Trans-Tasman travellers will be treated to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on selected Sydney-Auckland flights across the peak summer season when Qantas sends its red-tailed Dreamliner across the pond.
The Dreamliner dates are 4 December 2019 to 28 March 2020.
The flight to look for from Sydney to Auckland is QF141, which departs Sydney at 7.10am to arrive into Auckland at 12.15pm; the return leg is QF144, which is wheels-up from Auckland at 1.15pm and reaches Sydney at 2.55pm.
Interestingly, Qantas will be selling premium economy on those flights – an initial sale fare pegs those better-than-economy seats at $299 each way – while passengers will also be able to use their frequent flyer points to upgrade from economy.
On routes which typically don't see premium economy – and this includes all Qantas flights to and from New Zealand – the occasional appearance of premium economy due to a different aircraft being flown is usually handled by allowing top-tier frequent flyers booked into economy to pre-select a seat in the premium economy cabin.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
19 Jun 2019
Total posts 20
What a great deal. Just brought one. QF should keep this all year around. I used to fly NZ prem Y as I don't think business is worth the price tag.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 397
That is a seriously premium heavy plane to send across the ditch
30 Nov 2017
Total posts 4
Would imagine the 4 new planes expected are being delivered at this time and may not have enough to start their new routes. Send the plane over to prevent it sitting around Sydney for the day before sending it overnight somewhere.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 464
This also shows the start of SYD based 787s. Guessing these will move to SYD-SFO.
30 Nov 2017
Total posts 4
Flight to San Fran leaves at 17.40 so would assume the frame would be used for this leg next
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Jan 2017
Total posts 13
A 7:10am Dept from Sydney! What about Melbourne?
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 397
What about Perth. What about Adelaide. What about Wagga Wagga.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Nov 2013
Total posts 475
No one ever thinks about Wagga Wagga.
24 Apr 2017
Total posts 80
Bring back the Emirates A380 :)
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
30 Apr 2013
Total posts 17
I don't like the idea of a Dreamliner. I don't trust it. There were the fire troubles that led to its grounding a few years ago. Huge banks of lithium batteries under the floor. The plastic composite airframe. Plus, the squishiest seats in the sky, with the narrowest width.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
23 Apr 2019
Total posts 10
I've flown 12 hour flights in economy on a Dreamliner. I survived. Composite worries? Then don't fly any new aircraft including the A350. You might have to swim everywhere within a few years.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
30 Apr 2013
Total posts 17
But the Dreamliner is made of baked barrels. What sort of aircraft has built in fireplaces to contain lithium fires? And even the fire extinguishers on its engines often don't work properly.
28 Sep 2017
Total posts 7
Sorry, but what is a "baked barrel" please?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
30 Apr 2013
Total posts 17
It's different to baked beans. The 787 is made with giant composite plastic barrels, or cylinders. They have to be baked in massive kilns as single-piece cylinders. It makes it harder to find cracks or faults, and even more difficult to repair them.
15 Sep 2012
Total posts 95
Where is this spare 787 coming from? Thought they were all used on long distance flights.
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1031
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2017
Total posts 348
The BNE-ORD/SFO routes are being worked with their existing 4x BNE-based 789s. It won't be dependant on any of the new 6 789s which are SYD based.
The x3 weekly QF55/56 BNE-LAX terminators will be axed, and the BNE/SYD-HKG flights will be replaced by A330 to accomodate the BNE-ORD/SFO flying within the x4 BNE based 789s.
Etihad - Etihad Guest
07 May 2019
Total posts 1
I believe this is coming from SYD-HKG (QF127/128) as that is going to an A380 over the peak Christmas period, which has been customary for at least the last few years
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2016
Total posts 130
Good use of aircraft time. Makes more money in the air than sitting on the ground. Will come in from SFO and then head across to AKL and back to SYD before going back to SFO.
26 Feb 2014
Total posts 14
Don't worry..let's use the star trek enterprise composites so no one will be scared to fly...geeezzzzz!
06 Dec 2014
Total posts 27
I'm flying BNE/PER on QF589 on September 20th. The aircraft is listed as a 787/9. As usual I bought flexible economy and requested an upgrade to business class. As a Gold FF this is usually done immediately but this time I'm in the queue. I wonder why? Anyway it's interesting to see the Dreamliner heading west from Brissie as opposed to east.
10 Jul 2018
Total posts 104
If there is no business reward seat availability for that flight, then the upgrade won't be immediate.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
24 Apr 2015
Total posts 8
Carbon Fibre composites have been used on all modern aircraft for a number of years now. Boeing and Airbus use this in the manufacture of flight control surfaces, panels, doors and fairings. It is now used in the fuselage of the 787 and A350 as it is a strong and rigid material that doesn't suffer the corrosion and fatigue issues that Alclad does.
10 Dec 2018
Total posts 40
Modern Formula One race cars are also (and more so) largely constructed from carbon fibre composite. They have a crash record which would be totally unacceptable in commercial aviation. On the other hand, man-hole access covers are mostly manufactured from cast iron. They have an exemplary integrity record. Go figure.
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