What routes for Qantas' next six Boeing 787s?

Austline I agree but am not sure the 789 has the legs for SYD/ORD hence BRIS/ORD which is much the same as Perth LHR and may happen this year (JV approved?) with the current tranche of Four.

With all the talk about etops restrictions holding back the twin jets on the SCL/JNB route.

I think C17s are gravel runway capable, but I suspect a 789 is not. It would be a long shot for ETOPS certification. There may in fact have enough load for 4-5 A380s per week anyway if there is 300+ year round loads

I'm puzzled that CDG is discussed much more than a return to FRA. QF served FRA much more recently and with very strong loads - having flown that flight many times, it was often 100% full in J and there were several times when I couldn't get a last minute seat in any class. Surely FRA must be pretty high on the agenda for the next batch of 787s.

Since there getting rid of their 747s early, there is going a reduction in capacity. There's only going to be a limited window for new routes unless more planes are ordered.

CDG is definitely one of them. Otherwise it makes no sense to have a codeshare agreement with Air France when Emirates already flies there.

SQ A350ULRs are only kitted out for 162pax, the 777-8 is marketed to carry 370 in a 2 class config.QF has requested a 300 seater with a potential 4 class arrangement, suggesting that a red-tailed 778 will have a range significantly higher than what Boeing has published giving it a far greater edge than the current Airbus offerings.

The reason that CDG has come back on the radar is the 789 has a low number of seats and so can go daily (due to French capacity limits). It couldn’t it do it before as it would have been restricted to 3 (747) flights per week.

Pcoder I expect the next round of 787s will most likely be 787-10s in a regional configuration (~320 seats) to replace the 10 A333s from about 2022. That may be another 100th anniversary (2020) announcement, together with the 777-8 from 2024-25.

The recent AF partnership update makes it seem like PER-CDG should be around the corner. Boeing anticipates the 778 will enter service in 2022, which is conveniently the same year QF want to start the sunrise flights!