QF 744 retirement. Where is it at?

[James Smith]

The seasonal SYD - YVR flights will be operated by 787-9s instead of 744s for an extended Christmas/New Year period from 12/12/20 - 27/2/21.

This just leaves JNB and HND as the destinations that QANTAS are yet to announce replacement aircraft to fly these routes when the 744 is fully retired in 2020.

Source: Routes Online

[Dennis McLean]

Have heard a whisper that some 744's may stay on till early 2021, JNB and HND ????. They would need 3. So with SYD/YVR going to a 789 in December, that means that there would be only 1 x 789 now with no work. When L arrives in May????, June a 789 is needed for the daily SYD/SCL.

[Dennis McLean]

Just checked the QF Timetable site up to 22/2/21, at the moment JNB and HND are showing as 744. Of course that could change to ??? who knows.

[James Smith]

Yes, the timetable is easily changed once it is known what flights ZNM and ZNN will operate. Tokyo is the unknown. Will QANTAS continue to operate B744s there into 2021, if that is a correct rumour? It is a changing scene as demonstrated by the Coronavirus.

If QANTAS go to two services per day to Tokyo will that be with two B744 daily services or A330s or one each? One flight would have to fly to Narita. There is currently some spare A330 capacity with QF107/108 being permanently discontinued. Johannesburg and Tokyo could be decoupled when B789 services to JNB commence which could be more than daily or have an added service to Cape Town 3 or 4 times per week, to maintain current seat numbers to South Africa? Cape Town is a destination shown on the Project Sunrise map, so it must be figuring in QANTAS' plans.

Lots of various possible scenarios out there.

[MarkR]

With the stand down of into ops QF is retiring the 744s early, and by the looks of it the last ever QF 747 commercial arrival will be QF28 today at 1730???

[Sean L]

Yes. QF28 is supposed to be the last commercial QF B744 service.

[Sean L]

VH-OEE just landed. Did a flyover at my place. I missed the flyover but managed to capture it on final through my telescope.

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by Sean L

VH-OEE just landed. Did a flyover at my place. I missed the flyover but managed to capture it on final through my telescope.

Did a run down the harbour, fitting end to an era despite the current conditions.

[Bob C]

What a sad day in Australian aviation history and a great pity that the B747 could not have retired in better circumstances.

I was at Tullamarine with thousands of others on 28 September 1971 when VH-EBB made the first visit of a QF B747 to Melbourne.

I also have a 1:200 scale diecast model of VH-OEE which made the last flight today so that will have pride of place on my shelf.

[Greg Hyde]

Qantas To Park– Not Retire– The Boeing 747

Rumors and speculation swirled over the weekend that Qantas was operating its last ever 747-400 flight. The speculation centered on QF28, a flight between Santiago and Sydney that landed on Sunday afternoon, Sydney time. Contrary to media reports, Qantas has since confirmed to Simple Flying that this was not the last 747-400 flight.

https://simpleflying.com/qantas-747-...XZfNMXbiwVjolA