Qantas still considering ultra long haul Boeing 777 200 LR’s…………..
Qantas CFO Peter Gregg confirmed to ATWOnline last week that its evaluation of the 777-200LR is ongoing despite local media reports indicating it had been shelved.
He added that the 777-200LR is “definitely under serious evaluation,” although he was coy on the finer details of the operational options under examination.
Originally, the carrier was hoping to offer year-round nonstop Sydney-London service, but that would have required a 120-seat configuration and passengers would have had to pay a 30% fare premium.
Late last year, industry analysts suggested to ATWOnline that a 1-hr. fuel-only technical stop westbound in winter would give the airline greater flexibility, allowing operation of the 777-200LR with a 250-seat configuration, including premium economy, with no fare premium.
“The reality is our operational criteria is tougher than other airlines and in service we will find that the 777-200LR will operate nonstop both ways almost year-round,” said one Qantas source.
Gregg reconfirmed that the carrier also wants the 777-200LR for other long-haul flights from Sydney to destinations such as Dallas, New York or Frankfurt as it is contending with intense competition from Emirates on routes to Europe via Dubai and also faces the prospect of archrival Singapore Airlines entering the Australia-US market at some point.
It wants an ultra-long-range hub-busting aircraft to give it more flexibility with analysts expecting it to order between 10 and 15 777-200LRs.
Interestingly, Qantas was one of the seven airlines that helped Boeing design the 777 in the early 1990s and is the only one of those not to have ordered the jet.
Gregg also told ATWOnline that the airline’s engineering department is very interested in the 747-800 and is taking a hard look at that aircraft, which would replace its 747-400s.
In the meantime, the latest edition of Australian Aviation reports that a Sydney based start-up is about to order 777 200 LRs for Trans-Pacific operation with a late 2008 start, but no further information being available at this time.
It appears unlikely to be Virgin Blue, as they are looking at 777 300ERs, with the news indicating that Qantas maybe having two Australian competitors on the Pacific in addition to Jetstar, leaving little room for Singapore Airlines, possibly going some way to explaining the Federal Government’s refusal to allow SQ rights.
Industry analysts wonder though where these 777 200LRs will come from though as global demand is extremely high.
The Mole Reports.
John Alwyn-Jones
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