A330 Coast to Coast - some questions

[serfty]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

Maybe they are some more unreliable then the new ones.

Personally, I found the seating in the ex EK bird to be more comfortable.

Also found a 'gotcha' on the new versions in Business class - both my and SWMBO manage to knock our heads on the protuberances near the top of the backrest.

 

[docjames]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

Also found a 'gotcha' on the new versions in Business class - both my and SWMBO manage to knock our heads on the protuberances near the top of the backrest.

mrsdoc resembles that remark (3 times over).

 

[drewbles]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

Maybe they are some more unreliable then the new ones.

Personally, I found the seating in the ex EK bird to be more comfortable.

Also found a 'gotcha' on the new versions in Business class - both my and SWMBO manage to knock our heads on the protuberances near the top of the backrest.

At 6'3" I find the new birds a lot more comfortable than the XFA/B sisters. I guess different strokes etc.

I find it much easier to get into a comfortable 'nap' position on the new ones. Also, 1G on the new is much nicer than 2F on the old

Y in XFA/B is awful. Old non slim-line seats with the bulky 'winged' head rests that don't fold. Hard and uncomfortable.

My 2c.

 

[AdMEL]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

/tangential topic/

COuld someone please explain why XFA/B are so bad (vs a QF 330 with Y+ seats)?

Or do we mean "bad" (comapred to XFC onwards)?

docjames, I haven't flown QF A330 transcon, so I can't compare, however see my comments below re XFA/B compared with XFC on.

At 6'3" I find the new birds a lot more comfortable than the XFA/B sisters. I guess different strokes etc.

I find it much easier to get into a comfortable 'nap' position on the new ones. Also, 1G on the new is much nicer than 2F on the old

Y in XFA/B is awful. Old non slim-line seats with the bulky 'winged' head rests that don't fold. Hard and uncomfortable.

My 2c.

I'm with you drewbles - at 6'9", I find J in XFC onwards a lot more comfortable than XFA/B. In fact, I found J seats in XFA/B very uncomfortable! Found Y in newer birds not bad (short flight from MEL-SYD or v.v.). Haven't flown Y in XFA/B. By the sounds of it, don't think I want to!

I also found the cabin of XFA/B to be very tired.

 

[docjames]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

docjames, I haven't flown QF A330 transcon, so I can't compare, however see my comments below re XFA/B compared with XFC on.



I'm with you drewbles - at 6'9", I find J in XFC onwards a lot more comfortable than XFA/B. In fact, I found J seats in XFA/B very uncomfortable! Found Y in newer birds not bad (short flight from MEL-SYD or v.v.). Haven't flown Y in XFA/B. By the sounds of it, don't think I want to!

I also found the cabin of XFA/B to be very tired.

Thanks for the comments.

I cant help but wonder whether some of the "vitriol" (not necessarily by you or drewbles or anyone else directly - thankyou for responding) lacks some insight to the "competition" and as XFA and XFB were fast-tracked to provide competition, and they will be replaced or refitted eventually.

Sure, not great in comparison to XFC+, but better than waiting another 6 months to start the service and having reduced capacity ongoing until sufficient aircraft arrive.

I guess that's just my perspective....

 

[drewbles]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

Thanks for the comments.

I cant help but wonder whether some of the "vitriol" (not necessarily by you or drewbles or anyone else directly - thankyou for responding) lacks some insight to the "competition" and as XFA and XFB were fast-tracked to provide competition, and they will be replaced or refitted eventually.

Sure, not great in comparison to XFC+, but better than waiting another 6 months to start the service and having reduced capacity ongoing until sufficient aircraft arrive.

I guess that's just my perspective....

Oh I agree it's better than downgrading to a 737, but they've done that now by introducing the BNE-MEL-BNE segment. They've effectively stolen in-use 330's off MEL/SYD-PER routes. On Sunday last week, there were 2 x new config A330's to PER (From SYD and BNE) and at least 4 of XFA/B doing the run ex PER. There were also 2 x 737's doing PER-MEL as well (the 5:30pm and the AM flight).

I guess the lack of consistency issue is rearing its ugly head, as it does with all airlines.

Does VA have anymore 330's on the way? would seem they need them (or they're going to have to remove the 'All A330 MEL-PER' line they promised, excluding equipment changes; 50% != all IMHO

I guess it's the main route I fly so my 50% hit rate on new A/C is upsetting considering there are more of the new config floating around than XFA and B

It's really a first world issue. A problem would be having to do the run always down the back of the bus!

I have no comparison to QF's A330's with the 'blocked' middle seat; I know the leg room on VA's A/B birds leaves it in the dust, but no idea on comfort (I find the old VA seats just narrow and too 'high' for the table to fold out in front of me as i'm a bigger guy). You need very thin thighs on XFA/B for the tray table to lay flat

 

[AdMEL]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

Thanks for the comments.

I cant help but wonder whether some of the "vitriol" (not necessarily by you or drewbles or anyone else directly - thankyou for responding) lacks some insight to the "competition" and as XFA and XFB were fast-tracked to provide competition, and they will be replaced or refitted eventually.

Sure, not great in comparison to XFC+, but better than waiting another 6 months to start the service and having reduced capacity ongoing until sufficient aircraft arrive.

I guess that's just my perspective....

I think you're right. When XFA/B started, everyone was raving about them and the service, which was considered significantly better than the 738 service transcon, especially in J. I point out that I haven't flown 738 transcon, nor have I yet experienced J in a 738.

I guess everyone wants the best (nothing wrong with that) and if XFA/B were it and there was no XFC+ to compare, then XFA/B wouldn't be looked upon so harshly.

 

[serfty]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

I think you're right. When XFA/B started, everyone was raving about them and the service, which was considered significantly better than the 738 service transcon, especially in J. I point out that I haven't flown 738 transcon, nor have I yet experienced J in a 738.

I guess everyone wants the best (nothing wrong with that) and if XFA/B were it and there was no XFC+ to compare, then XFA/B wouldn't be looked upon so harshly.

TBH, I found the XFA (Twice) and the XFB (once) business seating more comfortable then that of XFD (Once).

I'm 183cm

We are all different.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: On board recognition - who gets any?

was considered significantly better than the 738 service transcon

Perhaps docjames meant not just 738s but also the 767s. IMHO the VA A330 hard product beats the QF 767s all hands down (but I haven't had XFA or XFB). The QF soft product however, in my very limited experience was more enjoyable than the VA soft product.......but only marginally. FWIW, the hard product is more important to me than the soft product.