My first flight in FIRST by QANTAS was such a let-down, it certainly won't happen again!

[Mr H]

I think the OP is exactly right to point out these shortcomings. Too many people let things like this slide and that allows standards to slip. Who knows where it might end - no greeting by name, no welcome to FFs on the captain's announcement, no lotus on disembarking...

I think the mexican stand off was an appropriate reaction - after all, as an F passenger who had paid a significant premium for the ticket, there should have been a greater recognition that the OP was special and that the ground staff and cabin crew should have fitted in around him, rather than he fitting around the paid staff. Even if there was no recognition (in the form of a care package) on the day, the staff concerned will doubtless have taken away the experience, thought about it and re-evaluated their priorities.

In terms of practicality, I would suggest the OP takes this up with NCAT. Even if only a relatively modest part of the fare is refunded, it will allow the learning to pass on to other staff who were not there on the day.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Was the spa treatment ever worth it?

Depends if you like spa treatments . In the early days there were some quite long treatments and you could choose what suited you. I have to admit I am a bit over airport spa treatments - I like them in holiday destinations - preferably in garden settings and with water.

 

[muppet]

I think the OP is exactly right to point out these shortcomings. Too many people let things like this slide and that allows standards to slip. Who knows where it might end - no greeting by name, no welcome to FFs on the captain's announcement, no lotus on disembarking...

I think the mexican stand off was an appropriate reaction - after all, as an F passenger who had paid a significant premium for the ticket, there should have been a greater recognition that the OP was special and that the ground staff and cabin crew should have fitted in around him, rather than he fitting around the paid staff. Even if there was no recognition (in the form of a care package) on the day, the staff concerned will doubtless have taken away the experience, thought about it and re-evaluated their priorities.

In terms of practicality, I would suggest the OP takes this up with NCAT. Even if only a relatively modest part of the fare is refunded, it will allow the learning to pass on to other staff who were not there on the day.

The amount people get uppity about not being welcomed as a Gold or whatever, I almost thought you were serious ... until the lotus..

 

[kermatu]

Absolutely worth it.

 

[drron]

Boy some of you QF guys should lighten up.It was the OPs first F experience.QF advertise the special services that you will receive.They were not delivered.So the OP felt let down.
It really doesn't matter how many others have received all those benefits the OP didn't.End of story.As I repeatedly say he is not alone and some of us have left QFi because of it.
We are not the most prolific F flyers but JAL,ANA SQ,TG and even AA long haul F I prefer to the QF offering.We do fly out of Australia now on BA F.QF have an advantage but it is a very small one.And BA is far less expensive than QF so ends up being better value for us.

 

[Austman]

I agree the OP's experience doesn't sound good.

A few thoughts:

* If the OP was in the lounge between 12:00 and 17:00, they must have heard boarding announcements of all the other flights? I've noted that when the announcements are made there can then be some guidance when departing the lounge on where to go if you are on an A380 in F. Still, the treatment at the gate seems wrong.

* If the OP asked soon after 12:00 for a spa appointment and there were none available between 12:00 and 17:00, I'd think they had been taken by pre-bookings? I can't imagine too many eligible pax turn up 5 hours before their flight.

* Can the spa actually get fully pre-booked and hence no call? With 2 x A380s departing between 12:00 and 17:00 (QF7 at 14:40 and QF1 at 17:00) that's 28 possible F-class pre-booked spa appointments. With each 20 minute spa treatment taking at least 30 minutes (with changing etc), it would need 3 spa treatment rooms just to cope. How many spa treatment rooms does the Sydney F-lounge actually have?

 

[get me outta here]

Last time I was in the F lounge SYD and my companion was in the loo, she didn’t know the boarding announcement had been made because she didn’t hear it.

 

[muppet]

Last time I was in the F lounge SYD and my companion was in the loo, she didn’t know the boarding announcement had been made because she didn’t hear it.

I think it's safe to assume if the OP arrived to the Y scum, the OP left before the F lounge gave the announcement. Don't the lounges let a bit go first?

 

[mrsterryn]

@Rick93 Just wondering which first class you prefer?
@drron has mentioned BA ( I get my first first in Dec on them )

 

[kermatu]

How many spa rooms does the Sydney F-lounge actually have?

Pretty sure it has 3, but of late only two operating (I travel more out of MEL so could be wrong). In MEL there's definitely only two rooms but have been told a few times only one therapist working.

While the max is 28, bear in mind a good chunk of pax in QF F cabins are staff and last minute upgrades, so no spa pre-appointments for them.

 

[mrsterryn]

I don't listen announcements. I love to watch the board and always leave early to go to gate . Then sit there until boarding
Ok maybe not a good way of going it ...but the way I do

 

[kermatu]

Don't the lounges let a bit go first?

Yes (as has been posted above).

 

[downgraded]

Pretty sure it has 3, but of late only two operating (I travel more out of MEL so could be wrong). In MEL there's definitely only two rooms but have been told a few times only one therapist working.

While the max is 28, bear in mind a good chunk of pax in QF F cabins are staff and last minute upgrades, so no spa pre-appointments for them.

The one and only time I've been pro-actively offered a spa treatment on arrival to the lounge in Mel F lounge I was flying Y to LHR on QF9 via PER.

 

[get me outta here]

Once in AA LAX ‘first’ lounge I ‘forgot’ to get onboard and missed the flt to MCO. Luckily, I was emerald so they rerouted me. They advised me afterward that they only announce LAX-JFK but I hadn’t picked up on that. Sorry, OT.

 

[Mr H]

I almost thought you were serious ... until the lotus..

Does QF no longer give you a lotus? I always look forward to the lotus with TG.

 

[Austman]

Pretty sure it has 3, but of late only two operating

That might at least explain why it got booked out?

 

[kermatu]

That might at least explain why it got booked out?

Should still get a call. And if there really are 28 eligible pax who want a spa session they'd have 24 hours' notice to get the 3rd therapist in, so no excuse.

 

[Austman]

Unless there was something wrong with the room itself? With 2 x A380s departing and only 2 x treatment rooms, it's always going to be tight I suppose....

 

[jch]

OP reminds me of the guy in the SQ premium economy traveller who flipped out on social media because he didn't get any champagne as advertised. SQs twitter response was something like "Did you ask for any?" - answer was no, he shouldn't have to ask.

OP - if you want something, ask for it!

EDIT: Flyer mocked over ridiculous airline complaint

This thread did remind me of that post on the SQ facebook page, but I didn't know it made the news!

I won't be trying QF F for a while but I'm flying SQ PE in April and won't be forgetting to ask for my champagne

 

[Kangol]

I don't particularly rate QF F - I've had some amazing flights (due to crew) but I've also had two flights that have resulted in formal complaints to customer care (and service recovery). I was also a Qcult member until I started flying F on other airlines.

What happened on these two flights? Did you have status at the time?