JQ reduces seat pitch on A320's & locks all seats upright

[gilby08]

You do realize the report is from someone that works for the same group of companies as JQ, (and its not Apr 1) and that person walks in and out of aircraft numerous times each working day?

As far as I am concerned only a refueler would be a more credible reporter of the goings on with airlines in DRW.

And if this is the case and this person does work for the QF group, they would be breaching their EBA/contract by making these public statements without the approval of their manager/s.

 

[markis10]

And if this is the case and this person does work for the QF group, they would be breaching their EBA/contract by making these public statements without the approval of their manager/s.

Your forgot the word "allegedly", and of course any such statements have not been made in an official capacity or context .

Time will tell if this is a demo/ferry or new setup moving forward, and for me the discussion is of interest and most welcome compared to threads about credit cards for instance, despite the fact I dont intend to fly JQ or ever get another credit card, for-warned is for-armed, I appreciate the info such observations provide!

 

[munitalP]

Thanks oz, I have just emailed my entire outlook contact (work) with the link - suggesting to all not to accept, here's my email I sent...

*******************************************************

Hey all

Most of you fly – most of us complain that the seats are too close together. CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) is being canvassed by the airlines to change the cabin crew to PAX ratio from 1:36 to 1:50. This will allow them (the airlines) to insert additional rows of seating into already tightly packed aircraft. If you are slightly overweight, tall or have bulges where you shouldn’t, this means there will be no use of the seat back table and far less room than you are already being squeezed into presently. One low cost carrier in Australia proposes to trim 2cm in their already super tight seating arrangement and remove the recline function on the seat. Enough is enough!

Please petition CASA by clicking on this link

Not acceptable under any circumstances – should be you stand response on this proposal.

Take 2 minutes of your day to stop these profit hungry airlines making air travel even more uncomfortable please – trust me, your opinion does count!

Forward this email to everyone you know please – a collective stance will do wonders!

*******************************************************************

Perhaps if we were all to do this (forward the email) , we could impact the decision?

Mr!

 

[JohnK]

Time will tell if this is a demo/ferry or new setup moving forward, and for me the discussion is of interest and most welcome compared to threads about credit cards for instance, despite the fact I dont intend to fly JQ or ever get another credit card, for-warned is for-armed, I appreciate the info such observations provide!

Totally agree. I have met ozbeachbabe (and ozbeachhunk) a couple of times and she does not appear to be one to start rumours. I value her opinion highly as I do all airline staff who post on AFF....

 

[RB]

Perhaps this is the futureView attachment 724

 

[mannej]

*******************************************************************

Perhaps if we were all to do this (forward the email) , we could impact the decision?

Mr!

I for one would be happy to take 2 minutes of my time to complete the required task, and I am sure there are others who fly JQ (often not their choice) would do the same

 

[kamchatsky]

Thanks oz, I have just emailed my entire outlook contact (work) with the link - suggesting to all not to accept, here's my email I sent...

*******************************************************

Hey all

Most of you fly – most of us complain that the seats are too close together. CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) is being canvassed by the airlines to change the cabin crew to PAX ratio from 1:36 to 1:50. This will allow them (the airlines) to insert additional rows of seating into already tightly packed aircraft. If you are slightly overweight, tall or have bulges where you shouldn’t, this means there will be no use of the seat back table and far less room than you are already being squeezed into presently. One low cost carrier in Australia proposes to trim 2cm in their already super tight seating arrangement and remove the recline function on the seat. Enough is enough!

Please petition CASA by clicking on this link

Not acceptable under any circumstances – should be you stand response on this proposal.

Take 2 minutes of your day to stop these profit hungry airlines making air travel even more uncomfortable please – trust me, your opinion does count!

Forward this email to everyone you know please – a collective stance will do wonders!

*******************************************************************

Perhaps if we were all to do this (forward the email) , we could impact the decision?

Mr!

Yeah but this action would stop airfares to fall even further?!

Wouldn't you want to fly SYD-MEL for say $9 on a regular basis?!

 

[docjames]

Yeah but this action would stop airfares to fall even further?!

Wouldn't you want to fly SYD-MEL for say $9 on a regular basis?!

I'm sure everyone would, right up until the point where you would need to evacuate the aircraft in an emergency and couldnt do it in time because you were mashed in miles away from an exit........ :evil:

 

[simongr]

I'm sure everyone would, right up until the point where you would need to evacuate the aircraft in an emergency and couldnt do it in time because you were mashed in miles away from an exit........ :evil:

I have no interest in a $9 airfare. I dont mind paying for flexibility and comfort. I actually would prefer if airfares werent this cheap as it impacts on the ability of the airline to deliver a quality service.

 

[kamchatsky]

I have no interest in a $9 airfare. I dont mind paying for flexibility and comfort. I actually would prefer if airfares werent this cheap as it impacts on the ability of the airline to deliver a quality service.

But I guess that is what QF and DJ is for? After all there are choices to NOT fly JQ ...... except all the cities which QF pulled out and replaced with JQ (and no DJ alternative)! :shock:

I can tell you, if people are supporting TT, I am sure there will be people who will support JQ's initiative to lower cost -> lower prices. It is just most of AFFers who prefer quality.

 

[stryker]

I have no interest in a $9 airfare. I dont mind paying for flexibility and comfort. I actually would prefer if airfares werent this cheap as it impacts on the ability of the airline to deliver a quality service.

Ah yes.

But your employer pays for your tickets.

 

[drron]

Ah yes.

But your employer pays for your tickets.

Most of my flying is paid for from my pocket but most of my JQ flights are when someone else is paying.IE when I have a choice I dont fly JQ and any employer that wanted me to fly TT I would not work for.

 

[JohnK]

Perhaps this is the futureView attachment 724

How was that person able to get to his seat?

I have no interest in a $9 airfare. I dont mind paying for flexibility and comfort. I actually would prefer if airfares werent this cheap as it impacts on the ability of the airline to deliver a quality service.

Unfortunately people like me pay for their own airfares and don't have companies forking out money on business class or flexible economy airfares. Higher airfares and it would mean I would be stuck in Brisbane longer than usual which would not be good for my health or continuing employment.

Extremely happy with current QF sale airfares although I would like to see airfares a little lower....

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Hi All!

I flew on VH-VGU tonight, SYD-AVV. Can confirm seats were locked upright, and can not be reclined. There is no recline button. However seat pitch was the same as the rest of the A320's I have flown on with JQ. I flew on the older style seats earlier in the day and both times in row 3, I noticed no change in pitch. In fact the pitch seemed slightly better on the fixed upright VH-VGU.

I noted one passenger complaining about lack of recline, this passenger was encouraged to write in to customer service and complain. They said they get complaints all day long on this aircraft.

As for the EMEX I didn't go that far back to check.

Cheers,
dazz81

 

[dajop]

I flew on VH-VGU tonight, SYD-AVV. Can confirm seats were locked upright, and can not be reclined. There is no recline button. However seat pitch was the same as the rest of the A320's I have flown on with JQ. I

I'm going to be a tad controversial and suggest that is a good thing. I have flown several times on Jetstar Asia with my knees implanted in the seats in front, not exactly comfortable but bearable. As soon as the pax in front reclines it becomes even more uncomfortable.

 

[Mal]

Can confirm seats were locked upright, and can not be reclined. There is no recline button.

Ryanair has arrived in Australia! How long till Jetstar implements a pay-per-pee fee for using the lavs?

(BTW, my earlier comment about Ryanair demo plane was tongue-in-cheek - but seems close to the truth )

 

[markis10]

Ryanair has arrived in Australia!

Dont tell tiger

BTW for those concerned about the 1:36 ratio becoming 1:50, the reason for the rethink is because we are the only country that has that ratio, 1:50 is standard for the rest of the world. IMHO just because the rest of the world has a 1:50 ratio does not make it right, there are quite a few incidents where people passed away because of slow egress from an aircraft in an emergency of those in front of them. While our safety record shows we rarely get to the point of an aircraft evac, I am sure the cost of that extra crew member will be recovered ten fold in the evacuation efficiency that can be achieved.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I remember the QF mainline 737's had exit rows 9 & 10 but there was no 9A or 9F but there were still 10ABC & 10DEF.

Just say an airline operating an A320 (not talking specific airline here) wanted to squeeze in an extra couple of rows in thereby giving them 32 rows. Times that by 6 seats in each row = 192, minus 4 seats being 4 exit window seats to legally permit a 28inch pitch gives you 188.

188 is 8 more than what is currently permitted under the 1:36 ratio ie 5 x 36 but airlines are hammering CASA to raise this to 1:50 which is now in effect in NZ. See link below for proposed change to the current ratio.

http://www.faaadomestic.org.au/upload//1598-1.pdf

The link underneath is an online response form to CASA if you want to give them your 2c worth on why it should remain 1:36.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority - Documents open for comment

My info regarding pitch was from a JQ engineer so I had no reason to doubt the bona fides of his story - it's not like it was pub talk & he also said the bit about a 188 seat Y config. The reason for me posting this thread was to give AFFers a heads up so they can make informed choices about the carrier they fly with not to stir the possum like some people think.

Should JQ get the green light for either the 1:50 ratio or some kind of dispensation from CASA to have 8 more seats than the permitted ie 188 vs 180 (1:36 ratio x 5 f/a's) they have already locked the seats upright they have laid the foundations for a quick config change.

The recipe: a couple of engineers, sockets, screwdrivers, ratchets and some elbow grease and bob's your uncle 188 seats and hello 27 inch pitch.

 

[Harry G]

be it more, less crew ratios / seating or otherwise......
am a big believer that things are done for a reason and the smoke screen about seats requiring more maintenance because they recline is that............ a smoke screen.......
and I would have to agree with the JQ engineer...........
my guess is that it IS to cram more seats as the whole LCC ethos is turnover.........
more bums at cheapie prices mean more dollars etc etc etc ......

the new seat pitch would be "bearable" for say a MEL-SYD or MEL-ADL flight but anyhting over that, you are in trouble........ a "birdie" tells me that the new non recline craft will only be deployed on the "short" routes but again, perhaps in the short term but am sure they will creep into without much trouble, into the longer flights of 2+ hr

 

[ozbeachbabe]

be it more, less crew ratios / seating or otherwise......
am a big believer that things are done for a reason and the smoke screen about seats requiring more maintenance because they recline is that............ a smoke screen.......
and I would have to agree with the JQ engineer...........
my guess is that it IS to cram more seats as the whole LCC ethos is turnover.........
more bums at cheapie prices mean more dollars etc etc etc ......

the new seat pitch would be "bearable" for say a MEL-SYD or MEL-ADL flight but anyhting over that, you are in trouble........ a "birdie" tells me that the new non recline craft will only be deployed on the "short" routes but again, perhaps in the short term but am sure they will creep into without much trouble, into the longer flights of 2+ hr

Well I saw one VH-VGx do a DRW/SYD they other morning so obviously JQ thinks a 4 hour flight is a short one. I'm quite certain you won't find these decision makers ie bean counters actually doing one of these flights themselves.

They have the same ethos as politicians with their cavalier 'do as I say, not as I do' attitude.

It never ceases to amaze me that management themselves would never dream of actually travelling in these A320's themselves however at the same time have the audacity to expect the travelling public to. :evil: :evil: