Is QF now filling the F cabin?

[moa999]

And can mean no-one bothers to pay for premium seats as they know they have a high prob of upgrade, which really hurts yield, and hence profitability.

 

[Nizar]

And can mean no-one bothers to pay for premium seats as they know they have a high prob of upgrade, which really hurts yield, and hence profitability.

I think a balance is needed.
Giving occasional op-ups I think is probably the right way to go about it, which is what I hear EK and EY do.
Hearing of cases on FT where those with top tier status at EY are getting J to F op-ups a third to half of the time is not uncommon.

 

[Flying mermaid]

That is what the American Airlines do collectively as a group...

It creates a sense of entitlement.

We did an Aone4 last year and did a number of sectors within the USA in F with AA as a result. Miss FM was the subject of a few loud remarks from women to their partners as they walked through to the back, as to why she was getting the F upgrades and not them......

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

We did an Aone4 last year and did a number of sectors within the USA in F with AA as a result. Miss FM was the subject of a few loud remarks from women to their partners as they walked through to the back, as to why she was getting the F upgrades and not them......

A prime example of why we don't want the AA system over here. The sense of entitlement here is bad enough already!

 

[QF029]

IMHO,

Could be good business for QF and all airlines to put paxs in the highest possible cabin they can.

If someone starts travelling in F and like it they will try and work out a way to try and always get into F.

Can create more loyalty for the brand.

Or they won't book the higher cabin or use points to upgrade because they may get it for free actually costing the airline revenue.

 

[FxTrader]

I think a balance is needed.
Giving occasional op-ups I think is probably the right way to go about it, which is what I hear EK and EY do.
Hearing of cases on FT where those with top tier status at EY are getting J to F op-ups a third to half of the time is not uncommon.

With QF code shares on EK A380 metal, I'm getting around 40-50% J>F op-ups.
No EK status, WP for QF.
Happens at the gate BP scanner so no lost revenue as I never know if it will happen.
Besides the EK A380 J window seat is almost like an EK F suite.

 

[Nizar]

With QF code shares on EK A380 metal, I'm getting around 40-50% J>F op-ups.
No EK status, WP for QF.

Wow. Yet another example of EK recognising QF WP status. That's awesome.
How's the op-up percentage with QF ? 0-5% ?

 

[FxTrader]

Wow. Yet another example of EK recognising QF WP status. That's awesome.
How's the op-up percentage with QF ? 0-5% ?

That is about right.
Just to show it is not BS.
Note the Business Lounge invite to prove it was a J>F op-Up.

 

[FxTrader]

For me an EK A380 J window seat is a better seat and service than a QF F A380 seat.
As for a QF A380 J seat, please have another look at the EK A380 J window seat photo in post 46.
Why would someone sit in a QF A380 J seat when they can sit in a EK A380 J window seat?
Totally different world.

With EK A380 J window seats, filling a QF A380 F cabin could be a bit of a struggle.

 

[legroom]

I am not so sure I would agree on that point.

SEATING: QF is slightly wider, droop is well known (but not a deal killer). EK footrest is nice but elbow keeps knocking the useless mini bar. Found it harder to sleep on the side on EK. Walking onto EK J cabin you feel visually 'full' with so many seats in close proximity. There are so many 'bad' seats on EK (essentially, all non-window ones). EK aisle is much narrower creating a sense of 'economy' travelling ---> QF wins.

IFE: no question here, EK has bigger screen, more exotic (German, Italian, Indian, Hong Kong.....) contents

FOODS: personally, I find EK offerings ho hum cf to QF.

SERVICE: indifferent on EK, warm and friendly on QF. My request for a drink top up was ignored on EK.

Further, the faux gold trimmings seem tacky to me.

But they (EK) are winning the market share, so obviously I am in the minority to the travelling public here.

So, to answer your question, I would choose a window QF J seat over EK, provided $$ is comparable.

For me an EK A380 J window seat is a better seat and service than a QF F A380 seat.
As for a QF A380 J seat, please have another look at the EK A380 J window seat photo in post 46.
Why would someone sit in a QF A380 J seat when they can sit in a EK A380 J window seat?
Totally different world....

 

[FxTrader]

QF A380 J combined isle and window seats.
Notice the total lack of elbow room (hands on laps).
In fact the window seat looks totally cramped.


EK A380 J window seat:


Your EK J window "lack of elbow room" was a joke? Right?
Have flown in both.
Know where my butt is sitting.

 

[legroom]

How many minutes could you rest your arm on the EK mini bar surface?

I suspect not very long as it is slightly higher to your sitting position.

It is there because it serves as the IFE screen / foot rest for the B/J seats so its level is determined not with A/K comfort in mind (as someone would like to imagine) but by the (eye/foot) levels of the aisle seats' pax.

As soon as you have your arm on you lap, you could sense the intrusion of the mini bar into your elbow 'movement room'.

Like many others, I had flown on both so it was not 'paper' experience.

YMYV in all cases !

QF A380 J combined isle and window seats.
Notice the total lack of elbow room (hands on laps).
In fact the window seat looks totally cramped.
View attachment 19943

EK A380 J window seat:
View attachment 19945

Your EK J window "lack of elbow room" was a joke? Right?
Have flown in both.
Know where my butt is sitting.

 

[jamesatfish]

Semi-serious question. It has long been the bug bear of QFF elites that we are unable to secure confirmed upgrades on QFi at time of booking and previously QF would let seats go empty rather than process late points upgrades.
I would say that IME since the upgrade process was changed/ improved a couple of years ago I have noticed a significant increase in my successful points upgrades and that also on the vast majority of these flights the A380 F cabin is full. Prior to the changes my upgrades were certainly less plentiful but the cabin frequently had vacant seats.
I would be interested to know if the collective experience here on AFF has been the same as my own.
I would also be interested to know if anyone thinks that if QFF are now filling the F cabin could/should there be a pool of seats available for confirmed upgrades at time of request?

My recent QF F flights over the last few months have all been in full cabins. SYD-LAX does seem the busiest overall however the SYD-HKG flights I've taken have all had 14 seats occupied as well.

By contrast my CX flights HKG-LAX recently were completely full in J yet only myself and one other passenger in F.

 

[Isochronous]

My recent QF F flights over the last few months have all been in full cabins. SYD-LAX does seem the busiest overall however the SYD-HKG flights I've taken have all had 14 seats occupied as well.

By contrast my CX flights HKG-LAX recently were completely full in J yet only myself and one other passenger in F.

I think QF does quite well overselling PE on QF127/8 and the resulting points upgrades/op ups flows through.

 

[Flying Fox]

We did an Aone4 last year and did a number of sectors within the USA in F with AA as a result. Miss FM was the subject of a few loud remarks from women to their partners as they walked through to the back, as to why she was getting the F upgrades and not them......

Excuse my ignorace but what types of comments/remarks?

 

[serfty]

Reading between the lines I'd guess there may have been the presumption that Miss FM had been upgraded and if so, how come she was ahead of those making the "loud remarks" in the Upgrade Packing order.

FWIW, it seems to me that on legacy carriers most USA citizens rarely purchase First/Business class fare outright, many hoping for a status based "space available" upgrade. For those it would be a difficult concept that someone would pay the premium for a child.

See here for 'wikis' on some pecking orders:

Upgrade Waitlists (AA)

Upgrade Waitlist (UA)

 

[Flying mermaid]

Excuse my ignorace but what types of comments/remarks?

Pretty much as I said - they had been wait listed ( or whatever the term is) for upgrades at the gate and didn't get them and were complaining very loudly about not getting them and then adding in a comment about why could that girl have got an upgrade when they didn't. It didn't seem to occur to them that she was booked in F not upgraded....It happened twice with similar remarks both times. The names for upgrades come up on a screen at the gate and there was always a large no listed, so I think people are very accustomed to getting them and resentful when they don't. Apart from the bigger seat there is not a lot of difference between F and Y on domestic flights, probably because so little is actually paid for.

 

[Princess Fiona]

On the subject of F upgrades on AA, I noted that all of the 3 class transcons I have flown have had empty seats in the F cabin, J full. I wonder if AA only upgrade Y-J?

 

[anat0l]

On the subject of F upgrades on AA, I noted that all of the 3 class transcons I have flown have had empty seats in the F cabin, J full. I wonder if AA only upgrade Y-J?

Given that transcons are special services which offer three classes, I wouldn't be surprised if Y-F upgrades were not available on such flights (just as they would similarly not be available on international flights).

 

[serfty]

Yip - only one class. So booking Economy a punter can only upgrade to the next level. On three class this means Business.

More from the link above: Upgrades (AA)

• Under normal circumstances, you cannot be upgraded two classes-of-service. This is relevant for travel in 3-class cabins.