Was looking at the Emirates web site today and noticed that as of March 25 next year the daily EK435 BNE > DXB and return EK434 (DXB > BNE) which is normally an a380 service is downgraded to the 777-300ER. I'm guessing this has to do with the commencement of Qantas' 787 service to London on March 24 as the Qantas website no longer lists the Emirates codeshare as an option for BNE flights to London after that date (instead providing Perth as the transit point - with the connecting BNE-PER leg being on a domestic 737). Just wondering whether anyone has heard anything official about that ? Initial impression is that it looks like a significant downgrade for BNE folks heading to Europe - particularly Business travellers.
Being based in BNE, I don't think I will ever take the PER-LHR direct, over 24 hours to get to London doing BNE-PER-LHR... No Thank You. If EK are downgrading BNE-DXB to a 777-300ER, I'm more than happy to give my money to SQ or CX and fly Via SIN or HKG (which I already do).
It may be just down to a disconnect between when Emirates opens up flights vs Qantas. There was someone posting here on AusBT earlier in the week re this. I checked BNE-AKL flights and I can see the service as a codeshare on an A380 up till Feb, then nothing in March.
Keep in mind Emirates operates its BNE/SYD/MEL to AKL flights primarily to (1) move freight between AU and NZ, and (2) utilise airframe downtime effectively much as Qantas does when it rotates its 744 services from LAX to JFK return - the airframe basically is sitting idle for short periods...
It would appear that self-loading freight (i.e. pax) on these flights are a tolerated inconvenience...
I hope you're right, AForrr. The Emirates web site is currently showing the BNE>AKL>BNE leg as also being downgraded to the 777 from March 26 onwards. I have a gut feeling that Qantas have pulled their codeshare from this flight (choosing instead to route its passengers via PER/SYD on it's own metal) which is why Emirates have downsized the aircraft. Time will tell ....
BTW. On further examination, the Emirates web site is also showing Perth's EK420 and return EK421 as being downsized from the a380 to 777 from the same date.
As is Sydney's EK415/EK419 and return EK414/EK418, and Melbourne's EK405/EK407 and return EK404/406.
I was the person who dismissed the concern of the codeshare being dropped and now looking at it I'm regretting saying what I said earlier...
If you look across the Qantas website it seems all codeshare flights end on the 24th even to places in the Middle East. Something tells me that it may be good bye to the QF/EK partnership and possibly back to the SIN hub or even HKG as Qantas has the facilities in those ports (Lounges, Ground staff etc).
The alliance needs re-approval by the authorities sometime around then is my understanding. Approval has not yet been sought. Perhaps they are waiting for this? I hope the alliance is not dropped as we all lose 1 stop connections to most of Europe. Hopefully Henrus your original hypothesis is correct.
Even in the early days they began to announce the partnership and even sell tickets without approval so I don't think that's what they are waiting for. At present any flights after 24 March 18 for European destinations all go through London and connect onto BA flights.
I was able to find EK flights after 24 March but they didn't have a QF code. For example Brisbane to Casablanca. The flight goes BNE-SYD-DXB (on QF) and then DXB-Casablanca on EK with an EK code (despite being on the QF website) and even QF1/2 have disappeared off the EK site but clearly a codeshare will remain with TSV-BNE-DXB-LHR still shows an EK code for the first flight operated by QF.
It could still be to do with the codeshare agreement being renegotiated. I'd love to believe HKG or SIN will go back to being the hub but I find it unlikely - SIN would leave them only with LHR connections on QF1 and HKG could be a tie up with CX but there's been no chatter to indicate this and their network is nothing on EKs so i'm skeptical. Guess, like always, we'll just have to wait and see. As for the downgrade, EK could just be upgrading MEL and in the process, downgrading BNE leaving their total AU traffic at the same level.
If you look at Brisbane to Casablanca they (QF) are selling the EK flight but with an EK code. The dead giveaway that this is a problem is the aircraft. The flight is listed as being operated by a A340-500, somthing that was removed from the Emirates fleet last year.
By the looks of it most services by Emirates A380's are being downgraded to 777 across Australia and NZ destinations.
EK 448/449 DXB to AKL is not being advertised - which is a surprise to me, it shouldn't have anything to do with the EK and QF partnership (or am I wrong on this ?)
DXB to SYD to AKL is staying on a A380, but will change flight numbers to EK 412/413 the current flight numbers for SYD to CHC
The DXB to BKK to SYD to CHC is going to EK 418/419 and back to a 777
Melbourne only A380 is EK 408/409, which is the 'last' Melbourne flight to be upgraded to an A380 on the 25th March 2018
But guess we are going to have to keep an eye on this
wdeguara
wdeguara
Etihad - Etihad Guest
Member since 06 Apr 2012
Total posts 94
Was looking at the Emirates web site today and noticed that as of March 25 next year the daily EK435 BNE > DXB and return EK434 (DXB > BNE) which is normally an a380 service is downgraded to the 777-300ER. I'm guessing this has to do with the commencement of Qantas' 787 service to London on March 24 as the Qantas website no longer lists the Emirates codeshare as an option for BNE flights to London after that date (instead providing Perth as the transit point - with the connecting BNE-PER leg being on a domestic 737). Just wondering whether anyone has heard anything official about that ? Initial impression is that it looks like a significant downgrade for BNE folks heading to Europe - particularly Business travellers.
djcz
djcz
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 28 Feb 2014
Total posts 130
Being based in BNE, I don't think I will ever take the PER-LHR direct, over 24 hours to get to London doing BNE-PER-LHR... No Thank You. If EK are downgrading BNE-DXB to a 777-300ER, I'm more than happy to give my money to SQ or CX and fly Via SIN or HKG (which I already do).
AForrr
AForrr
Member since 24 Apr 2017
Total posts 1
It may be just down to a disconnect between when Emirates opens up flights vs Qantas. There was someone posting here on AusBT earlier in the week re this. I checked BNE-AKL flights and I can see the service as a codeshare on an A380 up till Feb, then nothing in March.
wdeguara
wdeguara
Etihad - Etihad Guest
Member since 06 Apr 2012
Total posts 94
I hope you're right, AForrr. The Emirates web site is currently showing the BNE>AKL>BNE leg as also being downgraded to the 777 from March 26 onwards. I have a gut feeling that Qantas have pulled their codeshare from this flight (choosing instead to route its passengers via PER/SYD on it's own metal) which is why Emirates have downsized the aircraft. Time will tell ....
BTW. On further examination, the Emirates web site is also showing Perth's EK420 and return EK421 as being downsized from the a380 to 777 from the same date. As is Sydney's EK415/EK419 and return EK414/EK418, and Melbourne's EK405/EK407 and return EK404/406.
henrus
henrus
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 23 Oct 2013
Total posts 765
I was the person who dismissed the concern of the codeshare being dropped and now looking at it I'm regretting saying what I said earlier...
hakkinen5
hakkinen5
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 20 Aug 2014
Total posts 207
The alliance needs re-approval by the authorities sometime around then is my understanding. Approval has not yet been sought. Perhaps they are waiting for this? I hope the alliance is not dropped as we all lose 1 stop connections to most of Europe. Hopefully Henrus your original hypothesis is correct.
henrus
henrus
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 23 Oct 2013
Total posts 765
hakkinen5 I hope so too but I fear the worst.
henrus
henrus
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 23 Oct 2013
Total posts 765
I was able to find EK flights after 24 March but they didn't have a QF code. For example Brisbane to Casablanca. The flight goes BNE-SYD-DXB (on QF) and then DXB-Casablanca on EK with an EK code (despite being on the QF website) and even QF1/2 have disappeared off the EK site but clearly a codeshare will remain with TSV-BNE-DXB-LHR still shows an EK code for the first flight operated by QF.
ajstubbs
ajstubbs
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 15 Mar 2016
Total posts 117
It could still be to do with the codeshare agreement being renegotiated. I'd love to believe HKG or SIN will go back to being the hub but I find it unlikely - SIN would leave them only with LHR connections on QF1 and HKG could be a tie up with CX but there's been no chatter to indicate this and their network is nothing on EKs so i'm skeptical. Guess, like always, we'll just have to wait and see. As for the downgrade, EK could just be upgrading MEL and in the process, downgrading BNE leaving their total AU traffic at the same level.
henrus
henrus
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 23 Oct 2013
Total posts 765
If you look at Brisbane to Casablanca they (QF) are selling the EK flight but with an EK code. The dead giveaway that this is a problem is the aircraft. The flight is listed as being operated by a A340-500, somthing that was removed from the Emirates fleet last year.
knowlsey
knowlsey
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 20 Dec 2015
Total posts 10
By the looks of it most services by Emirates A380's are being downgraded to 777 across Australia and NZ destinations.
EK 448/449 DXB to AKL is not being advertised - which is a surprise to me, it shouldn't have anything to do with the EK and QF partnership (or am I wrong on this ?)
DXB to SYD to AKL is staying on a A380, but will change flight numbers to EK 412/413 the current flight numbers for SYD to CHC
The DXB to BKK to SYD to CHC is going to EK 418/419 and back to a 777
Melbourne only A380 is EK 408/409, which is the 'last' Melbourne flight to be upgraded to an A380 on the 25th March 2018
But guess we are going to have to keep an eye on this
afloskar
afloskar
Member since 10 Aug 2015
Total posts 156
I found this on EK's website so something isn't adding up...Hope this helps :)
Mightyreds
Mightyreds
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 09 Feb 2015
Total posts 72
No doubt David and the AUSBT team will seek a response from QF & EK.
David
David
Member since 24 Oct 2010
Total posts 1,021
Interesting... thanks for the heads-up, guys, we'll definitely look into this!
cdirnber
cdirnber
Member since 23 May 2012
Total posts 38
The following from the Amadeus timetable might help: