Qantas to use 747s on transcon route

Qantas is bringing Boeing 747s back to Australian  transcontinental flights to accommodate pilot training requirements. The move will see the "Queen of the Skies" fly between Perth and Sydney fromlate July to mid-September. The adjustments include a mix of frequency and aircraft changes, so the impact on overall capacity is minimal for Perth passengers. Read new QantasLink interiors take to the air. From 22 July, Qantas’s Perth to Singapore service will operate daily using the larger A330 which features business class “suites” and refurbished cabin interiors. The flight will replace the twice-daily service operated using Boeing 737s. Domestically, some flights between Sydney and Perth will be operated by 747 aircraft, replacing the current A330 service. The airline is going through one of the biggest pilot training programs in its history. The order of 14 Boeing 787s has seen pilots promoted onto this aircraft, requiring training for them as well as the pilots who move up through to the ranks to replace the role these pilots previously held, says Qantas. During the past twelve months, Qantas has trained more than 650 pilots into positions on new and existing fleet types and hired more than 600 pilots in Australia, who require training on aircraft types. Affected customers will be contacted by Qantas and rebooked on an alternative service.