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

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Qantas A330 business suite - has it commenced?

Hi there,

does anyone know if PVG has the new config yet? Qf129/130. Flying late October and wanted to know. Also, what do you think the chances of bronze requesting points upgrade like?

many thanks
blair

No guarantees at the moment. Even if they show a new configuration, unfortunately it might get swapped for an old fit-out in the day or two before departure.

 

[moa999]

Updated for the EBF/EBE shuffle.

Based on Qantas Source posts / FR24 data / YSSY board / above

-- Current aircraft in Brisbane maintenance
VH-QPE 330-300 In 4/8/15 (SIN repaint 25/4-12/5) Expect out early-Oct
VH-EBE - In 25/9/15 (still in JQ paint). Expect to SIN~23/10

-- Summary
Refurb complete
A330-300 5 / 10 - QPA, QPB, QPC, QPD, QPI
A330-200 7 / 18 - EBA, EBB, EBF, EBJ, EBK, EBS, EBV
330-300s - 28J/ 269Y, J Panasonic ex3 16" IFE, Y Panasonic exLite 11" IFE
330-200s - 28J/ 243Y, J Panasonic ex3 16" IFE, Y Panasonic 9" IFE (8. EBM-EBS, EBV), 8" iPadMini (10. EBA-EBG, EBJ-EBL)
Notes.
- QPI yet to be painted to New Roo
- 18 final 330-200s are EBA-EBG, EBJ-EBS, EBV (EBH, EBI to RAAF, EBT, EBU never registered)

-- Refurbishment history
VH-EBV 330-200 - 1mth 15days - In 16/11/14 Out 31/12/14
VH-QPA 330-300 - 2mth 13days - In 3/11/14 Out 16/1/15, C8 check (SIN repaint 2/8-20/8 )
VH-EBA 330-200 - 1mth 12days - In 1/1/15 Out 13/2/15
VH-QPC 330-300 - 2mth 6days - In 17/1/15 Out 23/3/15, C8 check (SIN repaint 16/7/15-2/8/15 )
VH-EBJ 330-200 - 1mth 3days - In 14/3/15 Out 17/4/15 (SIN repaint 27/2-13/3)
VH-QPB 330-300 - 2mth 7 days - In 16/2/15 Out 23/4/15 (SIN repaint 31/1-16/2, C8 check)
VH-EBS 330-200 - 30days - In 26/4/15 Out 25/5/15
VH-QPD 330-300 - 2mth 2 days - In 23/4/15 - out 25/6/15 (SIN repaint 15/3-30/3, C8 check)
VH-EBB 330-200 - 27 days - In 8/6/15 - Out 4/7/15
VH-QPI 330-300 - 28 days - In 7/7/15 Out 3/8/15 (Still needs repaint, no C check)
VH-EBK 330-200 - 31 days - In 22/7/15 Out 22/8/15 (SIN repaint 22/8-9/9)
VH-EBF 330-200 - 28 days - In 27/8/15 Out 23/9/15 (SIN repaint 5/8/15-26/8 from JQ)

-- In Singapore for painting -300s only (all the -200s are already New Roo apart from the VH-EBE)
None

-- Likely next
VH-QPF 330-300 SIN repaint 13/7-29/7

-- 330-200 configs
5 - Dom with Business Suite, QStreaming iPads - EBA, EBB, EBF, EBJ, EBK
2 - Int/Dom with Business Suite, Panasonic AVOD - EBS, EBV
2 - Int/Dom with SkyBed I, RC AVOD - EBG, EBL
4 - Dom with 2x3x2 J workbench, Panasonic AVOD - EBO, EBP, EBQ, EBR
2 - Dom with 2x2x2 J, Panasonic AVOD - EBM, EBN
2 - Dom with 2x2x2 38 seats, QStreaming iPads- EBC, EBD
1 - Being refurbed - EBE

 

[defurax]

So I have a question about the new business suite. I thought it was possible to recline a few inches for takeoff, but the other day on QF6 I was seated in 1K and absolutely no level of recline maintained the green light on the side of the seat lit up. The flight attendant told me that it was supposed to work, but that the vast majority of PAX are unaware of the possibility to recline for takeoff. Is this a problem limited to row 1? Have people here managed to recline a few inches for takeoff?

 

[pythonisman]

So I have a question about the new business suite. I thought it was possible to recline a few inches for takeoff, but the other day on QF6 I was seated in 1K and absolutely no level of recline maintained the green light on the side of the seat lit up. The flight attendant told me that it was supposed to work, but that the vast majority of PAX are unaware of the possibility to recline for takeoff. Is this a problem limited to row 1? Have people here managed to recline a few inches for takeoff?

I definitely did when I flew QF5 earlier in the year, but I was in row 3

 

[Ric]

Yes you can recline a bit.

 

[aussiel]

So I have a question about the new business suite. I thought it was possible to recline a few inches for takeoff, but the other day on QF6 I was seated in 1K and absolutely no level of recline maintained the green light on the side of the seat lit up. The flight attendant told me that it was supposed to work, but that the vast majority of PAX are unaware of the possibility to recline for takeoff. Is this a problem limited to row 1? Have people here managed to recline a few inches for takeoff?

Did you use the pre-set recline on takeoff position, or try the manual controls?

 

[defurax]

Did you use the pre-set recline on takeoff position, or try the manual controls?

I tried the pre-set recline button (the FA also tried) nothing worked, the green light on the side of the seat would go off even with 1 cm recline.

 

[Steady]

I tried the pre-set recline button (the FA also tried) nothing worked, the green light on the side of the seat would go off even with 1 cm recline.

I flew 4A QF802 yesterday and had used the preset take off recline button and the FA came through checking the light and said I had to sit the seat up then reached in and held the fully upright button until it as fully upright and moved onto the next seat

 

[defurax]

I flew 4A QF802 yesterday and had used the preset take off recline button and the FA came through checking the light and said I had to sit the seat up then reached in and held the fully upright button until it as fully upright and moved onto the next seat

Looks like a sensor problem. Makes sense considering how old these seats are!

 

[Ansett]

I do believe that there will start to be a number of issues with these seats coming through in a relatively short time.

From my experience and opinion I found the adjustment to be rather rough and the motors to louder that I would normally expect.

It is my understanding that this is the first generation of this seat and has been Heavily Customised. Please correct me if wrong.

Would it have not been a safer bet and perhaps even more commercially beneficial to have run with an updated established and proven model.

It is also disappointing that the FA seemed unaware of the recline position or perhaps was just fed up of trying to get it to work so back to default position Fully up.

Two rules I was taught as a young engineer KISS and If it isn't broken don't fix it, not sure that QF have heard this with these new seats. Perhaps its a good Job Marc Newson dosnt design Aircraft LOL

 

[moa999]

Thick it's been previously said that Qantas and SAS are launch customers for the Thompson Aero Vantage XL product.

www.thompsonaero.com/vantage-xl

This product was an update on the older Vantage product, so not an all new product, and as you can see above, the level of customisation is relatively minor and mostly stylistic

 

[Steady]

perhaps was just fed up of trying to get it to work so back to default position Fully up.

I am not a mind reader but yes - this is the impression I got.

I have flown the new config about a dozen times and the massage function didn't work on 50% of these and on the very first trip when I tried out the fully flat bed mode it took the crew 15 minutes to get it to return to a seat.

 

[Himeno]

What are the better seats for the new config 330s?
Have J booked for QF36 on Nov 16 and its showing the new config. Currently has me in 2K.

 

[Steady]

What are the better seats for the new config 330s?
Have J booked for QF36 on Nov 16 and its showing the new config. Currently has me in 2K.

2A and 2K are my favourites - the even row numbers are against the window with the bench between the seat and isle

 

[JessicaTam]

2A and 2K are my favourites - the even row numbers are against the window with the bench between the seat and isle
View attachment 56755

Do you like 4A as well?

 

[Steady]

Do you like 4A as well?

It's ok but I waited 55 minutes after take off to get a drink and row two got served 10 minutes earlier. This photo of 4A gave a better view of "the even numbers are against the window with the bench between the seat and isle" than the ones I have of my favourites 2A and 2K

 

[pksw]

Updated for the EBF/EBE shuffle.

Based on Qantas Source posts / FR24 data / YSSY board / above

<snip>

Thanks, that is a great update post. It gives some indication on the chance of hitting a refurbished 330. I did a quick MEL-PER-MEL trip, and got the old 2/3/2 cabin with the middle seat blocked out. I won't bother booking J for these flights again - apart from a little bit of extra leg room, the seats aren't that much different from Y.

I am planning on doing a MEL-SIN-MEL (QF35/36) and MEL-BNE-NRT-BNE-MEL (QF61/62) flight 2nd half of 2016. Would both these be likely to be the refurbished J? I did QF35 this year (but in Y with the family) and I think it was one of the first of the new product.

If QF61/62 are the old product then I will probably do SYD-HAN (QF25) as I do like the upper deck of a 774.

Thanks everyone again, and I am SG now for the first time (received both PS and SG cards in the same fortnight)

 

[Himeno]

I am planning on doing a MEL-SIN-MEL (QF35/36) and MEL-BNE-NRT-BNE-MEL (QF61/62) flight 2nd half of 2016. Would both these be likely to be the refurbished J? I did QF35 this year (but in Y with the family) and I think it was one of the first of the new product.

All of them will be done by late 2016, so you're more likely to get the new seats by then then not.

If QF61/62 are the old product then I will probably do SYD-HAN (QF25) as I do like the upper deck of a 774.

QF doesn't fly to Hanoi
Haneda is HND.

 

[pksw]

Thanks. Stupid autocorrect changed the destination!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Do you think Qantas is so happy to change aircraft configurations so frequently because it increases sales? If you're looking to book PVG-SYD and see it's the new suites, you go ahead and make the booking.

Three days before departure they change to an old configuration. They have your money.

The 'suite' plane they can then schedule for some other route where people decide to buy because it's offering the suites. And then change it.

As I mentioned in another thread, this changing, failure to guarantee on specific routes, and/or failing to offer compensation when an old aircraft is substituted at last minute is costing QF money in lost revenue - $11500 in the last month alone from me.