My first time in J !

[TonyB]

I had my first flight in J two weeks ago Perth - Sydney and thanks to the advice on this forum phoned QF to request upper deck seats if possible. I ended up with 11A which was the front row right behind the coughpit!! Service was excellent, plenty of room, food was good, coffee was ordinary but at least it was served in decent sized mugs and overall it was a great flight and as mentioned previously by others, it is going to be real tough going back to Y! I would absolutely recommend calling and requesting an upper deck seat just so you get to walk up the stairs once. By the way, everyone seems to bag kids on planes but there were a couple of young kids up stairs on my flight and they were the most well behaved children you could ask for. They had a tour of the flight deck and plenty of room to move around on the upper deck - we didn't even know they were there. I think the extra room for children makes a big difference.

 

[simongr]

They had a tour of the flight deck and plenty of room to move around on the upper deck - we didn't even know they were there. I think the extra room for children makes a big difference.

Umm - hate to be a party pooper but isnt the flight deck door locked for a reason?

I know I would have loved to look through the flight deck (still would love to but my coughpit days are a long way behind me ) but if they are going to open the door for kids - what's to stop someone pushing past the kids?

Glad you enjoyed J though

 

[SeatBackForward]

what's to stop someone pushing past the kids?

You obviously haven't flown PREMIUM First cCass yet. In that class, you sit beyond the pilot and they'll even take you to whatever airfield you choose.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

The front right hand aisle seat on J32 is directly behind the non-existant door to the coughpit (pilots have to duck around the corner of the seat to get in and out).

 

[TonyB]

I was surprised as well when the FA led the father and his son into the coughpit (although passengers were still boarding so perhaps that is ok?). Having said that, and without going into anymore detail, it would not have been much of a challenge for someone seated in the first few rows to enter the coughpit mid flight.

 

[Altair]

Well NZ is having a charity auction and one item up for grabs is a flight to Queenstown (ZQN) in a 737....sitting in the coughpit jumpseat!
Zillion - Air New Zealand Charity Auctions - Kids at Christmas - Money Can't Buy
Sorry Kiwi Flyer for lettting it out of the bag but it is for a good cause....unfortunately it will be too rich for my blood and wallet.
Oh you need to pass a security background check.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

It is already too rich for me. But get next best thing flying J32 front row right hand aisle seat.

 

[pacblue]

Just remember that if you get hooked on J and don't want to return to Y that your travel will be much more expensive.

Yes, that's the problem with J and F.

All of my travel is paid for during the year and when your holidays roll around it's - spend big bucks on fares - or it's back to Y.

I love J, love F even more (but only flown it twice). Off to Fiji in January, should I shell out 8 grand for J class return tickets for me, Mrs Pacblue and the pacbluettes (2 kids) ? It's only five hours - and it is Air Pacific.

Worth it ?

 

[NYCguy]

I love J, love F even more (but only flown it twice). Off to Fiji in January, should I shell out 8 grand for J class return tickets for me, Mrs Pacblue and the pacbluettes (2 kids) ? It's only five hours - and it is Air Pacific.

Worth it ?

It depends how much you hate Y. I loathe it, with an intense passion that words can barely begin to describe. I would rather have hot needles inserted under my fingernails than endure Y for 5 hours, and as for JFK/SYD/JFK in Y, I would rather try to swim.

It's not an elitist thing, either - it's a comfort thing. The front cabins are just that much more comfortable for the 2, 5, 12 or 16 hours that you are trapped inside the aluminium tube.

If you can justify it financially, without selling one of your kids or having to eat baked-beans for 6 months after you get home, I think you should just do it.

 

[Flying Fox]

Hmmm, I generally am happy to fly Y for < 10hrs but more than that I would go for J.

I have always flown long-haul in J or F but trips to SIN & KUL are generally Y. I don't find this too bad.

However, flying to LAX in Y is almost un-imaginable.

I must say that I recently did a coughpit visit on a 747-400 in LAX last August. We were still on the ground with passengers boarding. The flight crew were still walking into the coughpit and said that I could have a look around for a while.

Of course I thanked them for the special treat.

As an aside, I will never forget the jump-seat landing that I did many years ago in an SIA 747-400 into Hong Kong...... gone are the good old days.

 

[JohnK]

I love J, love F even more (but only flown it twice). Off to Fiji in January, should I shell out 8 grand for J class return tickets for me, Mrs Pacblue and the pacbluettes (2 kids) ? It's only five hours - and it is Air Pacific.

Worth it ?

You are the only one that can answer that question.

It is only a five hour flight and the time passes quickly. For me it is a no brainer. Pay for economy and save the $5,000 for another holiday or something much more important than an overpriced seat. YMMV.

 

[pacblue]

It is only a five hour flight and the time passes quickly. For me it is a no brainer. Pay for economy and save the $5,000 for another holiday or something much more important than an overpriced seat. YMMV.

I think you're right.

In Y we can all get there for 2 grand.

I think I'll spend the other 6K on upgrading our accom, some Dom Perignon, foie gras and a box of Cohiba cigars.

Seems like a waste for 5 hours.

 

[JohnK]

In Y we can all get there for 2 grand.

I think I'll spend the other 6K on upgrading our accom, some Dom Perignon, foie gras and a box of Cohiba cigars.

Seems like a waste for 5 hours.

Those ideas sound like a much better way to spend some of the money you will save.

I don't travel to the US, but if I did I can cope with economy for a 14 hour flight and spend $2,000 instead of spending $10,000+ on QF business class. I am planning on going to Europe next year and my airfare will be around $2,200 in QF economy or use Amex points to redeem an economy award with VA Flying club flying SQ. I just cannot justify spending $10,000+ on QF business class airfares.

I know those business class airfares can be reduced by flying with UA to the US or EK, GF, LH to Europe but I still can't justify paying $6,000+ or 3x the price of economy for 24 hours each way of inconvenience. The money would be much better spent on the rest of the holiday or another holiday to another destination. YMMV.

 

[pacblue]

Oh yeah ... If I had to pay for a long haul flight, it wouldn't be in business.

10 grand is just stupid.

But ... I would use points to upgrade.

It's my company's policy that domestic and long haul Intl flights must be in J, so I get plenty of points - but I'd never use my own cash for the leg room, food and service in J.

 

[simongr]

My trip to BKK recently we doubled the cost by flying WT+. I have just been flying way too much in the past six months to even think about Y for me (and mrssimongr). My intention is for the next couple of years at least to only fly J+ and upgrade using points when I can.

If I cant get into J then I wont fly. Mrssimongr doesnt enjoy flying so the last thing I need after flying 100kmiles a year (which I know isnt nearky as much as some) is to be crammed in whY (I am 6'12"), eat plastic and drink poor wine stuck next to someone who is stressed. We have no burning desire for multiple flights and earning 250K points a year gives me roughly enough for 2xJ europe returns per year and we can only afford a holiday once every couple of years

 

[JohnK]

....is to be crammed in whY (I am 6'12"), eat plastic and drink poor wine stuck next to someone who is stressed.

Hmm.... 7 foot tall!

 

[simongr]

Oops - 6'2" and 10" of ego