Is QF PE a worthwhile option VS SQ PE

[thesampson]

Hi All,
Apologies in advance if I‘ve stuffed this post up, but I’m a newbie on this site. I was hoping to get some input/feedback on the following.
I am travelling to UK with wife [non-business] and have secured two PE seats [25 J & K SYD – LHR and 27 A & B LHR – SYD]. I thought an ok outcome. QF1 over and QF2 return. Recovery time better based on the Qantas PE A380 seats and room, etc. Haven’t flown PE with them business and economy.
But ‘the boss’ is wanting to travel via SIN with a stopover to make the flight more bearable.
We have a week ‘recovery’ in UK before the event, but she’s concerned she’ll be shattered on arrival. Last few times on EK business have been hard work.
Forum searches I can find comparing QF / BA and forums about SQ PE indicate that QF would be fine, give the others a wide berth.
Can anyone give me current view on the three? I’m happy with what I’ve got, but just want to make sure I’ve got it right.
Other insights are welcomed.

Thanks in advance,

Thesampson

 

[scwappy]

Given you have lots of time It might be worth checking out QR business fares from Asian ports. Likely to be same fare for much more comfort. There is a thread going on here listing routes and prices etc

 

[Mattg]

I rate Qantas PE very highly. SQ isn't bad either, but I would say that Qantas is better.

I couldn't quite tell from your post, but were you looking at British Airways as a third option? If so, my advice is not to - QF and SQ are both better.

Is a stopover in Dubai with Qantas an option?

As scwappy says though, it's definitely worth looking at some cheap Business class fares from Asia to Europe. You can fly from Bangkok or Colombo to London (for example) for around $2,500 each in business class. Fares from Singapore are usually similar - perhaps a little more. And since you'd be booking the Australia-Asia and Asia-Europe flights on separate tickets, you can also stop over in Asia for as long as you like.

 

[thesampson]

Given you have lots of time It might be worth checking out QR business fares from Asian ports. Likely to be same fare for much more comfort. There is a thread going on here listing routes and prices etc

Thanks scwappy for the heads up. Something to consider - I hadn't even thought of that. My friend was right, this is where to come to get the drum.
Cheers
thesampson

 

[thesampson]

Thanks Mattg,

I'm glad for the vote of confidence. I got the sale deal they had going so it's around $3,300 each QF1 over and QF2 back. Call me lazy but it was easier than going to MEL and joining there. I also wanted to make sure we didn't get a code share and end up back in economy, just for more money.

Looked at a stopover on the return, but it added a chunk of change to the fare [$1,500 each] and I didn't see the relevance nor could I justify the extra. But I'm not the one doing the shopping.

The idea of business out of Asia is something, I'll look at.
Any thoughts about who you'd consider and who you wouldn't?

Thanks again

thesampson

 

[Sdtravel]

Ive dont PE several times on QF and found it good. Generally been able to sleep. Never done SQ

Mattg, Why do you say BA PE isn't great?
Im interested cause i was just booked on it. I didn't have a say in the travel plans and there is some hkg to lhr special on at the moment where 2+ pax get it at the price of economy.
Ive been trying to convince myself it will be ok on BA but if you have some experience or trip report to share so i can set expectations.

I overnight in HKG on each side but that's mainly because of timing and interline problems.

 

[NZflygirl]

Thanks Mattg,

I'm glad for the vote of confidence. I got the sale deal they had going so it's around $3,300 each QF1 over and QF2 back. Call me lazy but it was easier than going to MEL and joining there. I also wanted to make sure we didn't get a code share and end up back in economy, just for more money.

Looked at a stopover on the return, but it added a chunk of change to the fare [$1,500 each] and I didn't see the relevance nor could I justify the extra. But I'm not the one doing the shopping.

The idea of business out of Asia is something, I'll look at.
Any thoughts about who you'd consider and who you wouldn't?

Thanks again

thesampson

Etihad business would be good also. So check out whoever has the best deal on at the time. Etihad a deal on out of Singapore and then Qatar followed soon after.


A family member who hasn't been on a plane for 16yrs flew BA and CX PE, preferred CX over BA, better seat.

 

[Mattg]

Thanks Mattg,

I'm glad for the vote of confidence. I got the sale deal they had going so it's around $3,300 each QF1 over and QF2 back. Call me lazy but it was easier than going to MEL and joining there. I also wanted to make sure we didn't get a code share and end up back in economy, just for more money.

Looked at a stopover on the return, but it added a chunk of change to the fare [$1,500 each] and I didn't see the relevance nor could I justify the extra. But I'm not the one doing the shopping.

The idea of business out of Asia is something, I'll look at.
Any thoughts about who you'd consider and who you wouldn't?

That is a good price for Qantas PE to LHR and back. But if you want to stopover in Asia, you can probably buy a return Economy ticket to Bangkok and a return Business class ticket from Bangkok to London, and pay about the same price. As I said before, Colombo works as a stopover point as well.

I'd be looking at either Qatar Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines, Finnair, Royal Jordanian or Vietnam Airlines for cheap Business tickets between Asia and Europe. The first four earn Qantas points & status credits as an added bonus. I personally flew Sri Lankan last year from Singapore to London and very much enjoyed the experience.

I'd suggest plugging your travel dates into ITA Matrix and seeing what fares/airlines come up.

Ive dont PE several times on QF and found it good. Generally been able to sleep. Never done SQ

Mattg, Why do you say BA PE isn't great?
Im interested cause i was just booked on it. I didn't have a say in the travel plans and there is some hkg to lhr special on at the moment where 2+ pax get it at the price of economy.
Ive been trying to convince myself it will be ok on BA but if you have some experience or trip report to share so i can set expectations.

I overnight in HKG on each side but that's mainly because of timing and interline problems.

I've found that BA has become generally inferior in all classes of travel as they continue on their drive to cut costs at any cost. Even in PE, BA last year removed the second meal from some flights, replacing it with the "opportunity to take something from a basket of ambient snacks". This probably won't affect the HKG-LHR route, and I'm sure you'll find it more comfortable than Y.

But I do think QF and SQ offer better service. With Qantas, I thought the PE soft product was very close to J. And the hard product - albeit not a lie-flat seat - wasn't bad either.

 

[downgraded]

Can't comment on BA since I haven't done it since it was still called "Economy Traveller Plus" or something 15 years ago (as a novice traveller at the time the space compared to Y still made me marvel - I was young and naive and it was an era when QF J was still the big puffy recliner, not even angled lie flat) . CX PE is always an option if you want an asia stop-over. I like their seat (very similar essentially to QF's - different but the same), though their soft product is much more hit and miss and not really ever up to QF's standard, and sometimes just plain and simply the Y F&B service. They have the advantage they fly PE from more places in Australia to more places in the rest of the world, and the product is intended to be consistent on all their planes.

At those sale prices you can't really go wrong with QF's PE offering IMHO (though I just got MEL-LHR for only $3100 return in PE so am even happier).

 

[thesampson]

Thanks all for the great responses. A lot of ideas I would never have considered - and will.
Great work, downgraded, grabbing that deal!

I think this trip I will stick with a known quantity... but the next will be a little more adventurous and take in some Asian destinations. Somewhere I haven't been since it was SGD 2.5 to AUD 1. That was a while ago! Time for another visit.
Thanks again all, for your great help. I'll provide feedback on rtn.
Thesampson

 

[NinnyPoo]

I know you have made your booking @thesampson but i would recommend (in descending order)

QF PE
SQ PE
CX PE
BA PE

I have travelled all including QF PE from SYD to JFK and felt great after. As posters have noted, BA PE is not special.

Also, while some posters have recommended cheap business fares from Asia, you do need to get to Asia in economy. I feel this detracts from the overall experience, especially if the return flight is overnight economy back to Australia from Asia.

Enjoy the trip!