Qantas eyes 'tip to tail' seat upgrade for Airbus A380

[oz_mark]

I

What airline DOESN'T keep their product for around 10 years. Struggling to think of many if any.

And oh how short memories are because Skybed was a market leading product when introduced and still has fans (going by this thread) and still attracts bums on seat.

I think you have somewhat missed the point of what was posred. If a seat is to be seen as reasonably competitve through its 10 year life, it has to be up with the best of them at the start.

 

[moa999]

The reckoning is by the time I have mucked around with all the features, settled down to eat and watch a movie, then sleep, the opportunity for constructive speach has passed.

Only one or two drinks then.

 

[Matt_01]

A refresh would be nice but I still do not think the skybed MkII is not a bad or uncomfortable product. Sagging can be a problem on the older planes but this is most likely down to passengers who stand on seats to get to overheads and IMO not acceptable. Looking back when my child was younger the I think the current QF a380 is easier to travel on with young children as the pitch is good and there is no barrier between seats like in most of the current 1-2-1 layouts. When I mean barrier I am not talking about dividers movable or otherwise it is the ability to get from one seat to the next without having to walk around the cabin or stretch and lean over to find items children drop (favorite toys, bottles etc.) and if not found quickly can go south resulting in tears and discomfort for other passengers.

I also like the current F product (even without an enclosed suite). I can only compare to EK and QR (also not enclosed) 380 product. When you consider EK is 6 (strike 6 insert 4, cannot work out how to do this) 4 abreast and QR is 4 abreast upstairs where as QF is 3 abreast downstairs it is still a good space and comfortable. Admittedly the QF bathrooms are not in the the same league as EK or QR, but after all it is just a dunny, it is not like you spend most of your flight in there. EK wins with the shower. Not sure how many other carriers use 3 abreast in F on an a380.

 

[ajw373]

The pace of change in business class has noticeably accelerated, but it's generally held to be at most a seven year cycle (some say it's now more like five years). Skybed II launched with the first QF A380 in 2008, which means it was designed in 2006, so it's already well past the seven year mark. Of course, now we're facing a zenith of core features in business class when it comes to fully-flat beds, direct aisle access, ample room and stowage space around the seat, large IFE screens etc, so the pace of development is slowing in terms of the big leap forward.

I'd also suggest that it's not the Skybed II which is attracting bums on seats, it's 'Qantas' – a broader umbrella which covers notions of loyalty, corporate travel policy, status, lounges, personal preferences, connectivity and much more. For the majority of passengers the Skybed II is good enough not to be a disincentive, but I'd argue it's not an incentive as such – not a driving factor in the decision.

So what airlines are turning their seats over every 5-7 years then? I am struggling to think...of any....

I would agree the pace of change is such that there is innovation about that often, but that doesn't mean airlines run out and whack something new in, they wait until around the 10 year mark which is when it is economically viable to do so.

And yeah your right Qantas may be filling planes because of the brand, maybe what I should have said is it clearly isn't deterring people either. That of course doesn't mean it isn't the time to replace it, because frankly it is, as I've been on record here and your own website as saying.

 

[ajw373]

I

I think you have somewhat missed the point of what was posred. If a seat is to be seen as reasonably competitve through its 10 year life, it has to be up with the best of them at the start.

I got that, and from what I recall Skybed was up there at the start and going by sales and comments here it is still competitive now, despite it clearly being at the end of its useful life.

 

[defurax]

When you consider EK is 6 abreast and QR is 4 abreast upstairs where as QF is 3 abreast downstairs it is still a good space and comfortable.

EK is 4 abreast in F

 

[Matt_01]

EK is 4 abreast in F

Correct, too much wine and chubby finger syndrome, I was remembering my 777 MEL-SIN-MEL experiences.

I still remember my first F experience in the 70's was x6 abreast in TWA, F upstairs was all lounge/ gambling den.