First class upgrade on QF1

[MEL_Traveller]

The other thing is a couple of what I would call broad generalisations have been made about the cabin crews in F and service attitudes. I don't flow QF F a lotm but I've flown it enough between AU and the US and UK (luckily!) that I've had enough variation to know that in general I feel at least the crews are pretty good. I've had some.. odd experiences with some crew members making me feel like a request was an inconvenience (eg a steak sanga while they were doing prep for brekky) but in general they have been excellet and showing levels of personal attention. On more than one sector I've had a FA recognise me from other flights and that's been a bonus.

As we all know, and to varying degrees "love" QF can be inconsistent and yes this happens with the crews.. we're all human. Not an excuse in any way, when you get a bad one, you get a bad one (or a good one having a bad day). It also in a way can depend on what you go in with (tiredness, expectation, needs).

But I guess the issue is consistency (or lack of). Have you ever had a bad crew on Singapore Airlines? Or Japan Airlines? Or Lufthansa? That's the issue. Even one 'odd' experience where you are made to feel a request is inconvenient is arguably one that shouldn't happen at a price of $16K. Half the marketing of first class is that it prrovides a tailored service around individual passegner needs. 'Inconvenient' shouldn't even be in the first class vocubulary.

 

[mrsterryn]

But I guess the issue is consistency (or lack of). Have you ever had a bad crew on Singapore Airlines? Or Japan Airlines? Or Lufthansa? That's the issue. Even one 'odd' experience where you are made to feel a request is inconvenient is arguably one that shouldn't happen at a price of $16K. Half the marketing of first class is that it prrovides a tailored service around individual passegner needs. 'Inconvenient' shouldn't even be in the first class vocubulary.

Interesting I was going to comment that Qantas isn't that dear (in my paid flights in first I havnt paid that
However just had a sticky beak at Singapore and it is just over 12,000 in first Syd LHR return which really surprised me
I thought it was dearer

 

[amaroo]

Interesting I was going to comment that Qantas isn't that dear (in my paid flights in first I havnt paid that
However just had a sticky beak at Singapore and it is just over 12,000 in first Syd LHR return which really surprised me
I thought it was dearer

We’ve just booked QF F for $11k BNE(J)-SYD-LHR-SYD-BNE(J) for an impulsive Xmas trip. Our favourite TA (AFF member) looked at SQ but couldn’t get availability / price given the short notice.

But like you say SQ is pretty cheap when you can book in advance away from the silly season.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But like you say SQ is pretty cheap when you can book in advance away from the silly season.

It might be date specific in your case? SQ is wide open (daily) at $11K J/F ex BNE via SIN, or $12K F/F ex SYD/MEL. QF is $2K cheaper at around $9.9K return. Surprising to see those prices are available pretty much every day right through December up until NYE. But I guess those are traditionally 'quiet' times for premium cabins.

 

[Sale]

Forgive me for being slightly off-topic, but a quick question....
We are flying from US to HBA next year - I initially booked JFK-HKG-BNE-SYD-HBA business award flights, then found two first class award flights on QF8 for an extra 5000 points pp plus change fees. ( Sooo very excited about this!!)
We have four hours in Sydney before our J Hobart flight - can we use the first class lounge in Sydney?
many thanks
Sale

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Forgive me for being slightly off-topic, but a quick question....
We are flying from US to HBA next year - I initially booked JFK-HKG-BNE-SYD-HBA business award flights, then found two first class award flights on QF8 for an extra 5000 points pp plus change fees. ( Sooo very excited about this!!)
We have four hours in Sydney before our J Hobart flight - can we use the first class lounge in Sydney?
many thanks
Sale

No - unfortunately not. The F lounge is in the international departures area, you'll be in the domestic terminal.

(Had this been an airport say like HKG or SIN where you'd have access to the F lounge, you'd be entitled to use it under Oneworld lounge rules for connecting flights.)

 

[amaroo]

It might be date specific in your case? SQ is wide open (daily) at $11K J/F ex BNE via SIN, or $12K F/F ex SYD/MEL. QF is $2K cheaper at around $9.9K return. Surprising to see those prices are available pretty much every day right through December up until NYE. But I guess those are traditionally 'quiet' times for premium cabins.

This trip needed to be slotted in between two others, so we were pretty restricted on dates. But that's what you get when you decide to do these things at the last minute. We've never flown SQ suites, but that's about to change big time.

 

[amaroo]

It might be date specific in your case? SQ is wide open (daily) at $11K J/F ex BNE via SIN, or $12K F/F ex SYD/MEL. QF is $2K cheaper at around $9.9K return. Surprising to see those prices are available pretty much every day right through December up until NYE. But I guess those are traditionally 'quiet' times for premium cabins.

Out of total curiosity I just priced checked our dates / flights with QF - now pricing at $18,298 pp... I wouldn't pay that much.

 

[Sale]

No - unfortunately not. The F lounge is in the international departures area, you'll be in the domestic terminal.

(Had this been an airport say like HKG or SIN where you'd have access to the F lounge, you'd be entitled to use it under Oneworld lounge rules for connecting flights.)

Bummer - thanks anyway

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Out of total curiosity I just priced checked our dates / flights with QF - now pricing at $18,298 pp... I wouldn't pay that much.

Neither will the 13/15 upgraders and staff sharing your cabin

 

[amaroo]

Neither will the 13/15 upgraders and staff sharing your cabin

Not on this flight, unless they're upgrading the "rock stars" 4 + weeks out.... EF is showing only 2 seats left in the cabin. We had a bugger of time getting our preferred seats on the A side. I'm afraid the upgraders are going to miss out on this occasion.

 

[Flying mermaid]

We’ve just booked QF F for $11k BNE(J)-SYD-LHR-SYD-BNE(J) for an impulsive Xmas trip. Our favourite TA (AFF member) looked at SQ but couldn’t get availability / price given the short notice.

But like you say SQ is pretty cheap when you can book in advance away from the silly season.

you did better than us - we did an impulse trip last Christmas -Cbr-syd-Sfo with Qantas in J and it was $12,000 each. . Just in case you missed it - that was in business. Had to take a large number of deep breaths before I paid that. However last minute booking in late December you get what you deserve.

Generally I think it is easier to get cost effective F fares to Europe vs America or Africa.

 

[mrsterryn]

@Flying mermaid we need a fainting emotion for that fare

 

[GoldCanyon340]

The $10k fares are wonderful and the QF F product is a good product at that price. Mixing it up with BA ex-LHR gets CCR access and that is very pleasant, as is a return segment on EK from a non-UK port.

I'd never pay $16k and probably the only people who do are C-suite level who have to travel immediately or HNWIs who don't care.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

... and it was $12,000 each. . Just in case you missed it - that was in business.

And this goes back to a point I was making in another thread. For those without platinum status, that $12K fare only gets access to the measly Qantas business lounge offerings in SYD/MEL (MEL being particularly bad).

IMO high-value customers at $12K should be granted access to the F lounge over a platinum and their entire family on $300 fares to Bali in economy. (Perhaps the platinum access to F lounges should be 'space available' after full revenue business class passengers are accommodated?)

 

[kermatu]

@Flying mermaid we need a fainting emotion for that fare

Agreed.

Admittedly not at Christmas but I got EK F to Europe and back with stops in Singapore, Dubai and a through flight to Auckland for just over 10K. On the Qantas site so presumably could have flown QF metal if I wanted . Unfortunately some late changes took the price up a bit (plus change fee) and lost my AKL tag, but the original fare was great.

Competition and options to stop in ME or Asia make Europe a cheaper / more interesting option for many.

 

[Flying mermaid]

And this goes back to a point I was making in another thread. For those without platinum status, that $12K fare only gets access to the measly Qantas business lounge offerings in SYD/MEL (MEL being particularly bad).

IMO high-value customers at $12K should be granted access to the F lounge over a platinum and their entire family on $300 fares to Bali in economy. (Perhaps the platinum access to F lounges should be 'space available' after full revenue business class passengers are accommodated?)

yes we had just lost Platinum, so for the first time in many years had to use the J lounge in Sydney - to say I was underwhelmed is a gross misrepresentation of my feelings

 

[mrsterryn]

yes we had just lost Platinum, so for the first time in many years had to use the J lounge in Sydney - to say I was underwhelmed is a gross misrepresentation of my feelings

I dread the day we have to go back to Business class lounge

 

[GoldCanyon340]

And this goes back to a point I was making in another thread. For those without platinum status, that $12K fare only gets access to the measly Qantas business lounge offerings in SYD/MEL (MEL being particularly bad).

yes we had just lost Platinum, so for the first time in many years had to use the J lounge in Sydney - to say I was underwhelmed is a gross misrepresentation of my feelings

I dread the day we have to go back to Business class lounge

I really do hope the reimagined international SYD J is a world class facility. It's their main lounge at their home port for goodness sake!
(SYD F being a niche product as it were)

 

[Flying mermaid]

I dread the day we have to go back to Business class lounge

yes unfortunately we have two more visits - going to Santiago in January and Qantas was the quickest option (Ms FMs husband didn’t want to take too much time off work) and then booked Qatar J out of Canberra to New York but of course that means a brief visit to the J lounge when we are in transit. Will keep visits as brief as possible!

It’s a good standard if it was a domestic business lounge, but really doesn’t cut it as international.