ALL QF's 330's to get lay flat Business seating - Including Domestic

[RedSMS]

My biggest problem with the 2-2-2 is that they haven’t re-covered the seats. The padding has worn out and it feels like sitting on covered steel.

That doesn't sound too good. It's a pity that I am on the 1-2-1 330 on the way over. I know its only a half an hour difference in terms of flight length, but I would rather be unexpectedly suprised, than expectedly disappointed. This is typical QF, they display a superior attitude, superior marketing efforts with rules galore and no exceptions. If only some of the asian and middle eastern carriers could fly some competitive dom routes here (MEL-SYD, SYD-BNE, MEL-PER, SYD-PER , ADL-SYD etc) and a few shorter range intl routes such as MEL/SYD/BNE/PER - NZ/SIN/Jakarta/BKK/Manilla etc QF would have to lift their game big time. These airlines would have modern PE/J and F products and much newer fleets + better lounges all for a similar price (esp ex syd as QF don't own their dom terminal anymore.) Apologies as this is a stray from the topic but QF seem to be the last major Intl airline to lift their game on many aspects. Onboard Wifi, IFE and the lack of in seat usb ports and cabin refurbishment are my main points here. The other week I took 3 737 flights in 3.5 days and on 2 of the 3 flights, the interior ( both Y and J) seemed dingy. (Although the service was great.) I normally fly Y and remember as a kid, Qantas used to serve warm food and beverages on even short dom flights (like MEL-SYD.) I was staggered actually a few weeks back at the announcement that alcoholic beverages were available for purchase for $6 each. I tend to only drink water so this didn't really bother me, but I thought really? Yes I know that the market has changed a lot, but it would be great if QF took the lead a bit more frequently in RPT aviation. I will finish at that as this is an A330 thread!

 

[moa999]

Convince the Australian Govt to allow aircraft to be depreciated over 8 years rather than 20 and you might see a newer fleet.

But all airlines have new and older fleet (and they don't advertise the older one) - even the ME carriers you mention
Eg. Emirates with its 2-3-2 business seating on 777-200s (that they are now only replacing)

WiFi - agree Qantas has been slow - but they fly routes with poor coverage so chose to wait for the NBN satellite and internationally a faster generation of sea focussed satellites

As for alcoholic beverages on domestic... It's only been free for a long time on selected flights (originally CityFlyer flights Mon-Fri).

On the 332 - agree EBG and EBL have taken a long time, but as I understand it when first announced Qantas was planning on returning these aircraft at the end of their lease, and it was a later decision to keep them, agree a suitable lease rollover etc.

 

[moa999]

Report on airliners from the reliable EK413 that EBE out 26Feb after being in heavy maintenance (and wifi install) for about 8 weeks

But that EBD (already with Internet bump) seems to replace it, so EBG lives on.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Something like this would have been good from QF: Polaris Tracker - Desktop

Note UA is adding one plane with the new Polaris seating every 10 days until 2020 (although some of those will be new deliveries).

 

[JessicaTam]

Something like this would have been good from QF: Polaris Tracker - Desktop

Note UA is adding one plane with the new Polaris seating every 10 days until 2020 (although some of those will be new deliveries).

But then QF would have had to admit they hadn't finished the rollout.

 

[moa999]

VH-EBE finally out today after major (C08) maintenance. Waiting on confirmation of an internet bump..

Hoping EBG will be next

 

[Happy Trails]

Meanwhile on the QF website:

Your seat
Fly in contemporary comfort in our Business Suite on all A330 and B787-9 aircraft. Combining functionality with privacy, space and surrounds you’d expect to find in First. The innovative seats mean you can recline your seat from take-off through to landing maximising the opportunity to rest in your fully-flat bed.

Business | Qantas AU

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Meanwhile on the QF website:

Your seat
Fly in contemporary comfort in our Business Suite on all A330 and B787-9 aircraft. Combining functionality with privacy, space and surrounds you’d expect to find in First. The innovative seats mean you can recline your seat from take-off through to landing maximising the opportunity to rest in your fully-flat bed.

Business | Qantas AU

I'm not sure this is any different from the previous wording? Which is odd if they still have one flying around unrefurbished.

 

[moa999]

March 17th QF6017 BNE-SIN A332 -EBP off to SIN paint shop

 

[pauly7]

March 17th QF6017 BNE-SIN A332 -EBP off to SIN paint shop

I don’t suppose you have any status on the QFlink Q2/3/400 refurbishment?

 

[moa999]

March 17th QF6017 BNE-SIN A332 -EBP off to SIN paint shop

EBP out of paint.

For the dash8s the Qantas Fleet thread on airliners.net has a few people that track them

 

[moa999]

An informed poster on YSSY Sydney Spotters forum has said EBG is scheduled for a refurb commencing mid-May.

Combined with the end-April retirement of the final non-ER 747 OEB this will mean no more Rockwell Collins and no more SkyBed I in service.

 

[madrooster]

Combined with the end-April retirement of the final non-ER 747 OEB this will mean no more Rockwell Collins and no more SkyBed I in service.

VH-OJU is still running.

 

[moa999]

Good point.. so not the final ER, though OJU does have the upgraded (A380) interior

 

[moa999]

Given we have some limited tables back in Xen2.1, I'll try and replicate some of the Wiki content.

330-300 International	330-200 Domestic	330-200 International	330-200 Old Intl	330-200 Non-refurb
10	9	6	2	1
VH-QPA, VH-QPB VH-QPC, VH-QPD VH-QPE, VH-QPF VH-QPG, VH-QPH VH-QPI, VH-QPJ	VH-EBA, VH-EBB VH-EBC, VH-EBD VH-EBE, VH-EBF VH-EBJ, VH-EBK VH-EBL	VH-EBO, VH-EBP VH-EBQ, VH-EBR VH-EBS, VH-EBV	VH-EBM, VH-EBN	VH-EBG
28 J, 269 Y	28 J, 243 Y	27 J, 224 Y	28 J, 243 Y	36 J, 199 Y
J Business Suite with Cloth covered seat Panasonic ex3 16" IFE, Y Panasonic exLite 11" IFE	J Business Suite with Leather covered seat Panasonic ex3 16" IFE,Y 8" iPad Mini Inflight Internet (5 aircraft)	J Business Suite with Leather covered seat Panasonic ex3 16" IFE,Y Panasonic ex2 9" IFE	J Business Suite with Leather covered seat Panasonic ex3 16" IFE,Y Panasonic ex2 9" IFE	J Angled-flat SkyBed I with Cloth Covered Seat Rockwell Collins IFEY Rockwell Collins 6" IFE
			To refurb to 330-200 Intl	To refurb to 330-200 Donestic From mid-may

 

[grrofunger]

Meanwhile on the QF website:

Your seat
Fly in contemporary comfort in our Business Suite on all A330 and B787-9 aircraft. Combining functionality with privacy, space and surrounds you’d expect to find in First. The innovative seats mean you can recline your seat from take-off through to landing maximising the opportunity to rest in your fully-flat bed.

Business | Qantas AU

I wasn't even allowed to put the seat in the preset partial recline position for takeoff and landing on the A330 from Perth to Brisbane or the 787 from Brisbane to LA and then LA to New York last week.

Also wasn't allowed on the 787 from New York to LA or the A330 from Sydney to Perth on the return leg.

I think i actually prefer the old A380 J seat

 

[moa999]

VH-EBG has now spent 24hrs on the ground in BNE after arriving from AKL last night... Could it be

Following yesterday's final flight of 747 OEB this is the only aircraft remaining with SkyBed Is and Rockwell Collins IFE

 

[Mattg]

VH-EBG has now spent 24hrs on the ground in BNE after arriving from AKL last night... Could it be

Following yesterday's final flight of 747 OEB this is the only aircraft remaining with SkyBed Is and Rockwell Collins IFE

VH-EBG is currently scheduled to operate QF51 BNE-SIN tomorrow (and back again as QF52).

 

[openseat]

I must have been on EBG from AKL to MEL last week. I was so confused by the ancient IFE and had forgotten how it takes forever to deal with any command. I tried to comfort myself by thinking when it was brand new, but that didn't work. The seat map a few days before the flight showed the new configuration so imagine the disappointment upon entry to the aircraft. This was made worse by having to sit in that awful lounge where there seems to be a shortage of glasswear. As the night wore on the staff simply seemed to abandon customers to the piles of dirty plates, empty bottles of wine and spirits as well as lack of edible nibbles.

 

[stm1sydney]

I must have been on EBG from AKL to MEL last week. I was so confused by the ancient IFE and had forgotten how it takes forever to deal with any command. I tried to comfort myself by thinking when it was brand new, but that didn't work. The seat map a few days before the flight showed the new configuration so imagine the disappointment upon entry to the aircraft. This was made worse by having to sit in that awful lounge where there seems to be a shortage of glasswear. As the night wore on the staff simply seemed to abandon customers to the piles of dirty plates, empty bottles of wine and spirits as well as lack of edible nibbles.

Maybe try another airline?