New Qantas 767-200F freighter service

[Mike W]

Originally Posted by Craig Murray

didn't Qantas dispose of some 767-200's not so long ago? Could the airline have converted one or two of the better aircraft to freighter configuration and formed Qantas Cargo? Even now some of the 767-300's would surely be canidates for such a start up? Or is there still "no money in freight" according to management?

I also wonder this.

If there is "no money in Freight", how is it QF can share profits with Atlas to run QF Freight Flights with 744s?

[Greg Wood]

It beggars belief that Qantas has never opted to get more involved in the air freight cargo business themselves,surely the opportunities around our south pacific & south east asian markets could see this work. Too late now with other successful cargo operators doing freight services into these markets. Qantas should have been doing years ago, the horse has bolted & they've missed their chance.

[Gerald D]

Will this replace AKL-CHC-SYD service 7624?

[Gareth U]

Many cabin crew LOVED operating these patterns. One cabin crew member would be present to look after certain safety checks and look after the pilots.

[Brenden S]

Problem with QF is that they want wet leased aircraft so if there is a downturn the aircraft isnt costing them money sitting on the ground. I am sure they have a pretty sweet deal going on with atlas anyway.

[Gerard M]

Originally Posted by Craig Murray

Gerard, it's not a "new" service per se it is replacing flying currently undertaken by passenger configured Boeing 767-300's with their guts jam packed with freight and operated by Qantas crews. I believe Todd's point is that this arrangement takes this flying away from these crews and gives it to foreign operators and crews and is possibly as a result of the airlines desire to dispose (??) of a couple of 767's.

Ah ok i understand now Craig, thanks. This may be a stupid question but with the current QF 767 freighter runs, i presume are at night, do they just run normal passenger op's nationally somewhere during the day whilst not being used? If this is the case what will these two new aircraft do when not on a freight run or will it consume most of the day with the journey back and forth? Will they be just parked at Sydney somewhere?

[Tim Bowrey]

Am I correct if I say it will park at the Cargo bays 1 and so on? I will be between T2 and T3 on that staircase and it'd better land 16R, if not, Id like to know if it will taxi to the Cargo bays near 16R threshold and not DHL or something.

[Gerard M]

If anyone is interested, here is the press release. When it says it will be available for charter on demand would that be a company chartering it out from Qantas for a special freight run or have i misinterpreted it?

QANTAS FREIGHT LAUNCHES NEW TASMAN FREIGHTER OPERATION
SYDNEY, 9 June 2009: Qantas Freight announced today it would commence a new Boeing 767 freighter
operation between Australia and New Zealand on 15 June 2009*.
Executive Manager Qantas Freight Mr Stephen Cleary said the operation would enable Qantas to retain wide
body freight capacity on the route following the introduction of the Qantas Group’s new trans-Tasman
passenger schedule.

“For the first time customers in Christchurch will also have access to main deck freighter capacity.”
Mr Cleary said the B767-200 freighter would be wet-leased from global carrier Air Transport International (ATI)
and would operate Sydney – Auckland – Christchurch – Sydney overnight on Mondays, Tuesdays,
Wednesdays and Thursdays under flight numbers QF7523 and QF7524.
“The aircraft will have a payload of approximately 42 tonnes and will also be made available for charter work
and weekend rotations when demand exists,” he said.

A little off topic but i also read that Qantas has started up a freight run with a 744 to Vietnam, China and US.

Mr Cleary said that the new service would operate under the flight number QF7585 direct from Sydney to Tan
Son Nhat International Airport approximately six kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s economic
hub.
The service will depart every Thursday from Sydney and Ho Chi Minh City, arriving in Shanghai and New York
early on Friday morning and Chicago early on Saturday morning.

Full articles avaliable on the hyperlinks.

[Ash W]

Originally Posted by Gerard M

If anyone is interested, here is the press release. When it says it will be available for charter on demand would that be a company chartering it out from Qantas for a special freight run or have i misinterpreted it?

Think you have read it right. The flights are 4 days a week, so that leaves Friday, Sat and Sun to charter it (presumably off Qantas) for other trips and needs.

[David Ramsay]

Originally Posted by Gerard M

This may be a stupid question but with the current QF 767 freighter runs, i presume are at night, do they just run normal passenger op's nationally somewhere during the day whilst not being used?

Currently the overnight trans Tasman freight service uses two a/c. They are normal 767 passenger a/c.

One a/c ops SYD-AKL as a passenger flight in the evening, then AKL-CHC-SYD as a freighter.

The other a/c ops SYD-AKL as a freighter, then AKL-SYD as a passenger flight in the morning.