Now Boarding ... Chicken or Beef?

[CCQF]

At a recent holiday expo, I mentioned to one of the QF staff manning the stand that Ms 9yo had recently been diagnosed with Aspergers and it was suggested that I ring reservations and get that added to the booking so the crew know just in case (on the off-chance she plays up). Is that likely to affect where we're seated or anything? We're doing BNE-LAX-JFK and return in Feb.

No it wont affect where you are seated or anything but extra information like this is always very helpful to the crew if they do need to offer you assistance with your daughter especially since you are doing a long trip. I highly recommend you let reservations know or if not speak to the Manager on your flight and let them know in person.
All the best with your upcoming trip with QF

 

[samh004]

At a recent holiday expo, I mentioned to one of the QF staff manning the stand that Ms 9yo had recently been diagnosed with Aspergers and it was suggested that I ring reservations and get that added to the booking so the crew know just in case (on the off-chance she plays up). Is that likely to affect where we're seated or anything? We're doing BNE-LAX-JFK and return in Feb.

As a UM I'm sure you can inform them when dropping her off.

If you're with her, not sure what the point is in informing them unless necessary. I travel frequently with Aspergers though understand it varies person to person.


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[petercr]

No it wont affect where you are seated or anything but extra information like this is always very helpful to the crew if they do need to offer you assistance with your daughter especially since you are doing a long trip. I highly recommend you let reservations know or if not speak to the Manager on your flight and let them know in person.
All the best with your upcoming trip with QF

Thanks... thought it best to give them a heads-up. If we're lucky she'll spend most of the time with her head in electronics (DS/ipad etc) but if she does get a bit unruly when medication wears off it's best the the crew know that there's nothing major going wrong...

As a UM I'm sure you can inform them when dropping her off.

If you're with her, not sure what the point is in informing them unless necessary. I travel frequently with Aspergers though understand it varies person to person.


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As much as we'd love to drop her off at the airport or have her down the back and us up the pointy end, we're travelling as a family so she won't be a UM...

 

[ozmille]

A bit long to go through the whole thread so my apologies if this has been asked before.

How much control does the cabin crew have over the temperature in the cabin? On a BA flight I did once the passengers at the back were complaining it was too hot and at the front it was too cold... Is that something you can change with aircon settings?

 

[milehighclub]

It varies between aircraft but we have full control over the cabin temp. The cabin temp can also be set in the flight deck. On some aircraft the pilots have the ability to remove control from the crew but that is never done.

 

[ozmille]

It varies between aircraft but we have full control over the cabin temp. The cabin temp can also be set in the flight deck. On some aircraft the pilots have the ability to remove control from the crew but that is never done.

Thanks milehighclub, is there a reason why parts of the cabin would have a different temperature? This might be different but on my A380 flights the lower deck appeared much warmer than the upper deck

 

[anat0l]

A question related to service in Business and First class on international flights:

Are pax allowed to dine whenever they like?

The way I see it, the main dishes are only available during the designated serving times; express meals and light refreshments (or dishes marked with a * in the First menu) are allowed at any other time. Meals from a previous service are not allowed to be served in the following service (e.g. if the first service is Supper and the second service is Breakfast, you can't ask for your first service choice to be saved to be served for the second service). As a corollary, you can't have a meal which is designated for a main serving session at "any time". For example, take a SYD-LAX flight which would have Lunch/Dinner as first service, if you wanted one of the main meals being served at this time, you couldn't ask to have it served to you later, e.g. 6 hours into the flight, unless it was a designated express meal / marked with a * in the First menu.

 

[Joshua]

Are pax allowed to dine whenever they like?

I wouldn't mind knowing the official policy on this too. But my experience is in F is they'll make anything if it's reasonably available (not deep on dry ice/not perished) while in J I have frequently asked for the usual dinner on departure to be held for later and they've accommodated for that. They'll hold the dish aside & not heat it, but 3 hours is probably about the limit before it's not good. Seems a commonsensical approach if requests are not outrageous e.g. meals out of order.

 

[milehighclub]

In Business, if you wanted to dine at a later point, just let a flight attendant know before take off (all the meals will be cooked after take off) so they can keep your choice from being cooked. On supper services there is an actual dine later option so you can fill out the card to reserve your choice for later on.

There is no official policy on it for lunch/dinner, but I can't imagine a crew member not being able to accommodate it provided you let them know before the meals are cooked.

In First, I would also make it known that you wish to eat later and give your choice. First class supper services are "anytime dinning" so food is only cooked to order. On a Lunch/Dinner service while the food is generally all cooked as everyone tends to eat, when they take your order, just advise you wish to dine at a later point and they won't cook it till you ask.

 

[flyingfan]

There's been some fervent discussion about seat reclining (always a topic dear to our hearts) and in particular, on QF10...

On a recent flight (SIN-SYD), the fellow in front of me reclined as soon as the wheels left the ground - come dinner I asked the FA to get him to put his seat forward - she said she "was't allowed to" and that it was "against the rules" to wake a passenger at any time to move their seat forward, even during service. This surprised me - it made my dinner very awkward. Was she lying?

Can you say if this is true and if so can pax ask to move to a different seat so they can have their meal? And what if there isn't a single seat available?

 

[milehighclub]

There's been some fervent discussion about seat reclining (always a topic dear to our hearts) and in particular, on QF10...



Can you say if this is true and if so can pax ask to move to a different seat so they can have their meal? And what if there isn't a single seat available?

That's an interesting one. I certainly can't think of anywhere it says that I can't attempt to wake someone.

If that was me, I would attempt to wake the person in front. However on occasions I have failed in waking them if they are in a deep sleep and kindly apologise to the person that I've been unsuccessful in waking them and every time they are grateful for the attempt.

I would never attempt to bring the seat forward either (unless it was for landing in which case it is safety related)

If you asked to move to spare seat you'd be more than welcome on my flight to move to eat.

No spare seat - I could offer to maybe put your meal aside and see if they wake up (they usually do with all the noise) and bring it back.

 

[flyingfan]

That's an interesting one. I certainly can't think of anywhere it says that I can't attempt to wake someone.
...

Thank you, that would reinforce my experience that QF FAs usually try their best to help a passenger rather than putting it in the too-hard basket or being dismissive.

 

[Kerrodt]

Perhaps this is my fashion ignorance, however I have noticed that on every version/combination of the QF female cabin crew uniform the thin black belt features as a part of the outfit. The belt doesn't seems to add to the functionality of the outfit, especially the dresses and actually looks more bothersome and uncomfortable to the wearer.

Is it a mandatory piece of the uniform?

 

[milehighclub]

Yes, the belt must always be worn. However sometimes other uniform items like the serving jacket hangs low enough that some females will remove the belt during the flight and put in back on later.

Any uniform combination though does look silly without it.

 

[userlame]

Any uniform combination though does look silly without it.

No offence, but the Qantas uniforms (at least the female ones) look pretty silly anyway. Anyone else with me?

 

[Oneworldplus2]

No offence, but the Qantas uniforms (at least the female ones) look pretty silly anyway. Anyone else with me?

I like the QF uniforms.

 

[Lisee]

No offence, but the Qantas uniforms (at least the female ones) look pretty silly anyway. Anyone else with me?

No, sorry... I love the indigenous print uniforms!

 

[Sprucegoose]

No offence, but the Qantas uniforms (at least the female ones) look pretty silly anyway. Anyone else with me?

I think they look great on well proportioned ladies, accentuating curvy body characteristics.

 

[smit0847]

Where the crew rest on a long leg like MEL-LAX, do you actually go to sleep? I understand there are sleeping pods somewhere.

When I wake up from a sleep I look a right mess and can't imagine trying to quickly look perfect again in an aeroplane bathroom before going out and serving customers. If you do sleep during your crew rest do you wake up looking a mess or have you learnt to sleep flying still? I imagine this would be particularly difficult for those ladies with their hair in a bun behind their heads - does it stay neat?

Do you change out of your uniform for your crew rest?

 

[milehighclub]

The A380 has 12 bunks beds below economy (in the green section). If you're seated near there you'll see crew go down.

On the 747 the 8 bunks beds are located at the very rear of the aircraft upstairs almost in the tail section and if your waiting for a bathroom you'll see the crew go up.

Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I don't and each crew member is different. I might read a bit, listen to music or watch a video and then fall asleep. Sometimes when I know I won't sleep, it's just nice to lay down and relax.

When I have slept - it's not a pretty look!!! Both the A380 and 747 have a mirror to make yourself look presentable before you walk through the cabin (and on most flights the cabin is dark anyway so no one can see you!). Crew would then head straight for a bathroom to freshen up.

Girls generally will redo their hair in the bathroom as they take out any buns etc to sleep.

I sometimes change out of my uniform for a long break (still wear my pants but put on a t-shirt). Short breaks under 2 hours, I'll rest in my uniform. They don't really crease and are actually quite comfortable to rest in.