Has anyone here *never* been in Business or First?

[JohnK]

IIRC you haven't yet flown one of the premium airline's longhaul business or first products?

Sorry but you appear to have a memory lapse. Op-up for both outbound and inbound sectors on QF, with skybed, SYD-BKK-SYD end of year trip in 2004/2005.

In my opinion J longhaul, on any route, is not worth it for the amount of $ required. Does not mean that I will never fly J longhaul again. I am quite happy flying in WHY for the time being.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Sorry but you appear to have a memory lapse.

So I do. Thanks for the correction.

 

[trooper]

Thanks Kiwi Flyer....

Didn't go in to detail cos I was a LITTLE unsure of the proprieties vis a vis AFF-FT etc..

Bit paranoid I realise but I didn't want to do the wrong thing..... I am valuing the advice/info on BOTH sites and want to be a "good citizen"!!

Yup... deal was on UA transpac... and only originating in the USA...

 

[kamchatsky]

That's an interesting statement, that I would like to understand more (for purely selfish reasons ).

I get used to flying Economy everywhere. Thank goodness I am not a tall large person so I can still fit into Economy seats.

I am sure that Business/First class is another experience altogether, even though I dont have the luxury to be paid by work yet. Also it is quite expensive especially I am now married I will have to buy 2 tickets everytime I go, not to mention other cost such as accommodation/carhire/food/shopping etc etc etc.

At the end for me I think it is a matter of flying which airline rather than which class. These days I try to fly CX/SQ/NZ where I do still enjoy the experience in Economy (I just watch TV/Movies and request food), rather than QF/UA/AA/JQ where my experience is less than satisfactory, even though they all priced the same.

Also I only fly Qantas when I have to burn my points (collected from my credit card) for Award tickets. Now we try to collect points for VS instead, after reading good review from forums.

It really is too bad that there are no decent credit card program (good conversion rate anyway) in Australia for Krisflyer/AsiaMiles/Mileage Plus. Otherwise I would have been much happier man. At least UA/SQ has good points redemption rate for Business/First for flying in Oceania.

BTW: Last time I flew to US on UA I did managed to get a row of 3 E+ seats for myself. But I have to ask the terminal staff to to see if empty rows are available. But I would still prefer SQ/CX/NZ product instead of UA.

 

[dubno]

In my opinion J longhaul, on any route, is not worth it for the amount of $ required. Does not mean that I will never fly J longhaul again. I am quite happy flying in WHY for the time being.[/quote]

JohnK, I envy you thinking that way! I'm with NM, since my first J flight (SYD-SIN-SYD on points), i've been very reluctant to head down the back, especially since the connecting flights in Y(SIN-LHR-SIN) were awful.

After that i spent $5.5k to go SYD-LHR-SYD on MH, which was worth every penny....The best way i can put it is that J flights become part of the holiday whereas Y flights are the dreaded bookends that sandwich the good stuff in the middle!

To try and stay in J, whilst now also paying for my GF, we have an elaborate routing that takes us on MH from PER-KUL-IST. It'll be old J i know, but i couldn't resist it. Now all i need is an ODU SYD-PER-SYD

 

[JohnK]

JohnK, I envy you thinking that way!

I have a fixed yearly budget for airfares, and since I am more interested in visiting as many places as possible every year and maintaining a high FF status with Qantas I have no choice other than to fly economy longhaul and most shorthaul routes.

 

[Keith009]

I do plan and budget how much I spend per year on holidays by deciding how many trips I want to do in a given year; and then dividing my budget amongst each trip and go from there. Personal policy is J/WT+ (depending on how much I can afford) for anything over 8 hrs. Y for anything less. F on mileage redemption. Exceptions to the rule exist of course, like ridiculously cheap SIN-BKK fares. Still a Y traveler for 60% of the time though. Thanks to various frequent flyer forums like this one that % is hopefully increasing in favour of J or better.

 

[chrisb]

Dunno if upgrade to business using points is worth it for me since I am only a Bronze and I have buckley's chance of getting an upgrade .......

It doesn't cost anything to try! I had that attitude as well and almost fell off my seat when told my SYD-LAX upgrade to J had cleared...

I also got a really odd look from checkin staff at Christchurch when i asked for "any seat in rows 1 to 5" on a connecting SYD-PER flight. My lucky U upgrade and the knolwedge from the forums had suddenly got me into the First cabin on a 3 class 747.

So, learn from the forums, do some research and if you think the cost of upgrade is worth it give it a go!

Chrisb.

 

[~B~]

Ive flown business 2 times on AA from LAX - MIA and MIA - LAX. Both times were pure luck...I dont know why they upgraded me...

Besides getting free food, i didnt really see that much difference though...

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Ive flown business 2 times on AA from LAX - MIA and MIA - LAX. Both times were pure luck...I dont know why they upgraded me...

Besides getting free food, i didnt really see that much difference though...

For LAX-MIA it was likely first class due to the american phenomenon of calling the first cabin first class even though it is barely better than economy.

 

[simongr]

Besides getting free food, i didnt really see that much difference though...

Free booze as well

I have sat in whY on a US Airways flight PIT-LGA and there is a big difference between being relatively comfortable in F and squeezed in like a sardine in whY

 

[trooper]

I'm with chrisb... Go for it!

I certainly wouldn't PAY a Business class fare... but I WILL stretch to NZ's Y+... and upgrades from there are what I plan to try for with Airpoints - I'll put in for a standby upgrade for each leg.. everytime... ( 9/10 of my longhauls are AKL/LAX)

Happened once already.. and it adds a certain frisson of anticipation to the check in/boarding process... and if I don't get it.. well I'm still in Y+.. which I quite enjoy anyway...

 

[Batesy]

My first was an op up from SIN to SYD in 2005. My flight the previous day had been cancelled due to "plane being broken" Put on the same flight number the next day and checked at Business/QC counter. Got given J seat, saw the pink tags go on the bag and rejoiced. Made up for a full day delay.

I travel to the east coast from Perth regularly and always try for a points upgrade on the 743 its worth it with the dreamtime seats. Dont bother if on other aircraft. Have flown J with MH to Kuala Lumpar when they had an upgrade offer, very good standards. This was a Christmas treat for myself and the not quite yet Mrs Batesy.
Had one op up with QF PER to Mel. 23rd of December so I think it was a Christmas pressie.
We are off on our DONE4 honeymoon in three weeks so lots of J ahead. Even looking for an upgrade to F!!!!

 

[~B~]

For LAX-MIA it was likely first class due to the american phenomenon of calling the first cabin first class even though it is barely better than economy.

Defiently didnt seem much different then economy..

 

[NM]

Defiently didnt seem much different then economy..

it really depends on the circumstances of the flight. LAX-MIA has been operated by several different aircraft types over the last few years, including 2-class 767-300, 2-class 757 and 3-class 777 aircraft.

If you had a 3-class 777, then it was operated as a 2-class service so the business class seats are given to some economy class passengers. The service is still economy class, just a better seat.

If you had a 757, then the first class seating is similar to a Qantas 737-800 business class. There is no business class on these aircraft. You would have received two feeds between LAX and MIA, being a full meal and a snack.

If you had a 767-300, then you would have had a seat similar to the 777 business class (i.e. lots of leg room and recline action) and the same meal service as the 757.

If you didn't find much difference between economy and they way you travelled, then I expect you were seated in the business class section of a 777 and received economy food and service. If that is the case, then its not really an upgrade or a business class experience, but it a very pleasant way to experience a long economy flight.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Has LAX-MIA ever been a redeye flight? On the redeyes there really is little difference between first and economy (slightly better seat).

 

[NM]

Has LAX-MIA ever been a redeye flight? On the redeyes there really is little difference between first and economy (slightly better seat).

Yes, did the Red-Eye LAX-MIA 2 years ago on a 757 after arrive from KUL-HKG-LAX. Was no fun going to CX F down to AA Pseudo-F.

 

[simongr]

I did it in March - it was a weird flight - they actually served a dinner (steak salad or cheese plate) even though the flight was flagged as "NO FOOD - Beverages only"

 

[NM]

I did it in March - it was a weird flight - they actually served a dinner (steak salad or cheese plate) even though the flight was flagged as "NO FOOD - Beverages only"

On my red-eye from Perth to Brisbane this week I was offered water or juice before takeoff, and left a 300ml bottle of water during the flight. I am sure if I had asked for something it would have been provided, but not offered.

 

[Reggie]

On my red-eye from Perth to Brisbane this week I was offered water or juice before takeoff, and left a 300ml bottle of water during the flight. I am sure if I had asked for something it would have been provided, but not offered.

How would you have gone asking for the NEW J amenity kit, ear plugs, eye mask and PJ's - probably wouldn't have got PJ's as it was a Brisbane flight, not Sydney.