Qantas A380 or 787

[Travelqueen]

Hi,

Tomorrow, I'm booking a flight for Jan 2018, Melbourne to LAX, J class.

I've got the choice of the A380, or the new 787-9

I know the A380 gets into LAX earlier, but other than that I'd love some opinions on

which one I should choose?

TQ

 

[JessicaTam]

The A380 has the SkyBed Mk II, and the B787 the new J suite. Have you tried either of them? That may influence your decision.

 

[moa999]

J class - choice of the new improved Business Suite on 789 vs Sky Bed II.l on 380

I'd be on the 787, albeit QF95 still requires govt approval.
If part of a couple then some might prefer the 380

 

[straitman]

Hi,

Tomorrow, I'm booking a flight for Jan 2018, Melbourne to LAX, J class.

I've got the choice of the A380, or the new 787-9

I know the A380 gets into LAX earlier, but other than that I'd love some opinions on

which one I should choose?

TQ

There are many ways to answer that question so it really is up to personal preference.

What's important to you?

Boeing versus Airbus?
New J seats versus older type?
Four engines versus two?
etc etc etc......

 

[Travelqueen]

The A380 has the SkyBed Mk II, and the B787 the new J suite. Have you tried either of them? That may influence your decision.

Hi Jessica,

Yes, I've done a few flights on the A380.
I know that the J seat slopes a bit on the A380
I was leaning towards the 787
Im thinking newer and exciting??

TQ

 

[juddles]

Go with newer and exciting

 

[Travelqueen]

J class - choice of the new improved Business Suite on 789 vs Sky Bed II.l on 380

I'd be on the 787, albeit QF95 still requires govt approval.
If part of a couple then some might prefer the 380

Hi moa999,

I'll be be travelling with my daughter, and I did see that two seats together are the middle ones.

However, is it like the A330, where there is a divider between the two middle seats?
If so, I think I'd rather go for two window seats.

Also, I see it depends on Govt approval....so what happens if it is not approved?

TQ

 

[moa999]

Well the seat hasn't been fully released yet, but one of the rumoured changes versus the A330 is that part of the divider will be able to be lowered, but there is still some distance between seats.

Worst case I guess is getting shuffled to the 380

 

[Travelqueen]

There are many ways to answer that question so it really is up to personal preference.

What's important to you?

Boeing versus Airbus?
New J seats versus older type?
Four engines versus two?
etc etc etc......

Hi straitman,

I have to admit, some of those questions I didn't think of

Boeing Vs Airbus......no opinion there
New J seats Vs old.....thinking of new
4 engines Vs 2..... Now that got me worried....haha

TQ

 

[straitman]

Hi straitman,

I have to admit, some of those questions I didn't think of

Boeing Vs Airbus......no opinion there
New J seats Vs old.....thinking of new
4 engines Vs 2..... Now that got me worried....haha

TQ

As an 'old' aviator I will always have a preference for more engines but conversely it can be said that you then have twice as much chance of something going wrong.

i.e. lose an engine on an A380 and you still have three but lose one on a B787 and the next 2-3 hrs ETOPS time is going to go VERY slowly.

 

[Steady]

An A380 would allow you to enter the upgrade lottery.

 

[opusman]

However, is it like the A330, where there is a divider between the two middle seats?
If so, I think I'd rather go for two window seats.

Yes there is a divider, however it can be lowered unlike on the 330.

Also, I see it depends on Govt approval....so what happens if it is not approved?

Qantas would rebook you on another flight.

 

[jb747]

There are many ways to answer that question so it really is up to personal preference.

What's important to you?

Boeing versus Airbus?
New J seats versus older type?
Four engines versus two?
etc etc etc......

Lithium batteries vs no lithium batteries.
Bigger windows vs slightly smaller...but it's mostly night and they'll be closed anyway.
Little aircraft vs big aircraft.

You could make a list that goes on forever, with most differences being trivia.

 

[Pleb Status]

If travelling with someone (particularly a family member) then the A380 J is the way to go.

The biggest negatives of the QF A380 J seat arrangement (mainly privacy, no direct aisle access for window seats etc) are less of an issue if you are sitting next to someone you know.

The QF A380 J seat is far more comfortable than the A330 (and therefore B789) seat, the A380 window storage bins give the window passengers more effective space (and obviously alot of near seat storage), the A380 is far quieter during flight and generally there is alot of space to wander around if required.

 

[Himeno]

I'd be on the 787, albeit QF95 still requires govt approval.

AU and US have open skies and unlimited capacity. No need for government approval on that end. IASC and DOT just need to rubber stamp it. In this case, as it is a new aircraft type for QF, the main approval needed would be CASA approving QF to use the type. I don't see CASA having any issues with QF operating 787s, so that would be a non issue as well.

Bigger windows vs slightly smaller...but it's mostly night and they'll be closed anyway.

Well, tinted anyway. ;P

 

[bsb]

An A380 would allow you to enter the upgrade lottery.

The new J suite is so good you don't need an upgrade. 789 all the way (until they refresh the 380's from those hell, last millennium J seats).

 

[oz_mark]

AU and US have open skies and unlimited capacity. No need for government approval on that end. IASC and DOT just need to rubber stamp it. In this case, as it is a new aircraft type for QF, the main approval needed would be CASA approving QF to use the type. I don't see CASA having any issues with QF operating 787s, so that would be a non issue as well.

The issue with getting approval to operate a new type is sometimes around the timelines for doing so. Qantas and CASA would have a process to go through, and things can always get held up somewhere.......

 

[Steady]

The new J suite is so good you don't need an upgrade.

Fair enough, I didn't realise they were different to the domestic version in the A330

 

[greyyy]

Well the seat hasn't been fully released yet, but one of the rumoured changes versus the A330 is that part of the divider will be able to be lowered, but there is still some distance between seats.

Nothing rumoured about it any more. It's essentially the same but with the divider between the seats partially retractable. I would post to ausbt, but I don't have permission yet. Just Google "qantas b787 business class"

Personally, I would strongly prefer the 787. New and shiny, better J seat plus all the new niceties of the Dreamliner.

Hell, I might just go and book a flight myself...

 

[Quickstatus]

Lots of way to look at this:
I'd say try both and see what you think.
Some differences are significant some are gimmicky.
Don't forget price and flight schedule

In the end most people choose flights based on
Price
Schedule