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

[Katie]

QF61 is about to land at NRT with VH-QPB doing the honours and should be about 16 minutes early pulling into NRT (at 1859 local time.) One wonders how many of the passengers would be either QF staff or 'journalists' and others on freebies.

I always wonder how objective 'airline reviewers' can be (such as the woman from News Ltd who is on board according to News.com.au | News Online from Australia and the World | NewsComAu and its far from world leading travel section) when they travel as a guest of the airline concerned and are plied with special treatment plus the usual as much alcohol and food as they want. It is just another form of advertising.

The media will say that it no longer has the budget for this, but surely these individuals should travel on the third or fourth flight, as incognito as possible, and give praise where it is due and brickbats when it is not. Later flights will be (mostly) devoid of airline management so passengers could see what really goes on, rather than the first flight fakery.

Read into this what you will given the history of JQ and QF, but this refurbished A330 is following JQ25 from CNS to NRT, B787-8 VH-VKE that is about 12 minutes late into NRT and about two minutes ahead of the A333.

That's one thing you can be sure will not be in any arguably compromised 'reports of the first flight' written by 'travel journalists' or 'aviation writers.'

I do not always share the almost complete disdain that one of AFF's most respected contributors has for the media, but in the case of travel sections, I can well understand why so many readers of the print media and viewers of websites and the occasional television program would be somewhat cynical.

Mind you, QF promised a refurbished bird for QF61 and it delivered on that promise.

I was one of the winners of an Australian Business Traveller and Qantas competition, and was on QF61's inaugural flight, courtesy of Qantas. There were two members of the Qantas media team on the flight, but I don't think there were any "senior managers" on it - unless the senior media person counted as a senior manager. There was something like 6 journalists from various media organisations on the flight. I believe most of them spent 1-2 days in Tokyo, and all flew home, like the competition winners, on Haneda-Sydney flights.

One of the Qantas media team made an interesting comment at one point - the destination country/city will get far more financially from any press coverage than the airline will.

When I compare the service in-flight to other flights I've had on QF, there was no discernible difference in the way passengers were treated (I was in J). There were one or two little differences, which I put down to the crew possibly being new to the aircraft/route and still needing to work on timings.
Not end of the world differences, but no particular WP greeting by the CSM, no hot hand towels at the start and end of the flight. I also honestly thought the J loo could have been refurbed better. That was the only part of the aircraft that smelled like it hadn't been refurbed. Blurgh.

On my flight home, I saw one of the journalists being escorted through the JAL FLounge. They commented to me that they "weren't allowed in here", so I presume they were in the Business Lounge before the flight back to Sydney. They had a look through the lounge, and then left.
The only journalist I saw in the BNE F cupboard before the flight was one who I believe is a WP. I didn't see the others - not sure if they were staying near the gate for all of the politician and speeches beforehand or if they popped in to the J Lounge.

I was not in a position to observe any of the journalists being plied with special treatment or "as much alcohol and food as they want" on the flight up. No-one seemed particularly inebriated after arriving in Tokyo or later that evening. I suspect that if any of them treated it like a free piss up, they would be unlikely to be invited on another inaugural flight and famil overseas.

 

[Melburnian1]

katie, interesting information and congratulations on winning the competition.

However none of what you say disproves my point than when any of us receive something "free", it's a minimum of a little bit more enticing. Hence, any objectivity is likely to be lost or greatly reduced.

Many of these journalists are like the vast majority of the community - they wouldn't normally pay out of their own pocket(s) (not seeing it as good value, or simply as too expensive for their personal circumstances) for business class - so by the very act of them being there on a freebie, it's a taste of 'luxury' that some may not otherwise experience in real life.

Of course, given that if any of us visit country X for more than a few days we often spend more on accommodation, meals and surface travel than we do on airfares, the country (Japan in this case) may 'gain more' than the airline in total dollar spend (QF in this case.) Mind you, the airline is happy if it can fill its seats or perhaps 80 per cent plus of them at what it considers a good yield: it doesn't know how much travellers will individually spend on the ground and nor does it particularly care.

However since one would hope airlines don't spend shareholders' funds irrationally on first flights like this (please stop any guffaws in the background), the question has to be asked: would the airline fly six journalists up there and back in J, and presumably accommodate them with or without the help of the (in this case) Japan National Tourism Office if it wasn't going to receive its 'reward' in due course?

And the reward - articles (six, perhaps) in various newspapers and magazines aimed at travellers - with the freebie trip disguised as an 'airline review.'

Hmmmm......

 

[JohnPhelan]

Of course the airlines see value in offering such trips to journos. The relevant country's tourism office also sees value. So does the media organisation, because it gets copy/images to fill its space/bandwidth.

Everybody wins.

As Katie has commented, the journos don't get a lot in the way of ''extra special" treatment, however - they get the appropriate treatment for the class in which they are travelling, and possibly some minor extras - think keyrings, pens, maybe a small model plane. That is all quite standard.

As an ex-journo, I can tell you categorically that most journos will not change their critique because of such things. The provision of flights, hotels etc buys our time, not our opinions.

 

[Melburnian1]

As an ex-journo, I can tell you categorically that most journos will not change their critique because of such things. The provision of flights, hotels etc buys our time, not our opinions.

Without wishing to 'hijack' this thread (because it's really about the A330s), I have seen many deeply uncritical flight and hotel/ resort reviews over the years. They read like (to use a modern word) 'advertorials.' I take them with a very large grain of salt.

Yes, some journalists may not change a critique, but many know that if they 'cross the line' and are either critical or 'too critical', lower numbers of (or worse no) invitations for what the travel agents call 'famils' will come their way.

 

[eminere]

Without wishing to 'hijack' this thread (because it's really about the A330s), I have seen many deeply uncritical flight and hotel/ resort reviews over the years. They read like (to use a modern word) 'advertorials.' I take them with a very large grain of salt.

Yes, some journalists may not change a critique, but many know that if they 'cross the line' and are either critical or 'too critical', lower numbers of (or worse no) invitations for what the travel agents call 'famils' will come their way.

I think it's also very much down to the individual journalist and title. Some have more scruples than others. I am in PR and some of the press I work with definitely can be bought.

 

[moa999]

And appears that VH-EBF has left the JQ fleet and gone into the paintshop at QPG (Peya Leba in Singapore)
It operated JQ7 MEL-SIN, then shortly afterwards a quick hop to QPG.

Leaves VH-EBE as the only remaining 330-200 with JQ.

VH-EBK is currently undergoing refurb in BNE but is still in JQ colours - would expect it to be complete around 20/8 - which is about the same time as VH-EBF should be finished its repaint, so would expect them to swap, with EBK returning to QF service around 5/9 and EBF 20/9.

This would take the 330-200 fleet to 18 (with EBE to come over and EBI to leave), albeit would not be surprised to see either EBI or 747s OEB/OJM leave the fleet around this time.

 

[Awesom Andy]

And appears that VH-EBF has left the JQ fleet and gone into the paintshop at QPG (Peya Leba in Singapore)
It operated JQ7 MEL-SIN, then shortly afterwards a quick hop to QPG.

So domestic flights in Singapore do exist. Although given a distance of 6 miles, it could've just taxied over at 3am via the expressway.

 

[blackcat20]

Hopefully by the time we fly in October our plane has been changed for a refurb; then I might consider stumping up the points for an upgrade (where available).

 

[Flyerqf]

And appears that VH-EBF has left the JQ fleet and gone into the paintshop at QPG (Peya Leba in Singapore)
It operated JQ7 MEL-SIN, then shortly afterwards a quick hop to QPG.

Leaves VH-EBE as the only remaining 330-200 with JQ.

VH-EBK is currently undergoing refurb in BNE but is still in JQ colours - would expect it to be complete around 20/8 - which is about the same time as VH-EBF should be finished its repaint, so would expect them to swap, with EBK returning to QF service around 5/9 and EBF 20/9.

This would take the 330-200 fleet to 18 (with EBE to come over and EBI to leave), albeit would not be surprised to see either EBI or 747s OEB/OJM leave the fleet around this time.

I didn't think OEB/OJM were due to leave for another year or two yet.

The only way they could go, is if Sydney to Tokyo goes to 333. I guess this could be possible and may explain the daily Brisbane flight to fill some of the capacity drop this would cause.

 

[drivatruk]

I had some friends on the inaugural QF61 flight courtesy of a US Airways redemption i booked for them. They were originally going Sydney to Narita. They were very happy to be reassigned seats on this flight to meet their JL flight to Boston from Narita at a later time. Been a very long time since a flight on QF and were very impressed with their veg meal and with the new layout of the plane. That said their Veg meal on JAL was the worst food they have ever eaten including meals not eaten on a plane.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think it's also very much down to the individual journalist and title.

Case in point: Qantas airport lounges changing how we travel

Endless glasses of champagne (available to all)?

Exclusive? A mystery behind closed doors? (yeah... no)

 

[JohnPhelan]

Case in point: Qantas airport lounges changing how we travel

Endless glasses of champagne (available to all)?

Exclusive? A mystery behind closed doors? (yeah... no)

Most pax would see it as "exclusive" - because they're not allowed in; and a "mystery" - because they've never been inside.

Not sure what the champagne comment is supposed to mean; for most people who don't drink to excess, the supply is indeed "endless" (especially in the overseas lounges).

 

[drron]

And according to that article I am out of luck if trying to use my AA OWS status.Needs to go back to journalism school.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Most pax would see it as "exclusive" - because they're not allowed in; and a "mystery" - because they've never been inside.

Not sure what the champagne comment is supposed to mean; for most people who don't drink to excess, the supply is indeed "endless" (especially in the overseas lounges).

I wasn't aware the QF SIN lounge (or indeed any of their other business lounges) served champagne? Maybe sparkling wine.

I wouldn't exactly class it as 'exclusive' given anyone, in any class, can get entry provided they pay a modest membership fee.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

Been a very long time since a flight on QF and were very impressed with their veg meal and with the new layout of the plane. That said their Veg meal on JAL was the worst food they have ever eaten including meals not eaten on a plane.

Being veg I guess they haven't sampled the QF Lamb Moussaka with eggplant which is a staple on the SYD-MNL route - barely makes it into the category of 'food'.

 

[Tom/PER]

moa999,

Any chance you could do a thread for the 73H refurbs now they've commenced and keep us updated as you have done with this thread?

 

[moa999]

moa999,

Any chance you could do a thread for the 73H refurbs now they've commenced and keep us updated as you have done with this thread?

If and when there is some more public info on this I might. VH-VXR has been mentioned on this board but not mentioned on qantassource or yssy so unsure where this info comes from

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Aren't the 737 refurbs just installing smaller toilets and galleys to fit an extra row in the back? If so surely that's of no interest to pax?

 

[moa999]

Aren't the 737 refurbs just installing smaller toilets and galleys to fit an extra row in the back? If so surely that's of no interest to pax?

Agree of less interest. Also adding WiFi to the planes without seatback IFE which is probably of more interest here

 

[RickyT84]

Caught VH-EBC over the weekend and was pleased to see a iPad mini in the seat pocket with wi-fi IFE given that the bird was still in the ex JQ config. Also noticed they have upgraded the lighting and updated the head rest cover which made the plane feels a lot newer.