Qantas gets a poor review by Age editor

[harvyk]

Going to put my flame suit on just in case. Having read the comments following the article and those in this forum (and not just this thread) I get a feeling that it's wrong to 'Qantas bash'. Is that like one of those untouchable Australian institutions?

It's not that QF doesn't deserve critism when QF the company does something wrong or noteworthy - case in point the various industrial disputes. Critism and comment was more than justifed in those cases.

The issue is that every so often a person will have a less than stellar flight, they will write a newspaper article about that flight, acting as if it's how every QF flight is like, and it gets published because it leads to advertising. Then you get the commenters, some whom haven't been to an airport let alone on an airplane in 20 years chiming in about how terrible QF is. It is that sort of rubbish we typically object to.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I did notice far less criticism (on international forums, not just Aussie) of certain airlines such as JAL, SQ, QR and other carriers because when a business provides decent product and good service it will receive less negative feedbacks, it’s as simple as that.

This was going to be my comment.

yes all airlines *might* suffer inconsistencies, but to a far less degree than QF. And also what constitutes a 'bad day' on SQ/JL/NH is relatively mild compared to some of the things I've witnessed on QF.

Different cultures though.

 

[juddles]

I think inconsistency is a plague that affects all airlines. Having done maybe 20-40 airlines (at least) I have had shocker flights on all of them. I have even had a slack time in F on Emirates.

I will always choose Qantas where I can....

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Of course we can't discount this authors decision to engage in QF bashing for the fun of it. Their job is to write articles that generate clicks, and QF bashing certainly does that.

Then you get the commenters, some whom haven't been to an airport let alone on an airplane in 20 years chiming in about how terrible QF is.

I think many of us see the lack of call button attention to be the fail here and there are many reports from seasoned flyers, stating that is a problem that they personally have experienced, sometimes regularly. Picking on someone who may or may not be a seasoned flyer (although she was returning from 3 months O/S so I think it's a pretty fair assumption she has flown recently and possibly a lot of flying recently), or guessing about how long it's been since someone flew, is missing the point.

That article is not QF bashing unless that writer has history of complaining against QF over trivial matters. As it stands, it's simply making publically known a problem we too know as a problem. If they don't want to answer a call button, they shouldn't put them in planes! There is though, a more serious side to this. Someone may genuinely need help, rather than just another drink.

 

[Mattg]

I thought the author might have had a point, until I realised she was flying Economy. Who expects an amenities kit in economy on a daytime flight?

Sorry, but the problem here is not the crew.

 

[love_the_life]

I thought the author might have had a point, until I realised she was flying Economy. Who expects an amenities kit in economy on a daytime flight?

Sorry, but the problem here is not the crew.

Pardon? The flight may be classed as 'daytime' but it is 14 hours and all she wanted was a toothbrush. A number of other airlines do provide amenities in Y and it is not unreasonable to expect the same on QF which is a full service airline. I remember when they did provide this.

Regardless of whether there should have been amenities, the bit that would annoy me is the staff turning off the call lights (and more than once). I almost never push the call button but expect to be answered if I do. The other thing was the general demeanour of the staff with the projection that passenger requests were too much trouble. This is a service industry and, yes, everyone has off days but when dealing with clients you get over it. I think the report was more than justified. I have had excellent service on QF both at the front of the plane and in Y; equally I have had almost the same number of flights where service was pretty poor. So yes, IMO, the problem was the crew.

 

[harvyk]

I think many of us see the lack of call button attention to be the fail here and there are many reports from seasoned flyers, stating that is a problem that they personally have experienced

Yeap, I've personally experienced the ignore button. I've experienced it on QF and I've experienced it on not QF. I've experienced it in Y, Y+ and J. I've also experienced crew so attentive that there was never any need to use the FA call button.

Prehaps that would have made a better story, delve into the reasons why the button is ignored, use a sample size of more than one flight.

Instead the author went down the cheap road of airline bashing based on a single flight.

 

[andyhui01]

I don’t think I’ve been on more than a dozen QF flights (all Y). I always get this feeling that every time I ask for something, it seems like I am asking them to go above and beyond or interrupting them.

Ie. I know the call button is useless so I always prefer to walk to the back and ask for whatever I need myself. When I get there, I see that they are having a conversation and I stand there waiting for them for about 5-10secs. I then have to say excuse me and get these looks like I have just interrupted and inconvenienced them.

I’ve seen eye rolling before when I get asked to put my seat up during meal service. I then ask FA to get the person in front to do the same. She rolls her eyes like I’ve just asked for something unreasonable again.

Based on these exeperiences, it isn’t hard to believe the writers experience.

Btw, @JohnK. The reason your coke light was half filled is because Diet Coke is one of the hardest things to pour in the cabin. Most of it just becomes foam. Try pouring from a can next time to see for yourself.

 

[juddles]

......made a better story, delve into the reasons why the button is ignored, use a sample size of more than one flight..

I completely agree - maybe investigate staff numbers vs pax, staff requirements at different stages of flight, etc etc

 

[Himeno]

It's not that QF doesn't deserve critism when QF the company does something wrong or noteworthy - case in point the various industrial disputes. Critism and comment was more than justifed in those cases.

The issue is that every so often a person will have a less than stellar flight, they will write a newspaper article about that flight, acting as if it's how every QF flight is like, and it gets published because it leads to advertising. Then you get the commenters, some whom haven't been to an airport let alone on an airplane in 20 years chiming in about how terrible QF is. It is that sort of rubbish we typically object to.

Also that QF and VA could do the exact same thing. QF will get "bashed" for it, while no one mentions VA.

 

[boomy]

I thought the author might have had a point, until I realised she was flying Economy. Who expects an amenities kit in economy on a daytime flight?

Sorry, but the problem here is not the crew.

I think you missed the point there. The issue not about the amenities but the service. FA could simply say “sorry we don’t provide amenities on day flights” but instead kept saying sure no problem and didn’t bring anything so yes it is 100% crew problem in this case.

 

[Danger]

Also that QF and VA could do the exact same thing. QF will get "bashed" for it, while no one mentions VA.

I'm neither here nor there on the article but I think a big reason for this is what was outlined in the article: Qantas is the national carrier. I've long said that the biggest thing Qantas has going both for and against it is the kangaroo logo.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Prehaps that would have made a better story, delve into the reasons why the button is ignored, use a sample size of more than one flight.

I guess we'll have to disagree about whether the article represents airline bashing, but I do agree with your other suggestion. I take about 15-20 or so QF Dom J flights per annum but I virtually never use the call button. The only time I can recall using it was the last flight I took with them where the CSM didn't take a scrap of notice of it, so in 30-40 Dom J flights or so over two years, QF scored a 100% failure to answer the call button?
Stats can be worked to achieve any answer. I think she was fairly clear and concise about the failure(s) and even if it is her only QF flight forever, it's still a failure, isn't it?

 

[love_the_life]

There is only one chance to make a first impression and a lot to make up if it’s a bad one. If QF’s service was poor people will look elsewhere next time. If we get bad service we don’t go back.

 

[Punky]

There is only one chance to make a first impression and a lot to make up if it’s a bad one. If QF’s service was poor people will look elsewhere next time. If we get bad service we don’t go back.

I don't think that is true Just look at all the people that keep going back to Hilton Sydney or Hilton Surfers and keep whinging about it....

 

[TheInsider]

I don't think that is true Just look at all the people that keep going back to Hilton Sydney or Hilton Surfers and keep whinging about it....

Also Tiger!

 

[boomy]

I don't think that is true Just look at all the people that keep going back to Hilton Sydney or Hilton Surfers and keep whinging about it....

You are referring to Hilton loyalists who keep returning to same bad properties because they can’t break loose from the golden chackles but the OP was referring to new customers who will probably not return to a business that made a first bad impression.

 

[harvyk]

Also Tiger!

They aren't so much loyal to Tiger as they are to cheap airfares. If an airline swooped in and undercut Tiger on every flight TT would have zero pax.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Most of my QF flights that make up most of my 30K LTDC’s are very good. But when I have had those flights as per the post they are usually returning to Australia and not the even numbered ones.

There are always staff having a bad day but rarely it’s the whole crew!!

 

[Deleted member]

I don't think that is true Just look at all the people that keep going back to Hilton Sydney or Hilton Surfers and keep whinging about it....

I am guilty of that (Hilton) one. But in my defence, I am not the one who makes the bookings (lol)
I have finally put my foot down where Hilton SP is concerned though.