Is J on the Qantas 737-800 Perth-Singapore a waste of money?

[hutch]

Can I add my weird sense? Granted it won't be considered suitable by the others on here.
Go via MEL, and take that EK 380 in J.
You have to contend with that part time J lounge in PER, if you fly direct, but if you fly via MEL, it might cost a bit more, but you get to feel the newly done up QF PERd J lounge first prior to your dom flight to MEL, then, and then the int one in MEL too.
The wahoo factor though, is the EK lounge in MEL's int terminal.
I have tried the QF MELi J lounge, not salubrious, but the EK MELi J lounge would be the one to aim for.
On board the EK 380, the bar at the back of the J area of the plane upstairs is a good time paster and a very good thing, I enjoyed my time on that 380.
Have flown the EK 380 several times, in J and F, and can't fault the best service on the flights.

Go PER to SIN via MEL?? Who do you work for... Qantas?

 

[cove]

We go on SQ Saver Kris Miles where one way is around 27,125 plus a $245.21 cash amount on their 777. It has plenty of space and is pretty easy to book. Using an Amex Platinum Edge that would need just over $9000 spending at Woolworths to get you a one way business class ticket on a wide body plane.

 

[RichardMEL]

Can I add my weird sense? Granted it won't be considered suitable by the others on here.
Go via MEL, and take that EK 380 in J.
You have to contend with that part time J lounge in PER, if you fly direct, but if you fly via MEL, it might cost a bit more, but you get to feel the newly done up QF PERd J lounge first prior to your dom flight to MEL, then, and then the int one in MEL too.
The QF MELi J lounge is like a dungeon, but if you are happy to forgo that, then go straight to the EK lounge.
The wahoo factor though, is the EK lounge in MEL's int terminal.
I have tried the QF MELi J lounge, not salubrious, but the EK MELi J lounge would be the one to aim for.
On board the EK 380, the bar at the back of the J area of the plane upstairs is a good time paster and a very good thing, I enjoyed my time on that 380.
Have flown the EK 380 several times, in J and F, and can't fault the best service on the flights.

sigh.

The OP has said this is a WORK trip. That suggests they will need to be there as quickly as possible and ready to go in both directions. Plus their employer is paying for it.

I'm not bothering to price out PER-MEL-SIN r/t but odds on it would be a whole lot MORE than the direct flight on either carrier.

And you're talking a 5ish hour PER-SIN flight compared to 14+ hours of travel time, including transfers at MEL etc to do the same trip. Not to mention that the EK MEL-SIN fliught is an evening flight out of MEL, which would require a early morning departure out of PER to make. And if they took the QF 330 out of MEL that's a lunchtime departure, which would require a redeye to connect to (ie impractical) and they'd end up in SIN bloody tired.

You're thinking like a leisure pax apparently with an amazing budget too, not someone on a business trip.

Sometimes people just need to "get there" ASAP and not stuff around.

 

[SpudOz]

Do not forget QF has upguaged PER-SIN to 330's at peak times....

If it was a work trip and I needed a) flexibility and b) service/comfort/schedule I'd take SQ specially if someone else was paying (and I believe they are putting the 350 into PER at some point?).

Speaking of comfort if QF J is too exxy for the budy for value, what about a Y comfort seat (so SC's will be similar). Yes I've actually suggested this before someone else

I booked QF on this route in Y simply because J wasn't worth it. Only for QF to change the equipment to A330. It was non upgradeable fare too. Bummer

 

[oz_mark]

sigh.

The OP has said this is a WORK trip. That suggests they will need to be there as quickly as possible and ready to go in both directions. Plus their employer is paying for it.

They have alsso said it's next month.

My own perspective, if they have a choice take SQ. If the company pays and chooses QF then so be it.

 

[Franky]

Can I add my weird sense? Granted it won't be considered suitable by the others on here.
Go via MEL, and take that EK 380 in J.
You have to contend with that part time J lounge in PER, if you fly direct, but if you fly via MEL, it might cost a bit more, but you get to feel the newly done up QF PERd J lounge first prior to your dom flight to MEL, then, and then the int one in MEL too.
The QF MELi J lounge is like a dungeon, but if you are happy to forgo that, then go straight to the EK lounge.
The wahoo factor though, is the EK lounge in MEL's int terminal.
I have tried the QF MELi J lounge, not salubrious, but the EK MELi J lounge would be the one to aim for.
On board the EK 380, the bar at the back of the J area of the plane upstairs is a good time paster and a very good thing, I enjoyed my time on that 380.
Have flown the EK 380 several times, in J and F, and can't fault the best service on the flights.

Sure - but most likely, the flight to MEL and back would be on a 737..

 

[Franky]

Needing to go to SIN several times a year from PER, I've given up on QF,status points and all that, and now just go Scoot Biz. Not flash, but much more comfortable.

 

[cove]

Frankly others have told me this too. Scoot business works for them and they go once a month at least.
I just run up Kris miles regardless of whether it is business or personal and go business Saver.
The 777 is way superior to a narrow body 737 and 5 hours would feel like a long haul.

 

[RichardMEL]

Sure - but most likely, the flight to MEL and back would be on a 737..

Come now, let's be fair.

Picking random days in March

PER-MEL - 19 Mar (Sun) 3/5 flights are 332

MEL-PER - 16 Mar (Thu) 7/7 flights are 332

In my experience it seems QF do sub 737's on weekend non peak times (eg: Sunday morning or afternoon (but not evening)

those on a typical business schedule will, mostly, get 330's, and all the red eyes to the east are *supposed* to be 330's.

Not saying there's non zero chances of a 737, but still the majority are widebody flights. A bit of planning can find one to fit most schedules, IMHO.

 

[Pleb Status]

Needing to go to SIN several times a year from PER, I've given up on QF,status points and all that, and now just go Scoot Biz. Not flash, but much more comfortable.

Frankly others have told me this too. Scoot business works for them and they go once a month at least.
I just run up Kris miles regardless of whether it is business or personal and go business Saver.
The 777 is way superior to a narrow body 737 and 5 hours would feel like a long haul.

I also do the PER-SIN (and HKG) run every eight weeks or so and it is either on SQ or 3K (always price beat off TZ, so no QF SC there). I find the timing of the PER TZ flights very poor and any cost saving is spent on another night of accommodation.

These flights were always on QF before the pull out.... and not one since.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Without any doubt, it would be SQ all the way on PER-SIN.

Even the oldest, most tired SQ regional J seat is far superior to the QF 737 J offering.

So yes, paying for J on the 737 is a waste of money.

Agree.

I wouldn't consider QF for a second on this route, and in my years of flying, I've learned that you should always take the better seat.
Qantas may have better timing for your circumstance, but even rows 1-3, you'll have a ****ty dining experience, zero sleep, terrible legroom and a sore neck from the ****ty IFE.

SQ is leaps and bounds ahead of Qantas on this route. Not sure why it's even a discussion!

 

[Mattg]

Anyone know if the QF crews still do a same-day return from PER to SIN?

 

[Franky]

Come now, let's be fair.

Picking random days in March

PER-MEL - 19 Mar (Sun) 3/5 flights are 332

MEL-PER - 16 Mar (Thu) 7/7 flights are 332

In my experience it seems QF do sub 737's on weekend non peak times (eg: Sunday morning or afternoon (but not evening)

those on a typical business schedule will, mostly, get 330's, and all the red eyes to the east are *supposed* to be 330's.

Not saying there's non zero chances of a 737, but still the majority are widebody flights. A bit of planning can find one to fit most schedules, IMHO.

Perhaps, but we've all seen enough complaints from posters who specifically book the 332 to avoid the 737 transcon, and I dont think they're all on weekends. But agree with you that this is not 'supposed' to happen.

I'm not competent enough to get all quotes in the one box, but in response to Pleb Status all I can say is that QF & TZ are the same but different. QF times are out 1215-1745, back 1910-0030. TZ out 1910-0010, back 1310-1810, or six of one, half a dozen of the other. Remember the initial poster is flying for work, to schedule her trip via MLB is a day out of her life, and another day coming home. Flying east in daylight savings time and leaving at the reasonable hour of 0900, gets you over there late afternoon. Thanks but no thanks.

As it happens, Mrs Franky is flying to SIN tomorrow on QF for a fortnight's work, I'm going up to join her Thursday for the weekend, and I'm going TZ. Both of us will suffer an awful arrival time on the two airlines, but I know which one I prefer.

 

[sinophile888]

QF times are out 1215-1745, back 1910-0030. TZ out 1910-0010, back 1310-1810, or six of one, half a dozen of the other.

I can't fly at night, so QF at 12:15 to SIN and TZ at 13:10 back to PER both suit me extremely well.

 

[Franky]

I can't fly at night, so QF at 12:15 to SIN and TZ at 13:10 back to PER both suit me extremely well.

Best of both worlds so to speak, inasmuch as flight times are concerned...

 

[mannej]

I can't fly at night, so QF at 12:15 to SIN and TZ at 13:10 back to PER both suit me extremely well.

That is what I am doing with the family later on this year. Best for the young ones sleep pattern

 

[Pleb Status]

I'm not competent enough to get all quotes in the one box, but in response to Pleb Status all I can say is that QF & TZ are the same but different. QF times are out 1215-1745, back 1910-0030. TZ out 1910-0010, back 1310-1810, or six of one, half a dozen of the other.

I agree that both TZ and QF have flight time issues so that is why I do not fly on either airline PER-SIN. TZ (787) and QF(737) also offer the narrowest Y seats as well.

The best times are on SQ with SQ224 outbound 06:25-11:45 and SQ215 inbound 18:45-23:55. Full days in SIN and minimal accommodation expense. Excellent for a weekend away.

The next best times are on 3K with 3K134 outbound 09:30-14:50 (used to depart at 08:30) and 3K137 inbound 16:30-21:40. Less brutal flight times in and out of PER but less time on the ground in SIN.

 

[11sjw]

Well having just done this flight on the 737-800 both ways I can say it still isn't worth going for J. It's the same ac that does some of the Pilbara runs. Would hate to be right at the back in Y, constant toilet queues were clogging the aisle right next to your seat.

 

[grrofunger]

Yep, I fly Qantas PER-SIN every month on the coughbox 737.

Business is definitely not worth it, I just grab an exit row seat

 

[Danger]

Well having just done this flight on the 737-800 both ways I can say it still isn't worth going for J. It's the same ac that does some of the Pilbara runs. Would hate to be right at the back in Y, constant toilet queues were clogging the aisle right next to your seat.

Yep, I fly Qantas PER-SIN every month on the coughbox 737.

Business is definitely not worth it, I just grab an exit row seat

Is Qantas offering PJs on the inbound, as was promised in the media release when the route was re-installed, or has this slightly slipped away as well?