News
Qantas retires oldest B747 and adds Osaka to network
August 4th 2017
Australia’s Qantas Airways has retired its longest-serving B747-400 - VH-OJM. The aircraft performed its last revenue flight on the Sydney-San Francisco route on July 31. Read More » It was then flown to Mojave for storage as it awaits its fate. The Rolls-Royce RB211-powered aircraft was delivered to Qantas in September 1991 and flew for more than 110,000 hours.
For the time being, ten B747-400s will remain in the Qantas fleet: six -400ERs built in 2002-2003 and three frames delivered in 1999-2000. All B747s will be phased out as new B787-9s arrive from October.
In other Qantas news, the airline will return to Osaka after a decade-plus hiatus. Between December 14 and March 24, Qantas will operate three times a week Sydney-Kansai A330-300 flights. It will have a monopoly on the route.
Qantas last operated B767-300ERs between Cairns and Osaka in 2006-2007. The route is still active, but is now operated by the airline’s Jetstar subsidiary. Qantas believes the Sydney-Kansai route will provide “good onward travel opportunities at both ends”, connecting with domestic Australian and trans-Tasman flights in Sydney, as well as Jetstar Japan domestic Japanese flights in Osaka.
Across the Tasman, Air New Zealand is boosting frequency into Vancouver during the summer peak season. The Star Alliance member will boost capacity by almost 20% from January to June. Specifically, the airline will offer up to eight a week flights in January, daily flights in February, five-weekly rotations in March and April and four weekly B777-200ER services in May and June.
