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

[TomVexille]

Now to replace those awful drooping skybeds on the A380...

Which won't be happening any time soon...

 

[eosphoros]

Which won't be happening any time soon...

Unfortunately. Although QF has surprised me lately. Perhaps it needs a bit of a nudge in the form of more complaints about the drooping.

 

[TomVexille]

Unfortunately. Although QF has surprised me lately. Perhaps it needs a bit of a nudge in the form of more complaints about the drooping.

The real question is what seat potentially goes in the 380 if/when they decide to refresh

 

[eosphoros]

The real question is what seat potentially goes in the 380 if/when they decide to refresh

Didn't QF do the 747 refresh after the MkII was introduced onto the 380?

 

[TomVexille]

Didn't QF do the 747 refresh after the MkII was introduced onto the 380?

Yeah, but they have also been adamant that the "business suite" will not be installed in the 380. I'm not saying that it won't happen, just that we don't know what will happen.

 

[madrooster]

Was mentioned that anything in the middle is just in for minor maintenance - couple of days type stuff

The middle bay can be used for refurbs as well, but only the 332s in the middle as the 333's are all undergoing their C8 at the same time.

 

[moa999]

Yeah, but they have also been adamant that the "business suite" will not be installed in the 380. I'm not saying that it won't happen, just that we don't know what will happen.

Few reasons I suspect.

1. Too early in A380 life and how they account for interior depreciation. Potentially with first heavy maintainence check (10-12yrs)
2. The width is all wrong for the BusinessSuite (SkyBed 3) -- A330 is 5.28m, whereas A380 is 5.8m wide on upper deck and 6.4m on the main deck -- so you want a different seat design or you are wasting a lot of space.

The 787 is 5.5m wide so some possibility that QF may come up with yet another design that could be rolled out to a 787 order and A380 refurbs

 

[eosphoros]

2. The width is all wrong for the BusinessSuite (SkyBed 3) -- A330 is 5.28m, whereas A380 is 5.8m wide on upper deck and 6.4m on the main deck -- so you want a different seat design or you are wasting a lot of space.

I don't think it's quite correct to compare the width of the decks simpliciter. It is quite important to note that on the upper deck, the A380 has bins on either side that take up 15cm each side at the very least. I suspect that this is due to the curvature of the aircraft.

I think that it is quite instructive that both on the 330s and the 380 upper deck, the SkyBeds are in a 2-2-2 configuration. (I am aware that the A380 has the MkII but I'm not sure whether they are any wider than the MkI. If they are, I am sure that any difference is minimal.)

The seat manufacturer recommends a 1-2-1 configuration on the upper deck of the A380. See LOPAS and go to Vantage XL and choose the aircraft type.

 

[samh004]

The real question is what seat potentially goes in the 380 if/when they decide to refresh

Few reasons I suspect.

1. Too early in A380 life and how they account for interior depreciation. Potentially with first heavy maintainence check (10-12yrs)
2. The width is all wrong for the BusinessSuite (SkyBed 3) -- A330 is 5.28m, whereas A380 is 5.8m wide on upper deck and 6.4m on the main deck -- so you want a different seat design or you are wasting a lot of space.

The 787 is 5.5m wide so some possibility that QF may come up with yet another design that could be rolled out to a 787 order and A380 refurbs

As you mention with regards to width, only direction I can see them going to keep the same design would be to have some forward facing and some backward facing seats, otherwise a 1-2-1 layout would drastically reduce the number of seats available, and I don't think that's the direction to be taking.

Of course, they could choose an entirely different design, such as another evolution of the Skybed, but I'm really not a fan of stepping over a sleeping pax to gain access to a seat, so I hope they have figured that out too.

Edit: actually, I take that back... having now looked at their website it appears in the same J space they're able to include 82 seats, compared to QF's current 64 seats. An extra 18 J seats in a better layout would be much preferable. Here's hoping they go down this route providing the seats do well in the A330's.

 

[Himeno]

Few reasons I suspect.

1. Too early in A380 life and how they account for interior depreciation. Potentially with first heavy maintainence check (10-12yrs)
2. The width is all wrong for the BusinessSuite (SkyBed 3) -- A330 is 5.28m, whereas A380 is 5.8m wide on upper deck and 6.4m on the main deck -- so you want a different seat design or you are wasting a lot of space.

The 787 is 5.5m wide so some possibility that QF may come up with yet another design that could be rolled out to a 787 order and A380 refurbs

The A380s started arriving in late 2008. That places major checks from around 2019. Assuming they confirm the 789 options, that would have around 15 787's by then. They could then install some form of the new J seats during the 380 checks in FY19/20. Then the last of the 744s get retired as the 380s come back from those checks.

I could see the 330s, 380s and 789s having similar versions of the same seats much as JL has slightly different versions of the same seat for their 767s, 777s and 787s (the "SSx" seats).

 

[cdp88]

Re: SYD-SIN New QF 330 Y

Anyone know the chances of me getting one of the refurbished A330s for a HKG-BNE flight in early March? On the way over it was the old style, with the new service, so IFE screens were very small.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Re: SYD-SIN New QF 330 Y

Anyone know the chances of me getting one of the refurbished A330s for a HKG-BNE flight in early March? On the way over it was the old style, with the new service, so IFE screens were very small.

Virtually zero, I'm afraid.

 

[moa999]

March 2016 you might have a chance. In a couple of weeks there will still be ONE A330-300 and it will be flying SYD/MEL-SIN on alternating days

 

[pythonisman]

I mentioned a few weeks ago upthread that I was going to write a report / post some photos on the new A330 business class from SYD-SIN; and I've finished that up.

Comments/thoughts and pictures I've posted over in the trip reports section of AFF.
If I'm allowed to crosspost, the link is here: http://www.australianfrequentflyer..../my-1st-tr-chasing-qff-66371.html#post1202908

For the TL;DR opinion of the seat; Having now flown Skybed Mk I and the Business suite, my thoughts on the new suite are:

I haven’t flown the Skybed Mk II - I’ll probably get to do that in a couple of weeks on a trip to the states for work. That being said - directly comparing the Skybed Mk I with the Qantas Business Suite (Skybed Mk III?):
Mk I to me, feels wider especially around the head/shoulder area, especially as a side sleeper. I found myself scrambling against the shell for purchase in the new bird but felt there was more room in the older seat to actually spread out and relax. Or maybe I was just more tired and not looking forward to going back to work on my return flight in the older jet.

Obviously the lack of fully flat seats is a big negative for Mk I, and the new seat is indeed flat, and robust which is great. The lack of direct aisle access is definitely a negative in the older product. The privacy and storage space of the new seat is also very good, and the new IFE (especially the screen size and the responsiveness) is excellent.

Personally however, purely from a seat perspective, I found that the SQ, or NZ J product feels much more spacious and comfortable - but I’m a big guy, and everyone is different. I’m not at all saying the new seat is bad, it’s definitely not, I’m just not sure how I feel about it yet. It’s *definitely* a significant step up from the Y+ style current domestic J seats in QF’s A330 fleet, and the pax around me on the flight were commenting for some time about things they liked about the new suite.

 

[RichardMEL]

Personally however, purely from a seat perspective, I found that the SQ, or NZ J product feels much more spacious and comfortable - but I’m a big guy, and everyone is different. I’m not at all saying the new seat is bad, it’s definitely not, I’m just not sure how I feel about it yet. It’s *definitely* a significant step up from the Y+ style current domestic J seats in QF’s A330 fleet, and the pax around me on the flight were commenting for some time about things they liked about the new suite.

I'm interested that you mention NZ. I find the J seat to be quite confinding. Not to the same extent as the (old) CX "coffin" seats, but for me (I am not a big guy - yay diet - but I do have long legs and a decent frame) the NZ seat in bed mode is not adequate for me (my feet wind up outside the footwell half the time ) and even sitting in the seat I find it less than ideal. While I have not slept in the Business Suite, I have reclined it fully flat and had a lie down to compare, and I found it much more comfy for me - mostly for the leg room aspect and I also felt the time I did it, being in 4A which had the seat towards the window it felt extra cosy and private compared to NZ where you are, more or less, facing the aisle.

I also feel the seat area storage space (ie: the shelf area) to be superior in the QF product)

That's just a personal view though but having done a number of long hauls in NZ J on the 77W and 789 I'd take the QF hard product anyday. NZ catering though.. I'd keep that

I guess a case of you can't please all the people all the time

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

I'm on QF81 to SIN next week on Thursday.

Currently when I check the seat map it still shows the old layout.

Is this just QF not updating their system or am I just losing the lottery to try out the new seats?

 

[amaroo]

I'm on QF81 to SIN next week on Thursday.

Currently when I check the seat map it still shows the old layout.

Is this just QF not updating their system or am I just losing the lottery to try out the new seats?

I assume the latter. One of my QF52's in June is showing the new layout.

 

[kreuky]

SIN SYD todayQF82. Late sub for new config. Was originally old config when I checked on Monday.

 

[pythonisman]

I'm on QF81 to SIN next week on Thursday.

Currently when I check the seat map it still shows the old layout.

Is this just QF not updating their system or am I just losing the lottery to try out the new seats?

Likely the plan is for you to get an old bird - but I had QF5 on 30/01 change at about T-48 and it stuck with the new jet, and then the comment just above shows another sub. (And then I had a 744 flying SIN-SYD on Monday night on QF82...)
Nothing is certain in this world, especially when it comes to one jet that they may need to shunt around to keep schedules running...

So keep your fingers crossed and keep checking would be my advice, but don't be sad if it doesn't eventuate!

 

[moa999]

With only a single aircraft flying QF35/36/81/82 I also wonder whether the actual pax are looked at.

Eg. Consider plane in SIN due to fly to MEL but then they look at the bookings and see they have the CEO and CFO of a major mining company traveling SIN-SYD and then half the Board of a major back traveling SYD-SIN the next day.

If I was QF I would be arranging a last minute switch