Qantas Boeing 787-9 premium economy seat

[MEL_Traveller]

Add better food, higher staffing ratio etc.

Maybe a 50℅ premium in Y is appropriate, but not double.

Also factor in the weight saving (pax and baggage) which helps offset the 'enhanced' meal offering.

Looking at QF's PE offerings atm - aside from March and October, the fare MEL-LHR is in the $5500-6700 range for the rest of the year. For the summer months, QF business class is just $350 more each way ($700 return, total fare $7400).

Dunno who buys PE, unless they've priced it for the upgrade market? ($6700 + a stack of points = more profit for QF).

To USA NZ's skycouch (single occupancy for the three seats) comes in around AUD3000, well below QF's asking price of $4500 (or more in some cases) for PE.

 

[juddles]

.....

have you considered a skycouch on NZ services... half the price of qantas business class and full flat.

I really admire NZ for their innovation in this regard. Have never tried it, but will have to look into it. My main travel is Colombia - Brisbane, and bookings with NZ (via EZE) involves Aerolineas Argentina, which I wont touch. But I could get a separate ticket EZE-AKL-BNE. Do they offer that skycouch on all their international routes?

Sorry - that is maybe going off topic.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I really admire NZ for their innovation in this regard. Have never tried it, but will have to look into it. My main travel is Colombia - Brisbane, and bookings with NZ (via EZE) involves Aerolineas Argentina, which I wont touch. But I could get a separate ticket EZE-AKL-BNE. Do they offer that skycouch on all their international routes?

Sorry - that is maybe going off topic.

[perhaps slightly OT but useful as a comparison for PE value-for-money]

They do - but not on the AKL-BNE Also looks like the EZE service may be seasonal for NZ? The fares aren't particularly pretty at short notice, but looking at a sample date 19-24 March, the NZ skycouch (single occupancy) EZE-BNE would be USD3900, QF business SCL-BNE (business all the way of course) is USD7649.

Flying NZ sky out of LAX, using Avianca business class non-stop BOG-LAX, would come to USD4849 (USD500 cheaper if you use COPA with one stop instead of Avianca non-stop). About USD3000 cheaper than QF business.

 

[moa999]

Looking at QF's PE offerings atm - aside from March and October, the fare MEL-LHR is in the $5500-6700 range for the rest of the year. For the summer months, QF business class is just $350 more each way ($700 return, total fare $7400).

Or why if they are selling out PE they aren't putting more of it in at those prices and pulling out Y or J seats.

On SYD-LHR.
Typical prices for QF over Easter (so non-sale period) are
Y $1800
PE $4100
J $6100

 

[coyote25]

Or why if they are selling out PE they aren't putting more of it in at those prices and pulling out Y or J seats.

On SYD-LHR.
Typical prices for QF are
Y $1800
PE $4100
J $6100

Based on those prices I'd say PE should be around $3,400-$3,600. It really shouldn't be more than double standard economy. Now if they had a bigger pitch and allowed lounge access then maybe $4,100-$4,200 would be fine.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Based on those prices I'd say PE should be around $3,400-$3,600. It really shouldn't be more than double standard economy. Now if they had a bigger pitch and allowed lounge access then maybe $4,100-$4,200 would be fine.

Most leisure pe paying pax buy during sales at around $3000 for either USA or London. Right now it's $3099 on sale

 

[Altair]

[perhaps slightly OT but useful as a comparison for PE value-for-money]

They do - but not on the AKL-BNE Also looks like the EZE service may be seasonal for NZ? The fares aren't particularly pretty at short notice, but looking at a sample date 19-24 March, the NZ skycouch (single occupancy) EZE-BNE would be USD3900, QF business SCL-BNE (business all the way of course) is USD7649.

Flying NZ sky out of LAX, using Avianca business class non-stop BOG-LAX, would come to USD4849 (USD500 cheaper if you use COPA with one stop instead of Avianca non-stop). About USD3000 cheaper than QF business.

It is a permanent route but not daily.
Have you actually tried the Skycouch? It is fully flat but if you are even average height you will not be fully stretched out as you will have to bend your knees. Skycouch is good for an adult and small child but I could not sleep next to my child, 4 years, after the people in front reclined their seats. I would consider it again when travelling with my family but not for just myself.
I would not consider the Skycouch as an alternative to Business Class for a single flyer, but I am able to sleep in a good recliner and angle flat bed I think for a Premium Economy product the QF offering is good as a PE product. For a NZ based flyer QF is cheaper than NZ, even pay $100 extra for Business Class on the TT legs. However like most other posters here the pitch looks to be ridiculously small, I hope QF think again a do an NZ and remove a row of PE to increase the pitch.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Have you actually tried the Skycouch? It is fully flat but if you are even average height you will not be fully stretched out as you will have to bend your knees.

I've tried three seats and as you say, you can lie flat, albeit with knees bent. On a 24 hour flight to Europe I'd rather sleep flat, knees bent, than either angled lie-flat or standard recliner. Agree a skycouch is not a replacement for business, but it shows it can be economically viable. For the price QF demands, and the 'revolutionary' claims they were making, they could have offered flat or partially flat (a fully horizontal legrest goes a long way to helping sleep for example).

 

[Pleb Status]

My view is look at the floorspace - which is ultimately the constraining factor in the aircraft

From various sites
PE - 38" pitch v 20.5" width
Y - 32" pitch v 17.2" width
Equals 1.415x (41.5℅ more) floorspace (numbers may not be identical measurements but I expect it's +/- 10℅ on this)
Add better food, higher staffing ratio etc.

Maybe a 50℅ premium in Y is appropriate, but not double.

I believe a more accurate calculation is (38/32) * (9/7) = 1.5267, as the PE arrangement may result in some additional dead space that should be accounted for.

The new QF W seat looked reasonable enough until I saw the 'lady in white' photo. Her legs almost touched the seat in front, even without it being reclined, and I would say she is smaller than a typical male passenger. The cradle design (raising the front of the seat) also appears to limit what you can do to limit this issue as it appears to force your legs up.

I have flown more than most but have only sampled PE on BA (1 sector) and VS (2 sectors) and I have a SQ PE flight (1 sector) coming up in a few weeks time. On all of these occasions, the PE fare was only marginally more expensive than the Y fare (<25% difference). I am a fan of the PE concept but until the airlines become more realistic on price, trips in W will generally be a novelty when they could displace my int Y travel completely.

Slightly OT but I see that the QF war against toilets continues with the 789. A total of 3 toilets for 70 premium pax on long haul appears quite low. The QF388 has 4 toilets for 64 J pax (and possibly 35 W pax) and I have waited for more than 10 minutes to get changed etc.

 

[moa999]

I believe a more accurate calculation is (38/32) * (9/7) = 1.5267, as the PE arrangement may result in some additional dead space that should be accounted for.

The new QF W seat looked reasonable enough until I saw the 'lady in white' photo. Her legs almost touched the seat in front, even without it being reclined, and I would say she is smaller than a typical male passenger. The cradle design (raising the front of the seat) also appears to limit what you can do to limit this issue as it appears to force your legs up.

I did say +-10℅. Still shows 50℅ should be the number.

From a comment elsewhere the net/leg rest wasn't extended at all in the photos, and can go much lower

 

[Ansett]

I have a similar concern re the leg room when seats are reclined seems very tight or perhaps a very tall person and a poor photograph.

 

[Pleb Status]

I did say +-10℅. Still shows 50℅ should be the number.

From a comment elsewhere the net/leg rest wasn't extended at all in the photos, and can go much lower

Although calculated differently, I agree with your conclusion of +50% (up to say +75% being very generous) should be the premium over Y.

On closer inspection of the photo, it does look like the footrest could be moved to allow her lower leg to be more vertical and therefore give more clearance to the seat in front. How comfortable that would be is another question.

An academic issue anyway as I would most likely stump up what will most likely be the small premium to fly EY J over QF W to fly PER-LHR.

 

[Digger11]

I have a similar concern re the leg room when seats are reclined seems very tight or perhaps a very tall person and a poor photograph.

I have exactly the same issue - nothing "Premium" about having the Ent. Screen 10"'s from your face.
The only mob that got it correct was Air New Zealand with the Pods in PE. and of course they have now axed them as it doesn't squeeze enough passengers in.

Bens to the US over 10 times in the past 5 years and nearly always via Auckland for the AirNZ spaceseats. I am now at a loss.

Might just drive down to Portsea for my holidays again until an airline gives me some level of comfort at an affordable price.

 

[birder]

I am one of those who fly PE all the time unless I can get upgraded to Business. My employer allows for PE but not business. I can tell you that I feel claustrophobic just looking at the photos. Everyone is going to be clamoring for the bulkhead seats. In addition, I am not as concerned about seat width for the hip space but for the shoulder space. I think there may be some degradation of the shoulder space here.

Bottom line, I am going to avoid the 787-9 like the plague, because even if I book PE and manage to get upgraded to business, I will surely be put in the rear business section with PE passengers tramping through. The A380 is clearly the better choice for someone like me.

 

[parsonstrish]

I flew QF Pe LHR-Syd October '16. I had aisle seat in row of 2. My only complaint was bulkhead seat recline position in front made it extremely difficult to get out of my seat. I choose not to put hands on back of reclined seat to make it easier to get out of row. I lifted my legs over arm rest to leave row. In future, if I fly PE again, I will forget seat etiquette. Other than recline in front, seat extremely comfortable, great leg room.

 

[Fergo747]

For those wondering what it would be like for the person behind whilst the seat is reclined here is a similar picture as shown above. It does look like there is adequate knee room, though not sure how tall she is.

 

[lastrow]

For those wondering what it would be like for the person behind whilst the seat is reclined here is a similar picture as shown above. It does look like there is adequate knee room, though not sure how tall she is.


View attachment 92162

Note that in this pic both seats are reclined. The difficulty occurs when the seat in front is laid back and you are not for what ever reason like using your laptop. Also has anybody noticed if the centre arm can be lifted up. Getting out is made much more difficult with the arm rest down. IMHO seat pitch is the key to comfort and I would pay a modest premium to fly in a Y cabin with a seat pitch of say 38 inches. I would be happy to sit in a standard Y seat in this cabin

 

[mviy]

I need a photo showing a tall male sitting in the seat to get an idea of what the seat will be like if I were to use it. A photo of someone short doesn't give me much of a clue as to what the seat will be like in practice.

 

[OATEK]

... Also has anybody noticed if the centre arm can be lifted up. Getting out is made much more difficult with the arm rest down.

Judging by the first pictures in this thread, the centre armrest looks to be part of the seat structure, and not able to be folded up.

IMHO seat pitch is the key to comfort and I would pay a modest premium to fly in a Y cabin with a seat pitch of say 38 inches. I would be happy to sit in a standard Y seat in this cabin

Some members of the family shortly flying on the Finnair Economy comforts seats, a bit like the comfort seats on Hawaiian. At a small premium these can make excellent sense.

Having flown a few sectors on QF in PE, I think they are fine for daylight flights to Asia, but overnight from HKG I slept no better than in Y. I can't imagine paying a substantial premium for PE on a 17hr flight is going to prove a good deal, with a seat in front that folds back and locks you in.

 

[Junes]

Well, I've flown QF PE for years Sydney to LHR, most recently this last December/Jan. Have always appreciated the consistently excellent cabin service. However re these new seats and configuration, I'm certainly shorter than that model and this looks pretty squashy to me, especially if that seat lifts when the back's reclined. I do like the repositioned screen and the footrest, though if there's no much room in to stretch out that might become redundant. Imagine there'll be plenty more competition for aisle seats rather than being trapped by the window! Agree with members highlighting PE costs, even discount PE is more than twice the $$$ of Economy so there Should be appreciable difference. Does anyone remember the original QF PE seats? Bliss.