It seems the next major destination for the Qantas Boeing 787-9 fleet has been decided… and it’s Hong Kong
Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – Image, Qantas
Routes from Brisbane, Perth and Sydney will get the plane rostered onto the network from December 2018 onwards, with some routes getting it permanently, whilst other routes getting it for a period of time.
The planned operations call for:
- Brisbane to Hong Kong from 19 December 2018 – This will be on the QF97/98 pair, 1 per week to start with, going to 2 per week from 30th January 2019. The rest of the flights will be operated by an Airbus A330
- Melbourne to Hong Kong between 13 December 2018 until 29 March 2019 – This will be on the QF29/30 pair, operate five days per week from 13 December 2018, increasing to six days per week from 28 January to 29 March 2019.The rest of the flights will be operated by an Airbus A330.
- Sydney to Hong Kong from 30 March 2019 – The 787 will operate on both QF127/128 and QF117/118 pairs. They will fly six days per week from 30 March 2019. A330 to operate all other services, with A380 operating daily during peak season.
Qantas configure their Boeing 787-9 in a three-class setup, configured as
- 42 Business Class Bed Seats in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration
- 28 Premium Economy Seats in a 2-3-2 formation
- 162 Economy Seats in a 3-3-3 formation
On the announcement, Qantas International CEO Alison Webster states
“Introducing the Dreamliner to Hong Kong reinforces our commitment to Asia, where we are seeing strong demand from premium travellers,” said Ms Webster.
“The customer response to the Dreamliner has been overwhelmingly positive. Feedback on the cabin environment, from the seats to the anti-jetlag measures, is fantastic. It’s an aircraft people really enjoy flying on.
“The combination of our 787, A330 and A380 aircraft operating between Australia and Hong Kong over the peak season will see customers enjoy a premium inflight experience on every flight.”
Whilst Qantas boasts that their Economy seat is improved, with “extra storage compartments and more leg-room”, it offers a 32″ seat width, but a disappointing 17.2″ seat width (again, with airlines choosing to cram passengers in the plane).
The flights are being loaded in the Qatas reservation system, and should be available. The equipment code you’re looking for is 787-9 when clicking through the flight information
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