An era is coming to an end this month. Monday, August 11th marked the return of Qantas’s A380-800 superjumbo to the skies of Texas, ending a two-year period of exclusively 787-based operations at Dallas-Fort Worth by the Australian carrier. While it remains to be seen if demand will increase enough for QF7/8 to switch to A380-only flights, the 787-9 will continue to be seen in Dallas as it is currently the only aircraft in the fleet with the range to fly non-stop between DFW and Melbourne without payload restrictions. I got this in before I saw that there would be further 787 flights between Dallas and Sydney after August 11th, hence my having to backpedal from this being the last Qantas 787 flight to Dallas from Sydney.
Server: Solo
Airline: Qantas
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Origin: Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot, Australia (SYD)
Destination: Dallas Forth Worth International Airport, Grapevine, Texas (DFW)
Flight Number: QF7
Route: YSSY-KDFW
Seat: 10A (Business)
Time En Route: 15 Hours 3 Minutes
Viewing our aircraft from the Qantas International First Lounge, open to first-class passengers on Qantas and Oneworld partner airlines, as well as Oneworld Emerald status holders. This lounge has for years been praised as one of the best in the world, and it certainly lives up to its reputation. Not to mention, it affords us a sweeping view of the tarmac, perfect for planespotting!
Holding short of the runway after a long taxi. It’s a busy day here in Sydney and our 25-minute taxi reflects that, with us being something like number 7 in line for takeoff, in addition to all the arriving traffic we have to wait for to clear the runway.
Loud takeoff out of Sydney. With the exception of 2020-2023, Qantas has been serving Dallas non-stop from Sydney in both senses of the expression since 2011, when it debuted with the 747-400ER (there’s a video somewhere of VH-OEJ in full “Wunala Dreaming” colors landing at DFW), which connected the cities until 2014, when the A380-800 debuted on the route. This allowed for non-stop service in both directions, due to the 747 having to make a technical stop for fuel in Brisbane. For 2 years, this was both the world’s longest flight and the world’s longest A380 flight, until Emirates began non-stop service between Auckland and Dubai. Qantas A380 flights to Dallas continued until 2020, when all service was suspended due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. When it resumed in 2023, it did so on the smaller 787-9, until Qantas decided a few months back that the Whale would return to Texas.
Climbing over Sydney Harbor. Sorry Aussies, but that’s how we spell it up here.
Heading east over the Tasman Strait
Waking up less than 3 hours from our destination. We’ve been making excellent time so far, with the total time en route being slightly more than SFO-SYD westbound.
Final descent Deep In the Heart of Texas, as Bob Wills would have said
G’day and welcome to Dallas, y’all!
Holding short as AA4090, an Embraer E175 operated by Envoy Air, departs for Tampico, Mexico
Disembarking at Gate D15