A380 first class Dining

[Ben174]

Hi There
I am going to Singapore in July from Mel. I usually book return JQ Star class fares for myself and partner. We on ocassions splurge on a J class seat on QF.

I really want to try A380 First and could never pay for it. So i am thinking ill fly one way JQ Star class and return in F Class on the a380.

My partner and i enjoy flying together and enjoy sititng next to each other. I Assume in F its all private and to see or talk to each other would only be when eating?
Has anyone ate there meal with there travelling companion in a F Suite? Is it doable/ comfortable or cramped? Or is flying F basically like flying solo?

 

[ricee007]

Hi There
I am going to Singapore in July from Mel. I usually book return JQ Star class fares for myself and partner. We on ocassions splurge on a J class seat on QF.

I really want to try A380 First and could never pay for it. So i am thinking ill fly one way JQ Star class and return in F Class on the a380.

My partner and i enjoy flying together and enjoy sititng next to each other. I Assume in F its all private and to see or talk to each other would only be when eating?
Has anyone ate there meal with there travelling companion in a F Suite? Is it doable/ comfortable or cramped? Or is flying F basically like flying solo?

I've never been lucky enough, but, it shouldn't be a problem. See, eg:
Qantas A380 First Class Suite Takes Out Prestigious Good Design Award - Airline-Hotel-News
"leather guest seat and large dining table designed to accommodate two. "


In my mind, it's more private than business class... but, should still be a bloody good experience!

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Hi There
I really want to try A380 First and could never pay for it. So i am thinking ill fly one way JQ Star class and return in F Class on the a380.

A one-way fare will be more than 50% of the return fare. Ex-SIN, one way can be had for about S$5500, or a return (First-Saver) at S$7600
Note also that the QF10 ex-SIN is an overnight flight. Frankly I would not bother paying for first class for this leg if this is a "once in a lifetime" type trip. I'd do QF9 MEL-SIN instead, as that is an afternoon/evening flight, and you'd get the tasting menu.

My partner and i enjoy flying together and enjoy sititng next to each other. I Assume in F its all private and to see or talk to each other would only be when eating?

There's no requirement to be eating The foot rest at the end of the suite double as a second seat - it has a seat belt for use by the second passenger. Being a foot rest, it's not as comfortable as the actual seat, but I've sat in said seat many times whilst eating with SO.

Has anyone ate there meal with there travelling companion in a F Suite? Is it doable/ comfortable or cramped? Or is flying F basically like flying solo?

Depending on when you are flying, the meal can take a good 2-3 hours of the overall flying time. Subtract another 1 hour for landing/takeoff where you have to be in your own seat, there's about 3-4 hours left where you need to decide whether to stay in one suite, or go back to your own and watch the in flight entertainment (or do work or whatever)

 

[JohnM]

I agree that it's best for a 'once in a lifetime' experience to do it outbound from Australia to take full advantage of the real deal which is the tasting menu IMHO. I have done it several times but not shared with another - which I would dearly love to do. If I can manage about three hours on the tasting menu solo, I reckon PartnerJohnM and I could extend it to many hours .

The seating is clearly comfortable enough for two and is designed for that purpose with a seatbelt on the 'footrest' seat. The table is very large and would easily handle two people and all their plates - and glassware for the full wine-matching - which I definitely recommend . Wine being my hobby, I like to have all three whites on the table at once during the earlier courses to make comparisons - and similarly the reds for the later courses. Just ask the FAs and they will oblige.

The challenge (fun) then is to identify the wine that would have been matched to each course if you had chosen the tasting menu with the 'sommelier's choice' of wine and check it with the FA. So far the score is perfect...

I have done similar over lunch in the SYD F lounge - and luckily for me on one occasion the wonderful staff there managed to pull out a couple of extra goodies left over from a corporate function the night before. It was gooood - despite some funny looks by other pax!

I do hasten to add that small serves are always requested when doing simultaneous tastings - until I hit on my favourite to finish the night with :mrgreen:.

 

[pagingjoan]

I agree that it's best for a 'once in a lifetime' experience to do it outbound from Australia to take full advantage of the real deal which is the tasting menu IMHO. I have done it several times but not shared with another - which I would dearly love to do. If I can manage about three hours on the tasting menu solo, I reckon PartnerJohnM and I could extend it to many hours .The seating is clearly comfortable enough for two and is designed for that purpose with a seatbelt on the 'footrest' seat. The table is very large and would easily handle two people and all their plates - and glassware for the full wine-matching - which I definitely recommend . Wine being my hobby, I like to have all three whites on the table at once during the earlier courses to make comparisons - and similarly the reds for the later courses. Just ask the FAs and they will oblige.The challenge (fun) then is to identify the wine that would have been matched to each course if you had chosen the tasting menu with the 'sommelier's choice' of wine and check it with the FA. So far the score is perfect...I have done similar over lunch in the SYD F lounge - and luckily for me on one occasion the wonderful staff there managed to pull out a couple of extra goodies left over from a corporate function the night before. It was gooood - despite some funny looks by other pax!I do hasten to add that small serves are always requested when doing simultaneous tastings - until I hit on my favourite to finish the night with :mrgreen:.

I've had the pleasure of sharing the tasting menu on the 380 twice with my partner. It's an absolute indulgence and one of the best ways to take that journey. If you have the opportunity for the "once in a lifetime", grab it! And then look for another! Pj

 

[Elibellie]

Did the first class dining on a380 qf9 in december! it was fantastic. The two if us where able to dine together, however in all honesty, it felt like it went for two long, the dinner was about 2-3 hours as we did the tasting menu, and because I was sitting in their seat...it felt like a long time to be sitting there. Couldnt really get up or watch tv etc.
However, the experience was fantastic, and would dine together next time, but only do the dining you pick not the tasting...as some of it wasnt the best. Highly reccomend the lamb and pea pot pie. But certainly worth trying if you havent done before.

 

[maninblack]

Waste of time and money to do this to SIN in any direction. Ask yourself, would you pay $12,000 to spend half a night in a very small hotel room to enjoy a okay but not especially good meal? Get yourself a villa at the Capella and fly J instead.

 

[Mal]

Tasting menu is not available afaik ex sin. Only ex australia.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[pagingjoan]

Waste of time and money to do this to SIN in any direction. Ask yourself, would you pay $12,000 to spend half a night in a very small hotel room to enjoy a okay but not especially good meal? Get yourself a villa at the Capella and fly J instead.

Just don't pay $12,000 to do it. It will be even more indulgent and far better value if you do it as an ASA or, at the very least, as a points upgrade. And make sure you are sharing with someone with whom you would be happy to share a couple of hours! Television and movies are for other times.

 

[wozza62]

I have had the pleasure of flying in the A380 first class cabin many times but I had to admit even I was a bit gobsmacked on my recent return to Sydney from Hong Kong overnight. I was informed at breakfast time that First Class only offers a continental breakfast and if I wanted a hot meal they would see what they had left over from Business class. Thank god I was using points to upgrade and didn't pay full tilt for it.

 

[amaroo]

Looking forward to this. Heading over to SIN next week for a meeting then back the next day - I should be just about ready to eat by the return flight & eager to see what they have to offer other than the tasting menu!

I've only traveled F with BA before (a few times) so I'm keen to see the comparison. The last steak on BA F BKK-SYD (this year) was disgraceful however, the half a dozen or so other meals were great.

 

[Flying Fox]

I was informed at breakfast time that First Class only offers a continental breakfast and if I wanted a hot meal they would see what they had left over from Business class.

I can't believe that F eats J b'fast leftovers?

Catering screw-up?

 

[Blackadder]

I have had the pleasure of flying in the A380 first class cabin many times but I had to admit even I was a bit gobsmacked on my recent return to Sydney from Hong Kong overnight. I was informed at breakfast time that First Class only offers a continental breakfast and if I wanted a hot meal they would see what they had left over from Business class. Thank god I was using points to upgrade and didn't pay full tilt for it.

Seems like a catering error, I know on QF 12 I was offered both continental and/or hot for Breakfast.

 

[wozza62]

Seems like a catering error, I know on QF 12 I was offered both continental and/or hot for Breakfast.

It's not a catering error, I have flown QF128 twice this year from HK on the A380 and it was the same both times.

 

[jamesatfish]

I have had the pleasure of flying in the A380 first class cabin many times but I had to admit even I was a bit gobsmacked on my recent return to Sydney from Hong Kong overnight. I was informed at breakfast time that First Class only offers a continental breakfast and if I wanted a hot meal they would see what they had left over from Business class. Thank god I was using points to upgrade and didn't pay full tilt for it.

Very strange they would phrase it this way - a hot breakfast is most definitely offered in F (or at least it has on all the sectors I've taken... see edit below).

It's not a catering error, I have flown QF128 twice this year from HK on the A380 and it was the same both times.

Wow - I haven't flown QF128 so didn't realise this was the case. Doesn't make sense that there would be a hot breakfast offering in J but not F.

 

[wozza62]

Yeah the first time I thought it was odd and the second time when I questioned it was when I was offered a hot meal from business class.
The point about this recent flight was that they contacted me during the day because the flight was late, so I ate at a restaurant in Hong Kong before going to the airport.
So I didn't eat an evening meal, and when breakfast come around I looked over the menu and it was continental only, nothing hot apart from toast and a warmed up croissant. I would be pi$$ed if I paid for a first class ticket.

 

[strance]

they still offered you a hot meal from J ....
perhaps they find that seasoned F flyers prefer a light breakfast ! bossreggie?

 

[wozza62]

they still offered you a hot meal from J ....
perhaps they find that seasoned F flyers prefer a light breakfast ! bossreggie?

Yeah well perhaps they should ask the seasoned frequent flyer first instead of guessing, then offering meals from Business
class only after I asked them about it.

 

[serfty]

Was contacted by the First Lounge this morning to check with me my needs and wants tomorrow, with a treatment booking if I desired.

I asked about the degustation menu but they needed to check and call back.

When they called back she told me they load those at about 50% of the First cabin load - a note was to be made available to the crew of my desire for this.

 

[Canny man]

A moment of perfection last week. The crew were concerned that the meat in my first choice meal (ranger valley short ribs) could be tough, so recommended I have the Amelia Park lamb rack on the side. Meat with a meat side and a glass of yarra yerring dry red no 3 - very close to heaven for carnivorous me(the beef was melt in mouth tender incidentally).