As to what Qantas is doing with it's extra 787-9 in the short term, it appears that one plane will provide a daily service to Hong Kong from Melbourne (QF29 / QF 30) from 1st November.

Yes Peter. The 789 operates QF29/30 MEL - HKG and vv from 2/11/19 - 29/3/20 ex MEL. The aircraft will then be used on QF127/128 SYD - HKG and vv to replace the seasonal A380 on this route. See post #478 on page 48 of this thread for more information.

Thanks James, thought I'd read that somewhere, just didn't have a start date.

So VH-ZNJ will arrive in time for Qantas to cover the new Sydney-Auckland 787-9 service between 4 Dec 2019 & 28 Mar 2020 ?

I understand that QF7879, VH-ZNJ, will arrive in SYD from LHR at 11.45am on 15/11. However, ZNI was due to arrive on 24/10 and came on 20/10. Seeing that Alan Joyce mentioned that ZNJ would go into service by the middle of November, I presume that it will arrive earlier than 15/11.

Peter, QANTAS will take delivery of ZNJ and ZNK prior to commencing B789 SYD-SFO-SYD flights on QF73/74 from 4/12/19. With a 6:05 arrival and 17:55 departure from/to SFO, the AKL flights will operate when the B789 would otherwise be inactive during the day in SYD. The AKL flights QF141/144 will depart at 7:40 and arrive back at 15:45 with the flight sequence being SYD-SFO-SYD-AKL-SYD-SFO etc every day with the two B789s.

ZNI now taxing in LAX on QF16 for BNE

I meant taxiing not taxing!!!!!!!

There have been rumours that this flight might depart London on 12 November to coincide with the Centenary of the departure of the first UK Australia flight in 1919 ?

Thanks James, I missed the announcement of this addition.

Just checked Boeing Test flights site, updated to 26/10, no sign of ZNJ moving yet