Looking at the QANTAS online timetable it is currently showing that the QF127/128 service from SYD to HKG will continue to operate with B789 equipment through December 2020 and into late February 2021. QF117/118 will continue to operate with A330s. At this stage it looks as though A380 services to HKG will not be operating during this peak period.
This prompts the question as to where the next three B789s will operate. ZNL should be delivered in time to operate the new daily service to SCL from 24/6/20 and be coupled with QF73/74 to SFO which will depart SYD two hours later from late March to achieve this.
ZNM will be utilised on the seasonal SYD to YVR service from 12/12/20 - 27/2/21. I was assuming that the B789 freed up from HKG would operate to YVR while the A380s operated to HKG. This would have left two B789s to operate to JNB.
This leaves just ZNN as a B789 replacement for the last B744 services to enable their retirement to be completed.
However, it looks as though QF29/30 will be operated by B789s to 25/10/20 only with A330s replacing them. This would give another B789 and two in total to operate daily services to JNB. Another B789 will be available after 27/2/21 when YVR services cease.
It could be that B744 services continue until 27/2/21 or if A330s operate to Tokyo, the two B789s could take over JNB and the last B744 could be retired in late 2020.
A lot to consider and there are obviously other scenarios with international services facing further curtailment with the coronavirus continuing to spread, throwing airline services into meltdown.
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