9hr QF 767 vs 5hr AA 767 Review (Economy)

[kooky]

QF 767 SYD-HNL
AA 767 HNL-LAX

Thought the AA 767 was miles better .. much more modern coughpit, 3 TFT screens instead of one old projector screen .. and bathrooms were more modern too.

QF's plane was nothing less than shabby. What was a real surprise was that since it was an overnight trip, they not only turned off the lights, they turned off the TV as well .. which meant it was total darkness unless you were real game to be the only one to turn on your reading light .. and *nobody* did that.

The only advantage QF had was that they served meals and an icecream, vs that on AA you buy your food. But then again QF was a 9 hr flight and AA was a 5 hour flight. I actually thought the AA FA's were a bit more genuinely friendly, too, if I dare say such a thing.

The best thing was that I didn't waste my FF points upgrading the QF flight to business .. that would have been a right waste .. crummy old dreamtime seat with no personal video ... who cares.

And yes, AA gave out clean blankets and pillows! In fact the blanket was nicer than QF's I thought? Felt a bit softer and snugglier, although maybe a little thinner?? Maybe I'll save that review for AirlineBlankets.com when they launch.

Lastly - AA give you stacks more reading material too, on Qantas you need to go hunt for a magazine.

So there you have it.

 

[Dave Noble]

The QF dreamtime seat does have an individual video screen

Dave

 

[trooper]

I thought "QANTAS" flights to HNL were now all Jetstar?

(Which might be even worse!!! )

Is there still a mix of QF/JQ on that route?

 

[Dave Noble]

I thought "QANTAS" flights to HNL were now all Jetstar?

(Which might be even worse!!! )

Is there still a mix of QF/JQ on that route?

There are both QF and JQ flights on that route

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

The QF dreamtime seat does have an individual video screen

Dave

What does dreamtime seat have to do with economy?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

much more modern coughpit

Most pax don't get to visit the coughpit, especially nowadays. So, why is this relevant?

 

[Dave Noble]

What does dreamtime seat have to do with economy?

The comment "The best thing was that I didn't waste my FF points upgrading the QF flight to business .. that would have been a right waste .. crummy old dreamtime seat with no personal video ... who cares."

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

 

[NM]

For a 9 hour overnight flight, I would use the FF points to upgrade to a Dreamtime seat any day. Even if the personal video screens on the 767's are small and dim.

See here for a QF Dreamtime Seat with IFE screen on a 767-300.

Thanks for reporting your experiences and comparing. Unfortunately the current state of the QF 767s is not likely to improve before they are retired.

Thought the AA 767 was miles better .. much more modern coughpit ...

not sure what you mean by this comment. As far as I can tell, QF and AA have the same basic coughpit design in their 767-300 aircraft.

Here is a Qantas 767 coughpit:

And here is an AA 767 coughpit:

unless of course you saw a QF one that looked like this:

 

[simongr]

Perhaps they meant cabin rather than coughpit?

 

[kooky]

Ahh you beat me to it, sorry jetlag .. yes cabin of course I meant. Apparently AA's could be fitted out in Boeing's "signature interior" a la the 777s, the AA's compartments certainly swung downwards..

Thanks NM for that photo, that was just the reminder I needed of how tired the J cabin of QF's 767 looked. The AA 767 I was on was much, much nicer.

I've read so many posts here and there slamming AA's cabins (Skytrax?) as being tatty etc, wheras QF's 767 was the tattiest hands-down. And I mean what's that co-pilot rest area cubby-house thing all about anyway? That was just bizarre bizarre if ever I've seen something!

Would you like to hear about HNL's Admiral's club while I'm here? This was quite Qantas-ey, with lots of Qantas signage, and Aussie magazines, even though it was labelled Admirals Lounge. I had the AA flight to LAX, but if you notice Qantas' opening times state only until 11am (to cater for QF an Jetstar I assume), whereas it becomes AA after that. Anyhow, obviously there's no grog before 11am, so that scuppers that, but I was there at about 2pm and there was no grog to be had either. Although I did notice one gentleman with a Heineken, and I walked up and down that lounge and I dare say there was no Heineken bar anywhere. Which means he must have possibly brought it in from the food court. Anyway, the HNL lounge is quite small, nice seats, big plasma screen which they give you the remote to, 3x Qantas IBM PCs (there's the Qantas part again), but that's about it. For a moment I thought we were offered soup, except when I lifted the lid it turned out to be the ice bucket. Which meant nibblies were confined to some chip/pretzel thingies. Apart from that there were free cans of soft drink and V8. I chose the V8 in lieu of the never-materialised soup. It's not really a flash lounge in any stretch of the imagine, perhaps the most boring I've seen since BA's Geneva lounge. Yes yes, boo hoo from channel 2 and all that, but seriously, I like a bit of kick to a lounge, not a room with a few posh chairs and no other human beings, let alone any drinks, nibblies. Did I mention you need to enter it via the middle of nowhere, with tumbleweed rolling past?

 

[maninblack]

If you have the points then the upgrade makes sense, at least to me. The dreamtime was the QF J class seat until just a few years ago, of course the 763's have really old ones. The 763 aircraft to HNL are an outright disgrace and I know them well. 3 legs on them this year. Fortunately until last year we had the 743 to HNL which had personal IFE throughout the plane, including the upgraded Dreamtimes in J. These were taken out of 744's as they were upgraded to skybeds. I have complained strongly to QF but they really couldn't give a hoot. Had some friends in Y on my January flight QF4, they couldnt believe that this was QF International in 2007. :shock:

The QF international fleet is really under pressure, that old A380 problem again I guess, and mistakes of the past, but we've had that discussion here before :!:

The AA lounge is the QF lounge. They just switch the signs for AA flights. It was the Qantas lounge first I should add.

 

[serfty]

Ahh you beat me to it, sorry jetlag .. yes cabin of course I meant. Apparently AA's could be fitted out in Boeing's "signature interior" a la the 777s, the AA's compartments certainly swung downwards..

Thanks NM for that photo, that was just the reminder I needed of how tired the J cabin of QF's 767 looked. The AA 767 I was on was much, much nicer.

I've read so many posts here and there slamming AA's cabins (Skytrax?) as being tatty etc, wheras QF's 767 was the tattiest hands-down. ...

If you had an AA 763 from HNL, it is likely to be one of their refurbished ones.

You would not be posting the same if it had been a 757; I can assure you!

More here: American Airlines | Next Generation Business Class Cabin

and here: Next Generation Business Class (AA) - FlyerGuide Wiki

Qantas are not refurbishing any Dreamtime equipped 763 as the intention is to decommission them once the A380's come on line.

 

[simongr]

Will some of the 744/3 go back to the HNL route then or will it just be jetstarred?

Given that the 763 are on all the coughpy routes or are a worst case option on a route - the A380 wont be put on that route and if teh 763 is decommissioned then what shuffles down to fill the gap?

 

[Dave Noble]

The AA lounge is the QF lounge. They just switch the signs for AA flights. It was the Qantas lounge first I should add.

It is a bit more than that; I have been in there when it has morphed from a QF lounge back to an AC; all the nice snacks disappear as do the self service alcoholic drinks in the fridge and the bottles of wine disappear. some pretzel type snacks appear and the transformation is complete

the HNL AC was an oddity of AA lounges in that they will get beers and wines on request for no charge

Dave

 

[maninblack]

Will some of the 744/3 go back to the HNL route then or will it just be jetstarred?

Given that the 763 are on all the coughpy routes or are a worst case option on a route - the A380 wont be put on that route and if teh 763 is decommissioned then what shuffles down to fill the gap?

The "story" I have been told is that despite our doubts, the QF HNL service will remain both due to demand and OW commitments and from Dec 07 they will have a monopoly in business class on that route with AC switching to SYD-YVR non-stop. The "story" is that the route will switch to A330-300 or two class 744 depending on demand and eventually 787. This though is all down the track and not until QF has significant number of A380's in the fleet. Time will tell.

 

[kooky]

The "story" I have been told is that despite our doubts, the QF HNL service will remain both due to demand and OW commitments and from Dec 07 they will have a monopoly in business class on that route with AC switching to SYD-YVR non-stop. The "story" is that the route will switch to A330-300 or two class 744 depending on demand and eventually 787. This though is all down the track and not until QF has significant number of A380's in the fleet. Time will tell.

YES!!! ... that's it!! ... I in fact was on a OWE and on that you can't choose JetStar, which is why I had to choose the QF flight. That's probably why they're keeping it on, to help sell OWEs! You can't go via Fiji on a OWE, so Hawaii was the only stopover possible. Thank goodness for QF3 & QF4! Bless your cotton socks you two, I will take your tatty interior anyday. Mwah!

 

[Evan]

QF were going to sell some 767's this year but have held on to them due to late delivery of other aircraft and a need to compete on some new routes with Tiger, VB etc.

E

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

YES!!! ... that's it!! ... I in fact was on a OWE and on that you can't choose JetStar, which is why I had to choose the QF flight. That's probably why they're keeping it on, to help sell OWEs!

I doubt it. Jetstar is allowed for xONEx purchased outside south west pacific. For sales inside SWP, QF would much rather you buy round trip or point to point fares than alliance products.

 

[d15.in.oz]

It's not really a flash lounge…

For an AC, I reckon it’s ok, but then my preference is for self-service over a staffed bar, and I also like lounges with windows & tarmac views. (And when not in QP mode, at least they don’t place a huge bolt over the fridge door handles, like they do at HBA QP in the mornings, in HNL they just take the beer & wine out.) And I am a V8 drink fan as well.

…not a room with a few posh chairs and no other human beings, let alone any drinks, nibblies

I think when it’s an AC - the drinks & nibbles available are better than average ACs, and personally, I am a fan of quiet lounges. The potential crowd during a QF 747 departure is an overwhelming thought. (In AC mode, I prefer the beer/wine system used in HNL, over the drink voucher system used elsewhere.)

Did I mention you need to enter it via the middle of nowhere…

I agree that it’s not a great location for AA departures, but it’s perfect for JQi/QF flights, located almost half way on the long walk from security to the gate!

QF's 767 was the tattiest hands-down…

I would recommend JQi’s A330 Y seat (even though covered in vinyl) for a MUCH wider (A & K) personal space on the SYD-HNL route.