brought back early to operate QF127 syd-hkg and has not been refurbished. If QF93 is showing as an a380 in June it means they are putting it on earlier than planned and using the non refurbished plane.

OQA, OQC and OQI are all in Abu Dhabi with OQA and OQC receiving their refurbishments hopefully

QF made a bunch of aircraft changes today for mid-late June by looks. Because first class is not normally a product on MEL-LAX-MEL they won’t sell it, they’ll just upgrade FFs. And yeah, there’s one non-refurbed 380 still getting around.

hang on what, they still haven't done this?!

Yeah, a lot of people seem to forget this thing that just happened recently called a Pandemic where many airlines, in particular Qantas, were struggling to survive and had to stop all unnecessary spending.

$2.5bn says otherwise.

Yeah, a lot of people seem to just want a straight answer instead of 'attitude' and schoolyard sarcasm fails, in particular. Qantas is hardly 'struggling' now and managed to get through pretty well with that public money, wouldn't you say? So let's stop the unnecessary sarcasm and give honest answers to honest questions. This is why we're here. To help our fellow travellers.

I think people are entitled to be angry when they're sold the refurbished Business Suites product and get bait-and-switched into the vastly inferior Skybed II product. To/from HKG is one thing; it's shorter, with a smaller timezone adjustment, and people were told up-front that the A380 equipment would be unrefurbished for the time being. But to/from LAX, when they were sold Business Suite is a very different story.

Refurbished A380's on MEL-LAX was previously scheduled to recommence from end of Oct, operating 3 days a week (Mon/Thurs/Sat), and the schedules have been bouncing around a bit, but now only Thurs + Sat from Nov onwards, with a few other ad-hoc days.

I had a Tues A380 flight LAX-MEL in Nov which got pulled, but rang the disruptions number on the notification email and no probs changing to alternate flight a couple of days later. Disruptions number answered in 2 rings, and staff very good - much better experience now, compared to previously having to deal with schedule changes during the last 12 months. Seems like they are getting better on that side of things. Plenty of F seat availability to/from LAX, but possibly a reflection of fares still being $25K return, compared to recent fare of $17.5k to LHR for a lot more flying time.

The MEL to LAX flight I was referring to is a Friday night flight on 23 June that was originally operated by a 787 and has now changed to an A380 with the old lay out.

I first thought this was a bit of a ripoff, but on reflection I guess that the hangars doing the upgrade works in Abu Dhabi are overloaded, and so if the aircraft has been mechanically brought back online from the desert, then it makes a lot of sense to fly it in it's old config to help the capacity issues. I support this. But just by the way, the comments about lack of money is a furphy! QF have been taking us to the cleaners and blaming every other supplier and organisation for the challenges of post COVID, while ripping us off and making a fortune!

Qantas is doing the refurbishments now, because it has a solid income stream coming in, so it can afford to spend. It did not spend large sums of money on refurbs during the pandemic shutdown, because it was trying to save money when the income stream was severely diminished.