a tale of two airlines

[haggiscat]

In the last 12 months I have flown to Europe 3 times with QANTAS in Economy. Each time I have been sorely disappointed. I know my Economy fare doesn't entitle me to the rolled gold service of First, but it does entitle me to the friendly, attentive hospitality I would expect from ANY decent airline, let alone an Australian flag carrier.

The QANTAS Economy menus are all printed with the words 'Sweet Dreams', and this should be the international division's motto. The haggard 747 crews I have ecountered seem to believe their job is to throw a meal at you, drop a snack pack in your lap and whip the galley curtains shut to spend the next eight hours idly gossiping while you nod off and ignore their total lack of interest.

The only time I have received any special attention has been from obviously homosexual, older male crew members with whom I deliberately flirt in an attempt to get what I've paid for. Sorry to be blunt, but that's how it is.

According to friends at the airline, the problem is apparently isolated to the ageing jumbos, which are staffed with supperanuated trolls remnant of the Government days. By far the least-worst complaint of mine but the most striking comparison is the habit of QF FAs of standing in the aisle staring into middle distance and disinterestedly calling out "YOUFACKOFFEE"or ANY OF YOU GUYS LIKE TEA? This may be the vernacular but it is impolite in a service occupation. The Singapore Airlines approach of 'more tea or coffee for you, sir?' with a direct gaze and a winning smile is far more charming. Although one of the dragons last time was sporting so much botox a smile would have been out of the question. How about saying hello when greeted by a passenger? How about responding to a call bell within half an hour? How about not flouncing angrily away when asked for a drink as though it's the world's greatest inconvenience?

I could go on. But I only have this question. Why is the 747 crew so cough and the domestic crews so fantastic? In Australia it's free bottles of wine, business service in economy, friendly greetings, cheesy smiles, and professional and charming service that you'd love to have over and over again - and that can even be in row 29!

I fly on the QANTAS jumbos because I'm nostalgic and I want to support the airline that gave me my first plane trips, both at home and abroad. The 747-400 Longreach has very fond memories for me, but each time I try it again they seem to fade further away.

The sooner they shut down international the better. It is a shameful advertisement for the company and a cough airline. Domestic, ten out of ten.

 

[anat0l]

Well that isn't a great assessment for QF.

To be honest, though, my last flights on QF 747s have been great, in terms of FA service. All except one was flown in Y (and the one J doesn't really count). Cabin supervisors have been quite notable.

What is "YOUFACKOFFEE" - I can't understand that.

Most of the time, I think the FAs just say, "Tea?" or "Coffee?". Sometimes it's, "Tea for you, ma'am, sir?" or similar. Even, "Would anyone care for some tea?"

I agree that a certain standard of service is expected, so I hope you let someone know if you are sorely disappointed.

 

[haggiscat]

There are always exceptions, like the dear young lady who kept disappearing into Business and returning with flutes of Champagne every time my glass was empty, leading to a very drunken arrival into London. And a number of the staff are genuinely good. But most of the economy service in the Jumbo is BAD. My question is, if you hate your job so much, why the hell do it?

As for complaining, why bother. It's like my boss says to me: 'the complaints department is closed'.

 

[anat0l]

As for complaining, why bother. It's like my boss says to me: 'the complaints department is closed'.

Oh well. So be it then.

But do tell me, what is "YOUFACKOFFEE" supposed to be in proper English? I really can't work it out.

 

[haggiscat]

Oh sorry, it's a "Pam Ann"joke and roughly translated means ýou for coffee'?

peace out

 

[amaroo]

On my last QF 747 SYD-LAX.....should have been A380 but was subbed, I had more fun talking to the two FA's (J UD) explaining that the crews on the A380 were young, dumb & paid a fraction of their salary.

A little coughy but great service.

 

[moa999]

And in a few years QF will have 14 A380s and only 9 747s so hopefully more young crew!

 

[TonyHancock]

These days I am fortunate to travel in J on my long haul, and I have to say the crews have been pretty good on both 747's and 380's over the last 18 months. I am truly fed up with QF at the moment but on board service has been one of the areas where they have been half decent. I was unfortunate enough to have experienced BA's Y+ last year, twice :shock:, and the service was utterly terrible.

 

[ReLoad]

The last 744 service from LAX to MEL I was upgraded to Y+ so absolutely no complaints from me on the 744.
On the way over was in the first row of Y sitting next to a few other WP's and we all were welcomed aboard by the crew chief and had a good ol chat with him post take off when he did his welcome rounds.

Apart from that it was very whY service it certainly wasn't spectacular, but it certainly wasn't coughola either.

 

[drmikki]

I must say I had a very different experience to the OP - after a wide assortment of airlines on both long and short haul international flights this year, I was very impressed by the QF staff on international legs.

I had a YASA LHR-HKG on the 747, and then the second half of a sale fare HKG-PER on the A330. My views were probably swayed somewhat by excellent seats - a bulkhead with an empty seat next to me that opened up at T-80ish, and then an exit row which somehow the system didn't charge me for.

The service was exceptional on both flights, however. The LHR-HKG is an overnight but I think the staff had the right balance of being attentive but not disturbing you. They were polite and professional, and let me just say whoever came up with the idea of the hot chocolate (and peppermint tea) round, which happened about 40 mins after the supper trays were cleared and the coffee/tea service done, is an absolute genius - just perfect to get you off to sleep. I slept most of the flight, but whenever I woke there seemed to be a FA coming down the aisle with cups of water and juice a few minutes later, and when I went for a walk or to the toilets, if I passed a FA in the galley they would ask me if I needed anything.


I'm not sure what you mean, haggis, by "in an attempt to get what I have paid for"? If you've paid for transport, a seat, baggage and a meal, and that is what you have received, what more do you want from the staff? There isn't time nor need for one-to-one pandering to passengers and frankly I'd find it annoying if a FA kept bugging me, particularly on a long distance flight when I want to read or sleep. And if everyone gets 'special attention', then by definition it's no longer special... I guess I am just struggling to understand what you expect from the crew here - it sounds like you've been extra lucky with special care on DOM flights, but that should be considered an exception, since you got things to which you were not actually entitled - it shouldn't be something expected.

And I didn't really notice anything different in the professionalism of any of the crew from the A330 compared with the 747 - as many here will have read on the medical thread, I didn't spend a lot of the A330 flight in my seat, but even before knowing she'd need me later on the CSM had been very helpful, getting my neighbour and I business class blankets when she realised how cold it was in the exit and that there were no spare Y blankets. No flirting required... (probably would have been useless with the female CSM and rather gay male FAs ) I just spoke to them politely and made small talk when spending 20 mins facing the FA in the jump seat while we taxied etc.

Maybe it's just low expectations I have for Y flights, but I've not been disappointed by QF. Not yet, anyway!

(Oh, and a very off-topic aside for the females on the board - South America is a gold mine of young attractive straight male flight attendants. Hellllooooo eye candy! For the men, Air Koryo had many pretty Korean 19 & 20 year old girls- although that necessitates flying Air Koryo, the world's only one star airline.)

In the last 12 months I have flown to Europe 3 times with QANTAS in Economy. Each time I have been sorely disappointed. I know my Economy fare doesn't entitle me to the rolled gold service of First, but it does entitle me to the friendly, attentive hospitality I would expect from ANY decent airline, let alone an Australian flag carrier.

The QANTAS Economy menus are all printed with the words 'Sweet Dreams', and this should be the international division's motto. The haggard 747 crews I have ecountered seem to believe their job is to throw a meal at you, drop a snack pack in your lap and whip the galley curtains shut to spend the next eight hours idly gossiping while you nod off and ignore their total lack of interest.

The only time I have received any special attention has been from obviously homosexual, older male crew members with whom I deliberately flirt in an attempt to get what I've paid for. Sorry to be blunt, but that's how it is.

 

[maninblack]

The QANTAS Economy menus are all printed with the words 'Sweet Dreams', and this should be the international division's motto. The haggard 747 crews I have ecountered seem to believe their job is to throw a meal at you, drop a snack pack in your lap and whip the galley curtains shut to spend the next eight hours idly gossiping while you nod off and ignore their total lack of interest.

The trend has been downhill for the past few years. I have had very similar experiences on recent flights but in J with a couple of flights last year being particularly pitiful, culminating in a flight back from HKG late last year that really ws the last straw. It reminded me of the service on Trans-Pacific flights with Continental back in the 80's...in Y.

A handy Virgin status match came along, combine that with the VA alliance with NZ and SQ (as well as so many other options) and the result is Qantas is getting no international and very little domesic business from me this year.

 

[amaroo]

The trend has been downhill for the past few years. I have had very similar experiences on recent flights but in J with a couple of flights last year being particularly pitiful, culminating in a flight back from HKG late last year that really ws the last straw. It reminded me of the service on Trans-Pacific flights with Continental back in the 80's...in Y.

A handy Virgin status match came along, combine that with the VA alliance with NZ and SQ (as well as so many other options) and the result is Qantas is getting no international and very little domesic business from me this year.

I have fond memories of my last CO flight BNE-GUM-BNE 1989 - overbooked, had to sit in the lounge area:shock: all sorts of things happen but they let the JD flow:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

Hafa Adai

 

[allandall]

Having just flow SYD-SIN on a 747 and then onwards to LHR on the A380, I have to say the crew were fantastic.

Attentive, personable, helpful and were falling over themselves to do the right thing for all the passengers.

Can't think of a single thing they could have done to improve the service level.

Oh and FYI, the drinks runs happen every 15mins on the 380 in Y. They have a sheet up in the galley that they mark off

Cheers,

A