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Qantas mulls over leases of two Airbus A330-200s

written by Jordan Chong | November 3, 2016

Qantas is pausing its Airbus A330 refurbishment program as the airline considers whether to extend the leases of two A330-200s.

The A330-200s – VH-EBL and VH-EBG – are the two remaining aircraft in the fleet of 10 A330-300s and 18 A330-200s yet to be fitted with new Thompson Aero Seating business class seats, an updated economy cabin and new Panasonic inflight entertainment systems throughout the cabin.

Instead, the pair of Airbus widebodies have angled lie-flat SkyBeds in business class in a 2-2-2 configuration and previous generation Rockwell Collins seat-back inflight entertainment (IFE).

Australian Aviation understands that because the leases on the two aircraft are close to expiry, Qantas has taken the opportunity to re-evaluate its widebody fleet needs for the period ahead.

While no decision has been made either way, the move to pause the A330 refurbishment program to mull over the future of these two aircraft highlights the ongoing softness in the resources sector, given the A330-200s are predominantly used on domestic trans-continental routes between Perth and Australia’s east coast capitals.

The economy seat-back entertainment screen on the unrefurbished Qantas A330-200 VH-EBL.
The economy seat-back entertainment screen on the unrefurbished Qantas A330-200 VH-EBL.
The economy seat-back entertainment screen on the refurbished Qantas A330-300 VH-QPE.
The economy seat-back entertainment screen on the refurbished Qantas A330-300 VH-QPE.

 

 

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As Qantas has reduced widebody operations out of Perth, it has redeployed aircraft onto international routes. The most recent examples are a return to Sydney-Beijing from January 2017 using A330-200 equipment and a resumption of Melbourne-Tokyo Narita nonstop flights from December.

Further, the impending arrival of Boeing 787-9s from October 2017 and what routes the aircraft might eventually be used on – ultra long-haul flights such as Perth-London, Melbourne-Dallas/Fort Worth and Sydney-Chicago have been regularly mentioned as potential new services with the Dreamliner – has also given Qantas top brass the opportunity to reconsider how many A330s will be required.

Both aircraft are less than 10 years old – VH-EBG rolled off the Airbus production line at Toulouse in late 2007, with VH-EBL following about a year later. Should Qantas decide the pair is required for its future network, the aircraft would then be reconfigured with the same cabin products and amenities that passengers currently experience on the rest of the A330 fleet.

In 2015, Qantas returned two A330-200s – ex-VH-EBH and ex-VH-EBI – to CIT Aerospace upon the expiry of their leases, with the aircraft acquired by the Royal Australian Air Force for conversion to KC-30A tanker-transports. The conversion is being conducted by Airbus Defence and Space at Getafe, Spain.

It is a similar story at Virgin Australia, which is also planning to take some widebody flights off the Perth route. The airline will launch Perth-Abu Dhabi nonstop flights from June 2017 as part of a significant shakeup of its long-haul network. The three-times weekly service was expected to result in about 3.5 fewer return services a week between Perth and the east coast. And there could be more A330-200s redeployed internationally should Virgin chose the type for its launch of Hong Kong and Beijing services, also due to begin from June 2017.

“Redeploying widebody aircraft from the domestic Australian market has been a priority following the downturn in the resource boom that was concentrated in Perth and drove widebody service between Perth and cities in eastern Australia,” aviation thinktank CAPA – Centre for Aviation wrote in a research note dated September 28.

“The resource boom coincided with a capacity war between Qantas and Virgin that has since subsided. Qantas has moved faster and more deeply to reduce domestic widebody services in both East-West and Triangle markets.”

25 Comments

  • TedB

    says:

    They could also let the RAAF refit them as KC30s. One can never have enough Force Multipliers.

  • Graeme Hooper

    says:

    How about using them on the SYD- AKL route rather than the sardine packed B737’s

  • Nev Lee

    says:

    They could replace the RAAF 737s for ministerial duties.

  • Wayne Galloway

    says:

    Could offer them to RNZAF to replace the broken down 757’s

  • Craigy

    says:

    If they are surplus for the current route structure, why not start the Perth – London route earlier using the A332 via Dubai. And if the demand is there, transition to the B789 in 2018/19. Simples!!!

    @TedB, the aircraft are leased. Maybe the lessor doesnt want them converted or sold

  • Darren

    says:

    How about a Perth to Cape Town service, its screaming out please fly me!!

  • Ben

    says:

    @ Craigy – That’s not a bad idea – re: using them on PER-DXB-LHR flights. I don’t know if Qantas are that visionary anymore though.

    The A330-200 has always seemed like a bit of a strange aircraft to me. Good range but lower capacity. A330-300 has sold better. It has larger capacity but not as much range,

    Which goes back to the old argument: They probably should have gone with the 777-300ER years ago. At least they finally seem to be making the right move with the 787. However they delayed ordering it so it can hardly be said that they’re a market leader or innovator.

  • Joe

    says:

    If I was Qantas, I would return the two -200s and put an order in for fresh off the production line -300s with the 242t MTOW .

    Also, I would be seriously looking at ultimately replacing the older 330s with a combination of A321neo and A330neo aircraft.

  • Jason

    says:

    Joe, why would they do that when they have 12-50 787s on the way?

  • Paul Brisbane

    says:

    I fly Brisbane Perth every 3 weeks and delays often happen with the 330s, I am a Qantas person at heart but will go with who ever has a wide body with entertainment. Just flew Brisbane Wellington with Virgin on a 737 and its very cramped with no entertainment and buy your own sandwich. Flew back Emirates A380 from Auckland great experience and great lounge. Flown Qantas 330 to Singapore and shortly Japan, great plane

  • Marc

    says:

    I’m going to give away free name badges, embossed with ‘Fleet Expert’.

  • Brendan

    says:

    Qantas is having problems putting the new Thompson seated aircraft on international routes as they have only 1 toilet in business class.
    There’s 2 aircraft are international configuration with 2 toilets up the front, that why they are still flying.

  • Joe

    says:

    Jason,

    Firstly, the A330 is currently in service and is a very mature and fuel efficient aircraft on sectors below 9 hrs.

    It has 18 inch + wide seats and all the tech and engineering services available whilst the 787 roll out and introduction commences.

    A 6 year lease would enable Qantas to focus on the 787 whilst the A330 continues to be the backbone of the Domestic and international wide body fleet until a full transition to the 787 is complete.

  • beech76

    says:

    I always try and avoid any flight to nz in narrow body aircraft. some a330 choice would great.

  • beech76

    says:

    My favorite Trans Tasman flight is Emirates a380 as first choice, followed by air nz 767/777 or 787 when available….737 only gets a go when nothing else is available..Bring on the a330!

  • beech76

    says:

    As for on time performace of the a330 into brisbane, my flight this morning was late 30 minutes again……cited reasons today are much the same every week….delays in loading cargo and a problem with the the push back tug……do they only have one?

  • Eric Crone

    says:

    So agree with replacing the claustrophobic B737 with an A330 on the routes to Auckland.!!

  • John Harrison

    says:

    Sadly Qantas seems not to care about passenger (sorry Customers) comfort, now deploying so many flights long haul east to west with B737-838s These aircraft are not the best for 4-5 hour flights. Sadly I’ve got this to look forward to when traveling to Brisbane tomorrow, from Perth. Sadly the AB330 flight is at a time which is not as good as the early flight.

  • Lance

    says:

    All these complaints about East Coast to NZ on a B737.
    Try flying East coast to Perth on a B737!
    And while were at it, Mnl/Bne where we overfly Bne to reach Sydney at 6.30am, greet immigration and customs then push a cart 300m back to domestic check in with a bus ride and then to fly back to Bne.
    Crazy stuff.

  • Jack

    says:

    Craigy, interesting thing is these two aircraft are on financial leases, not operating leases.

    So in essence Qantas actually owns these two with the finance company holding mortage over them. Compared that to the other two ex international -200’s which were on operating leases from CIT.

    So actually don’t follow the article as to why or how Qantas could simply hand these back. They would in effect have to sell them with permission from the finance company.

  • Jack

    says:

    Brendan, toilets are not the issue from an operational perspective. Refurb -200’s with 1 toilet already operate internationally to most Qantas A330 destinations. Only two it cannot are PEK and HNL. And the issue for the longer international routes such as HNL is GALLEY space for two full meal services not toilets.

  • Joe

    says:

    Its simply crazy a 10 hour flight is made worse by antiquated Business Class seating. Get rid of these on the HNL route!! From a passenger perspective its a grand RIP OFF buying a business class ticket for this sector. Bring on Hawaiians new flat bed!

  • beech76

    says:

    sydney to melb or brissy is more than enough on a 737

  • Al

    says:

    It was only a couple of years ago the 767 was being complained about on the Honolulu route and now the not exactly ‘antiquated’ business class on more modern A330 is being similarly complained about.

    How precious we are!

  • Julie

    says:

    The only reason these aircraft have not been converted yet is because of the tech crew rest they are fitted with. The original plan was for them to be the first two to be converted. They are the only two -200’s in the fleet with tech crew rest areas like all the -300s. These are needed for the international routes minus SIN/CGK which are 2 crew flights. Ergo EBG and EBL rotate on the HNL service as the route doesn’t necessitate the capacity of a -300, but they can’t use the reconfigured -200’s on the route because they’re not fitted for 3 pilot ops. The reconfigured -200’s can only be used on certain international routes under certain conditions.

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